You finally have your company blog set up and you are ready to completely impress your audience. You throw in some high-level technical references, go in-depth on new cutting-edge security technology, and proudly post your blog. And…crickets.
No one shares your LinkedIn post—it’s like you’re speaking to the void. It could be that if you’re loading your articles with inside ‘tech jargon,’ you are losing your target audience and killing your online presence.
Knowing Your Audience
Your target audience probably isn’t fellow IT gurus and former colleagues (unless you are selling Co-Managed IT). Instead, they are likely Office Administrators and Business Owners who are may not be interested in hearing esoteric, technical pontification. They just want their tech stuff to work. Administrators want their printers to print. Attorneys want their law documents to save. And, they all want their data to be secure from hackers. I know the point of creating content is to sound like an expert, but you may be alienating your audience in the process.
The State of MSP & Cyber | 2024 IT Industry Report
Sponsored by Worklyn Partners & Zest
If You Confuse, You Lose
Donald Miller says, “If you confuse, you lose.” You have seconds to grab your reader’s attention; and if you confuse them, they will be repelled. Using inside-baseball terms is going to establish a barrier for consumption. In other words, keep your content clear and remember who you are speaking to. If you are unsure, consider having a non-technical person edit or write your articles. They will have a different point-of-view and will be more apt to ask, “is this easy to understand?”
Keep It Human
Don’t underestimate the personal side of your business. Remember, you are writing for other humans. You don’t always need a super polished, 1000+ word article to maintain your presence. Instead, write like you speak and make sure that there is value behind your message. Understand where your target audience is and speak to what they care about, over and over. Only a small percentage of your audience will see any given article, so it’s ok to write about the same themes throughout the year. Use your platform to connect with people in a personal way and you will get rewarded for your efforts.
In short, lose your overuse of ‘tech jargon’ and stop putting your readers to sleep! Your in-depth insights into cybersecurity nuance may not render your audience speechless, but that is okay. Try to meet them at their level of understanding and use your expertise to elevate them from there. If you really want to prove your chops to potential clients, forget the technobabble. Use clear, confident writing and have a little fun while you’re at it!
Say This, Not That
To help you shy away from over-used technical terms in the future, here a few of the most commonly used “MSP-isms” and how you could use more outcome-based messaging to further connect with your audience:
| Assuring your business is safe. | Cybersecurity Services |
| Helping you make technology decisions. | vCIO & Consulting |
| Keeping your business running. | Business Continuity |
| Maintaining a healthy connection. | Network Infrastructure |
| Helping employees stay productive. | Help Desk Support |
| Protecting your business from disaster. | Backup & Disaster Recovery |
| Letting you work-from anywhere. | VPNs & Remote Desktop |
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