How to write for your key audiences

It’s International Literacy Day on 08 September. This annual celebration, organised by UNESCO, raises awareness of the importance of literacy around the world.

 

UK-based charity the National Literacy Trust defines literacy as “the ability to read, write, speak, and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively”.

 

So, what can charities take away from this annual event? It’s the importance of using clear written communication. If you want people to understand your charity’s work and why it’s important, you need to write copy that can be easily understood. Whether you’re writing for MPs or members of the public, using plain English is vital.

 

 

What is plain English?

 

There are some misconceptions around plain English. It’s not oversimplifying or changing the meaning of what you write. Or talking down to people. Instead, it’s writing clear copy that uses everyday language to get your message across more easily.

 

The Plain English Campaign says: “It is a message, written with the reader in mind and with the right tone of voice, that is clear and concise.”

 

Using plain English will benefit both your charity and key audiences. It will make sure people understand your organisation’s important messages. And it will give readers information in a language they can understand.

 

Here are some tips for writing in plain English.

 

 

Know your audience

 

Before you start writing your copy, you need to think about your target audience. Who are you writing for? What motivates them to read your content? What do you want them to do when they read your copy? Understanding your audience will help you to write relevant copy that people understand the first time they read it.

 

When you start writing your copy, you need to find a level of language that suits your audience. This will help to keep their interest. Editing and proofreading agency Proofed recommends that you ask yourself the following questions:

• Does my target audience already know anything about my chosen topic?
• What will readers need to know to understand my point?

Answering these questions will help you to tailor your writing to your target audience.

 

 

Be clear and concise

 

Don’t write long sentences as this can make your copy complicated and hard to understand. Use a maximum of 15 to 20 words in each sentence.

 

Use the active voice rather than the passive voice. The active voice makes the person the focus of the sentence. It’s more direct, uses fewer words and easy to see who is doing what. The passive voice makes the object the subject of the sentence, which can sound clumsy and unclear.

 

 

Use everyday language

 

Think about the language you’re using and whether the reader will understand it. In some cases, you may be able to substitute a simpler word. For example, “need” rather than “require” and “use” not “utilise”.

 

Jargon “is a type of language that is only understood by a particular group of people.” For example, charity staff may use acronyms and specialist jargon, such as legal terminology, when talking about their work internally.

 

You should avoid using jargon especially when talking to members of the public as it could be confusing and alienate them.

 

 

Structure your copy

 

How you structure your copy can make a difference to how easy it is to understand.

 

For example, strong headings and subheadings will help to guide the reader and let then know what to expect in each section. Dividing your copy up into short paragraphs will make it easier to read and digest.

 

When writing web copy, it’s especially important to include the main points in the opening paragraph. People skim read when reading online and may leave the page if they don’t find the information for which they’re looking.

 

 

Use a consistent tone of voice

 

The way your charity communicates and the language it uses is called tone of voice. Using the same tone of voice across written communications will help you to talk about your work clearly and consistently.

 

Once you have an established tone of voice, you can then adapt it depending on who you’re writing for. For example, you may be writing a leaflet to recruit new volunteers or drafting a series of social media posts to engage MPs.

 

If you don’t have tone of voice guidance for your charity, read our article on how to develop a tone of voice.

 

 

Ask someone to read your copy

 

Whether you’re a copywriter or writing is one of many different tasks in your job description, it’s a good idea to get a fresh pair of eyes on your copy. Another person will be able to pick up on the passive voice or edit a long sentence.