Imagine… by the end of this post, you will be a more effective blogger, all because you learned two very important words, and the specific reasons why those words are so crucial.
Actually, both words can be found in the preceding sentence, along with hints related to their importance.
Did you catch them?
If not, keep reading, because all will be revealed.
The Most Important Word is “You”
Did you find the opening sentence compelling? If so, why?
Or the better question is, who was the first sentence focused on?
Well, let’s consider this. Have the words “me” or “I” appeared in this post before now?
It’s certainly ironic that a medium often used as a self-absorbed journaling platform would now need to be overwhelmingly focused on the reader in order to be effective. But if you’re blogging for marketing or public relations purposes, your every post should be purposefully aimed at the needs and wants of others.
You only benefit when readers benefit first.
When it comes to writing engaging content, “you” is the most powerful word in the English language, because people are ultimately interested in fulfilling their own needs. It may sound harsh, but the fact is your readers won’t start to actually care about you at all until you’ve repeatedly offered them exceptional value with your blog.
But once they do start to care about you, look out… because wonderful things can start happening. Things like viral buzz and customer evangelism.
The same substantive content will be more effective with the focus shifted toward the reader. One of the easiest ways to do that is to maximize the use of “you”, while minimizing or eliminating “I” and “me”.
Every time you finish writing a blog post, check the focus. How many times does you and its derivations appear? What about I and me?
Got the count? Good. Now, adjust accordingly.
Try it, and you’ll be amazed at the results.
The Other Word is “Because”
One of the most important characteristics of compelling, persuasive content is specificity. The more specific you are, the more credible your points, arguments or sales pitch.
There are many ways to be specific in your writing. One of the best is simply giving a reason why. And the most effective transition word when giving a “reason why” is because.
The power of because has actually been documented by social psychologist Ellen Langer, as told by our old friend Robert Cialdini from the Blog Triggers series. Langer performed an experiment where she asked to cut in line to use a copy machine.
She tested three different ways of asking, and recorded the results:
Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?
60% said OK.
Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?
94% said OK.
It appears that giving the “reason why” of because I’m in a rush boosted the effectiveness of the request immensely.
But here’s the kicker:
Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?
93% said OK.
The trigger word “because” is so powerful that it didn’t really seem to matter that the “reason why” provided was something you might expect to hear from a four year old child.
Be specific in your assertions, and always give a reason why, especially when you want people to take some form of action.
Not because I said so, but rather because it will work wonders for you. 
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In my day to day sales life, I use stories to help me sell, BECAUSE they work.
Excellent Mike. You can’t help but end up telling a good story by using “you” extensively. It captivates the listener when you focus the point of the narrative on them.
Nice post! I knew about “You” but not “Because”.
I enjoy you because you give me a reason to smile and teach me something at the same time. You’ve also even given me an idea for a post for which I will credit you because you inspired it.
This is on the money.
For the “you” bit I tried to apply it to businesses and customers.
It worked (with some tweaking).
“Your business only benefits when your customers benefit first” has a nice ring to it.
I wonder if it would work if you said:
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have brown eyes”
Great post Brian! Am writing some online lessons at the moment and have been using ‘you’ and ‘we’. How does ‘we’ fit into this in your experience?
That tip on ‘because’ is very interesting as well. I know myself - I always want to know why!
How and why both teach me how to fish, what merely feeds me a fish dinner. You can tell me what to do, but I really need to know why I’m doing it, then I need to know how. Without knowing why and how, I have little chance of doing on my own whatever it is you told me to do.
That’s the problem with the blogosphere and websites in general, too much what and not enough why and how. Or is it not a problem at all? Why and how cost money, it’s the intellectual property of what. What is the tease that makes you seek why and how.
Copy that educates is more valuable than copy that instructs.
Thanks everyone, love the feedback.
David, I wonder too… do you think that may be pushing it a bit? I’d love to have that kind of data to see if “because” turns us into instant zombies upon utterance!
Jim, that sounds like a resounding endorsement of the “reason why” from someone who ought to know.
Thanks for the post. It will help out in my future writings!
- Bryan
Brian: I think David’s sentence will work at least once, because most people will laugh.
“Because” automatically grabs attention because that’s the way your mom used to say it. Everyone grows up not doing what they are asked by their parents. “Clean your room.” Mmm-hmmm. You’re not listening.
But you know that as soon as your mom says “because …” that you have to and respond to it, and that means paying attention.
And that means that you have changed from being a personless utterance of no particular significance to a person that should be deferred to out of politeness, at the very least.
Chances are that they didn’t even hear what you said after the word “because”. They were on “not listening” autopilot before the word, and on “deferring” autopilot after.
The other 7% who wouldn’t let this person use the copier were probably people who have been told that getting ahead means never giving in to other people.
Anyway, a nice post. Thanks,
Yehuda
nice example with this copy machine, would be also itneresting to see some more details about it, number of respondents, gender, etc…
Martin, here’s the citation for the study:
Langer, Blank & Chanowitz (1978). The mindlessness of ostensibly thoughtful action: The role of “placebic” information in interpersonal interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 635-642.
I didn’t know about “because” and had momentarily forgotten about “you”. Shame on me.
this is cool
Changing your posts from the first person to the third person (and disguising your identity) can sometimes be the answer to eliminating “I” from appearing so many times. It also puts more emphasis on telling the story than it does on you as the expert.
Why should you try this? Because…:-)
Whenever I stop by here, you are regurgitating cialdini. We’ve all read the book.
DCB, I doubt very seriously that “we’ve all” read Cialdini’s book “Influence: Science and Practice”, although we all should.
The opposite of “specificity” is a generalization, which you just provided us with. Generalizations make it very difficult to make a credible point, which is why specifity is so important in persuasive writing.
Nice post Brian.
I think it really works. I experienced this situation in real life when I was in a queue and had to get the train reservation fast so I asked some 4-5 guys in front of me to let me take the ticket first because my train was about to leave in few minutes. It worked.
And yes.. thank you Darren for pointing me to this page.
Thanks, you rule because you write posts full of actionable tips.
If you’re “regurgitating” Cialdini , I’m glad, because I don’t have the time right now to read it. Until I do, keep it up! It works for me.
(Not that I really think you are just regurgitating.)
Thanks!
Cialdini’s book is an excellent source for actual psychological and sociological studies that back up some of the things I recommend here.
In other words, it allows me to give very authoritative “reasons why” these tips might work for you.
I always felt uncomfortable when using “you” because it did sound to direct to me. Maybe it felt like this because English is not my mother tongue.
But now I learned a lot, in only two words. Thanks.
This post is already a raging success, and with good reason. One thing I’d like to know, however, is how long you spent constructing the intro paragraphs.
You are right on the money because if we take care of people they will us because of it.
Chris, the original premise for the opening came just about immediately upon sitting down to write, but I spent a lot of time tweaking it.
As your question indicates you know, the headline and the first 50 words are the most important.
Good to be reminded of these two gems from well known sales gurus. Everyone listens to WIIFM BECAUSE it is the best!
Man, I feel like I am reading “fastseduction.com” or one of those websites on how you should read docs like this because with the knowledge-you too can pick up women. Makes my brain melt. When do you cross the line between this and attempted brainwashing?
Great post man. “you” will bring readers closer to the blogger. “because” will give the readers the answers behind the question.
You are great because you rock!
Great advice. I’m always saying I, I, I in my blogs–well, I do a lot when I could say “you” anyway.
Cheers,
JP
nice..I’ll take care about it next time.
Brian, I read YOU regularly BECAUSE you are a consistently clear, logical, and informative writer
Thanks for the great advice. Now where did I put those fake blue contact lenses…
The volume of the comments, Brian, shows how this post just stands out from the crowd. I push the notion of customer-centric relentlessly so it wasn’t hard to figure that YOU was one of the two words.
BECAUSE wasn’t so obvious. However again trying to meet customers’ needs is a tenet of good marketing. Because seems to signal that your needs may well be met here. Again it causes the post to stand out from the crowd.
Congratulations and thanks for the insight.
You, sir, are a blogging genius.
You provided some timely information, because the lemurs are hungry for the flesh of the innocent.
(just wanted to see if this held true for comments.)
Heh, Ike, I think so… but in any event, that’s some colorful descriptive writing you’ve got following the “because.” You probably write great headlines.
“Because” I thought it may benefit “you”, I have dugg this post!
hey brian,
gud job man, i really refered this link to my Marketing and PR department here, i think according to the marketing point of view following ur guidlines will work out like magic., anyways i enjoyed reading ur posts
Great post. I came over here from Problogger “because” I was intrigued by the headline. I knew about using the “you” but hadn’t considered the because. I will now though - because you recommended it. Thank you.
I think the layout is terrific and looks great..
don’t change it
easy on the eyes
easy to read
april 22,2006 1:10pm cst
Greenfield,wisconsin
now, i really have to apply that two words not only in my blog but in my life as well.
great tips
Hi Brian,
As your previous comments suggest it doesn’t matter that your post is based on research described in Robert Cialdini’s great book “Influence: Science and Practice”.
There are too many great books for us to read them all.
So just by pulling out useful tips for people you’re providing a great service.
Keep it up
Jim
Thanks for offering this tip. I knew about “you”, but did not know about “because”. Wow - the power of words, eh? It’s the difference between people who make money and those who don’t…
Thank you, Brian. Simple facts, read in two minutes, and worth far more than an expensive two-day training course. Although my own ‘blogging is not market-orientated, I will certainly consider this in future.
I am reminded from my own experience notinsofar as failing to google up my very own antonym of the word cause prefaced by the word be, that there is no u and i in team but there is a me.
;-O
Great points. I’m a little concerned for my company’s blog, because we actively avoid using ‘I’ and ‘you’ and push ‘we’ and ‘us’. One of our goals is to create a community, and we thought that using ‘we’ would help with that.
Do you think we’re doing ourselves a disservice?
If you read this, please respond, because I need to fix our blog if it’s in fact broken.
Scott
Hi Scott. I like “we” and “us” a lot for community sites. In fact I use both words quite a bit on Copyblogger.
The real point of the word “you” is to make sure you are focusing outward to others, rather than constantly talking about yourself or your company. Checking your copy for the number of “I” “me” etc is just a handy way to remind us that we might not be properly focused on the reader or prospect.
Thanks! I’ll definetly use theese words more, because you’re advice has proven to be great!
Just subscribed, by the way. Keep on writing!
Because you were so compelling in your post, I will give this a try.
Sue Richards
I had heard about because a long time ago and forgotten all about it. Thanks for a great post to point out how important it is.
Also, in the Wizard of Oz they go to see the Wizard…because.
James
wonderful post , i will try to test these. they seem effective BECAUSEwere simple and i may benefit from what YOU said……
http://www.kkkishore.blogspot.com
How true!
We have to remember to listen to our readers and interact with them accordingly. It is not so easy all the time, I guess, because sometimes we tend to talk more about ourselves. Sometimes, not everyone who reads our blog would interact.
I think your insights are great and it’s what keeps me going back to the older entries of your blog
Actually I did not find the first sentence compelling, because it sounded just like all those long ads I often read.
I liked the “harsh reality” sentence, because you expressed something that frustrates me about the lack of ettiquette on the internet.
“Because” is intertesting to me, because I found, in life, when you give someone a reason, people often use the information to “overcome” objections. I am going to start noticing everytime I comply with a request, because they said, “because”.
Thank you for sharing.
Interesting article. I don’t know why I didn’t think of using the basics of a good sales copy in my daily posts. I can really see how this would help increase blog loyalty and traffic.
Robert Cialdini’s book is worth re-reading because it is focused on explaining why you do the things you do. It fascinated me thoroughly when I picked it up - maybe because I am curious about how things work particularly socially. Robert’s book also teaches you how you can avoid being ’sold’ unscrupulously by glib salesmen/saleswomen. A book that’s a must-read and must-buy for anyone interested in marketing.
Hi,
I’m a reader of your blog, so I do hope that you’are agree about my translation of your interesting post. The source is quoted at the end of my post.
This information is very helpful. Thanks.
Intresting! Nice post.
Really very important words not only in blogging but in real life also.
Explain to some one what are you in need of before requesting a help.
Nice tip and thank you.
I would never have thought 2 common words as these could create such and impact on persuation until i had it explained to me like this.
I will be trying this out soon i just thought of some ways i can use it and have already been using “you” already (with out knowing) that has yeilded some good results.
Great advice thanks
nice post, I know about you but not because…
I use because a lot because of the nature of my blog.
I had learnt new tips from your blog because it will help me to read your further post so i am going to subscribe it from today. Thanks Mate.
Kamal.
http://burnyourfuel.com
Thanks! I’ll definitely use these words more, because you’re advice has proven to be great!
very interesting indeed, i have never thought about this one so thanks
nice,nice,nice… This give me great idea…
These little tricks can make a huge difference. It’s the same thing as including a list in your headline or alluding to the negative rather than the positive. In a recent study, the most successful email subject line was “bad news …” and the most successful online dating headline was “need a date …”. All lower case, simple and direct. Using “you” and “because” simply addresses your comments directly to your reader and there are countless other examples. Click my name to receive a detailed 52-step marketing strategy that incorporates dozens of these little tricks to generate more buzz about your business and traffic to your website.
Make me laugh out loud / Tickle my soul with your words / Make me feel alive.
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