In the right context, there’s nothing wrong with using a bit of jargon.
If you’re talking to another specialist in your subject, it can be a helpful way to use shortcuts in your typography and speech (for example, it’s a lot quicker to say SEO than it is “search engine optimisation”).
However, when it comes to marketing, it’s best to keep your communications as jargon-free as possible.
Why, you ask? Well, for starters, you could:
Exclude certain customers
Jargon, or “buzzwords”, can appear quite intimidating to a reader who isn’t as clued up on a subject as you are.
If you’re trying to sound all smart by throwing in high-tech terms relevant to your industry, chances are, you’re actually just going to alienate your customers.
If they’re looking for a certain product, and they’re met with a load of unnecessarily complicated language, you’re likely to end up confusing them, rather than impressing them. A confused customer is a customer who is unlikely to buy from you.
Think about it like a first date. If you were to just talk about yourself the whole time, the other person is probably going to switch off. Make it about THEM – and speak in their language. In other words:
Use plain English
This doesn’t mean talking down to, or “belittling” your audience. It simply means not losing them in convoluted content that could actually be broken down into very simple, easy to understand phrases.
Avoid acronyms, unless they’re widely used and your audience can understand them.
Edit – and then edit again
Before sending your content off into the world, make sure to proofread it carefully. Text laden with spelling and grammar mistakes doesn’t exactly send out the best message in terms of professionalism.
If English isn’t your strong suit, you can always get a trusted friend or colleague to proofread the content for you. You could also outsource your content to external writers, who can capture your brand’s voice and write on your behalf.
If you’re looking to benefit from a regular blog or marketing campaign, why not reach out to our SEO team at Engage Web?
- The real cost of avoiding SEO - October 21, 2025
- Voice, visual and local search: how GEO is rewriting the rules of local SEO - October 15, 2025
- Social media links and SEO: small icons, big signals - October 13, 2025
