Crafting Engaging Content: The Power of Jargon-Free Writing for Marketing Professionals
Although video content is all the rage right now, marketing professionals still rely heavily on written content in their marketing strategies. Whether you’re writing a blog post, a social media caption, or an email newsletter, your words must resonate with your audience and inspire action.
To make this happen, your content must be understandable before anything else. Aside from having a clear message, avoiding jargon in your written content is essential to ensure your audience understands and connects with it.
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Why It’s Essential to Avoid Jargon
Jargon is a complex or unique language that people use in specific groups. If you aren’t a part of that group or familiar with it in some way, the jargon they use probably won’t make sense to you. For example, if someone starts talking about a 301 redirect, you may not know what that is if you aren’t a part of the tech industry.
That’s why jargon can be bad for your content. You could be saying something the majority of your audience doesn’t understand. The moment you do that, they can start to feel like your content isn’t for them, and they leave. Ultimately, your content is only for a select few people when you use jargon.
You can reach a broader audience when your content is written without jargon. More people can trust and connect with your content because it’s written in plain language that they can understand.
Jargon can also damage your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Your target audience probably isn’t using jargon in the queries they type into search engines. For example, someone is more likely to type in “how to hold two pieces of fabric together before I sew it” versus “how to baste.” Use the language your audience prefers rather than stuffing your content with jargon, to ensure you show up on the first page of search engine results pages.
Finally, jargon can negatively impact a person’s experience with your content. Using words your audience doesn’t understand will make it hard for them to get through your piece entirely. They’ll have to keep stopping and looking up concepts, impacting their ability to enjoy your content. When using an essay writer during content creation, it’s crucial to prioritize clarity and avoid excessive jargon, enabling your audience to seamlessly engage with your material.
A smooth read from start to finish positively impacts a person’s experience with your written content. You can help them achieve this when you implement clear and concise writing in your marketing content that’s void of all jargon.
Tips for Executing Jargon-Free Writing
Jargon is tough for some marketers to get rid of completely because they could argue that there is a time and a place for it. For example, jargon is appropriate to use if you’re doing some technical writing for a project management software manual.
But if you want to foster more effective communication with your target audience and create content that aligns with them, strive to eliminate your use of jargon. Use the following tips to execute jargon-free writing more consistently.
1. Know Your Audience
It isn’t just about stopping your use of jargon. It’s also about using the language that your audience does and meeting them at their level of understanding so that you can make a real connection with them through your content.
What does your audience use in place of jargon? To put it another way, if they won’t understand the jargon, what would they understand?
For example, let’s say they don’t know what a buyer’s journey is. Would they understand “it’s the stages someone goes through to get to a purchase,” or would you need to break it down more than that for them to get the concept?
Learning your audience helps you identify what to write that will resonate with them.
2. Have a Deep Understanding of What You’re Writing About
If you want your audience to understand what you’re saying, you first need to comprehend it. You need a deep understanding of what you’re writing about to be able to break it down without using jargon.
Conduct in-depth research on every topic you’re writing about. Do a deep dive into what you don’t understand. Write down simple explanations and use this plain language in the content you write to increase the chances of your audience understanding and absorbing your content.
3. When In Doubt, Keep It Simple
Every time you think about using jargon, ask yourself if this is the only way to describe what you’re talking about, or is there a simpler way to do so. If there’s a more straightforward way to explain something, always go with that way.
Even if your audience would understand the jargon, simple explanations are better for the flow of your content. People don’t have to use a whole lot of brain power to get through your content, allowing them to enjoy it rather than fight through it.
Conclusion
If you really want to create written content that connects with your audience, inspires conversions, and is a step above the competition, avoid jargon. It can negatively impact your audience’s understanding, user experience, and SEO results.
You can execute jargon-free writing by learning your audience, having a deep understanding of every topic before you write on it, and choosing simplicity over everything.
FAQ
What is jargon-free writing in marketing? Jargon-free writing in marketing means using simple, clear language that is easily understandable to a broad audience. It avoids industry-specific terms, acronyms, and complex vocabulary, making the content accessible to everyone.
Why is jargon-free writing important in marketing? Jargon-free writing is crucial because it ensures that marketing messages are understood by all potential customers, not just experts. It helps in building a wider audience, enhancing customer engagement, and improving the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
How can I identify jargon in my marketing materials? Review your content and look for terms that are industry-specific, technical, or could be confusing to someone outside your field. Ask someone who is not in your industry to read your content and point out any words they don’t understand.
What are common jargon words in marketing to avoid? Common jargon words include terms like “synergy,” “low-hanging fruit,” “bandwidth,” “actionable insights,” and “value-add.” Replace these with more straightforward language that conveys the same message.
How can jargon-free writing improve customer trust? Jargon-free writing makes your marketing messages more transparent and relatable, which can build trust with your audience. When customers understand what you’re saying, they are more likely to believe that you understand their needs.
What strategies can I use to write jargon-free content? Use plain language, short sentences, and everyday vocabulary. Break down complex ideas into simple concepts, and always explain any necessary technical terms. Keep the reader’s perspective in mind to ensure the content is relatable and easy to digest.
Can jargon ever be useful in marketing materials? Jargon can be useful when targeting a specific professional audience that understands and expects such language. However, it should be used sparingly and explained when there is a chance it might alienate other readers.
How does jargon-free writing affect SEO? Jargon-free writing can improve SEO by aligning your content more closely with the search terms that your broader audience uses. Simplified language often matches the everyday language used in search queries, helping to boost visibility.
What tools can help in writing jargon-free marketing content? Tools like Hemingway Editor or Grammarly can help simplify language and ensure clarity. They highlight complex sentences, suggest simpler alternatives, and help maintain an active voice.
How can I train my team to write without jargon? Conduct workshops on the importance of clear communication and provide examples of jargon versus jargon-free writing. Encourage peer reviews of content and use editing tools that flag complex vocabulary.
What impact does jargon-free writing have on global marketing campaigns? Jargon-free writing is especially important in global campaigns as it reduces the risk of misinterpretation across different cultures and languages. Simplified language ensures that your message is consistent and universally understood, enhancing global reach and effectiveness.
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