Passive vs Active Voice For Content Marketing

Active voice for content marketing helps you connect and resonate with as many people as possible

By writing in active voice versus passive in your content writing your readers will stay engaged with your material and you develop an authority on the subject you are talking about. Writing in the active voice might seem a little tricky but once you understand it, it’s very easy.

What is Active Voice?

Active voice is when you write a sentence, and the subject of the sentence carries out the action of the verb. The sentence will look like Subject + Verb + Object. To help better understand let’s break down the different parts of a sentence.

Subject: The subject of the sentence is the doer. They are the ones performing the action, or verb.

Verb: The verb, also known as the predicate, is doing the action. It’s action that the subject is doing.

Indirect Object: The indirect object is someone or something that is being affected by the verb but is NOT the primary object. When trying to find the indirect object try asking yourself to whom, to what, for what, or for what the verb is affecting.

Now that you understand the different parts of a sentence, we can take a better look at active voice. An example of a sentence in active voice is: Spectrum Net Designs (subject) produces (verb) quality marketing materials (direct object).

What is Passive Voice?

Passive voice is the opposite of active voice. Instead of the subject performing the verb, the verb acts on the subject. The makeup of the sentence is Object + Verb + Subject. For instance, using the same sentence from above and writing in passive voice it would look like this: Quality marketing materials (Object) were produced (Verb) by Spectrum Net Designs (Subject).

Why is Active Voice Important?

Coming from a content writing perspective there are several practical reasons why the active voice is important to implement.

Using Active Voice Creates an Authoritative Voice:

Company executives, business owners, and industry experts all want to sound credible and authoritative. The use of fewer words, being direct, and straight to the point gives top-level professionals a strong writing delivery. This is because an active voice sounds more direct. It allows you to give a straightforward delivery that provides the reader with helpful information.

Active Voice is Easier to Read

Less is more when it comes to content writing. Using fewer words will allow you to get to the point quickly and fill your article with more meaningful content. Instead of complex sentences that force the reader to interpret the meaning, the active voice provides short, direct statements. For example, We wanted five bundles this summer is a lot easier to understand than, This summer, there were five bundles wanted by us.

The example demonstrates that if you fill your paragraph with passive sentences, you will eventually exhaust your readers.

Active Voice Uses Fewer Words

An active voice sentence, as mentioned before, will always use fewer words than a passive voice sentence. Passive voice sentences typically require additional words like “was”, “by”, “be”, to ensure the statement makes sense. For example, The trash was taken out by Jessica is written in passive voice and uses more words than the active version: Jessica took out the trash. Active voice gets to the point to help the reader understand what is being said right away.

Why is Active Voice Good for Content Marketing?

When you use active voice in content marketing, it will help your content be more engaging for your readers. Sometimes passive voice can feel like you are reading an educational essay. This might deter your audience from your work and find other content that is more readable. Whether you are creating direct marketing, like ads and copy, or indirect marketing content like blogs and articles, using active voice will help capture and hold your audience’s attention. It’s also helpful for your readers since it delivers information quickly and easily.

When someone clicks on your content, they will probably have questions that need answering. It’s important to not bog them down with fluff or complex sentences, instead provide them with the important information right away. This also encourages them to return to your content more often when they have additional questions.

Get Active in Your Writing Style!

Using the active voice consistently is one of the toughest elements in content writing. Once you learn how to master it, however, you will find that it drastically improves your writing and enhances your content’s readability.

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