Learning the Lingo: How Industry Jargon Can Enhance or Hurt Marketing Content
Every time a marketing content writer takes on a client in a new industry, we’re faced with learning at least one new set of business jargon— the client’s jargon — and often the industry-speak of the client’s clients as well.
The question is: How much jargon should we use in the content we create for our clients?
On the one hand, our job as marketing content writers is to help our clients show that they speak their clients’ language. On the other hand, peppering copy with too many industry-specific terms can alienate even the intended audience, not to mention the broader audience.
Jargon refers to terms and expressions used within a profession or industry that may be difficult for those outside the industry to understand. It often takes the form of shorthand for more complex processes. Often, jargon isn’t too difficult to figure out. For example, “capability uplift” is a human resource term that means investment in training and development to help employees build skills and knowledge. In the website development world, the term “breadcrumbs” is short for a site’s secondary navigation system that shows users the location of a webpage in relation to the rest of the site.
Jargon can leave industry outsiders scratching their heads, however. My favorite example is “hashed and salted,” a digital security term I first encountered not long ago. Password protection isn’t a topic I usually write about, so I had no idea what hashed and salted meant. I learned that hashing turns plain text passwords into a string of numbers and letters, while salting adds random numbers and letters to the string to make the data even more secure from hackers.
Although the term jargon often carries a negative connotation, using industry words and phrases in marketing content isn’t necessarily a negative. Jargon can have benefits or drawbacks depending on how — and how often — it’s used.
Using industry-specific words and phrases promotes credibility and trust. Particularly in the initial stages of marketing to clients, using industry jargon shows clients that you understand their businesses and industries — and therefore their needs and challenges. In other words, using industry jargon shows you speak the client’s language.
There can be too much jargon, however. An overabundance of industry terms makes content dense and inaccessible to both the intended audience and the more general audience.
How much jargon is too much jargon?
Jargon might not be necessary when simple, understandable language will suffice. It’s fine to include industry terms with a brief explanation of what they mean in plain language on first reference — but if you find yourself explaining numerous industry-specific phrases, you might be using too much jargon.
How much to use also depends on your audience. Who is reading the blog posts, articles, client alerts, white papers and conference materials? Audiences may include existing clients, prospective clients, and junior- and senior-level colleagues, or a mix of industry and nonindustry groups. The more diverse the audience, the greater the need for clarity and inclusiveness.
Another guideline in today’s digital-forward marketing world is that content should be about the topic of interest to clients and prospects, not a vehicle for SEO keywords.
Understanding when to use jargon can be a delicate balance. In many cases, marketing content that includes both industry-specific words and phrases and plain-language descriptions will demonstrate expertise and authority while ensuring the audience feels considered and included — and gets the message.
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