We’re all guilty of adding unnecessary buzzwords and technical jargon to our marketing communications. They sound smart, important, and often have a nice ring to them. But how relatable are they to your audience?
The next time you’re crafting a marketing message, consider your audience and what language will resonate with them. Whether you’re in the business of SaaS or consumer electronics, your audience is interested in how it can make their life easier.
There are plenty of tech buzzwords that should be ditched from marketing. Don’t add to the problem by using highly technical terminology and industry catchphrases that your audience won’t understand. Instead, the key is to use more precise and direct language in your marketing communications.
Here’s a list of 24 common tech buzzwords and how you can correctly use them in your communications.
- Big Data: We get it, there’s a lot of data out there. But do a simple search for ‘big data’ and you’ll quickly understand the fatigue associated with this phrase. Instead, focus your comms on the insights derived from big data, the decisions you make and the actions you take that make all the difference.
- Cloud Migration: Let’s face it, none of us love moving- be it house or data. Leave cloud migration to run in the background of your comms and instead focus on the end user benefits cloud can bring.
- 5G: Despite what some parts of the internet might say- 5G is just a name for the latest in mobile network technology, which will mean even faster data speeds. What it shouldn’t mean is every tech brand feeling the need to mention it in a press release. Only include if this will have a real impact on your customers.
- Private Cloud: Your very own private cloud. This should only be used as a descriptor- think list of features rather than USP.
- Public Cloud: See ‘Private Cloud’ only this one is managed by someone else.
- Extended Reality: Just when you thought you had all the ‘realities’ down- they added another one to the mix! Honestly, we’d skip using this one and instead talk about why this is interesting.
- Artificial Intelligence: The super intelligence that will one day kill us all (at least that’s what the movies say). Due to overuse, it’s best to use this term sparingly and with explanation of how it’s brining value to the world.
- Digital/Digitisation: Used in a sentence: The tech journalist says, “If I read one more press release about digitisation, I might scream!”
- Cryptocurrency: A potentially world changing technology that has fast become associated with scams and ‘tech bros.’ If you plan to use this, keep the messaging around it simple and benefit focused.
- Machine Learning: Yes, machines can learn now and it’s all very exciting. What isn’t exciting is how every solutions provider has latched onto this phrase. Think carefully about your use of this term poor choices can make machine learning concepts harder to understand than they should be.
- Agile: A specific approach to project management and development that has been co-opted and applied to any solution that can demonstrate even the smallest amount of flexibility. This phrase has rapidly become overused and should be avoided if possible.
- Personalisation: Is personalisation really personal? Or have advances in technology personalisation meant your solution is largely automated. Best to avoid this phrase unless you can really demonstrate use cases.
- Streamline: There’s no better way to streamline your comms than by removing unnecessary words- like streamline!
- Disruptive Innovation: Every tech company today seems to be disrupting one thing or another. Don’t use this phrase unless you can really prove that your solution really has the potential to disrupt.
- Blockchain: That thing that most of your customers have heard about but none of them can really explain it. This term is best used lightly and not splashed all over your product details as a ‘USP.’
- Industry 4.0: It isn’t time for Industry 4.1 already?! But in all seriousness, rather than using a vague term like this, why not point to specific trends and studies.
- Digital Transformation: A process that is delivering some great real-world impact, and phrase that has been overused by marketing folks. If you can, try focusing on what’s transforming and avoid this term altogether.
- Distributed Cloud: Yet another type of cloud to add to the mix. Let’s face it, distributed architecture isn’t the sexiest thing to talk about so best to focus on the impact this delivers if you want to avoid boring your audience.
- Internet of Things: The more devices become connected; you can bet that this phrase isn’t going away. If you want your messaging to stand out then try to focus on the things that make your product different, rather than tossing around this overused phrase.
- As-a-Service: A term so commonly overused there is an actual ‘As-a-Service’ alphabet. What used to be an industry defining phrase has morphed into a trope that will usually illicit an eyeroll from media.
- Technological Innovation: Ask yourself if putting these two words together is really making either of them better and we think you’ll have your answer about whether or not to use this phrase…
- Hyper-automation: With automation already a touchy issue- think ‘a robot took my job’ headlines- hyper-automation is definitely one to avoid in your external comms.
- Edge Computing: Live on the edge with your marketing messages and be more creative. Buzzwords like edge computing are often overused and offer little clarity to your audience.
- Quantum Computing: Sounds pretty smart right? And it is but, it’s also really hard for most people to grasp this concept without a physics degree so perhaps isn’t the best term for your boiler plate…
When you’re struggling through those dull meetings or repetitive press releases, why not have a little fun? Download our Buzzword Bingo game. The rules are simple- when you hear or read any of these tech words or phrases, mark them off on your bingo card. When you get five in a row in any direction, stand up and shout ‘Bingo.’ Then give TEAM LEWIS a call to take a fresh look at your comms and help transform your next marketing campaign.
Let’s talk. At TEAM LEWIS we know B2B tech marking isn’t boring, it’s what we do – and we have done for 25 years. Check out our experience here or drop us a message today.
