Writing is a prevailing battle to persistently gain the reader’s attention, and in this calmor, writers must maintain a conformed uniformity in quality throughout the article. The need for precision is the need for the hour, and merely a few dull or off-topic content could drive the readers away. Therefore, it is vital to avoid the jargon, invest in the best ideas, give every sentence the necessary time and effort it deserves, and mercilessly edit until the content is professionally accurate and qualitatively precise.
“If you’re not happy with your content, the audience definitely are not”
However, there are a few unprofessional words and phrases that are extremely common in usage and can easily pass unnoticed, surpassing the scrutiny of your edit. While there are chances that readers may not even notice these words, they certainly weaken the quality of your professional content and impact the core ideas. Attention to what comprises under professional words and what not is the quality that stands you apart from the horde of content writing service providers in the market.
So if you desire to attain a preeminent stature in the domain of professional writing, here are some words that you must take note of and try to avoid it in your content :-
Things or Stuff
Example: “The new application introduced by the company does a lot of stuff/things”
The Problem: While you might further elaborate on the “things” or “stuff” in the succeeding line, unfortunately, the content has already lost its professional appeal with the reader. The bedrock of professional writing is to avoid the jargon, skip the casual and strictly maintain a professional tone throughout the content.
The Solution: “The new application introduced by the company performs the following functions” – Refrain from the mumbo jumbo and come straight to the point.
Really
Example: “An effective digital marketing strategy can really impact the company’s online growth”
The Problem: Writers often use ‘really’ to emphasize a statement, but in reality, it doesn’t make any difference. This adverb is used to strengthen the subsequent adjective or verb and while it is grammatically correct, its usage in professional writing is superfluous.
The Solution: “An effective digital marketing strategy can impact the company’s online growth” – Sounds professional and as you can see, the impact or the message of the sentence hasn’t changed at all.
Kind of/ Sort of
Example: “Using unprofessional words sort of impact the value of the content”
The Problem: With this, it appears as if the writer is trying to make a point but “sort of” unconfident in his motive. “Sort of” or “Kind of” only adds a hint of uncertainty to your statement, projecting your perspective as unsure or confused to the readers.
The Solution: “Using unprofessional words impacts the value of the content” – In this sentence, there is no ambiguity and the point of view is crisp and clear. Exactly what the readers expect from a professional content writer.
I Think
Example: “I think strict rules should be adhered to while writing professional content”
The Problem: As a professional in the field of content writing, your readers look up to your content for expert opinions and guidance, and when you prefix words such as “I think” to your statements, you fail to live up to their expectations. The audience presumes that you are merely stating a suggestion rather than a staunch advice or solution.
The Solution: “Strict rules should be adhered to while writing professional content” – You now have an assertive tone to your content that reflects your authority to your readers.
The use of the above-mentioned words might be apt in certain context, however, the level of professionalism, viewpoint, audience, and the voice of the content will determine whether it is appropriate to use these words or not. During the edit, keep a sharp eye for these confusing and flabby words and evaluate their significance to the context; if you’re still uncertain, it is recommended to give them a miss.