Does Your Blog Speak the Language of Your Target Audience?
By Beth Graddon-Hodgson
Je ne peux pas vous entendre!
When you blog, do you put much thought into the language that you’re using? I don’t just mean whether you’re writing in English, French or Spanish; I also mean your use of grammar and word choice. Most people don’t think about it, they simply write in the language they’re accustomed to. But speaking the right language can truly help attract your target audience to your business blog, so it’s about time you start!
Here’s the thing – the language you use, specifically when incorporating your keywords can make a big difference on the type of traffic your draw to your blog. While all traffic is good traffic, you really want readers that could turn into clients on day so you get your ROI.
Speak their language and you’ve got a much better chance of gaining exposure with the right people.
Think about it, keywords used in your blog content play a major role in who lands on your page. The people typing queries into search engines are likely going to use the language, grammar and terminology they’re used to when searching for a topic. English is still the primary language on the internet, so you’ve got to think about your keyword selection beyond the basics. Think about where your target audience is and what rules of grammar are used there. American and Canadian/British English differ; if you’re a British business servicing people locally, then using British grammar will better attract your target audience. Sure, you may also get some Canadian visitors, but you’re still attracting more of the right people in the mix than you would if you chose to use American spelling. Tailor your grammar use to your target audience and where they are geographically.
Now, not all businesses cater only to a local audience. So, say you’re British running your business out of London but you’re catering to an international audience of people all around the world; what language do you use on your blog then? You could do a bit of both, but then you might appear as though you’ve lost your mind. Or the other option is to use American grammar. Why? Because keywords with American spelling are more commonly used search terms so you’re likely to attract more readers that way!
The language of your target audience doesn’t just apply to geography. It also can attract the caliber of prospective client that you get to your site. Word choice has a bearing on who you’re going to get. For example, I have clients in healthcare who are trying to reach out to an upper class clientele with their plastic surgery services. So, instead of using a term like “boob job” which is a phrase younger readers with less cash flow may search for, we use “breast augmentation”. The thing is, “boob job” is a more commonly searched term, just not likely by your target audience! Try to think like the readers you want to attract when selecting keywords, and they’ll be more likely to find you!
So, what language are you using on your blog?
Tags: Beth Graddon-Hodgson, blog topics, Blogging, blogging small business, business blogging, problogger, promoting small business with a blog, small business marketing, small business promotion, starting a blog, writing a blog
August 31st, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Yes i have a blog and it speaks the language of my target audience, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
September 1st, 2010 at 4:03 am
Great post, and it’s copywriting 101. Know your audience, and speak to them in a way you understand.
We try and keep our blog professional, but not stuffy. It’s what our readers respond to.
September 1st, 2010 at 4:18 am
As a first time blogger , I try to write what I am comfortable with
But your article is an eye opener and will have to modify my writing style
September 1st, 2010 at 4:10 pm
It’s obvious, but I see so many blogs out there with terrible spelling. I rarely visit them twice. Balancing search traffic against relevance can be a tough call. It makes no sense to use a term with no relevance at all, but you could have a higher number of conversions with a larger audience.
September 1st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
I know what you mean about terrible spelling. And it seems to be a lot of the same words…using loose instead of lose drives me nuts!
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:26 am
This really opened my eyes to something I never really considered. The reference to “boob job” makes sense. Demographics is the key right?
September 7th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
i think once people start to realize that every little thing that goes into a blog can have an impact on blog success, they’ll start being more cautious with things like spelling. That’s killer; it hurts credibility and SEO!
Andy – exactly! I’ve always said it’s trial and error with blogging for business. There are some guidelines but no real rules. You’ve got to do what will keep your readers engaged! Someone else in your industry may not find that same success with your style, but it’s all about what works for you!
Kimberly – I find that as you’re adapting to using more keywords, it helps to go back and add some of them after you’ve already written your post. Then, you don’t break your writing groove as you learn! Eventually, you will find that you can incorporate them right into your writing as you go!
Medical Assistant – yes, balance is key!! I don’t think you need to take it over the top with your keyword use or over-analyze too much. But, being aware of both purposes that keywords serve, as you mention, is essential!
September 17th, 2010 at 12:02 am
your article is an eye opener and will have to modify my writing style.I see so many blogs out there with terrible spelling. I rarely visit them twice. Balancing search traffic against relevance can be a tough call. It makes no sense to use a term with no relevance at all, but you could have a higher number of conversions with a larger audience.
September 26th, 2010 at 1:14 am
It is amazing how little things can make a large difference to your blogs success. Ensuring you are using the right terminology and at the right level is a skill that can be taught but takes practice. Like any communication, relevance is key and making sure your reader can relate to you. if they can not relate or see the relevance they will not come back.
October 13th, 2010 at 7:04 am
[...] my post on using the language of your target audience , I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about other crucial elements to consider to make your blog a [...]
October 15th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
English translation – exactly! the more readers the better, but at the same time, you need to make sure that some people that fit your target audience are in there somewhere, or you’ll never see a benefit to your business other than spreading your name around!
Sara – absolutely! And truly, there are so many things to think about, you may not carry them all out when putting together a quick blog post, but understanding the different techniques out there can help get you moving in the right direction!
November 3rd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
[...] my post on using the language of your target audience I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about other crucial elements to consider to make your blog a [...]
November 25th, 2010 at 6:08 am
It is quite surprising when small things bring a huge difference and make your blog success. You should be sure make sure while using the right terms at the right level as this is a skill that can be trained but takes practice.
February 8th, 2011 at 11:41 am
[...] year I wrote about a few things that you should consider when you’re using language to reach your target audience. Since this blog has a large international following, it’s a topic worth revisiting to learn how [...]
October 5th, 2011 at 4:05 am
I would agree that there are slight different between English grammar of different countries. It is really hard for me who is a non-native English speaker to identify the difference. Still trying hard to distinguish them!