In no particular order, here are the top 10 words turned meaningless by collective bandwagon jumping onto what is being called new, or social, media:
10. Community
9. Social
8. Strategy/strategist
7. Top
6. Platform
5. Market/ing
4. Consultant
3. Relate/relationship
2. Value
1. Transparency
Honorable mention for being suspiciously overused: evangelist.
Please add yours in the comments below.
Ryan Jerz
1 year ago
“7. Top”
Irony! I love it.
I wouldn’t say meaningless, but cheapened. Social stuff is built on the assumed knowledge of what some of those words are, and yes, it even accurately uses those words for what they mean. I speak for no one but myself when I say that as someone who works in the field (with a job! [at the moment]) I use some of those words to actually implement things. Others are not as relevant to what I do, so I can’t say one way or the other.
Ron Cobb
1 year ago
I would suggest the word or title “Journalist” be added to the list
Mike McDowell
1 year ago
The word “marketing” has been rendered meaningless? I need some help with that one. Otherwise, I can agree with a lot of this list – but I agree with the list as being words that are completely overused by new media douchebags (I’m not excluding myself). Not sure they’re completely rendered useless yet. Web 2.0 is a term that is completely useless in my book. Ugh. Hate it.
Casey Strachan
1 year ago
Amen to this list. I don’t foresee it changing anytime soon. Many of the words crossover into the traditional advertising/PR world as well. Similar cheapened bandwagon words/phrases in communications in general:
1. Quality
2. Unique
3. Service
4. Out-of-the-box
5. Custom
While I’ve certainly used all these (and then some) I challenge myself, coworkers and clients to find their own voice. For example, showing we’re creative, without saying, “We’re creative.” That said… reading patterns are reading patterns, whether in our developing 140-character world (twitter) or our sound bites and headlines. We only have a short time to capture interest and convey messages.
So, it’s true, I’ll use ‘em, but try not to abuse ‘em
aqcarter
1 year ago
I would agree they aren’t really “meaningless,” grossly over-used would be a better description. “Evangelist” is the absolute worst IMO, I would also add “guru” to the list. Everybody and their mom is a guru these days.
And with regard to Reno throw douchebag on there, by far the most grossly over-used insult in the Reno social media scene. It used to be such a sweet insult now I just feel like a douchebag when I call someone a douchebag.
Catherine Arrow
1 year ago
Absolutely with you on ‘guru’ – it would be number one on mine. Have been trying to think of a collective noun for them, as I mentioned to Judy Gombita when she RT’d this post. Maybe a ‘gabbling of gurus’?
bconrad
1 year ago
Gaggle of gurus?
JenMoirePR
1 year ago
Integrated—ULGTH!
Mike McDowell
1 year ago
Casey just gave me a hard time (in person) because I fought the word “Marketing.” LOL. I figured as long as some of us know what it really means, that it wasn’t meaningless (although I do agree overused and overused incorrectly). Casey – I do totally agree with you on the word “creative” in the context of – “We’re creative.” It’s like the old saying, “if you have to tell someone you’re a gentleman, you’re not one.” If you have to tell somebody you’re creative – you’re not.
So what do you do when a community/society overuses and devalues your vocabulary? Do you come up with new words?
Wolfy
1 year ago
Conversation
and Maven. WTF is up with social media MAVEN???? Me no likey.
-M
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Jennifer Moire
1 year ago
One more related #8 but just saw it in a Power Point presentation
“e-Strategy”
Lara Kretler
1 year ago
I’m laughing right now because I can’t help but agree with you, yet it says “social media evangelist” on my business card. Oops.
I’d add web 2.0 or really anything 2.0 to this list. Enough already.
As PR people and professional communicators, I suppose it’s time to get creative with the terminology. Then again, if we make up new terms to refer to these things, will anyone else understand or care what we’re talking about? There’s the rub.
Don Vetter
1 year ago
How about meaningful words:
Measurable would be one…
Larry D
1 year ago
I think it’s easy to criticize and deem words overused or trite – but much harder to come up with something original that conveys the meaning intended with all its nuances. My question is…”meaningless to whom”? To those that practice in these areas? Or to the public who needs to understand what they mean?
If these words have become meaningless – what words would you suggest carry meaning that convey what these words have lost?
Overused and less effective, maybe… but meaningless? I can’t agree.
bconrad
1 year ago
While I hope I don’t claim to be original, it is arguably far easier to play the contrarian toward a criticism after it’s already been drafted, especially in light of admitting these words are “maybe” overused and less effective – and ignoring the point of why this is (“maybe”) in the first place.