Jargon begone: How to translate your expertise into clear, engaging content
Sometimes I read content from businesses and I shake my head, re-read the content, and then I have to open up a dictionary or do research on the industry to figure out what I’m reading.
I’m kidding. I only ever do this I’m doing work for a client. When I run across a business I’m interested in that has copy with that much jargon, I just go look at another business. Jargon-filled copy is so frustrating. It’s like swimming through word soup: messy, tepid, bland, and leaves you hungry for more.
When your copy that’s meant to be read by the masses makes people’s heads spin trying to process the conglomeration of words, you’ve missed the mark.
Why is there so much jargon?
We have a tendency to sound really silly with the way we talk and write about business. And one of my favourite places to explore the jargon that’s out there is in The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary I found a few years ago. So many hundreds of phrases all being used to varying degrees and they all need to go away.
In my experience, there are a few reasons that this kind of copy exists:
The business/writer isn’t comfortable with simplifying their message, thinking of it as “dumbing it down” (an offensive term we need to banish) rather than communicating with clarity and purpose to people who may not have the context or experience of those in the business.
The business/writer isn’t clear about the true benefits of the product or service and has to rely on same old stale “benefits” (that are mostly features) to express the value. In this case, the business hasn’t defined a value proposition and it’s a stumbling block for truly useful communication.
The business/writer doesn’t have a well-defined problem to address in the copy so they fall back on technical jargon to give the impression that they have this very important product or service you need right now or else your world will fall apart, but they never actually get around to saying why or how.
There’s a common thread and I think Jason Fried got it right when he said, “Jargon is insecurity.” With every reason, there’s a critical piece missing that leads to jargon use.
The more technical, the more jargon
Jargon isn’t just about general words and phrases—including idioms—that cause confusion. It’s also about industry-specific language. Go visit the website of a company that provides highly technical services and products. (I dare you.)
Nine times out of ten, you won’t be able to articulate what they do in a sentence. And that’s a problem. How are you supposed to know if they solve a problem for you if you can’t understand what they do?
The usual argument is that the people they’re targeting will understand. And this is true in a sense. You can’t completely eradicate technical language if your product is technical. And that’s important to remember. But it needs to be used sparingly, only when required. Because even technical audiences have different levels of expertise.
What’s more, you want your content to be easy to process quickly. Wading through jargon can slow down prospects and send them to your competition to see if they can get answers more quickly.
Pro tip: If you need to use industry terminology regularly, consider adding a glossary to your site.
Eliminate jargon every chance you get
The problem with using jargon in your content is accessibility. It slows understanding and can cause confusion that can negatively impact your sales.
You can start eradicating jargon in your copy before your next content project by taking the time to answer these questions:
Who is the audience you're trying to attract? When you have a clear understanding of who you want to reach, it makes it easier to know what they need to know. Think about who is the audience for each piece of content—the person doing research may not be the decision maker and you need know what information is most important to them.
Will they understand the language you're speaking? Once you know who you’re talking to, you can adjust the language you use based on what makes sense for their role in the buying process.
Are they more likely to consume your content if it's in plain language? Early on in the buying process, the answer to this question is almost universally a resounding yes. Getting into the technical details the first time someone visits your website won’t show the appropriate empathy or understanding for the problem they need to solve.
Carefully considering the answers to each of these questions will help you build content that’s accessible to the right person at the right time.
Speak to your audience where they’re at
Using plain language or simplifying your copy shouldn’t involve stripping out every bit of technical information. It's about understanding your audience and speaking to them in a way that's accessible and informative. And that saves everyone time.