We’ve all written what we thought was playful, witty, or funny content, only to read it again the next day and die a bit inside of shame. It’s something I struggle with a lot, and usually delete later.*
It’s subjective: what one person loves makes someone else shudder.
For me personally it’s a very fine line. And that line runs like an equator through the Innocent Smoothies copy. Considered the holy grail by most, I love a lot of their content. Very succinct and witty. However, my threshold is a bit lower than the average person’s, and occasionally I find their content tips over into the try-hard category and gets an eye roll (tough crowd, I know).
It got me thinking about what gives content the cringe factor. It’s hard to pin down exactly what it is. Some words and phrases are just inherently cringeworthy.
But there are also certain techniques and patterns that can tip your copy over the edge, so if you’re looking to dial it back, bear these in mind.
Avoid certain literary techniques – nothing screams GCSE creative writing quite like the overuse of alliteration, especially in a title. Similarly, too many metaphors and analogies can overstep the mark between personality and overworking your copy. Puns also need to be handled with caution.
Too many short sentences – there’s been a real trend in recent years of using lots of incredibly short sentences – sometimes only a word or two – for dramatic effect. I’m all for varying up sentence length, but when overused it can come across as a bit try-hard.
Avoid cliches – this is a popular recommendation for improving your writing anyway, but definitely one to bear in mind if you’ve read through your content and it’s making you wince a little.
Literally don’t try too hard – if your content sounds a bit try-hard, it might of course be that you actually are trying too hard. If you’re going out of your way to be creative but it’s not coming naturally, that’s often evident in your writing. We’ve all been there! Either go for a different tone if you can, or switch your day around and try again with a fresh head.
Read it the next day – those parts of your copy that you um and ah about can really stand out in the cold light of the next morning. If you’re on a tighter deadline, try reading it out loud, and if it feels uncomfortable, get editing.
Honest feedback from the right people – a second opinion can be really valuable, but it’s also just as important to get feedback from the right people. Pick someone whose tone you enjoy, and give them free rein to make suggestions.
There’s certainly a balance to be had between bringing your content to life, and overegging it. You may also have your brand’s tone of voice guidelines to bear in mind, which can make it even trickier, but sometimes just a few small tweaks can make a huge difference.
*Unless I’m on a tight Friday afternoon deadline of course….
