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"You" or "Your" which one is allowed in Article.

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by Amme john, May 14, 2015.

  1. #1
    I just wanted to know whether using the word "You" or "Your" in articles are allowed or not.

    Can any one help me out with this.
     
    Amme john, May 14, 2015 IP
  2. DocuMaker

    DocuMaker Active Member

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    #2
    It depends on the article's "voice." Some articles are written with the 2nd person voice ("you, your") as a way to connect with the reader. Others are written in the 3rd person voice, which is void of "you, your... and I." ("I" is used in articles that are written in the 1st person voice.)
     
    DocuMaker, May 14, 2015 IP
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  3. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #3
    @DocuMaker has it right. "You" or "your" is often used in marketing pieces to help the reader relate directly to the sales pitch. I am not sure how effective this approach actually is, but it is certainly a viable option.
     
    jrbiz, May 15, 2015 IP
  4. syda

    syda Well-Known Member

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    #4
    If the articles are for your own use, you can use anything you want in your articles. If they are for a client, it's better to ask that particular client, none of us can really give you the correct answer.
     
    syda, May 15, 2015 IP
  5. Amme john

    Amme john Member

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    #5
    thanks to everyone, My concern is that I read in few of Blog posts that articles should always e written as 2nd or 3rd person. Therefore, writing "You" seems like first person is talking. Isn't it..?
     
    Amme john, May 16, 2015 IP
  6. TextServices

    TextServices Active Member

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    #6
    http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/first_person.htm (there are links for second and third person) This link will help you understand the different viewpoints in writing.

    http://www.write.com/writing-guides/

    What you read in those blog posts, i.e. "articles should always be written in 2nd or 3rd person", is not an accurate statement. There are times when an article can be written in first person and it's perfectly acceptable. For example... maybe someone owns a weight loss themed site and the content is written from the perspective of what the site owner has experienced from his/her point of view. This person would want articles written from the first person perspective. "I've been following this new "skinny pill" trend for some time now and I finally decided to give it a try. During the first week, I began to feel weak, as if I had very little strength to get my big butt out of bed every morning, even though I was eating well-balanced meals and exercising as recommended. I dismissed this weak feeling at first, thinking that maybe I was just tired due to a very stressful week between my work and taking care of the kids...." You can use this voice even if the article was going to be uploaded to the persons Examiner, Yahoo voices, etc account. It just all depends on the purpose of the article. How the client is going to use it and what it is designed to do. What goal is the article supposed to accomplish...
     
    TextServices, May 16, 2015 IP
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  7. Equatorial

    Equatorial Active Member

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    #7
    First person (singular): I, Me
    First person (plural): We, Us

    Second person (singular/plural): You

    Third person (singular): He, she, it, him, her
    Third person (plural): They, them

    As a general rule of thumb:
    • Copywriters tend to write in the second person to create an emotional connection with their readers
    • First person narratives are used to convey personal point of views or if the writer is an authority on a subject
    • Third person is favored for articles to maintain objectivity and formality. This is especially crucial for news pieces. Once you start using first and second person pronouns, your news might inadvertently transformed into an opinion piece!
     
    Equatorial, May 16, 2015 IP
  8. Web Outsourcing Gateway

    Web Outsourcing Gateway Member

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    #8
    Hello there, "You" and "your" are different in function, 'you' is a second person pronoun, or used as subject of your sentence, while 'your' is possessive. More so, "you" is one of the most persuasive words used in copywriting because you are like talking directly to your reader.
     
    Leilani Sniffen likes this.
  9. Leilani Sniffen

    Leilani Sniffen Greenhorn

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    #9
    Equatorial and Web Outsourcing Gateway, I totally loved the clarity you brought to this post.

    Learned this probably when I was in the 8th grade. Was totally duh on the subject until you just brought all of that back so clearly.

    Leilani
     
    Leilani Sniffen, Oct 7, 2015 IP
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  10. Web Outsourcing Gateway

    Web Outsourcing Gateway Member

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    #10
    Hi Leilani. I appreciate the feedback. You're welcome! Good luck on your writing endeavors! :)
     
  11. Jeremy Benson

    Jeremy Benson Well-Known Member

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    #11
    My 10th grade English teacher taught me to never write you. It doesn't really matter, but it's still going to have to be good content for readers to like it. From personal experience using 'you', and talking to the persons emotions is very hit or miss. If I see "you need this, you fell like this.".. and I don't feel like that, and don't need it, it could make me angry. At about that time I have detached, lost interest, and left the site. With using that kind of language, it's a bit snaky, and you have to have a reader that really does feel like that, and really does feel like they need the product.

    If the content was written a differently more people could appeal to the language, depending on the situation (who lands on the page.)
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2015
    Jeremy Benson, Oct 9, 2015 IP
  12. Equatorial

    Equatorial Active Member

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    #12
    Glad it proved useful, Leilani. Sometimes a little nudge is all it takes.
     
    Equatorial, Nov 14, 2015 IP
  13. Daniel Donovan

    Daniel Donovan Peon

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    #13
    It's really going to depend on what you're writing about - could you provide some context as to what the topic is or in what way you're trying to communicate with the audience?

    When we're talking about copywriting, the use of "you" and/or "your" is perfectly acceptable. A lot of your copy is going to be written with those words. It makes the message relatable to the reader; you're trying to place them directly inside of the picture you're trying to paint for them. Possessive language like that makes the reader feel like it's all about them, and if you're trying to get them to take some form of action, there's nothing wrong with that at all.

    Now, that's not to say it's acceptable in all articles or forms of copy. If you're using a personal story to strike some emotional chord in the reader, then 1st person language is obviously the way you want to go. It all comes down to what your intentions are with your writing and what you're trying to accomplish.

    That being said, I've found that once you choose the voice you're going to write with, stick with it. Don't jump back and forth between using "I" and then "you" or "your" in the same copy or article. I find it weakens the content in the message.

    As always, play around with your writing and see what sounds best. Get feedback from other people. If you're writing for someone else, ask them which voice they would prefer the message. There's nothing wrong with asking questions.

    Good luck!
     
    Daniel Donovan, Nov 18, 2015 IP
  14. Daniel Donovan

    Daniel Donovan Peon

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    #14
    This is a wonderful explanation, thank you for this. Everything under "As a genernal rule of thumb" is right on the money.
     
    Daniel Donovan, Nov 18, 2015 IP