Comments on: How to Handle Jargon and Acronyms http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/ Marketing blog focused on marketing optimization, improving website conversion rates, search engine marketing, web analytics, word of mouth, etc. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:50:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: seo http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1216444 seo Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:40:26 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1216444 I believe jargon are useful for B2B marketing campaigns. I believe jargon are useful for B2B marketing campaigns.

]]> By: Poptropica http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1214723 Poptropica Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:00:37 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1214723 WOOW thank for hepl me!! WOOW thank for hepl me!!

]]> By: Jeux de cuisine http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1208348 Jeux de cuisine Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:33:45 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1208348 Yeah, great post, it's so difficult to handle jargon, especially in french. Yeah, great post, it’s so difficult to handle jargon, especially in french.

]]> By: Henry http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1200745 Henry Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:56:16 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1200745 wonderful post~ i can't agree you more. we'd better avoid talking with your clients in Jargons. I think speaking common language makes you close to your customers. wonderful post~
i can’t agree you more.
we’d better avoid talking with your clients in Jargons.
I think speaking common language makes you close to your customers.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1188967 Jeff Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:15:07 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1188967 Paul, That's awesome! Thanks for posting the link. - jeff Paul,

That’s awesome! Thanks for posting the link.

- jeff

]]> By: Paul McKeon http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1188412 Paul McKeon Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:41:44 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1188412 Great post. Agree 100%. Enjoyed the George Carlin video as well. Not sure if you've seen our corporate jargo quiz. It's not quite as funny as Carlin, but a lot of people have enjoyed it. Here it is: http://www.contentfactor.com/quiz/quiz.html Great post. Agree 100%. Enjoyed the George Carlin video as well. Not sure if you’ve seen our corporate jargo quiz. It’s not quite as funny as Carlin, but a lot of people have enjoyed it. Here it is:
http://www.contentfactor.com/quiz/quiz.html

]]> By: Hamish http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1185807 Hamish Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:38:41 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1185807 Thanks for the comprehensive response Jeff :) I like the idea of linking to a glossary. Like you say, also good for the search engines. I think it would be a good idea to apply a TITLE-attribute to the “text link” so users can find a definition on hover, without leaving the page or loading popups.....though I have my doubts as to how familiar users are with this feature……but also good for the search engines. Thanks for the comprehensive response Jeff :)
I like the idea of linking to a glossary. Like you say, also good for the search engines.
I think it would be a good idea to apply a TITLE-attribute to the “text link” so users can find a definition on hover, without leaving the page or loading popups…..though I have my doubts as to how familiar users are with this feature……but also good for the search engines.

]]> By: Karl http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1185724 Karl Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:56:50 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1185724 I believe jargon (technical terms) are useful for B2B marketing campaigns. However, an individual or company should not use technical terms for B2C marketing campaigns. I believe jargon (technical terms) are useful for B2B marketing campaigns. However, an individual or company should not use technical terms for B2C marketing campaigns.

]]> By: John : Site Doublers http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1185351 John : Site Doublers Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:56:31 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1185351 Run an A/B split test between the version with jargons and acronyms, and a new version that explains the product in plain english. And don't assume that your engineering products are being bought only by highly-qualified engineers. Even NASA has staff who are not actually rocket scientists... Run an A/B split test between the version with jargons and acronyms, and a new version that explains the product in plain english.

And don’t assume that your engineering products are being bought only by highly-qualified engineers. Even NASA has staff who are not actually rocket scientists…

]]> By: SEO Tips http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1185083 SEO Tips Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:37:25 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1185083 It is always better to avoid Jargons when dealing your customers because you are doing business with common people and should talk with them in a common language,a language in which they are comfortable.Obviously you do not want them to get embarrassed with your acronyms.It will be like Greek and Latin for them. It is always better to avoid Jargons when dealing your customers because you are doing business with common people and should talk with them in a common language,a language in which they are comfortable.Obviously you do not want them to get embarrassed with your acronyms.It will be like Greek and Latin for them.

]]> By: Todd Follansbee http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1184854 Todd Follansbee Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:31:47 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1184854 People are either embarrassed or annoyed when they don't understand acronyms or jargon. These are not emotions which contribute to persuasive sites. If in doubt, test all jargon via direct user testing. I do agree that in a narrowly defined audience it can work, but if you must use it then there is NO excuse not to simply put hyperlinks (or text tags) on ALL jargon or acronyms to explain them. On at least the first instance of their use on every page. To test your acronyms in a direct user test, PUT hyperlinks on them and watch for clicks, do not assume they will tell you what they don't know, especially if they are technical or "experts". Sometimes we make up hyperlinks to see if a particular user will click on them, demonstrates their willingness to click... People are either embarrassed or annoyed when they don’t understand acronyms or jargon. These are not emotions which contribute to persuasive sites. If in doubt, test all jargon via direct user testing. I do agree that in a narrowly defined audience it can work, but if you must use it then there is NO excuse not to simply put hyperlinks (or text tags) on ALL jargon or acronyms to explain them. On at least the first instance of their use on every page. To test your acronyms in a direct user test, PUT hyperlinks on them and watch for clicks, do not assume they will tell you what they don’t know, especially if they are technical or “experts”. Sometimes we make up hyperlinks to see if a particular user will click on them, demonstrates their willingness to click…

]]> By: Mary Cullen http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1184791 Mary Cullen Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:57:48 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1184791 In so many business writing courses I teach, I hear complaints about jargon. If one uses an industry-specific term, it's wise to write it out first and place the acronym in parentheses. Orient a reader. Jargon drives business people crazy. We should avoid meaningless, overwritten bloat. Here is a more information on jargon, and also a handy tool to test web copy for it: http://blog.instructionalsolutions.com/2009/05/20/find-your-jargon-and-gobbledygook/ In so many business writing courses I teach, I hear complaints about jargon. If one uses an industry-specific term, it’s wise to write it out first and place the acronym in parentheses. Orient a reader.

Jargon drives business people crazy. We should avoid meaningless, overwritten bloat. Here is a more information on jargon, and also a handy tool to test web copy for it: http://blog.instructionalsolutions.com/2009/05/20/find-your-jargon-and-gobbledygook/

]]> By: Should You Use Acronyms In Your SEO Content? http://www.grokdotcom.com/2009/08/13/how-to-handle-jargon-and-acronyms/comment-page-1/#comment-1184776 Should You Use Acronyms In Your SEO Content? Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:36:29 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/?p=5170#comment-1184776 [...] Here’s a good discussion on the use of jargon and acronyms in marketing content. The discussion is just as relevant for online marketing, maybe more so. After all, with online marketing you are not just selling, your are selling and optimizing. And if you are using acronyms for your optimization efforts it means that you expect searchers to perform search queries for those acronyms at the search engines. Will they? If they do, will they search for the acronym more often than the term it represents? [...] [...] Here’s a good discussion on the use of jargon and acronyms in marketing content. The discussion is just as relevant for online marketing, maybe more so. After all, with online marketing you are not just selling, your are selling and optimizing. And if you are using acronyms for your optimization efforts it means that you expect searchers to perform search queries for those acronyms at the search engines. Will they? If they do, will they search for the acronym more often than the term it represents? [...]

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