Blog Writing – Conversational vs. Formal Tones

Ashley Bailes - September 5, 2007

As the benefit of blogs becomes more apparent within the SEO industry, writing styles and tones are increasingly discussed throughout the community. There are a variety of writing styles to be found, depending on the blog’s purpose and topic.

One of the most common writing styles present in this new generation of blogs is the ad-sy blog. But, blogs are not the appropriate outlet for new product announcements, 50% off sales, or the available promotions of a company. Instead, blogs can be used to highlight the intriguing uses or features of a type of product. Composing a blog about a unique use for one of your products and then asking for other ideas is a great way to encourage reader participation and engagement.

Another popular writing style for blogs is formal and packed with useful information. While these blogs are usually chock full of great tidbits and could serve as valuable resources, their presentation (large blocks of text) leaves the audience disinclined to read, let alone comment. While such blogs might contain a plethora of information that could generate massive amounts of inbound links to the site, the fact remains that blogs must be easily readable for such information to be discovered.

By far, the most common writing style among blogs is the conversational tone. Found widely across the internet, these blogs take on a hit or miss design. While blogs purposed for search results should be conversational, a bit controversial or open-ended, too much informality takes credence away from the blog poster.

The writing style you choose for your blog posts depends on both the nature and purpose of your blog. If it is a personal blog, have at the LOL’s and happy faces – you aren’t looking to be a highly linked resource. However, blogs for search results should address the following points:

• Topics, products, or events that cannot easily be optimized on your site should be mentioned in your blogs. Seasonal or current news topics are great fodder for blogs.
• Blogs should be resourceful. Great or insightful ideas and opinions can lead to a high quantity of inbound links.
• Conversational tones encourage readers to partake in the conversation with you. These additional comments become user-generated content that is unique to your site. Building a solid blog with such back-and-forth will keep bloggers returning to the site.

The best performing blogs for search results are a blend of conversational tones with an air of authority. If you plan to be a resource of interesting topics and recommendations, you need to create a blog environment that adds to your credibility. Such blogs become a hub of user-generated content, including blogger opinions, ideas, and additional questions.

Overall, you want your writing to encourage the creation of a community which is relevant to your site’s products and services. The exact specifics of your blog’s tone and style are ultimately dependent upon you and the goals you wish your blog to accomplish.