Captivating fans using the active voice
Captivating fans using the active voice
Opting for an active voice enhances clarity, directness, and ownership.
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Captivating fans using the active voice
Opting for an active voice enhances clarity, directness, and ownership.
Why it matters
Since 75% of mobile social media videos are consumed without sound, the written word remains essential for effective content creation. Whether a post is a video, photo, or carousel, its caption is pivotal to spreading the word. The choice of tone in an artist's captions holds significant weight, shaping how potential fans perceive the artist's personality.
How it works
In the passive voice, the subject is being acted upon by the object:
[object] [action] [subject]This song was played by Peggy.
In the active voice, the subject is acting:
[subject] [action] [object]Peggy played this song.
Artists wield greater impact when they cast themselves as the primary actor in their narrative. Opting for an active voice enhances the clarity, directness, and ownership of announcements, ideas, opinions, and facts.
For example:
New music will be released this Friday - The passive voice, with its formality and wordiness, formal, enables an impersonal and distant tone and implies that things just happen to artists. The example above even lacks the subject. It’s unclear who released this new music. Writing in the passive voice neglects an artist’s hard work and makes it look like they’re not in control.
I release new music this Friday. - Switching to the active voice immediately instils a sense of responsibility and ownership. Artists seize control of their narrative using a direct and clear tone. Now, it’s evident who’s pulling the strings over their career.
Yes, but..
Using the passive voice isn’t poor writing. It just doesn’t align with how artists generally communicate with their fans. Since fans seek meaningful interactions, adopting the active voice can bridge the gap, fostering engagement and conversations.
Take action now
Artists can assess their recent social media campaigns promoting music releases. Are they employing an active or passive voice? How can captions be refined to enhance engagement and connection with their fanbase?
Further reading
Active vs. Passive Voice (Grammarly)
Passive Voice: When to Use It and When to Avoid It (University of Toronto)
Crafting an artist's brand personality (The Fanbase Builder)