A series of metal paperclips have been arranged in the shape of the word 'you'. They've been placed on a yellow background.

If your current blog articles, social media, web pages or brochures are using ‘me me’ content, you risk your prospective customers or clients tuning out. Feeling ignored, they could fail to see the potential benefits of purchasing your product or services. They may even abandon your content altogether if your writing is weighted heavily in the first-person.

Thankfully, there’s a simple change you can make to woo your readers and persuade them to choose you. The answer lies in learning to write in the second person throughout your content and copy.

Continue reading this dating-themed article to discover why communicating a message in the second-person tense will improve your writing, boosting engagement and conversion rates with one key change.

Major hint: it should be all about them!

This image shows a red neon light on a brick wall. The light says 'Love You'.

What’s Writing in the First-Person Tense, Anyway?

We all speak and write using the first-person POV frequently. From introducing yourself at work to texting a friend about your day, this form of language is a good way to communicate verbally. It helps us express our feelings as we navigate life.

Examples of first-person words

This type of writing is easy to spot. It uses words and pronouns such as:

I
My
I’ve
We
Our
We’ve.

While there’s nothing wrong with using this style of communication, it’s safe to say there’s an infinitely more effective way to appeal to your customers or clients.

The Problem with Using First-Person Terms in Your Marketing

Whether it’s a digital blog, a handheld glossy brochure, expo signage or a website, a one-sided conversation will soon lose its appeal. As in real life, you may feel ignored. It can frustrate you. And, you may secretly wish that the ground would open up.

Writing in the first-person tense is off-putting (and I’m not alone in saying it!).

Imagine talking to someone at a party or on a first date who repeatedly talks about themselves and their work and likes. Would you really swipe right or call them afterwards? The chances are slim if they fail to involve you in the conversation.

Well, content and copywriting are no different.

What should you do instead?

To encourage a customer to follow up, brands still need to talk about their products, services and founding story. But they should also approach these topics with care. The last thing you want to do is send your prospective customer running for the hills. You’d be unlikely to get a ‘second date’, losing sales as they click away from your blog, social post or product description.

That’s not to suggest you should never use first-person language. However, like enjoying an indulgent box of chocolates, it shouldn’t become the norm.

This image shows a square box of decorated chocolates.

What is Second-Person Writing?

The second-person tense is where your writing (or a professional writer’s words) speaks directly to those reading your content. It embraces them in the conversation and makes them feel heard. You can target a customer by creating an ideal client profile, helping you to stay on track with your word choice, keywords and tone of voice.

Think of it as speaking their love language.

Examples of writing in the second-person

You can easily recognise a sentence that’s been crafted in the second-person when it contains these words:

You
Your
You’ll
You’re.

Much more attractive to readers, you can also appeal to potential investors using the same principle.

The Rewards of Writing in the Second-Person

Still unconvinced? Here’s a trio of attractive benefits of using the second-person in your copy and content marketing.

1. You’ll build better customer relationships

Your readers hope to feel seen, like your copy or content is speaking only to them. Writing in the second-person suggests empathy, that your business cares, unlike others who only use the first-person pronoun ‘I’. Acknowledge their pain points (challenges), goals and hopes for the future, and they’ll start to see you as their happy ever after.

2. You’ll captivate their attention

The second-person tense grabs readers’ attention from the opening headline, hook or sentence. Take the title of the blog you’re reading right now. Could the phrase “your writing” have made you more likely to click on the link? It seems so.

The proof is in the pudding, as research in the Journal of Interactive Marketing shows. The title of an article, ‘Second Person Pronouns Enhance Consumer Involvement and Brand Attitude’, says it all. Moreover, it highlights that “Facebook brand posts and blogs with second person pronouns are associated with higher consumer involvement”.

3. You’ll increase your conversions

The advice to keep things centred on your dream customer and their needs can equally be applied to CTAs (aka the calls to action) that invite readers to:

Click
Sign-up
Download
Contact us
Book [your free demo or sales call].

Whatever the desired action, the marketing and sales experts at Hubspot found that “Personalised call-to-actions perform 202% better than basic CTAs”. So, it’s always worth considering your potential readers’ needs when crafting your content.

Beware of exceptions

As with the rules of English spelling, there’s always an exception that proves the rule in content. For example, case studies often adopt the third or first-person POV given their formatting and vendor-customer dynamic. But when it comes to blog articles, social media posts, flyers and printed materials, many can go from a 7 to a 10 by using the second-person version.

This image shows a piece of graph paper with a line chart. The chart has been used to suggest improved conversions.

First-Person vs Second-Person Writing: A Comparison

Whether you’re a recommended restaurant, a hotel with a view or an SME, using the second-person tense is a match made in heaven. Compare the different emotions you’ll feel after reading these two hospitality CTA examples:

The first-person version:

We have won many awards in the short time since we launched in 2022. Book our 4-star rooms below.

The second-person version:

Are you ready to retreat to the luxury of your next country escape? Your next 4-star adventure starts here.

Why the second-person form has your heart

In the first CTA above, you are spoken to. The first two sentences fail to paint the picture of how you will feel on your holiday, only focusing on the hotel’s award success. While award success is to be celebrated, framing it in the first-person tense creates a disconnect with those seeking a hotel.

However, the second CTA considers the needs, aspirations and preferences of their target customer. It’s more charming and persuasive when it comes to booking a room. In marketing content, it's definitely (about) them, not you!

An image of an ivy covered country hotel in the UK.

Realise Higher Customer Conversions and Satisfaction among Your Readers

Rejecting first-person writing for second-person content and copy improves your marketing content, as shown above. Although it might take a while to get familiar with this change, persevere and you’ll look forward to the start of a beautiful relationship … with your audience.

Wish you could hand over your upcoming content and copy to a professional writer instead? My DMs are open. Simply visit my Contact page or email kate@sunflowercopywriting.co.uk to reap these rewards for YOUR brand.

Why Using the Second Person Tense Improves Your Writing