As a business owner, you know how to choose your words carefully. A customer’s bathroom isn’t ugly, it’s… vintage. But do you extend your gift for word choice to your SEO and your advertising? You should, because the right word can make all the difference between a click on your homepage or a visit to your rival’s.
First and foremost, avoid technical language. You’re a professional – home renovations are your life, and you have a large vocabulary on the subject. Using insider terminology comes naturally to you, but you have to fight that instinct when writing ad copy or a blog post. Most potential leads don’t know the language. That’s the whole reason they’re coming to you, and if you confuse them they’re going to go to someone else instead. If you can’t shake the habit, have a friend or family member read over your work. They can tell you where you need to switch to lay language.
A related point is to start thinking like a customer. You may like to think that you offer bathroom remodeling, but if most people think of it as a renovation or even a simple re-do then they’re searching for different terms than you’re using. Listen to your leads and study how they refer to your business and services. Don’t try to force your language on them – let yourself be influenced by theirs.
When it comes to SEO you should try to vary your terminology to encompass a number of possible search terms. That way, you don’t have to worry about what percentage of customers use what terms – you’ll offer something for everyone. But with pay per click advertising, you don’t get a lot of room to work with, and the wrong words will be a waste of your money. Entire guides have been written on how to write effective PPC ads, but for our purposes here the fundamental logic is the same – use words that your customers would use. Don’t get technical, don’t get flowery and don’t embellish. Be simple and direct. After all, what kind of ad would you rather click on? One that gets straight to the point, or one that looks like it’s hiding the truth behind obfuscating language?
Finally, keep in mind that a single word can completely change the tone of your writing. Want to encourage someone to sign up for a newsletter? “Sign up” sounds like a boring obligation, but “join” or “come along” sounds fun and beneficial. Want to get people excited to learn more about your services? “Click here” is a task. “Discover” is an experience.
Try to use these tactics in face-to-face and phone conversations with customers as well. The more you do it, the more natural it’ll feel, and the more often you’ll use them in your writing without even thinking. Keep analyzing your word choices, and more natural and effective ads and SEO will follow. And you’ll also discover a few more creative euphemisms you can use to refer to your customers’ bathrooms. 
