Having a content marketing strategy puts you ahead of everyone who doesn’t have one, but if you’re new to content marketing, you need to stop using these seven words.
Content marketing means writing new features on a weekly—if not daily—basis, and if you’re the only person writing material, that means you’re vulnerable to repetition, or getting stuck in a rut. No matter how expansive your vocabulary is, if you’re writing the same subject material in the same format, you might be tempted to use the same words over and over again, even if they aren’t the best choice.
Buzzwords and filler words are the usual culprits, since they’re easy to slip in unwittingly, but there are other suspects in the traditional lineup. No matter what industry you write for or how often you write, you need to make sure you eliminate these seven useless (or annoying) words:
1. Just. Just is a nightmare filler word, but all of us are guilty of using it at one point or another. Take “just” out of the sentence, and you’re guaranteed to be left with a sentence that means the same thing written more concisely.
2. Very/Really. Very and really can be used interchangeably, and neither one is effective at improving the quality of your sentences. It’s not a bad filler word, but if you want your content to remain concise, leave them out.
3. Lots. Using the word “lots” or the phrase “a lot” is a vague way of saying something you could say with specifics. Is it actually a lot? How many or how much is it?
4. Awesome. Awesome was once an acceptable word, to be reserved for things truly awe-inspiring. Now it’s been abused so much that it’s practically meaningless.
5. Kind of/sort of. These words aren’t bad in conversation, but in your writing they are ugly.
6. Literally. If you end up using the word “literally” in your content writing, you are probably using it incorrectly and conversationally.
7. Being. Some writers will throw the word “being” into the beginning of a sentence, substituting for “because.” Don’t do it.
These aren’t the only words you should avoid, but cutting these out of your articles will do wonders for the conciseness and readability of your content.
