Most of you who’ve spent any amount of time working with any form of marketing have noticed that the field is positively choked with jargon (as is virtually every industry, really). You shouldn’t be entirely shocked by this – oftentimes, jargon is the best way to condense a relatively complex topic down so it’s easier to convey. For that reason, I’m not entirely against its use, nor do I deny its efficacy given the right circumstances.
The problem with jargon is that when overused – or repeatedly misused – its meaning tends to grow distorted over time. It becomes a buzzword; an empty, meaningless propaganda phrase which is more a sign of laziness than knowledge. While jargon is best used sparingly, buzzwords should be avoided at all costs.
I’ve compiled a list of some of the more common buzzwords floating around the world of digital marketing. I’d advise against using any of them if you can help it. Your readers will thank you for it.
Actionable
Originally, Actionable was a legal adjective used to refer to a particular course which was grounds for a lawsuit. Somewhere along the way, someone decided to warp the word so its definition fit into the world of marketing and business. In this context, it simply means “something which can be acted upon.”
Naturally, many writers and marketers alike latched onto this phrase like leeches. At least once a week, I see an article with a title like “X actionable tips for Y.” What used to be high-energy jargon is now a passive, boring buzzword; it’s like a professional athlete who let go and gradually transformed into a rolling mass of fat.
Use Instead: Useful, practicable, practical, functional.
Thought Leader
Naturally, you want folks to think you’re good at what you do (or that you know people who are). One particularly low-effort shortcut to convey this message is by resorting to the phrase “thought leader.” While the meaning is a lot clearer than some of the buzzwords on this list,
Using such a phrase to refer to your brand (or yourself) is arrogant at best; using it to refer to someone else just smacks of lazy writing.
Use Instead: Nothing. Instead of simply calling someone a leader, why not explain why they’re a leader?
Influentials
Suggested by Greg Satell of Forbes, the term “Influentials” is a catch-all word used to refer to anyone who happens to have a great deal of influence over the purchasing decisions of others; the definition of the term argues that there are certain traits which identify such trend-setters. For that reason, this buzzword is troubling beyond how overused it tends to be.
The core idea that influencers can be identified by a particular set of traits, argues Satell, is flawed; as such, identifying influential individuals under a single umbrella is illogical. Yes, there are certain authorities who have far more influence than others – celebrities, industry leaders, and executives, to name a few – but there exists no evidence that they share a particular set of traits that makes them who they are, nor is there any indication that they’re absolutely vital in making a campaign go viral.
Use Instead: Celebrities, authorities, managers, politicians, friends, family.
Engagement
Here’s another one suggested by Forbes. Full disclosure here, folks – this is one buzzword I myself have used on several occasions in the past. It’s also the most overused buzzword in online marketing. The worst part is, no one’s fully certain what it means. In the context I’ve used it, it refers to making your audience interested in what you do, and offering them something of value so they’ll keep coming back (engaging) with your site.
Use Instead: Satell instead suggests using a term like value exchange. Other possible replacements for engagement could include
Low-Hanging Fruit
Low-hanging fruit is a term used to refer to terms or phrases which are not searched as highly as other, more popular keywords. The idea is that because there are so few websites optimized for these “lesser” keywords, using them will allow a site to attain a higher ranking than if it were to use more popular terms. The reason the term’s problematic is that it grossly oversimplifies the process of keyword selection, while at the same time implying that the more unique keywords are somehow “lesser” than more popular terms.
That simply isn’t the case.
Use Instead: lesser-used, localized, specialized
In Closing
Given the variety of complex terms we work with on a regular basis, the creation of jargon to simplify their conveyance is inevitable. Whether you work in marketing or another field, however, be careful how often you resort to such terms. Overusing them – or using them without fully understanding their meaning – could very well transform them into buzzwords; sound and fury signifying nothing.