The Content Jedi Blog

There are studies that conclude it only takes 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about your website. That sounds impossibly fast, but when you consider people’s attention spans these days, it kind of makes sense. 

Good for them, but let’s focus on the people who give it up to 20 seconds before deciding if they want to hang around for more or leave. 

If they stay, it’s because you’ve captured their attention with a clear value proposition that makes them want to learn more about how you can help them. This, my friends, is achieved by writing with empathy to your audience. 

What Does Audience Mean?

Somewhere along the way, “audience” became a standard marketing term. It takes some getting used to because what pops into our heads when we hear the word are standing ovations at whatever theatre Hamilton is playing. 

At a high level, your audience comprises your customers--past and present--prospects, and contacts whom you want to convert into prospects. That’s broken down into more groups, but I’ll delve into that in a future post. 

You know your audience better than anyone else, and the writing on your website needs to convey that you’re always keeping their needs top-of-mind. 

Put Yourself in Their Shoes

It’s hard to write about your company and to your audience at the same time. You have experience and expertise, and of course it’s important to highlight that. However, if your website content is too credential and first-person centric, you risk turning off the very people you are trying to engage. 

When you put yourself in the shoes of your audience, your writing creates an emotional connection. Empathy Is the Secret to Writing That Sells, by Inc. explores the link between sales, empathy and neuroscience. 

“...emotional writing impacts intent to buy, and writing to evoke empathy can be as much as three times more effective,” it says. 

Pain Relief 

I never like it when I ask someone how they're doing, and they reply, "I can't complain."

You actually can complain. It's not unlawful to do so, and while I'm no theologian, I don't believe complaining is against anyone's religion. I'd say at this very moment in time during a pandemic, there's much to legitimately complain about.  

How does this relate to your business and writing with empathy? 

People's complaints are your bread and butter because without their pain, they don't need your products or services. 

The challenge is demonstrating that you not only understand their pain, but that you do so more than anyone else. Once you've hooked them with your value proposition on your home page, lead them to a client case story that bears out your value. 

Here’s an example:


What I like about this one is that the customer is doing all the talking, providing a real world example of how their vendor solved their pain. 

You can’t say there’s no I in writing because there are two of them. However, you can and should craft your messaging, applying an empathetic tone that your audience will appreciate. 

About the Author, David Telisman

I am a Writer and Content Creator with a passion for mental health awareness and advocacy. I have written extensively on the subject, in addition to serving clients in other verticals. I understand that you deserve to feel proud of how your content marketing looks and what it says, and I deliver by providing expert copywriting and digital marketing solutions.  

Subscribe to our blog. 

Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.