Blog Post | Mar 07, 2023
When It Comes to Communicating with Customers, How Casual is Too Casual?
Thanks in large part to social media, the conversation with customers has changed: it’s now a dialogue, with companies and their customers on equal footing. But with this changing dynamic, should formality be replaced by a more casual approach? We’ve got a practical guide for integrated marketers, including where tactics like GIFs and emojis fit.
Social media has forever changed how integrated marketers communicate, enabling real-time conversations that put companies and their customers on equal footing. Now that it’s a genuine dialogue, the tone has changed—after all, customers expect information tailored to them, not sound bites cut and pasted from a brochure.
And by rewarding natural language and idioms, search engine optimization and marketing have also chipped away at communications formality.
As a result, many marketers ask, “When it comes to communicating with customers, how casual is too casual?” And where do more light-hearted tactics like animated GIFs, emojis and memes fit into the conversation? We have some practical guidance to help marketers master the new conversation.
The Difference Between a Conversational and Casual Tone
When we describe something as having a conversational tone, we mean it sounds as if it’s coming from someone having a one-on-one conversation with another person. For the most part, that’s a good thing! The biggest benefit of writing in a conversational tone is that it helps make a stronger, more personal connection with your audience.
In addition, when done right, conversational copy is:
Because you’re trying to sound like a person and not a monolithic corporation, the use of personal pronouns is encouraged—i.e., I, we, us, ours, rather than saying something like, “Smith Enterprises believes …”
Conversational copy takes the active voice, which makes it more compelling (e.g., “We will answer your email within 24 hours” vs. “Your email will be answered within 24 hours”).
Compare that to a casual tone that someone might use to talk to their friends. It’s familiar, informal, and even glib. Unless irreverence is part of your brand, save the casual tone for emailing only your closest colleagues.
The Buzzfeed Effect on Visual Storytelling
Blame it on Buzzfeed, but GIFs, emojis and memes have become part of our marketing vocabulary. For good reason: they were created to captivate the attention of readers with notoriously short attention spans. Even though some of these tactics seem like they're for a younger, more casual audience, they can be adapted to serve a variety of tones and brands. Here's when and why to consider them.
The Right Tactics Help Set the Tone
Not sure about what your marketing tactics are saying about your brand? Contact us to learn more. We can lend a hand with your marketing copy, your company’s brand elements, and your other communications, graphics and production needs.
And by rewarding natural language and idioms, search engine optimization and marketing have also chipped away at communications formality.
As a result, many marketers ask, “When it comes to communicating with customers, how casual is too casual?” And where do more light-hearted tactics like animated GIFs, emojis and memes fit into the conversation? We have some practical guidance to help marketers master the new conversation.
The Difference Between a Conversational and Casual Tone
When we describe something as having a conversational tone, we mean it sounds as if it’s coming from someone having a one-on-one conversation with another person. For the most part, that’s a good thing! The biggest benefit of writing in a conversational tone is that it helps make a stronger, more personal connection with your audience.
In addition, when done right, conversational copy is:
- Appropriate for all but the most formal and traditional of industries
- Easier to understand
- More concise
Because you’re trying to sound like a person and not a monolithic corporation, the use of personal pronouns is encouraged—i.e., I, we, us, ours, rather than saying something like, “Smith Enterprises believes …”
Conversational copy takes the active voice, which makes it more compelling (e.g., “We will answer your email within 24 hours” vs. “Your email will be answered within 24 hours”).
Compare that to a casual tone that someone might use to talk to their friends. It’s familiar, informal, and even glib. Unless irreverence is part of your brand, save the casual tone for emailing only your closest colleagues.
The Buzzfeed Effect on Visual Storytelling
Blame it on Buzzfeed, but GIFs, emojis and memes have become part of our marketing vocabulary. For good reason: they were created to captivate the attention of readers with notoriously short attention spans. Even though some of these tactics seem like they're for a younger, more casual audience, they can be adapted to serve a variety of tones and brands. Here's when and why to consider them.
- Animated GIFs: An animated GIF is a cost-effective way to add motion and visual interest to your marketing at a much lower cost than shooting original video or licensing stock footage. GIFs are also smaller than many video files so they load faster and are perfect for mobile. Even if something as splashy as this whimsical Starbucks GIF isn’t tonally suitable for your business, you can use a GIF to add interest to data and infographics.
- Emojis: If you’ve ever heard the idiom about a picture being worth a thousand words, then you already know why emojis work and are especially well-suited for mobile marketing. Emojis in your email subject line can lift the open and response rates. Even if your brand is a little more serious, you can still augment your subject line with a graphic arrow or an exaggerated exclamation mark.
- Memes: Yes, memes can be used in marketing but tread cautiously. Memes, by definition, have a very short shelf life. You’ll never be able to “own” a meme or use it to create a strong association with your brand. But they can be engaging and highly shareable. On the formality spectrum, memes skew very casual, so they may be inappropriate for businesses needing to convey gravitas or authority.
The Right Tactics Help Set the Tone
Not sure about what your marketing tactics are saying about your brand? Contact us to learn more. We can lend a hand with your marketing copy, your company’s brand elements, and your other communications, graphics and production needs.