I’ve written about it before, but it really is a huge problem in content marketing, particularly in B2B tech copywriting: buzzwords. Some buzzwords have become part of the lexicon. For example, “solution” is now an ubiquitous word to describe products, services, and hybrids of the two. It’s become the B2B tech marketing’s “selfie.”
Granted, there’s not much anyone can do about “solution” (or “selfie,” for that matter). It’s a word that’s here to stay, for better or worse. But there are plenty of words we can do without, unless you actually like “thought-shifting paradigms of best-of-breed solutions.”
[tweetthis]There are plenty of words we can do without, unless you like “thought-shifting paradigms of best-of-breed solutions.”[/tweetthis]
Best-of-Breed: It seems like 90 percent of the white paper reviewers feel like this absolutely has to describe their company’s solution. But speaking as a human being, it makes me think of dog shows: the animal is groomed, trimmed, and probably sedated to put its best paw forward.
World Class: Using “world class” means “best,” but it seems like a messy hybrid of “best in the world” and “first class.” Given what passes for airline seating these days, I try to avoid invoking images of humans squeezing into a flying sardine can.
Gamification: Yes, games are cool. But if you’re selling to Gen X-ers, you’re still going to summon images of the nerdy kid in high school setting up a 386 in the basement to log in to Prodigy. It’s not a bad word to use, but it must be used judiciously.
Cloud: I’m old enough to remember when clouds were things I’d watch drift across the sky as I laid in the grass. How times have changed. Everything is in the cloud now, and because the cloud is so nebulous (pun intended), using “cloud” isn’t enough. Which as a Service are we selling? Are we selling a private, public, or hybrid cloud?
Big Data: This term has taken on a life of its own and grown to monstrous proportions, so much that Big Data is capitalized in many white papers and case studies. Marketing collateral is littered with Big Data references. Is it important? Yes. Are we referencing it too much? Maybe. It’s a term that needs to be used, but it also needs to be used in context.
Hyperconvergence: My least favorite of the buzzwords, “hyperconvergence” has something to do with integration. What it really sounds like is a solution in need of Adderall.
Got any buzzwords that drive you batty? Sound off in the comments. Then contact me to get white papers and case studies that actually say something.
H/T to the Business Betties for suggesting this post!