The NUMBER 1 Way Purpose-Driven Brands are Sabotaging Their Own Messaging
Why readability is the difference between impactful copy, and floppy copy…
Buckle in, what I’m about to say might tip your worldview upside-down 👇
Your ethical brand must achieve empathetic brand messaging in order to encourage people to make real, impactful, world-shaking change.
EMPATHETIC copy is ETHICAL copy. And no, I don’t mean “empathising” with your customer’s “pain points” by twisting the metaphorical knife… 🙄
I mean real empathy.
Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes…
Where is someone reading this copy?
How are they reading it?
Why are they reading it?
And, most important of all… Are they able to read it?
The red flags of poor readability…
The quickest way to make people feel excluded from your brand is to use:
🚩 Inaccessible language
🚩 Exclusionary lingo or jargon
🚩 Long, meandering sentences
🚩 Big blocks of text
🚩 Excessive use of the passive voice
🚩 An ‘I’m more intelligent than you’ attitude
Readability = Connection
Copy that connects with your dream customers uses the simplest readability possible:
💚 Inclusive language
💚 Easy to digest information
💚 Short, clear sentences
💚 Text broken into manageable chunks
💚 Careful use of tone and grammar
💚 A ‘you are welcome here’ attitude
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Good writing is not the same as complicated writing.
So, how do I ensure readability in the copy that I write for your business?
One incredibly useful tool that I have started using whilst studying for the Copy Posse Launch Pad is the Hemingway App.
This super useful tool uses AI to quickly ascertain the reading age of any text you paste into it, and highlights problem areas for you to fix.
It’s not a perfect tool. Sometimes its suggestions don’t make sense, or remove creativity. However, as with all AI tools, in the hands of a human being it is extremely valuable!
The Hemingway App can tell me the reading age of my copy. But…
It’s my job to:
Know the reading age I am aiming for
Make appropriate edits to make the copy more readable
Ensure accessibility without sacrificing originality
What reading age is the most desirable?
I write copy that is easily readable for the average person within a particular demographic.
The demographic I use most often? Nationality.
Lately I’ve been working on copy for a brand whose customers are based in the USA. The average national reading age in the USA is 12-14 years old. On the Hemingway app, I’m aiming for a 7th/8th grade level.
HAVE I LOST YOU? COME BACK FOR THIS PART 👇
But what if this business pivots towards an audience based in the UK? Then I’d have to drastically edit my copy. Why?
Because the national reading age in the UK is 9 years old.
NINE. YEARS. OLD.
(As horrifying as this stat is, this isn’t a blog post about politics. I’ll save that for another day.)
On the Hemingway app, I need to be aiming for a 3rd/4th grade level.
I’m not going to lie, this can be incredibly difficult to achieve. It requires a huge amount of editing and creativity to write powerful copy that is simple enough for a 9 year old to grasp, but interesting enough to pique an adult’s interest.
Achieving a low reading age is a MASSIVE challenge for ethical brands.
Why?
Because your business has 3 ambitions that most others don’t:
Accuracy - purpose-driven brands often use highly specific language so that their messaging is detailed and factual. The challenge is to communicate these important concepts in terms that are more familiar, or (where specialised terms must be used) providing clear-cut definitions in a non-condescending way.
Authenticity - the last thing ethical brands want to do is manipulate their way into a sale. In an effort to be as transparent as possible, I see many brands prioritising detail over simplicity… it is possible to have both.
Advancement - high-principled brands have a moral compass that points straight into the future. This dedication to worldwide improvement often falls easily into the ‘holier than thou’ trap. Getting people to join you on your mission requires trust and relatability.
In my opinion…
The BIGGEST problem that purpose-driven brands face when communicating their message is straddling the chasm between SIMPLE WORDS and WEIGHTY TOPICS.
The risks of ethical brands DIY-ing their copy without bringing on an expert copywriter include:
😬 Alienating the people you want to impact the most through confusing industry jargon
😬 Disengaging customers who will opt for an easier (and less ethical) option
😬 Excluding a large proportion of your target demographic by making them feel unwelcome
If your business wants to achieve real, worldwide, lifelong change… you MUST have simple, accessible brand messaging.
Ensuring a reading age that suits your target demographic is a great place to start.
There is no quick-fix to readability. But, connecting with your desired audience is worth the hassle.
A mission-aligned Copywriter could be the difference between your business impacting customers, or losing them.
If you are concerned that your brand messaging is missing the mark, let’s chat.
Over a virtual cup of tea we can discuss:
🚀 The world-changing aims of your purpose-driven brand/product/service
🚀 How to communicate your mission in a simple way, without sacrificing your values
🚀 The reading age of your desired demographic and how this should affect your copy
And who knows? Maybe you’ll want to hire me after we chat (no pressure) 😉
