5 TIPS TO WRITE JARGON-FREE CONTENT (PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND)
When being an expert in your business is a curse
5 tips to write jargon-free content people can actually understand
No-one knows your business as well as you do, which is quite the curse.
Hang on, what?
I know, it’s not what you were expecting me to say. How can being an expert be a curse.
Stick with me for a minute. I’ll explain.
You know your industry inside out. You can rattle off the specs of your products, or the benefits of your services without drawing breath.
You live and breathe your business, so naturally you’re the best person to write your website, draft your blog posts or whip up some product descriptions.
Aren’t you?
Well, it depends.
Can you leave the jargon at the door?
Make sure you’re speaking the same language
When it comes to marketing your business, there are plenty of things you need to write. It might be social media posts, your website, blog posts, media releases or emails.
Many business owners outsource this task to a copywriter, saving themselves time and the stress of coming up with the right words.
Other business owners enjoy the task and like to be hands-on writing their own content. They think because they know the topic so well, it’ll be a piece of cake to write about.
But here’s the problem. When you have an innate understanding of a topic and the language used in that industry, it’s tricky to switch that off.
Cut the jargon to truly connect
Have you ever wondered how much your customers understand about what you do? They may seem like they understand, but are they coming to your website and leaving more confused than they started?
Are your social media posts driving a connection, or driving customers away?
If your marketing content is leaving people scratching their heads, you’re doing more harm than good.
The best way to connect with your customers is to write clear, jargon-free content they can understand.
Remember, marketing is about attracting customers, not impressing the competition.
What do I mean by jargon?
Jargon means words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.
Think lawyers, police, doctors and computer techs.
The more technical the job, the harder it can be to communicate it simply.
But almost every job has its own terminology.
Take my job, for example. I’m a copywriter.
The word itself is confusing. It doesn’t describe what I do and is easily confused with copyright.
Copyright is the ownership of intellectual property.
A copywriter is someone who writes marketing content like websites, emails, social media posts or words for flyers and brochures. A copywriter can write thousands of words, or create magic in just three – take the famous Nike tagline, Just Do It.
A better description of what I do might be marketing writer, business writer or professional writer.
Here are some examples of jargon from other industries:
Hairdressing
Balayage
Lowlights
Asymmetrical cut
Lob
Ombre
Fitness
Macros
Tabata
Functional training
Plyometrics
Anaerobic
Hypertrophy
Financial planning
Portfolio construction
SMSF
Exit strategy
Capital Stable
Annuity
I’m sure you recognise some of these terms, but all of them?
5 tips to cut the jargon from your copy
If your business sells to other businesses (B2B), then you can get away with more industry-specific content. But if you sell a product or service direct to the public, then you need to keep it simple. Here are my top 5 tips for writing clear and easy-to-read content your customers will understand.
1. Remember who you’re writing for
Your marketing isn’t the place to try to impress your competitors. Always remember who you are writing for. Imagine you’re explaining the product or service to someone you’ve never met, who’s never heard of your business.
You also need to remember the literacy level of your audience will vary. Some will be better readers, while for others English might not be their first language. Keeping your content easy to read makes it accessible to more people.
2. Cut out big words and industry-specific language
Once you’ve written your website content, blog or social media post, read over it.
Are there any words you could simplify?
Industry terms you need to explain?
Explain things simply, with clear language. If you’re stuck with long words and technical language, try using an online tool like Power Thesaurus to find simpler synonyms.
3. Use the Hemingway Editor app
A free online tool, the Hemingway app helps you identify complicated writing and long sentences. All you need to do is cut and paste your content into the app and it will highlight any issues and make recommendations.
It also gives a readability score – you should aim for 9 or less.
4. Let your words breathe
Big slabs of text on a page are overwhelming to the eye – especially online.
It is always a great idea to break up your content with sub-headings, bullet points and numbered lists. Use a mixture of long sentences and short ones.
You can also write shorter paragraphs – 1 or 2 sentence paragraphs are not uncommon.
5. Write like you’re having a conversation, not giving a lecture
A strange thing happens when people sit down to write. They become very formal. I don’t know whether it’s a throw-back to the dark days of writing essays at school, but the best copywriting is conversational.
Write as you would speak. Read what you’ve written out loud and ask yourself:
- Is it hard to read without running out of breath?
Yes? Your sentences are too long. Shorten them. 25 words or less per sentence is a good guide.
- Are you stumbling over words or phrases when you try to say them aloud?
They’re too complicated. Choose simpler words.
- Do you feel like you’re droning or monotonous?
Mix up the lengths of your sentences. Add shorter sentences. One word sentences. Short paragraphs and long ones. Start sentences with And, But or Because. You’re not at school anymore and these rules are meant to be broken.
- Do you sound formal?
When you have a conversation you say it’s, that’s and you’re, but people often forget this when they write. Make sure you use contractions in your writing to make it less stuffy.
Ok, so it’s not really a curse
I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that knowing your business inside out isn’t a curse. You have a brain full of amazing information to share with customers. You have an endless list of content ideas.
It’s a huge asset.
It only becomes a problem when you can’t communicate information well. So, remember, plan what you want to write, keep it simple and conversation and remember the handy online tools that can make your writing better.
Dayarne Smith is a freelance copywriter who helps businesses build brand awareness and win new customers. Dayarne knows boring copy doesn’t sell, so she crafts quality content with a fun, creative edge.
Dayarne Smith
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