Is the Copy Written in Active vs. Passive Voice?

When crafting copy for a website, using the active voice is typically more effective than using the passive voice. This is because the active voice emphasizes the subject performing the action, making the sentence clearer and more direct. Let’s explore why the active voice is generally preferred and highlight some exceptions where the passive voice may still be appropriate.

Active vs. Passive Voice

The distinction between active and passive voice lies in the focus of the sentence:

• Active Voice: Emphasizes the person or thing performing the action.
  • Example: “We are eating the candy.”
  • Example: “Bob yelled at the garbage can.”
    
• Passive Voice: Deemphasizes the person or thing performing the action, shifting the focus to the action or object.
  • Example: “The candy will be eaten by us.”
  • Example: “The garbage can was yelled at by Bob.”

As HubSpot explains, “Passive happens when the writer puts the object of a sentence at the beginning, instead of at the end.” For more on this and other common grammar mistakes, see HubSpot.

Benefits of Active Voice

Writing in the active voice offers several advantages:

• Clarity and Conciseness: Active voice is generally more straightforward, making it easier for users to understand the message quickly.
• Engagement: Direct sentences are more engaging and less likely to confuse readers.
• Efficiency: Clearer sentences mean users can process information faster, which can positively impact their overall experience on your website.

According to the Nielsen Norman Group, using the active voice makes copy more user-centric and easier to comprehend, thereby keeping users engaged and more likely to convert or take the desired action. For further reading on user-centric language, refer to NNGroup.

General Guidelines for Writing Effective Copy

1. Prefer Active Voice Over Passive Voice:
   • Active voice typically makes your content more dynamic and engaging.
     
2. Use Positive Statements:
   • Positive statements are generally more compelling than negative ones.
   • Example: “Do xyz” is preferable to “Avoid xyz.”

Exceptions to the Active Voice Rule

While active voice is usually preferred, there are certain situations where the passive voice can be useful:

1. SEO Considerations:
   • Front-load important keywords in headlines and titles for better search engine optimization, even if this necessitates using the passive voice.
     
2. Scannable Content:
   • For content that users are likely to scan, such as headlines, subheads, summaries, captions, hypertext links, and bulleted lists, getting the first two words right is crucial. In these cases, using the passive voice may be justified if it places the most important information upfront.

The Nielsen Norman Group emphasizes this point, highlighting the importance of making the first two words in scannable content highly effective. For a detailed discussion on when passive voice can be advantageous, see NNGroup.

Conclusion

Overall, ensuring your copy is mostly written in the active voice can make your content clearer, more engaging, and easier to understand. While there are exceptions to this rule, such as for SEO optimization and making content scannable, the active voice generally creates a direct and compelling user experience.

Balancing these techniques will help you create more effective and user-friendly content, keeping your audience engaged and more likely to interact with your website as intended.

For more guidance on using active versus passive voice and other best practices in web writing, you can refer to resources from NNGroup and HubSpot.