# Marketing copy avoids jargon overload

- **Pattern:** `ab-001733` (`marketing-content-quality.readability-quality.jargon-overload`)
- **Severity:** low
- **Lifecycle:** active
- **Last modified:** 2026-04-18
- **Canonical URL:** https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001733
- **License:** CC-BY-4.0 — attribute to AuditBuffet Pattern Catalog (https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001733)

## Why it matters

Jargon clusters — three or more meaningless buzzwords in close proximity — produce the opposite of the intended effect. When a features section reads "Our cutting-edge, next-generation, enterprise-grade platform leverages revolutionary AI to deliver seamless, best-in-class synergistic results", visitors do not perceive quality; they perceive that the author had nothing specific to say and used buzzwords to fill the gap. The credibility signal of a marketing page decreases with each unsubstantiated superlative, because the reader knows from experience that "best-in-class" is what companies claim when they cannot name a specific advantage. Buzzword-heavy copy is also a strong signal of AI-generated content with insufficient review — a perception that undermines the product's quality story.

## Severity rationale

Low because jargon clusters reduce copy credibility and signal AI generation without review, but usually coexist with enough real information that visitors can still evaluate the product.

## Remediation

Scan your home page features section and hero for the jargon list: "leverage", "synergies", "paradigm shift", "disruptive", "innovative", "cutting-edge", "next-generation", "state-of-the-art", "best-in-class", "world-class", "game-changing", "revolutionary", "seamless", "robust", "enterprise-grade" (without specifics).

For each buzzword, either replace it with a specific claim or delete it:
```
"Cutting-edge AI"        → "GPT-4 powered" or "trained on 10M+ examples"
"Seamless integration"  → "connects to Slack in 2 clicks"
"Enterprise-grade"      → "SOC 2 Type II certified" (or delete if not certified)
"Revolutionary"         → delete — let the product speak
"Next-generation"       → delete — every product calls itself this
"Robust"                → name what specifically is robust: "handles 10,000 req/s"
```

Update the copy in the relevant section components. If the copy was AI-generated, prompt the AI to review specifically for buzzwords and replace each one with a concrete claim or remove it entirely.

## Detection

- **ID:** `jargon-overload`
- **Severity:** `low`
- **What to look for:** Count all relevant instances and enumerate each. Read the home page feature descriptions and any "How it works" section. Count uses of industry buzzwords without concrete meaning: "leverage", "synergies", "paradigm shift", "disruptive", "innovative", "cutting-edge", "next-generation", "state-of-the-art", "best-in-class", "world-class", "game-changing", "revolutionary", "seamless", "robust", "scalable" (when used generically), "enterprise-grade" (without specifics). Flag copy where 3 or more of these appear in close proximity on the same page section.
- **Pass criteria:** Marketing copy uses specific, concrete language. At least 1 implementation must be verified. If buzzwords appear, they are supported by specific evidence or concrete context.
- **Fail criteria:** Three or more meaningless buzzwords appear in the same page section (hero or features), or a single sentence combines multiple buzzwords without concrete content.
- **Skip (N/A) when:** No marketing copy exists. Signal: API-only or internal-tool project.
- **Detail on fail:** Quote the buzzword-heavy text. Example: `"Features section includes: 'Our cutting-edge, next-generation, enterprise-grade platform leverages revolutionary AI to deliver seamless, best-in-class synergistic results' — 7 empty buzzwords in one sentence."`
- **Remediation:** Buzzwords are the opposite of differentiation — they make your copy sound like every other product in your category. Replace each buzzword with a specific, concrete claim.

  Translation examples:
  - "Cutting-edge AI" → "GPT-4 powered" or "Trained on 10M+ examples"
  - "Seamless integration" → "Connects to Slack and GitHub in 2 clicks"
  - "Enterprise-grade security" → "SOC 2 Type II certified" or "AES-256 encrypted at rest"
  - "Revolutionary" → Delete it entirely. Let the product speak.

  Review the configuration in `src/` or `app/` directory for implementation patterns.

Taxons: content-integrity

HTML version: https://auditbuffet.com/patterns/ab-001733