Online marketing and pronouns get confusing these days. I have two teenage daughters and hear what young people call themselves.
Girls want to be called “he”. Boys want to be called “she”.
Many want to be called “they”. There are homosexuals and heterosexuals, trans-sexuals and pan-sexuals.
Also, there are multisexuals and asexuals and multidimensionals and extraterrestrials and who knows what else. Even they can’t keep up.
Online Marketing Pronouns
Pronouns are easier in marketing. You have three basic choices:
- first person
- second person
- third person
These are called “points of view” or POV in the literary world.
Which one you choose for your website depends largely on what type of writing you are doing. I explained earlier the three types of writing for the Web:
- sales copy
- storytelling
- task-oriented
In summary, you want to write sales copy and task-oriented text in the second person as much as possible.
That means using the online marketing pronoun “you”. Occasionally, you’ll want to use the first person, “I” or “we”.
Storytelling is a little more complicated. You would usually use the third person, which is “he,” “she,” or “they,” but not always.
Let’s look at each writing a little closer…and I have a surprise for you, too.
Sales copy
As any sales pro will tell you, selling is all about meeting customers’ real or perceived needs.
Sales copy is about the customer’s problem.
It’s about the customer’s pain. And it’s about the solution to the customer’s pain.
When you write sales copy, you are writing to the customer. It’s all about the “you”. The customer doesn’t care about you, so don’t use “I” or “we”.
There are exceptions, of course. All second-person writing involves the first person, too.
Picture a conversation between two people. You need both people to have that conversation. I can’t talk to you if I am not involved.
Read If You Aren’t Listening, You Aren’t Communicating for more information about how active listening is a major component of having a conversation.
There are times when I have to switch the attention to myself.
For instance, when I commit, “I guarantee…” or “As soon as you sign up, we will send you…”
The goal is to limit the use of the first person to as few instances as possible to be as effective as possible.
Task-Oriented Text in Online Marketing
Sometimes, people visit your website for something that does not involve buying. For instance, they might want to:
- Learn how to do something
- Find out who you are
- Understand your industry
- Contact you
- Apply for a job
Whether informational or transactional, the visitor has to guess who is in mind.
That’s right – themselves. They want information to use or a transaction for their own benefit.
The more you can focus on the reader and their needs, the more interested they will remain in your online marketing content.
Once again, there are exceptions. The main one is when you need to explain what you do or will do for them.
Again, the more you can keep that focused on the reader rather than on you, the better you will communicate.
Another exception is when you explain a process a third party will follow: “They will process your information…”
Once again, the more you can bring it back to the “you,” the better: “You should hear from them…”
Online Marketing Storytelling
Unless you know your visitors better than they know themselves, you are unlikely to tell a story about “you”.
Most stories are about a third person or several third persons. Think:
- Harry Potter
- The Da Vinci Code
- Peter Rabbit.
A story might be about a customer, a supplier, or someone else.
But it could be about you. Motivational speakers often tell stories about themselves as much as about people they’ve met.
If you are trying to build credibility or show vulnerability, you might want to tell a story in the first person: “I recall a time…”
And once again – I bet you already know what I am about to say – the sooner you can bring it back to the “you”, the better.
Make the link. Draw the connection. Make sure that the readers see themselves in the story you write.
I promised a surprise for you. Here it is. People don’t like the second person for calls to action. Consider these two:
- Get your free report
- Send my free report
Guess which one gets a higher response rate?
The first person works better against all logic and popular assumptions, converting over 25% better.
When speaking to your readers, talk to them: “You”.
When you want them to speak back to you, give them a button that’s all about them: “I” or “me” or “my”.
And so, on my query form, the heading reads, “Get your free quote now…” But the button at the end of the form reads: “Get my free quote.”
Understanding the difference between first, second, and third person is important to connecting with your users. Understanding when and how to use each is critical to your website’s success.
Originally published October 20, 2018; Republished December 31, 2024, to update content and video.
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David Leonhardt runs THGM Writing Services. They write website copy, as well as books, reports, screenplays, articles, speeches and blog posts. But they won’t write your homework, so don’t even ask.

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