words matter - breakout...

Presenter Name Presenter Title

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Words Matter

Challenges of language

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Words Matter

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Words Matter

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“Suppose we were to hone our communication skills so that rather

than focusing on quantity we focus on quality of communication, and managed to get the important message across to the people who needed to understand it. Then we would

have a fundamental competitive advantage”

Stephen Bungay, military historian and author of The Art of Action

Quality of Communication

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Words Matter

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Words Matter

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Example of early Groupon offer: “The Tooth Fairy is a burglarizing fetishist specializing in black-market ivory trade, and she must be stopped. Today’s Groupon helps keep teeth in mouths and out of the hands of maniacal, winged phantasms”

Words Matter

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Example of Groupon Voice rules:

• Repetitive use of the imperative

• Avoid using exclamation points

• Use the appropriate narrative point of view

• Avoid Sci-Fi references

• Words that are so abstract, they don’t mean anything, e.g. optimize, enhance, maximize, all the –izes

• Absurd images. Sweeping, dramatic nonsense. The absurd narrator.

Example of Simplified Technical English Rules:

•Do not omit words to make your sentences shorter

•Try to vary sentence lengths and constructions to keep the text interesting

•Present new and complex information slowly and clearly

•Where appropriate, use an article (the, a, an) or a demonstrative adjective (this, these) before a noun

•Use the active voice

•Only use approved Technical Words

Words Matter

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Examples of SEO guidelines:

•Find out what keywords your customers are searching for

•Use phrases, not single words

•Be specific!

•Consistently use keywords throughout your content

Words Matter

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SEO

Brand Voice

Simplified Language

Convergence?

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•Do you have a company style guide?

•Why is it important to have a style guide?

•What is your/the biggest problem with style guides?

•What is the most important part of company style?

•Who is responsible for it?

Questions for you

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•Do you have branding guidelines or a company voice initiative?

•Should style guides and branding guidelines be combined?

•Who should own company voice?

•How do you make sure brand names are correct?

•Are you starting to think about SEO in tech docs?

•How do you store terminology?

Questions for you

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•Is terminology important for you? Why?

•Is there an initiative to control it, store it, actively use it?

•Does it have an impact on localization?

Questions for you

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