research

The Most Annoying Words and Phrases of 2012: Do You, Like, Wanna Comment? Whatever…

Posted by Constance Ward on January 7, 2013   |   1 Comment

Poison warning sign using annoying terms and languageOne of the most popular blogs on this site in 2012 was this post on avoiding buzz words and jargon in business communication. That’s why I thought I’d launch 2013 with a year-end wrapup of what researchers say are the most annoying terms of 2012 and then ask you to add yours to the list.

The researchers from the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, New York,  questioned 1,246 U.S. adults in a Nationwide telephone survey. They learned that ”whatever” is, for the fourth consecutive year, the most annoying word for 32% of respondents and that 21% just don’t like ”like.” Runners-up for the most grating terms are ”you know” and ”just sayin’,” followed by “Twitterverse” and “gotcha’.”

Those words irk many people in casual conversation; but according to a recent article in PR News online,  if you particularly want to annoy journalists, add the following terms to your new releases:

  1. Engagement
  2. Fastest-growing
  3. High-performance
  4. Incredible
  5. Leading
  6. Powerful
  7. Solutions
  8. Unparalleled
  9. Utilize
  10. “We are excited…” quote about product/service/executive appointment/whatever

Highway exit sign illustrating annoying business buzzwordsDo you have any additional words to add to these lists of repellant rhetorical choices? Share them with others in the comments below or by contacting us here.

Is your business communication conversational yet cliche-free? Ask, assess, then act. We’re here to help!

Tagged , , ,

Senior-Level Social Strategy: Building a Virtual ‘Brand You’

Posted by Constance Ward on October 27, 2012   |   Comments Off on Senior-Level Social Strategy: Building a Virtual ‘Brand You’

social media usage statistics infographicA solid social media strategy can help a thought leader build a reputation within an industry and among a wider public. You can also gain traction for your ideas and get real-time feedback. And if you are skillful, your virtual presence can reinforce a positive image of an up-to-date “brand you.”

But what channels do you need to use to get your message out beyond the walls of your company? Any and all of them…as long as they are used by your target audiences and are appropriate to the messages you want to convey.

There’s no need to limit yourself by anything but time. A wide range of options exist depending on your purpose.

According to Edison Research’s report “The Social Habit 2012,” Facebook is the dominant social media channel, with 54% of respondents saying they have a profile page on it. LinkedIn came in second at 13%, Twitter third at 10% and Google+ at 8%. The telephone survey of 2,020 people in the U.S. was the 20th in the series, begun in 1998.

Nearly 80% of respondents said that Facebook is the networking service or site they use the most to connect with brands and services, with Twitter in a distant second place with 9%. More than half of Facebook users are accessing sites on their mobile devices, and a quarter of respondents are on the site five or more times per day.

Researchers also found that compared with 2011, increases in social networking were greatest among those 45 and older although over half of social media users are still under 34.

Among other interesting findings, about 10% of respondents are Twitter users; but of those people, about a third check it several times every day. About half of social networkers shared YouTube videos in the previous month.

Clearly, you have choices, but what’s best for you as a thought leader? Do you need guidance and advice as you choreograph those communications choices? Ask, assess, then act. We’re here to help.

Tagged , , , , ,