Last Updated on February 26, 2020 by Anthony
Every day an army of copywriters sits in front of its collective computer screens finding new and creative ways to discuss a limited number of topics. Whether we’re talking about business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-customer (B2C) copywriting, the issue is the same: how do you get your point across in a way that is both understandable and presents a professional image?
According to two studies from the Nielsen Norman Group, it’s not done by filling your web pages with industry jargon. Despite what many business professionals believe, no one is impressed with fluffy and meaningless business terms like:
- system metrics
- vertical
- reaching out
- core competency
- synergies
- price point.
As a matter of fact, if you just Google a simple phrase like “stupid business jargon” you might be surprised by the number of business consulting firms telling companies, in no uncertain terms, to stop using such ridiculous verbiage. Yet it persists.
Investor Relations
Nielsen’s studies looked at two groups of Web users, the first of which is the investor looking for new opportunities or the business manager looking to establish new relationships. As business professionals, the readers in this grouping are looking for facts and figures when visiting a website. They hate copywriting that sounds like marketing.
The study demonstrated that such professionals want to find pertinent information without having to dig for it. They want to know how long the company has been in operation, its size, where it is located, etc. If they have to dig, they are not likely to stick around for long.
Journalists
The other group surveyed by Nielsen can be classified as journalists. Under this grouping, you could also include just about any user visiting a website for research purposes rather than sales. Journalists are the ultimate fact finders, so they tend to scan web pages for important chunks of data rather than reading things through thoroughly.
This strategy makes them understandably annoyed with useless fluff. Like business professionals, if they cannot find the data they are looking for quickly, they move on to the next resource. If there’s too much jargon, they feel as though their intelligence is being insulted.
Business Customers
Although Nielsen did not survey website customers, we believe it’s relevant to include them in the mix. After all, there are some things common among all people, regardless of whether they are investors, researchers, or casual readers. In the case of copywriting, that common thread is a natural aversion to industry jargon.
We believe you could make the argument that customers are even savvier than investors or journalists in this area. They know when they’re being played by writers trying to dazzle them with big words and phrases that say nothing. They are just as likely to move on to websites that present information in a simpler and more easily understood manner.
Why They Still Do It
Knowing what we seem to know about copywriting, it seems puzzling that writers still weigh down their articles with excessive jargon. Could it be that these writers are trying too hard to impress clients with their word choices? Or perhaps it’s a case of business executives who do not understand their audience; executives who mistakenly believe lots of industry jargon is what’s necessary to make the sale. Whatever the reason, it’s not necessary.
The writers at Connotations understand this dynamic clearly. We specialize in providing B2C and B2B copywriting that presents a professional image without making your company look like it’s filled with stuffy executives who like to hear themselves speak. Our expert writers can present your information clearly, succinctly, and in a way that is most appealing to the widest audience.
Regardless of your copywriting needs, we invite you to get in touch with us today. We want to do what we can to help your website and business succeed in today’s highly competitive world.