Article Marketing: Personal Articles, or 3rd Person Articles?

5 replies
Yes, I have *another* question. I am about to *write* my first article specifically for article marketing the Alexa Smith, MYOB, and travlinguy way and so now this has popped up.

Is it best to write in a very personal, first person way like this:

When I came across this figure recently, I had no doubt that it represented a real and serious problem. I have struggled with anxiety for almost 20 years, and when I look back at all the afternoons I've spent paralyzed by the disorder ...
or in the third person like this:

A women suffering from anxiety believes she's handling stress just fine, may not even recognize when or why she's feeling anxious, and chalk it up to "having a bad day." But, too many bad days can be detrimental to your health. In fact, it might even kill you.
These two quotes are from the first and second articles that came up after a google search.

I write better in the first person, and am willing to share details.

However, will publishers like that too? Or does it depend on the niche and the publisher?

Or are there no hard and fast best practices?

thanks!
#3rd #article #articles #marketing #person #personal
  • Profile picture of the author myob
    Generally, narrative devices are not as important in good writing form as other style factors expected by readers such as article length, grammar, spelling, syntax, relevance, context, etc., and also the similar and often even more constraining standards expected by publishers. Some publishers may require "objective" articles, which are almost always in the third person. For effect, sometimes I may use first and third person in combination within the same article. You should perhaps follow the convention within your market by reviewing competitors' articles in business/professional/trade journals.

    [Notice that this post is in the voice of 1-3 persons]
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    If you are an expert, you should use the third person. However, if you are not a real expert, it will be better to present yourself as someone who was always anxious and was looking for the right treatment. This style will be more convincing.

    If you are not an expert and you use the third person you speak like a writer who is giving information about a topic you don't really know. You narration is superficial.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by lisakleinweber View Post

    Or are there no hard and fast best practices?
    I think there probably aren't, because it depends (first and foremost) on the intended traffic demographics, (secondly) - as Paul mentions above - on where your articles are published, and (thirdly) maybe even a little on the niche.

    I don't think it has anything to do with whether or not you're an expert, at all.

    I use the second person quite a bit.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      I use the second person quite a bit.
      As did the writer in the second example in the OP.

      A woman suffering from anxiety believes she's handling stress just fine, may not even recognize when or why she's feeling anxious, and chalk it up to "having a bad day." But, too many bad days can be detrimental to your health. In fact, it might even kill you.
      In fact, the writer mixes third and second person POV in just this short snippet. (The first sentence is in third person, the second and third are in second person, seeming to address the reader.)

      As Paul said, using first, second or third person, past or present tense, mostly depends on what publishers are looking for. Which, if the publisher has done their job well, depends on the expectations of their readers.

      If your article should appear in a "serious" publication, they might require third person, objective writing. The same material presented in a magazine you might find at the checkstands might be more acceptable in first person POV. While presenting your material in the second person might be most appropriate for your own site.

      Does this mean you have to create three different versions of the same article?

      No. It just means that you have to exercise some judgment in who you approach -- something you should be doing anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author JPaston
    A mixture of both usually works well.

    What you have to be primarily aware of is that you have to engage the reader. In that case you need to use the second person singular and keep to the present tense.

    But if you are talking about personal experience you should change to the first person, obviously.

    So when I talk about my experience as a way of illuminating the subject and showing that I empathize with the reader, I will use the first person.

    In the end, though, you should make sure that the second person predominates in order to get the reader to take action.

    Now, look back at what I've written above and see how it moves from second person to first person and back again quite naturally!
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