Media Outreach

As I write this post from beautiful Middlebury, Vermont and wonder why it is that my beloved Austin, Texas won’t get this cold until mid-winter, I realize that, stylistically speaking, my first 2 best practices posts are almost completely different. Granted, they do share certain similarities, such as my unconsciousness need to use polysyllabic words and my undying devotion to cram as many commas into a sentence as the law will allow. However, after reading these posts again, I realize that my first post on invasive content was almost in an essay format, whereas my second post gravitated more toward a conversational tone.

Why, you ask, have I taken our loyal readers on a magic carpet ride of literary indecision? I could probably come up with a lot of excuses, but the truth is that I’m still trying to feel out who it is that I’m writing this blog for. This is a question that all writers, no matter what medium they choose to express themselves in, should try to answer before they start writing. For websites, a writer has the benefit of being able to tailor different sections of their site to target different audiences, depending on the message that the writer is trying to convey. For example, a Contact & Directions area should be solely informative and quick to the point, so that the reader can glean the necessary information as rapidly as possible. Conversely, a section called “I’m New Here” should use warm and inviting language that welcomes the reader with open arms before he or she even meets a member of the church.  Furthermore, areas like ministry specific pages can be hyper-targeted even more so, since there is a clearly identifiable audience. For example, while one might write a bit more formally for a senior adult’s ministry section, it would be more appropriate to use colloquialisms and slang when writing for a youth ministry.

While a writer will usually never know exactly who is reading their work, they should strive to write with a specific audience in mind.  By identifying their intended audience beforehand, a writer can make decisions that will allow them to craft their words to better enhance the message he or she is trying to convey to their readers… whoever they may be.

Photo by Jot.Punkt