Earlier today I read a blog that suggested it would help me create compelling content.
Whoever wrote it used the following words and phrases: leverage (more than once), passionate (more than once), customer lifecycle, keeping a pulse on their CEO, top-of-funnel content, roadmap (at least seven times!) informational, gather input (?), customer journey, customer centric (several times).
Sighs.
When this blog mentioned compelling content, I thought it would do two things.
First, I thought it would act as an exemplar to illustrate their point and help me learn.
And I thought it would give me some useful advice on how I can improve my own content.
But of course, it did neither.
The kind of jargon and needlessly complex language they used wasn’t compelling. In fact, it was repelling.
Because I found their language confusing I couldn’t understand what they were saying. And because I couldn’t understand what they were saying I didn’t connect with them. I didn’t really trust them. So I wasn’t willing to learn from them.
As to helping me improve my own content, I guess I learned what not to do. I didn’t enjoy reading the language they used and can’t think of a reason why anyone else would.
How you can avoid making the same mistake
A few simple tricks will help you avoid writing like you’re on a bet to use the most words from an office game of bulls**t bingo.
To make sure your writing connects with people, keeps them interested and helps them learn or act in the way you’d like, try these three things:
- Use language that people find easy to read. Their post would have been much better if they’d used language that people find easy to read and therefore understand. The kinds of words we humans use in normal conversation. For example, instead of leverage they could have said use. Instead of roadmap they could have said plan. And what does ‘keeping a pulse on’ something or someone even mean?
- Be confident. You do have something of value to share with other people. So don’t hide your knowledge behind words you might think will impress.
- Be honest. Don’t claim to know about something you don’t. The writers of the blog I read claimed to know about compelling content, but they clearly don’t.
The most important thing with any writing (after all that’s what most content is) is that it’s relevant, easy to read and understand. That’s compelling.
Trying to get your head around ‘top-of-funnel content’ isn’t.
Hello. I’m Sarah Russell, a freelance creative copywriter.
I can write compelling content for you.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you found something in it to help or inspire you, or to make you smile.
Email me at: info@sarahrussellwriting.co.uk
Call me on: 01873 776 153
Connect with me on: LinkedIn
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