How Informal Should Your Content Really Be?

Finding the right tone in your content can feel like trying to keep a simple balance. If you’re too formal, you sound cold and distant. If you’re too relaxed, you can slip into sounding unprofessional or, even worse, like you’re “trying too hard.” That’s why it’s so important to understand where the ideal middle ground is between being approachable and being professional.

In this blog, we’ll walk through when an informal tone helps, when it hurts, and how to choose a style that fits your audience, brand, and content purpose. The goal is for your writing to feel natural, clear, and helpful, without losing professionalism.

Why finding balance matters

More and more brands want to sound “human.” People love that, it’s easier to read content that feels warm, simple, and relaxed. But many assume that “natural” automatically means overly informal.

In reality, the best content lives in the golden middle. It’s relaxed enough to be readable and enjoyable, but serious enough to maintain credibility. This is especially important when you’re doing content writing for an audience that expects both expertise and clarity.

If you want to build trust, you need to sound confident, but also human. That’s why the balance between formal and informal tone is such an important part of every content strategy.

The Informality Spectrum (not everything is black and white)

People often treat tone as two extremes: “formal” and “informal.” But there’s an entire spectrum in between.

For example:

• Professional with warmth - clear, precise, but not cold.
• Neutral - informative, simple, without much stylistic flavor.
• Moderately informal - friendly, light, natural.
• Fully conversational - like talking to a friend.

When planning your content writing, the point isn’t to pick “formal” or “informal,” but to pick the right level for the situation.

When an informal tone helps you connect with readers

1. Easier to maintain attention

An informal tone makes text easier to read. Shorter sentences, simpler wording, fewer complicated phrases. The reader has to put in less effort to understand your message, which directly improves their experience.

2. Creates a sense of approachability

People like feeling as if they’re communicating with a real person, not a corporation. That’s why an informal tone is often used in blog posts and educational guides.

3. Great for brands that build trust through openness

Startups, SaaS platforms, educational creators, they all benefit from a warmer tone. It helps your audience see your brand as a partner, not someone speaking from above.

When an informal tone harms credibility

1. When it feels “forced”

The fastest way to lose credibility is to try to sound “cool” just because you think you should. The audience notices this immediately.

2. When it reduces clarity

If you overuse metaphors, jokes, or a very relaxed style, there’s a risk that the text loses focus. And clarity is always the reader’s top priority.

3. When the audience expects a different style

Some types of content require a bit more formality. For example:

• investor materials,
• technical expert guides,
• legal or financial documentation.

If you’re writing for an audience with specific expectations, too much informality can make you seem unserious.

Three key factors for choosing the right level of informality

1. Audience

The first question you should ask:

Who is reading what I’m writing?

How you write should match their expectations and knowledge level.

2. Brand voice

Every brand has its own identity, and even when writing blog posts, you should still sound like the brand, consistent, clear, and recognizable.

3. Content purpose

Different types of content require different tones:

• educational content can be warmer,
• sales content can be more direct,
• technical content requires clarity and precision.

Always think: Why am I writing this? The answer automatically tells you the right level of informality.

How to find the balance (a practical framework)

Here’s a quick list of questions you can ask yourself before finishing your text:

• Does it sound natural when I read it out loud?
• Would someone from my target audience talk to me this way?
• Do the sentences convey the message clearly and simply?
• Does the style support the goal of the text (not just my personal preference)?

You can always do a small test: write two versions of a sentence, one formal and one informal, and see which one better communicates what you want.

The balance is usually found somewhere in between.

Common mistakes brands make

Using slang without a real reason

Just because something is popular on social media doesn’t mean it fits your brand.

Mixing tones within one text

If the tone is sometimes formal and sometimes informal, the text feels chaotic. This hurts both readability and professionalism.

Too much “Twitter style” in blog posts

Short, punchy sentences can feel aggressive or incomplete.

Forced jokes

If humor isn’t your strong side, better to avoid or keep it minimal.

Fear of sounding serious

Many brands avoid formal tone because they fear they won’t seem “interesting.” But sometimes a clear, serious tone is exactly what creates trust.

How to maintain tone consistency

1. Create a style guide

A style guide isn’t only for visuals. It can include:

• level of formality,
• preferred expressions,
• example sentences that “sound like us,”
• what to avoid.

2. Use tools that help the team stay aligned

If multiple people are involved in creating content, it’s easy for the tone to drift away from what the brand wants. Platforms like EasyContent can help teams stay consistent and write in line with shared guidelines.

Conclusion

In essence, there is no universal rule. Informality isn’t a goal on its own, it’s a tool. The best tone is the one that helps the reader understand the message, connect with the brand, and trust what they’re reading.

If the text sounds clear, natural, and honest, you’re on the right path.