Let us be blunt: if your marketing copy does not use contractions, it’s going to sound weird. Like, “why is this person talking like a malfunctioning AI?” weird.
Imagine you’re scrolling through a website and you see this:
“We do not believe in cutting corners. Our company will not settle for anything less than excellence. You should not accept anything but the best.”
Technically correct? Sure. But does it sound natural? Nope. It reads like a corporate overlord trying way too hard to sound important.
Now, let’s throw in some contractions:
“We don’t believe in cutting corners. Our company won’t settle for anything less than excellence. You shouldn’t accept anything but the best.”
See? Instantly more conversational, more human, and less like it was copy-pasted from a dystopian mission statement generator.
Why Do Contractions Work?
- They make you sound like a real person. People don’t talk in fully spelled-out words unless they’re trying to impress a judge or reciting wedding vows. Your brand should sound approachable, not like it’s delivering a Supreme Court ruling.
- They’re faster to read. Shorter words mean quicker comprehension. No one is leisurely sipping a cappuccino while carefully digesting your landing page. They’re skimming. Contractions keep things moving.
- They add warmth and personality. Formal, rigid language can feel cold and distant. A little informality makes your brand seem friendly. You’re not writing a dissertation—you’re connecting with customers.
- They reduce cognitive load. When people read, their brains are looking for the simplest way to process information. “We’ve” is easier to digest than “we have.” Your readers might not consciously notice it, but their brains will thank you.
- It creates a human-to-human connection with your audience. It doesn’t matter if your audience is construction workers, PhDs, vacationers, busy moms or lawyers. The one thing they have in common is that they’re all human. And even if some of those groups are required to write with great formality, none of them speak that way.
Sometimes, contractions are not the answer.
Every good rule of thumb has at least one exception, so here are a few times when you might want to skip them:
- When emphasizing something serious: “We cannot allow this to happen.” (Sounds more resolute than “We can’t allow this to happen.”)
- In legal or technical language: If you’re drafting a contract, “shall not” might be better than “shan’t.”
- If you want to sound like an old-timey scholar: “Thou shalt not use contractions.”
Let’s bring it home.
Your marketing copy should sound human. Unless your target audience consists of robots (and even they probably prefer contractions at this point), embrace the natural flow of language. It’ll make your brand sound more relatable, more engaging, and—let’s be honest—way less stiff.
If you’d like to work with a copywriting team who are experts at crafting natural, conversational copy that connects with your audience, let’s talk.
