Who are you talking to? Know your audience!

When you sit down to write something for a website or blog—or an email to go out to your clients or colleagues—how do you decide what to write? Many people start by deciding, “I’m going to explain what I know about X.” But a better way to begin is by asking, “What do these specific people need to know about X?”

Knowing your audience (your readers) is a fundamental part of plain language. That’s because using plain language doesn’t mean you need to “dumb down” the message so that anyone can understand it. It means that you need to write an appropriate message for your readers. Here are some key things to think about before you settle in front of the keyboard.

Who am I writing for? This is the big question. If you don’t know who your audience is, how can you create the right message for them? Don’t try to be all things to all people. Aim your writing at a specific group of people who you expect to read the content. If you expect a lot of very different potential readers, consider writing more than one version of your content to suit different audiences.

What do they want or need to know? Your audience is going to read the content only if they think it’s going to help them in some way. This is especially true online, where people are usually looking to get information on a very specific topic. For example, people looking for help with their income tax return don’t care about corporate tax and aren’t interested in quotes from the Income Tax Act. They want to know how you can help them file their taxes on time, and perhaps save them some money. Think about the needs of your audience and cover only the topics that are important to them.

What do they already know? A lot of experts assume that everyone knows the basics about their subject. But that’s not always the case, and using a bunch of acronyms or jargon that your audience hasn’t seen before will prevent them from understanding your message. On the other hand, including the most basic information when you’re talking to an audience of experts will come across as patronizing and useless. For example, an article on what to expect during this year’s flu season will be very different depending on whether it is aimed at parents or family doctors.

What do you want them to do? Most often, writing has a purpose. It may be an obvious purpose, like selling a product or service, making an appointment, or convincing people to vote for a candidate. Sometimes the purpose is more subtle—for example, changing someone’s opinion or behaviour, getting them to support a cause, or warning them about a danger. Whatever the purpose, everything you write should have that goal in mind. This will focus your writing, and prevent you from going off on a tangent that will distract readers (even if it’s a fascinating tangent).

If you ask yourself all of these questions before you begin to write, you will probably find that your message is easier to write (because you know what you need to communicate), easier to understand, and more effective. By thinking about your audience and using other plain language principles, your writing will become more purposeful, and you will stop feeling like you’re shouting into the void.

If your team is interested in learning more about writing in plain language, contact me to find out about training options. I offer both online and in-person training, which can be targeted to your needs or industry.