What is Passive Voice?
In writing,
passive voice occurs when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For instance, "The email was sent by John." Here, "the email" is the subject, and it is being acted upon by "John," who is performing the action. In contrast, active voice would be "John sent the email," where the subject (John) performs the action directly.
Why Reduce Passive Voice?
Using
active voice in email marketing makes your messages clearer, more direct, and more engaging. Passive voice can make your emails sound formal and detached, which may not resonate well with your audience. Moreover, active voice improves readability and encourages readers to take action.
How to Identify Passive Voice?
To identify passive voice, look for sentences where the subject receives the action. Common indicators include forms of the verb "to be" (is, are, was, were) followed by a past participle (e.g., "sent," "received"). For example, "The link was clicked by many users" is passive, while "Many users clicked the link" is active.
Converting Passive Voice to Active Voice
To convert passive sentences to active voice, identify the subject performing the action and restructure the sentence. For example: Passive: "The newsletter was designed by our team."
Active: "Our team designed the newsletter."
Best Practices for Using Active Voice in Email Marketing
Here are some tips to ensure your emails use active voice effectively: Keep sentences concise and straightforward.
Use strong, action-oriented verbs.
Directly address your audience when possible.
Review and revise your content to identify and convert passive sentences.
Examples of Active Voice in Email Marketing
Consider these examples that illustrate the difference between passive and active voice: Passive: "The survey was completed by 500 customers."
Active: "Five hundred customers completed the survey."
Passive: "The offer was received by many subscribers."
Active: "Many subscribers received the offer."
Tools to Help Reduce Passive Voice
Several tools can assist in identifying and reducing passive voice in your email marketing content. These include: Grammarly: Offers suggestions to convert passive voice to active voice.
Hemingway Editor: Highlights passive voice and provides readability scores.
ProWritingAid: Provides in-depth analysis and suggestions for improving writing style.
Conclusion
Reducing passive voice in email marketing is essential for crafting clear, engaging, and action-oriented messages. By understanding the principles of passive and active voice, applying best practices, and utilizing helpful tools, you can enhance your email marketing strategy and drive better results.