5 worst mistakes when writing to young people

Kids, teenagers, young adults, youths. Whatever you call them, everyone wants to talk to them. Not ‘with’ them, mind, but ‘to’ them. “Don’t have unprotected sex.” “Buy this ringtone.” “Listen to this band.” “Stop happy-slapping each other.”

But the kids are canny. They know everyone wants to lecture them, warn them, advise them, sell to them. If you really want your message to get through, think before you write.

1. Don’t try to get down with the kids

It’s embarrassing and you will fail. Let Sony be a warning to us all that nothing is more screamingly obvious than fake cool. Don’t browse urbandictionary.com for inspiration. Don’t namedrop bands you think are the latest thing. (David Cameron didn’t impress anyone by casually mentioning Arctic Monkeys, and neither will you.)

Get caught trying to get down with the kids and you will be loudly and unrelentingly ripped apart by the very people you’re trying to impress. (And that’s not cool.)

2. No txt lng pls

Language isn’t really about transferring information. Language marks territory.

People under the age of 20 have known mobiles all their lives, and they don’t write in text language because they’re too stupid to spell, or because it’s easier, quicker or it let’s them be more creative.

The main reason for using text language in writing is because older people don’t use it. Text language is used to talk to peers, usually via phone messages, online instant messages, chat rooms and emails. Don’t think that losing vowels is a shortcut to writing to young people – the format may be familiar, but if it’s on a local council poster about the dangers of drug abuse, then the context will be wrong and the message is likely to be rejected.

3. Don’t patronise

Inexperienced writers tend to try too hard to ‘write young’ and underestimate what their target market know. Make an effort to understand exactly who you’re trying to talk to – how old they are, what their level of education is, what they’re used to reading.

Bear in mind that if a 13-year old is intelligent enough to read a science textbook then he or she probably won’t struggle with the odd multi-syllable word. Obviously having said that, you should always try to write in plain English, using short, simple sentences, regardless of who you’re communicating with.

Invest time in getting the register right, but remember that even the loneliest of teenagers doesn’t want you as a friend. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you must be strong if you want the truth.

4. Ask permission

Everybody wants to communicate to young people, which makes for a lot of advertising noise. If you think your message is important, target carefully and respectfully. Don’t send unsolicited emails, letters or texts.

Ask how people would like to receive what you want to say – either by opt-in facilities or simply by conducting focus groups (fancy marketing talk for structured chatting) to find out what common consensus is. It’s not a fool-proof method, but it’s a start.

5. Have a conversation

This is by far the most effective way of communicating with young people, and it makes perfect sense. Nobody likes to be preached at, everyone likes to be listened to. Make it easy for people to give their opinions on what you’re saying – set up an online forum, allow comments, enable text message interaction, even meet them in person to hear what they have to say.

Moderate if you’re worried about swearing, but resist the urge to delete or edit negative comments if they appear. Negative comments buy you credibility; they prove that a) you haven’t made up the comments and b) you really are listening. And who knows – if you really listen to what’s being said, you might even learn something from the very people you’re trying to influence…