How to Choose Words and Terminologies for Better Communication?

The digital age saying is “Content is the king.”

Importance of creating information on products, services, and technologies is gaining high importance. Howsoever good products you have manufactured or provide excellent services, if you don’t broadcast about your products to the world, no one is going to know about them. Hence, no sales. That is why the digital age saying is “Content is the king.”

Anything digital brings everything online. Broadcast is what makes your products and services stand out.

Did you notice anything here? Content goes along with all the concepts like;

WEBSITE > BROADCAST!!!

The inseparable facts to boost sales.

To create a digital product, software or app is developed. Here content is created for several reasons including user-interface (UI) string messages, feature description, user manuals, Help, support documents such as ReadMe, What’s New?, FAQ, knowledge base articles, and marketing collaterals including datasheets, white paper, and content for landing pages etc., etc., etc.

SOFTWARE > UX INTERACTIVE INFORMATION!!!

To showcase your products online, you must have a website. To promote your products, you broadcast on websites, social networking sites, and other channels. Once again, you need content to drive the vehicle to achieve your goal.

COLLATERALS > SALES!!!

From software to app to website, technologies, programming languages, platforms change but the content remains omnipresent.

The Role of Technical Writers Overlaps

In many cases, the role of technical writers overlaps and we have to create non-technical information for collateral materials, and technical information for product support documentation as well. Hence, we must learn how to create content for the target audience.

The role of technical writers overlaps and we must wear several feathers.

We must know—hm, actually we already know—we must sharpen our skill to choose the apt words and terminologies for the mediums and target audience. Choosing the apt words will communicate the right things, direct and in short.

Here I am going to show what words and terminologies we must prefer for collaterals and what for technical information.  We should include POWER WORDS when we create content for marketing collaterals and web content and we must prefer BASIC WORDS in the technical information.

Why should we prefer the POWER WORDS?

Power words are the words that attract readers to the subject, trigger likes and actions more oriented toward AIDA – attention, interest, desire, action. This result in conversion to sales.

Use the right words in writing to attract attention, interest, desire, and action > AIDA

Following are the power words that you should use more in collateral writings.

Happiness Excitement Humor Prestige
Heartwarming Bold Funniest Expensive
Inspiring Exciting Hilarious Glamorous
Profound Fascinating Laugh Luxurious
Zen Intriguing Ridiculous
Alive Riveting
Light Tempting
Healthy Thrilling
Transform
Indulgence Novelty Simplicity Memorability
Guilt Challenge Basic Captivate
Guilt-free Discover Cheat-Sheet Genius
Indulgent Extraordinary Easy Memorable
Obsessed Hack Effortless Undeniable
Ravenous Latest Ingredients Unforgettable
Lazy Life-changing Minimalist Unpopular
Magic On-Demand Impressive
Miracle Painless Embarrassing
New Rules
Remarkable Savvy
Revolutionary Simple
Sensational Step-by-Step
Shocking Stupid-simple
Spoiler Tricks
Startling Tweaks
Suddenly
Surprising
Unexpected
Strange
Weird
Odd
Unusual
Beauty Lust Mind-Blowing Greed
Adorable Begging Alluring Affordable
Awe-Inspiring Crave Amazing Bargain
Beautiful Decadent Astonishing Barrage
Breathtaking Delirious Astounding Bonus
Dazzling Fantasy Awesome Budget
Gorgeous Forbidden Badass Cheap
Stunning Irresistible Bomb Convert
Swoon Naked Brilliant Double
Swoon-worthy Provocative Catapult Drive
Seductive Charming Forever
Sexy Defying Free
Sinful Delicious Immediately
Tantalizing Delightful Increase
Satisfy Dreamy Instantly
Epic Money
Explosive Never
Exquisite Now
Greatness Off-limits
Heavenly Overnight
Incredible Profit
Jaw-dropping Promote
Kickass Sale
Legendary Today
Mesmerizing Triple
Mouth-watering Unlimited
Nail Envy
Spellbinding Master
Sublime Lucrative
Triumph Steal
Unbelievable
Unleashed
Polarizing
Dominate
Gravity Impatience Sadness Savagery
Gargantuan Amp Alarming Agonizing
Gigantic Blast Crushing Apocalypse
Huge Ignite Dead Armageddon
Intense Jumpstart Deceptive Battle
Massive Kickstart Devastating Corrupt
Gripping Launch Excruciating Crazy
Goddamn Quick-start Exposed Deadly
Seriously Speedy Heartbreaking Disgusting
Supercharge Sadly Fight
Turbocharge Shaming Frenzy
Smuggle Suffer Hate
Avoid Insane
Demoralizing Lunatic
Problem Menacing
Painful
Poison
Rowdy
Sabotaging
Savage
Sins
Struggle
Treacherous
Uncontrollable
Vicious
Violent
Weak
Wild
Dying
Horrifying
Attack
Traumatized
Insult
Horribly
Hell
Authority Exclusivity Pride Safety
Absolute Admit Absurd Accuse
All-Inclusive Breaking Achieve Assault
Authentic Confess Awkward Beware
Authoritative Confession Blunder Broke
Authority Divulge Clueless Catastrophe
Backed Elite Cringeworthy Caution
Bona fide Emerging Dumb Cheat
Complete First Fail Dangerous
Comprehensive Hidden Fail-Proof Diagnosed
Conclusive Insider Failure Dirty
Definitive Little-known Faux Pas Emergency
Document New Fool Ethical
Expert Popular Foolish Exactly
Final Priceless Idiot Fierce
Formula Rare Lame Hoax
Genuine Release Last Horror
Guaranteed Reveal Mediocre Jeopardy
Honest Secret Mistake Lifetime
Ironclad Sly Obvious Protect
Legitimate Sneak-Peek Pitiful Provoke
Literally Sneaky Reject Punch
Official Special Rookie Recession-Proof
Powerful Stealthy Ruin Sacred
Proven Trend Senseless Safe
Psychological Truth Shameful Scam
Reliable Unadulterated Silly Scared
Report Unconventional Stupid Shaking
Research Uncovered Success Signs
Results Undercover Threaten Survive
Solution Underused Triggers Terrifying
Strategy Unique Unknowingly Unstoppable
Studies Unseen Useless Belong
Surefire Untapped Waste Promise
Validate Worst Stop
Masterclass
Completeness
Completely
Copy
Detailed
Essential
Impenetrable
Meticulous
Overcome
Painstaking
Practical
Recreate
Replicate
Relentless
Ultimate
Master
Perfect
Super
Create
Step-by-Step
Best
Truly
Packed
Extremely
Deep
Better

Why should we use the basic or familiar words?

About 3000 words that occupy 90% vocabulary usage of English in everyday conversation.

Choose commonly used words to express the idea for technical information. According to Education First, there are about 3000 words that occupy 90% vocabulary usage of English in everyday conversation, daily newspapers, magazines and other sources. However, I advise to shorten this list of vocabulary in technical information, very much similar to Charles Kay Ogden’s List of Basic English. Ogden has categorized the words such as Operations, General Words, Picturable Words, Qualities, and so on.

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