– according to Sweet Orange
AI got a lot better this year, that’s undeniable. However, as a copywriting pro, I still instantly recognise articles and posts produced by ChatGPT.
My tagline is: Stand up and stand out with creative copy. How to do that? You can start by avoiding the annoying buzzwords and terms below.
There are words, and they are mostly weasel words, you should never use in marketing. Some good examples here.
Below is my list, and if you love these words, I’m sorry. Personally, I think they’re overused or reek of bot. That’s why they should not appear anywhere in your copy.
Bespoke
Certain words just give me the ick, and bespoke is one of them. I’ve always disliked the use of it, unless of course, something really is bespoke. Most often, it’s not. Use unique or custom-made instead. It makes more sense and is less pretentious.
Elevate
Oh my, I see this everywhere! It’s nearly as obvious as that typical ChatGPT sentence formatting: Not just X, but Y. Elevate is just another buzzword we don’t need, along with precision, actually, reimagine, unlock, paradigm shift, and the next two in the list.
Superpower
No. Just no. It also smells real badly of ChatGPT. Perhaps it’s used so much because with AI, people believe they’ve found a superpower? In 2019, it was already recognised as the most irritating corporate jargon word. Trust me, it’s meaningless and not original or cute.
Silently
Another one of ChatGPT’s favourite words and it quietly snuck in this year. What do you mean silently? Be loud, be proud, don’t do anything silently! AI writing tools love repetition and alliteration. A good copywriter can do so much better, and so can you if you think before you type.
Very
Avoid at all cost! There is always a better way to say it. Here’s a bunch of other options, although I’m not sold on “jubilant”. What do you think of ecstatic? Either way, you’re welcome!
Does it hurt your brain?
I don’t want to scare the heebie-jeebies out of you, but overuse of ChatGPT and copy/pasting from it too much may have serious consequences for your cognitive functions and psychological wellbeing. Just check out the study findings published by researchers at MIT’s Media Lab.
For the record, I’m not here to bag AI or bot-driven writing tools. I’ve done without them for decades, but since it’s here now and developing fast, we might as well use the technology. Just don’t let it kill your personal voice and creativity.
Clear and specific writing stands out more than ever, and people do see the difference. Good copywriters understand human psychology, pain points and cultural context. AI isn’t there yet, and perhaps it’ll never be.
Let’s chat if you want messaging for your business or clients that’s consistent, customer-centric, and shaped for authentic brand connection.
~ by Martine Pierhagen, senior copywriter and founder of Sweet Orange
