Buzzwords are “strategically ambiguous, over-packed with information and deliberately fleeting in nature,” says Andre Spicer in his article “Shooting the Shit“
But why do we use them so often, knowingly or unknowingly?
What’s the psychology behind them? And is there any real advantage in using them?
There is a psychological incentive in using buzzwords.
A study of buzzwords on college campuses in China showed that students used them to feel like they belong to groups as they felt lonely and embarrassed in large cities.
Buzzwords when used in a closed and like-minded group where everyone “gets it” can be a shorthand or provide context during conversations.
David Graeber says the reason we do it at work is because of our insecurity from what he calls “bullshit jobs” doing meaningless work. And to compensate for that we tend to overcomplicate business speak with fancy words.
In some rare cases, you can piggyback on a common buzzword to get attention and make your point.
However, buzzwords often obfuscate the core message. And if you’re striving for clarity and ease of understanding, particularly in marketing, you’re better off avoiding them.
Buzzwords are a trap for entrepreneurs and marketers. They quickly tend to find their way into the product’s differentiating features list. And that should be avoided at all costs as it puts you in the same bucket as everyone else using that buzzword.
Buzzwords in a business communication context are ambiguous, inaccurate, often old wine in a new bottle, and definitely not a differentiator. So it’s best avoided.
Scan your recent emails, tweets, or LinkedIn posts for buzzwords you may have used and share them in the comment below.
