Everything Online is Selling Something (And That’s Okay)

I had an disagreement with my boss. We were debating the tone of some website copy for a client, and he dismissed my approach as “silly marketing talk.” He preferred dry facts. Just lay out the information, he said. People respond to logic, not emotion.

The thing is, this same boss had recently bought a classic car. Not as an investment. Not because it was practical. Because it reminded him of his childhood. Because of how it made him feel.

We all do this. We tell ourselves we’re rational decision-makers who weigh facts objectively. Then we buy the classic car, choose the restaurant with the nice ambiance over the one with better reviews, or pick the laptop that “feels” right despite identical specs.

The Uncomfortable Truth

After that conversation, I started noticing something: almost everything you read online is trying to sell you something.

Not always a product. Often it’s selling you an idea, a perspective, a worldview. It’s selling you on reading the next sentence. On clicking through. On believing the writer knows what they’re talking about.

Even this article. Right now. I’m selling you on my expertise, on the validity of this insight, on the idea that I’m worth listening to. Notice how I opened with a story? That wasn’t an accident. Stories create emotional connection. They make you want to keep reading.

But Here’s Why That’s Not Sinister

Think about the last great party conversation you had. The person probably asked about you, told engaging stories, made you laugh, listened actively. They were persuasive – they kept you interested, made you feel good, guided the conversation somewhere meaningful.

Now think about the person who droned on about themselves in monotone, never pausing, never noticing your glazed expression. Were they more “authentic”? No. They were just inconsiderate and bad at communication.

Persuasive writing is the same thing. It’s respecting your reader enough to make the experience worthwhile. It’s:

Making it engaging – so you’re not slogging through unnecessary boredom

Guiding understanding – so you don’t have to figure out what matters on your own

Creating emotional connection – so it sticks with you, so it means something

The dictionary isn’t more honest than Harry Potter. It’s just less considerate of your experience as a reader. J.K. Rowling used narrative techniques, hooks, emotional payoffs – all persuasive tools. That doesn’t make her manipulative. It makes her skilled.

Stats Aren’t Neutral Either

My boss loved citing statistics as if numbers were pure, objective truth. But here’s the thing: stats without context are meaningless.

Is a 50% success rate good or terrible? Depends entirely on context.

“50% success rate” feels different than “50% failure rate” – same number, different emotional response.

Which statistics you choose to highlight is itself a persuasive choice.

Numbers give your argument a veneer of authority, which is precisely why they’re such powerful persuasive tools. They provide the logical permission structure for people to act on emotion.

The Real Skill is Awareness

Understanding that everything online exists in a persuasion economy isn’t cynical – it’s media literacy.

It helps you appreciate skill when you see it. That article was beautifully crafted, you think. I see what they did there.

It helps you spot intent. Are they earning my attention honestly? Are they giving value back?

It helps you distinguish ethical persuasion from manipulation. The difference isn’t in using persuasive techniques – it’s in whether you’re being transparent and whether you’re creating genuine value for the reader.

Manipulation is using these tools to mislead or extract value without giving anything back. Persuasion is using them to communicate effectively, to make something worth someone’s precious time and attention.

We’re All Doing It

Whether you’re writing a blog post, crafting a tweet, or explaining your idea in a meeting – you’re persuading. You’re making choices about structure, emphasis, emotion, and logic to help your audience understand and, ideally, agree with you.

The alternative isn’t “pure objectivity.” It’s boring, inconsiderate communication that makes people work harder than they should to extract meaning.

Anyone can write dry documentation with no thought for the reader. That doesn’t make them more authentic. It makes them lazy.

So What Am I Selling You?

Yes, I’m selling you something here – the idea that persuasion is a craft, not a con. That effective communication and manipulation aren’t the same thing. That being aware of these techniques makes you a better reader and a better writer.

Did it work?

If you finished this article thinking “huh, interesting point,” then congratulations – you just got persuaded. And hopefully, you got something valuable in return for your attention.

That’s the exchange. That’s how it’s supposed to work.