We are such an industry of buzzwords. When one becomes too mainstream, we quickly race to replace it with something even more fascinating.
Buzzword: Advocacy
For example, what was once called word-of-mouth is now Advocacy. It’s still word-of-mouth. It just gets spread by tapping the keyboard versus actually speaking with someone, though I guess that still happens as we haven’t completely lost the ability to share our insights with friends and co-workers.
Advocacy: A new phase in the traditional marketing cycle, where fans of a brand encourage active engagement by sharing via their own social media platforms.
Buzzword: Engagement
And then there’s that word Engagement. It’s not like you’re getting married to the content. You’re simply sharing your opinion.
And, really, does ‘liking’ translate into sales? Are we simply ‘liking’ something because Jack and Joan liked it? Or did we really examine the product or service before pressing that button?
Engagement: The process by which readers and viewers interact with your content, generally by commenting, “liking,” up-voting, mentioning, and sharing.
Buzzword: Pivot
And my new favorite: Pivot – the center point of any rotational system.
Always thought we called this testing the upside potential of something. Kind of the point of testing isn’t it – to venture beyond the norm, learn and optimize?
Pivot: When a company realizes it’s not meeting its goals, it may pivot to set a new trajectory. This may occur in a single marketing campaign or may apply to an entire business strategy.
Let’s Keep it Simple
Instead of using buzzwords, agencies need to get back to what they do well and in simple terms.
Understanding consumer behavior, identifying the barriers, gaps, and opportunities that lead to the business issue, and then implementing effective messaging to reach our audience with empowering facts that will give them the insight necessary to proactively consider our clients’ brands.
