#SocialSkim: Facebook's Enterprise Tool, Snapchat's Sunglasses: 11 Stories This Week

Among this week's headlines: 'Facebook at Work' to launch next month; Snapchat introduces Snap-taking connected glasses, rebrands; LinkedIn launches 'Learning,' gets cozy with new bot; four fatal LinkedIn prospecting errors; Millennials aren't shopping on social media... Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Hubcast 111: #INBOUND16 Breakout Sessions, Fat Elephants, & Author Analytics

Welcome back to The Hubcast, folks: A weekly podcast all about HubSpot news, tips, and tricks. Please also note the extensive show notes below, including some new HubSpot video tutorials ...

The post Hubcast 111: #INBOUND16 Breakout Sessions, Fat Elephants, & Author Analytics appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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How Much Time Do Employees Spend on Social Media at Work?

Two-thirds of workers in the United States say they check social media while on the job, according to recent research from Bambu by Sprout Social. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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11 Reasons People Bounce from Your Blog and Never Return

You know what? You work damn hard to get people to your blog.

Pushing yourself to unearth the best ideas, pouring your soul into your writing, and promoting your posts like your next breath depends on it.

So it’s a real kick in the teeth when visitors arrive — then bounce right away again.

In fact, it stings like hell. Because let’s face it, getting rejected always feels worse than just being ignored.

But that’s what a bounce means to a blogger — rejection. It means someone showed up, checked you out, and didn’t like what they found.

Whether you know how many readers are bouncing or not, the signs are obvious. Low traffic, poor engagement, sluggish list growth. These are all the symptoms of a bouncy blog.

Naturally, no blog will be a perfect match for everyone who might wander up to the front porch. But if most people who land on your blog can’t wait to leave again, you have a serious problem, friend.

And while you can’t make your blog bounce-proof, you can at least make it bounce resistant.

But only if you know why people bounce.

So here they are, the reasons people bounce from your blog and never return.

1) Your Headline’s Writing Checks Your Post Can’t Cash

If you’re reading this blog, you should already understand the importance of headlines.

Your headlines entice people over from wherever they are to where you want them to be — your blog. And a weak headline will kill your post, no matter how magnificent the content might be.

You must never forget that a headline is a solemn promise from you to your reader. It says: “Lend me your attention and I’ll give you this result.”

But if a “Yeah!” headline leads them to a “meh” post, that’s a surefire formula for bouncing.

So start with a strong topic idea, not just an enticing headline.

Write something worth reading and then, craft the headline that’ll bring people running.

You’ll know you’re onto something when you worry your headline won’t live up to the standard of your post.

2) You’re Over Eager (and It’s Embarrassing)

Imagine meeting someone in a bar, and the first words out of their mouth are: “Hey — can I get your number?”

You’d probably want to run a mile.

Well, that’s what it feels like to land on a blog for the first time and get hit with a pop-up demanding your email address.

It’s just too…soon. The reader hasn’t decided what they think about you yet, so they don’t want to hand over their details. After all, you might be a douche.

And it’s annoying too. Like those websites that ask you to complete a “survey about your experience” when you’ve been on the site all of two seconds.

So whoah there, cowboy. Let’s slow things down a bit. Let people settle in before you tap them on the shoulder and ask for personal details.

Because when you ask too much too soon, all you do is make people want to bounce.

3) You’re Convinced Your Content is Worth Waiting For

You know this already:

Readers bounce from slow sites.

You know it because you’re a reader and you bounce from slow sites too.

Life in the information fast lane moves too quickly to hang around waiting. Particularly when the “Back” button is right there. (I mean, it’s literally right there.)

You know this, but have you acted upon it?

For instance, do you know how fast your blog loads compared to other sites? Have you tested it?

Because it might load just fine for you, but that doesn’t make it so for other people. After all, you already have those big images cached on your browser, but what about the person arriving for the first time? You may be in the same country as your host’s server, but what about the guy reading your blog in India or Australia?

So test your website’s speed. And if it sucks, get it fixed.

4) You Make People Exhausted Not Energized

Many bloggers think of themselves as teachers. And that’s fine because many readers read blogs to learn.

But the purpose of your blog post is not just to transfer information from your brain to the reader’s. That’s part of it, but it’s far from the full picture.

Just think about your favorite teachers from school. They weren’t the ones who knew the most. Or even the ones whose classes got the best grades. They were the ones who made the subject fun. At the end of the class,  you had more passion and enthusiasm for the subject than when you started.

And that’s how the best bloggers are too. They’re not just teachers, but performers.

Because if all you do is teach, your reader’s energy levels will fall — because learning takes mental effort.

That’s why you need to invigorate your readers too. Give them the energy they need to dive into your next post.

5) You’re Too Damn Wordy (Even for a Writer)

We writers love words. We’re fascinated by their myriad possibilities and we can toy with the same paragraph for an hour and still not get bored.

But for the average blog reader, words are simply a means to an end — getting the information they need.

So readers do not want to click your link and then see a seemingly unclimbable wall of plain text.

Texty is not sexy.

So if your posts are as visually appealing as iTunes’ mile-long Terms and Conditions page, your blog will be as bouncy as a kangaroo on a pogo stick.

Short sentences and paragraphs. Bulleted lists. Features and inline images. Quotes and callouts.

All of these can transform your post from hard-to-read to hard-to-resist.

And be sure you include some of this visual goodness “above the fold” (i.e., the part of the post that’s visible when you first land on the blog). Otherwise, people will never know what they’re missing if they bounce.

6) Your Links are Too Damn Interesting

First things first. Putting external links in your posts is a good idea. Links boost credibility. They build goodwill with other bloggers. And they’re good for SEO.

But they can be dangerous too.

Every external link is a side tunnel that diverts readers away from their destination — finishing your post. Each one is an invitation to leave your blog forever.

So use external links sparingly and ensure they:

• Launch in a new window.
• Don’t break the flow of your writing (i.e., no attention-grabbing calls-to-action).
• Highlight supplemental, not essential information.

Readers might intend to return to your blog, but we all know the reality. Browsing the web is like diving from one rabbit hole to the next, and you rarely end up where you started.

7) You’re Thinking Too Big

I get it. Your content’s so good it deserves to be seen on a big screen.

You wouldn’t expect Interstellar to have the same impact on an iPhone as it does on an IMAX screen. Likewise, your blog deserves the full desktop experience.

But whether you like it or not, content’s going mobile. And readers don’t give a hoot how you’d like them to consume your work.

So if your content strategy is more mobile worst than mobile first, you might as well go the whole hog and start publishing your blog as a printed newsletter you mail out to your readers.

So get with the times Grandpa (or Grandma) and lean into mobile.

Your first task — test your blog to see if it’s mobile friendly. Better still, borrow every mobile device you can get your hands and find out what it’s actually like to spend time on your blog.

You might be (unpleasantly) surprised.

8) You’re Too Busy Trying to Make a Few Cents

“I didn’t like your blog because it didn’t have enough ads.”

Said nobody, ever.

We’re on record here as saying that most bloggers should steer well clear of ads, but if you’re hoping to keep people on your site, they’re a double threat.

For most readers, ads are an annoying distraction that cheapens your brand and increases the chances they’ll bounce. For the small percentage who are enticed by an offer, ads are an exit ramp taking them away from your content.

It’s a lose-lose situation for you as a blogger.

So ditch the ads. And stop giving people extra reasons to bounce from your blog.

9) You’re Exploring Well-Charted Territory

Humans are hopelessly addicted to novelty. Hence the modern addiction we have to our newsfeed.

Every time we click a link we hope to learn or see something new. Mostly we’re disappointed, but that hope remains.

That’s why the moment your blog content seems to say something we’ve heard before, expressed in the same way, we lose interest. And we bounce away in search of something else.

The antidote? Make sure you know what’s already been said on your chosen topic and navigate around those ideas. Or at least put a fresh spin on them.

Be bold. Brave. Even shocking.

But don’t ever be predictable.

10) You’re Scared of Commitment

Want to know one of the most common mistakes of beginning bloggers?

Lack of focus.

They struggle to commit to a single topic (worrying “What if I choose the wrong one?”), so they hedge their bets and write about several loosely connected topics.

But that approach sends a mixed message about who your blog is really for, and makes for a very bouncy blog.

Here’s my personal test for a truly focused blog:

If someone reads — and loves — a random post from your blog, is there an excellent chance they’ll love all of the other posts too?

Achieve that, and you’ll have visitors devouring post after post because each is as strongly relevant to them as the last. In other words, they don’t bounce, they stick.

Now that’s not to say you shouldn’t occasionally write a post that appeals to a slightly different audience. It’s a good way to attract new people to your blog.

But do it intentionally, not accidentally. I promise people will stick around for longer.

11) You Leave Your Readers Hanging

Sometimes people will like what they find on your blog, but they still bounce.

Often that just means they didn’t know what to do next. And in the absence of a better idea, clicked the “Back” button

That’s why smart bloggers always know what they want readers to do next — and they tell them.

So don’t leave a reader hanging. Instead, do one of the following:

• Direct them to a related post.
• Offer them a content upgrade.
• Ask them to complete a quick survey.

And keep the trail markers coming. Make sure you always have something for them to do next.

So, for instance, when someone signs up for your content upgrade (and your email list) put a link in the welcome email directing them back to the blog for something else to read.

When they do decide to leave your blog, just make sure it’s not because you didn’t invite them to stay longer.

Let’s Banish Those Bouncy Blog Blues

It’s tough being a blogger.

You can’t just attract people to your blog — you have to keep them there.

Visitors who bounce never get the chance to turn into regular readers, loyal subscribers or valued customers.

Luckily for you, keeping people on your blog for longer isn’t hard. You just need to eliminate the most common reasons people leave.

Do that and you’ll see more traffic, more comments, and more subscribers. All without doing more of anything else.

It’s a no-brainer. And you’re a smart blogger.

So what are you waiting for?

About the Author: Glen Long is the managing editor of Smart Blogger (a.k.a. chief content monkey). When he’s not creating or editing content for this blog or an upcoming course he’s probably watching Nordic Noir. Why not say hello to him on Twitter?

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https://smartblogger.com/bounce-reasons/

2017 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends

B2B marketers are finding success with content marketing: 62% of B2B marketers in North America say their organization's overall approach to content marketing has been much more or somewhat more successful than a year ago, according to just-released research. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Five Bold Predictions About the Future of SEO and Social Media Marketing

Marketers need to focus on some of the potentially radical changes in SEO and social media that lurk in our near future. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Instagram Stories vs. Snapchat: Which Is Better for Your Marketing Needs? [Infographic]

Instagram Stories or Snapchat? Marketers now have another option for a social platform for limited-time photos and videos. So, which one will work best for your marketing? Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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The 2 Keys to Helping Employees Become Great In Front of a Camera (Video Marketing)

With video becoming such a focus for more and more companies in 2016 and beyond, the need to learn *how* to create these videos in-house is becoming ...

The post The 2 Keys to Helping Employees Become Great In Front of a Camera (Video Marketing) appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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#SocialSkim: Twitter Rebuilding, Google Rejoins Messaging Wars: 13 Stories This Week

Twitter just helped brands become more customer-service-friendly, launched a live-streaming app, and finally expanded its character limit. Also: Google's new Allo app takes on Facebook Messenger, the new Instagram feature we've all been waiting for, and top 10 social trends for 2017. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Are Millennials Embracing Instagram's Stories Feature?

Instagram's Stories feature, which launched in early August, is off to a strong start with Millennials, but it is still not yet liked as much as Snapchat's version, according to a recent poll from YouGov. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Hubcast 110: Collaboration, HubSpot Projects & Custom Links

Welcome back to The Hubcast, folks: A weekly podcast all about HubSpot news, tips, and tricks. Please also note the extensive show notes below, including some new HubSpot video tutorials ...

The post Hubcast 110: Collaboration, HubSpot Projects & Custom Links appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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Social Success for the CMO: Four Signs You're Doing It Right

Modern CMOs know that to be successful they must integrate multiple data streams to glean valuable, actionable information for Marketing, Sales, and the wider business. Here's how to tell whether social efforts are having an impact on your company. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Why Most Businesses Get Crappy Results from Content Marketing

Let’s start with a simple question…

How, exactly, does content marketing make money?

Because that’s the end goal, right?

You’re not hunched over your keyboard, racking your brain for attention-grabbing ideas because you enjoy it. You expect to get clients, sales, or some other tangible result for your business. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but sometime in the future, all that work you’re putting into creating and publishing content had better pay off.

Except… what if it won’t?

What if your entire understanding of the way content marketing works is wrong?

What if all the time you’ve invested into creating content was, in fact, a senseless waste of time, never possessing even the slightest chance of turning a profit?

It would be a tragedy, and yet I believe that’s precisely what’s happening. Not just to you, but to millions of entrepreneurs around the globe.

Is it because content marketing is just a fad? Or worse, an elaborate hoax?

No. On the contrary, I believe the hype is totally justified. If you execute the right content marketing strategy in the right market, the results are breathtaking.

But that rarely happens. There are lots of reasons why, and I might eventually write a short book explaining them all, but by far the biggest reason why most businesses get crappy results is they completely misunderstand what content marketing is about.

Here’s what I mean…

Content Marketing Is Not about Traffic

I know, it’s heresy. Just saying that, I’m half expecting a mob with pitchforks to show up at my door.

But stick with me for a moment.

Over the last decade, I’ve created or helped create content that has generated over 200 million page views. What might surprise you though is the vast majority of that traffic was completely worthless. People came to the site, stuck around for a minute or two, and then left.

So yes, it’s an impressive number, but it’s also a meaningless one. In fact, all the numbers connected to traffic like pageviews and unique visitors are meaningless. They are what’s called “vanity metrics.”

To be completely transparent, I didn’t realize this until about halfway through my career. For the first half of my career, I thought traffic was the only thing that mattered. I measured it to the exclusion of everything else.

But then I noticed something peculiar:

A minority of the content was producing the majority of the revenue.

When I talked to customers about what influenced them to purchase, they brought up the same articles over and over again. Out of thousands of posts, maybe only 20 of them actually influenced a purchasing decision.

I began to wonder, “Was all that other content a waste? What if I had published those 20 posts and nothing else, saving myself literally years of effort?”

And that’s when I had an epiphany.

The One Metric That Matters

In the software world, there’s a concept called “The One Metric That Matters.”

The idea is, every business has a single number that matters more than all others. Depending on your type of business, it might be monthly recurring revenue, time on site, friends referred, or something else entirely. The bottom line though is you have to figure out which number matters most, and then focus on it relentlessly.

Still with me? Okay, so here’s the difficult question:

In content marketing, which number matters most?

Your knee-jerk reaction might be, “Well duh, revenue.” If content doesn’t result in revenue, then it’s worthless to your business, right? So, the common sense answer is to focus on a metric like revenue per visitor. Publish content that makes money and nothing else.

As it turns out though, that’s wrong. Here’s why:

If you publish an article today, you don’t really have a firm grasp of how much money it will make you for months or even years. It’s what experts call a “trailing indicator.” By the time you can measure it, it’s too late to do anything about it.

So, what’s the right metric? If you’re running a business, what can you track and improve on a daily basis that will produce a corresponding increase in revenue?

It took me years to figure it out, and the answer might surprise you. Certainly surprised the hell out of me. It’s not page views, unique visitors, the size of your email list, revenue, or any sort of complicated ratio combining them.

In fact, it’s not a metric I’ve heard anyone discuss, so I had to create an entirely new framework to explain it. Let’s dive in.

Why Some Content Marketers Make Tons of Money (and Others Don’t)

Suppose for a moment that you are in a real estate brokerage firm in San Francisco, and you wake up one morning to discover you rank #1 on Google for the term “san francisco real estate,” sending you hundreds of hot prospects per day.

You’re obviously going to make a ton of money, right?

Well, not necessarily. For instance, what if…

• Everyone visiting your website takes one look around and concludes you are a moron? Or worse, a huckster?
• You fail to gather their contact information?
• You do gather their contact information, but you never follow up, and they forget about you?
• Nobody can figure out why they should work with you instead of your competitors?
• Even if they do decide to work with you, you lack the persuasiveness or authority to convince them to act?

Any number of things can derail the sale. Properly used though, content can actually solve each of the above problems. For instance, continuing our real estate example, it can:

• Build trust with website visitors, making them far more likely to reach out to you about representing them.
• Give people an incentive to hand over their contact information, e.g., to access “premium” content like an e-book about where to find the hottest deals in town.
• Remind prospects of your existence, so when they are ready to list their property (or purchase one), your company is the first that comes to mind.
• Separate you from your competitors, both in the tone of your marketing and through embedded examples that demonstrate how your company is different.
• Build trust and authority, so when you do approach prospects about representing them, they will be far more likely to both agree and respect your expertise.

In other words, content isn’t just about traffic. It affects every stage of the sales process, and the content marketers who are making the most money are the ones who leverage it for that purpose.

And what’s more, they track the actions of prospects at every step.

A Simple Way to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Content

Here’s a simple question that brings everything I’ve said into perspective:

After reading your content, how many people take the next step?

For instance, going back to our real estate example, your first goal is to get someone to visit your company’s website. Perhaps you do that by publishing a blog post that might be interested in, and then sharing it on Facebook.

From there, what’s the next step?

Well, you want to capture their contact information, so you can build trust and authority with them over time and eventually convince them to become a client. Next, you might put them in an email sequence sending them some of your best blog posts, or perhaps a video or two. And so on.

We can put the whole process into a simple table:

Type of Content	Indicator of Success	Metric
Blog Post Headline	Prospect Clicks Link	Traffic
The Blog Post Itself	Prospect Reads It	Time on Page
Free E-book Offer	Prospect Subscribes Via Email	Opt-In Rate
First Email Subject Line	Prospect Opens Email	Email Open Rate
First Email Body Copy	Prospect Clicks Link	Email Click Through Rate

Conceivably, the table would continue with dozens of steps until the prospect finally makes a purchase. In each step, you’re measuring the success or failure of your content by its ability to influence the prospect into taking action. The metrics in the right-hand column are simply a way of measuring whether or not readers are moving through the process.

In other words, the metrics themselves are not important. The action is.

If you’re publishing lots of content and getting tons of traffic, but no one does what you ask them to do (e.g., actually reading the post), then your content is worthless. The opposite is also true. If you publish content, and not many people read it, but those who do read every word and happily proceed through your funnel, then your content is quite valuable.

This thinking leads to two simple maxims:

1. The purpose of content is to create influence.
2. The purpose of marketing is to convert influence into action.

If you build a massively influential brand, but you never ask anyone to do anything? Well, you’re not going to make much money.

If you are constantly asking people to do things, but you have no influence? Well, you’re not going to make much money in that case, either.

In other words, you need both content that creates influence and marketing that asks the prospect to take the next step. Sadly, the reason why most businesses get such crappy results from content marketing is they have neither. The content they publish doesn’t build any influence with their readers whatsoever, and they never make it clear to the reader exactly what the next step is.

On the flipside, a small number of businesses (like Smart Blogger, I’m proud to say) release content that builds influence with millions of people around the globe. They also combine that content with marketing that slowly but surely moves prospects toward a purchasing decision.

The result?

Millions or even billions of dollars in revenue. If you think I’m exaggerating, ponder this:

The reason Oprah is a billionaire is because her TV show creates massive influence with tens of millions of people, and then she monetizes that influence by showing viewers advertisements that prompt them to take action. She’s a content marketer, just like the rest of us.

The bottom line:

Stop obsessing over your search engine rankings, share counts, the size of your email list, or any of the normal metrics. Sure, it’s all interesting, but none of it matters unless you inspire the reader to do something. Not with one post, not by demanding they do what you want, but by creating a flow of content that subtly nudges them down the path to victory.

Is it hard?

Yes, but it works. If you can master creating content that generates influence, and then you back up that content with marketing that converts influence into action, you’ll have built a “machine” that prints money for years or even decades into the future.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to constructing such a machine:

1. Map out the process prospects follow before deciding to buy from you.
2. Create content for every stage of that process that builds their trust in you.
3. Create marketing that follows behind the content, asking them to take the next step.
4. Measure the success or failure by your ability to get the prospect to take that step.
5. If the process breaks somewhere, as it certainly will, improve the content and marketing in that stage until you can get the prospect to take action.

That’s it. Content marketing in five simple steps.

Next up: world peace. First though, I need to take a nap.

About the Author: Jon Morrow is the CEO of Smart Blogger.

from
https://smartblogger.com/content-marketing/

Big Heart, Small Budget: Social Media for Nonprofits and Small Businesses: M. Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]

Social media expert and networking powerhouse M. Valentina Escobar-Gonzalez lays out her strategy for helping nonprofits and small businesses achieve social media success. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Paid vs. Organic Social Media: Which Is More Effective?

Most enterprise marketers say paid social media is more effective than organic (unpaid) social media in helping their business achieve its goals, according to recent research from Clutch. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Mad Marketing 103: The Magic of Thoughtful Gifting with John Ruhlin

I have a confession to make: I’m not very good at giving gifts. It’s true. But I’m also working to change that, which is just one reason I was so eager to interview John Ruhlin for my latest podcast. John Ruhlin is a serial entrepreneur, owner of The Ruhlin Group, and author for the recent…

The post Mad Marketing 103: The Magic of Thoughtful Gifting with John Ruhlin appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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The Dark Side of Marketing Content on Facebook

Many brands share content on Facebook to get the attention of potential and loyal customers. Unfortunately, those brands may also capture the interest of cyber thieves. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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Text vs Video-Based Content: Which Should You Be More Focused On?

    As more and more companies are becoming familiar with and engaged in content marketing, many are now at the point where they are debating as to how much content they should be producing– be it text, video, visual, etc. Over the past 10 years, textual-based content has ruled the day. But recently, with…

The post Text vs Video-Based Content: Which Should You Be More Focused On? appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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Hubcast 109: Convince Your Boss You Need Video & Chapters in Wistia

Welcome back to The Hubcast, folks: A weekly podcast all about HubSpot news, tips, and tricks. Please also note the extensive show notes below, including some new HubSpot video tutorials ...

The post Hubcast 109: Convince Your Boss You Need Video & Chapters in Wistia appeared first on The Sales Lion by Marcus Sheridan.

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#SocialSkim: Apple Takes Aim at Facebook's WhatsApp, Plus 12 More Stories This Week

This week's social roundup is all about community (and money). Apple puts Facebook's WhatsApp and other messaging platforms in its crosshairs, while YouTube introduces a new community feature. Also: Facebook's latest plans to make users shop on Messenger, and why B2B brands shouldn't shy away from Snapchat. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

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297 Flabby Words and Phrases That Rob Your Writing of All Its Power

You’re not stupid.

You know what writing is truly about.

It’s a never-ending battle for your readers’ attention.

Every sentence is a link in a taut chain that connects your headline to your conclusion.

And you are just one weak sentence away from losing your reader forever.

So you take your craft quite seriously.

You ignore all but your best ideas.

You work on each piece of writing for exactly as long as necessary to get it right.

And you edit until your words are crisp and clear.

But what if that isn’t enough?

What if weaknesses remain that are almost impossible to spot?

The Subtle Attention Killers That Hide in Plain Sight

No matter how carefully you scrutinize your writing, subtle problems will remain.

Certain words and phrases are so commonplace – and so seemingly benign – that they glide unnoticed under your editing radar.

But these words and phrases can silently erode your reader’s attention.

They don’t stand out. The reader may not even notice them.

But they weaken your writing and dilute your ideas.

And soon, the delicate thread of attention connecting you and your reader snaps.

So if you’re serious about your writing, you must learn to spot these words and phrases before they rob your writing of its power.

Find and ruthlessly remove the following flabby words and phrases from your writing:

1. About – Try not to use this term when discussing quantities. Use “approximately” or a range instead. Ex: About 20 people attended. Better: Approximately 20 people attended. Or: Fifteen to twenty people attended.
2. Absolutely essential – Redundant phrase. You don’t need absolutely. Ex: Fresh eggs are absolutely essential to this recipe. Better: Fresh eggs are essential to this recipe.
3. Absolutely necessary – Redundant phrase. You don’t need absolutely. Ex: Reading is absolutely necessary to write well. Better: Reading is necessary to write well.
4. Accordingly – Use simpler replacement, such as so. Ex: Accordingly, be careful next time. Better: So, be careful next time.
5. Accuracy – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: The accuracy of his report wasn’t good. Better: His report wasn’t accurate.
6. Actual facts – Redundant phrase. You don’t need actual. Ex: Listen to the actual facts of the case. Better: Listen to the facts of the case.
7. Admit to – Flabby expression. Drop to. Ex: You should admit to stealing the coat. Better: You should admit stealing the coat.
8. Advance forward – Redundant phrase. You don’t need forward. Ex: The army advanced forward. Better: The army advanced.
9. Advance planning – Redundant phrase. You don’t need advance. Ex: The heist required advanced planning. Better: The heist required planning.
10. Advance warning – Redundant phrase. You don’t need advance. Ex: The storm hit with no advance warning. Better: The storm hit with no warning.
11. Add an additional – Redundant phrase. You don’t need an additional. Ex: Add an additional string to your bow. Better: Add a string to your bow.
12. Add up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up. Ex: Add up your hours and see if you qualify for overtime. Better: Add your hours and see if you qualify for overtime.
13. Added bonus – Redundant phrase. You don’t need added. Ex: Winning the prize was an added bonus. Better: Winning the prize was a bonus.
14. Almost – Use approximations such as this sparingly. Specific terms are better. Ex: It was almost time for class. Better: Class started in one minute.
15. All of – Flabby expression. Drop of. Ex: All of the guests loved the party. Better: All the guests loved the party.
16. All time record – Redundant phrase. You don’t need all time. Ex: He broke the all time record for home runs. Better: He broke the record for home runs.
17. All things being equal – Empty Phrase. Don’t use it. Ex: All things being equal, we should arrive tonight. Better: If all goes well, we should arrive tonight.
18. Alternative choice – Redundant phrase. You don’t need choice. Ex: He had no alternative choice but to fight. Better: He had no alternative but to fight.
19. All throughout – Redundant phrase. You don’t need all. Ex: War exists all throughout history. Better: War exists throughout history.
20. Analysis – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Give an analysis of the data and then create a summary.
    Better: Analyze the data and then summarize it.
21. And etc. – Redundant phrase. You don’t need and. Ex: She loved dogs, cats, frogs, and etc. Better: She loved dogs, cats, frogs, etc.
22. Anonymous stranger – Redundant phrase. You don’t need anonymous. Ex: An anonymous stranger sent her flowers. Better: A stranger sent her flowers.
23. Appearance – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His appearance caused cheers from the crowd. Better: He appeared and the crowd cheered.
24. Area – Vague Noun. Cut or use more specific word. Ex: James left the area. Better: James left Maryland.
25. Are/is after – Clunky verb construction. Use follow, or seek, or desire, or want. Ex: The events are after the lecture. Better: The events follow the lecture. Ex: I don’t know what you are after. Better: I don’t know what you want.
26. Armed gunman – Redundant phrase. You don’t need armed. Ex: An armed gunman robbed the bank today. Better: A gunman robbed the bank today.
27. As a matter of fact – Empty Phrase. Don’t use it. Ex: As a matter of fact, I did eat all the candy. Better: Yes, I ate the candy.
28. As being – Flabby expression. You don’t need being. Ex: She is known as being the smartest in the school. Better: She is known as the smartest in the school.
29. Ascend up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up. Ex: Ascend up the steps to reach the top. Better: Ascend the steps to reach the top.
30. As far as I’m concerned – Empty Phrase. Don’t use it. Ex: As far as I’m concerned, all politicians lie. Better: All politicians lie.
31. Ask the question – Redundant phrase. You don’t need the question. Ex: Ask the question to your mother. Better: Ask your mother.
32. Aspect – Vague noun. Cut or use more specific word. Ex:  Commercials are an aspect of television I don’t like. Better: I love television, but I hate commercials.
33. Assemble together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Assemble together the parts included in the box. Better: Assemble the parts included in the box.
34. As to whether – Flabby expression. You don’t need as to. Ex: I didn’t know as to whether he’d stay or go. Better: I didn’t know whether he’d stay or go.
35. As yet – Flabby expression. You don’t need as. Ex: No word on survivors as yet. Better: No word on survivors yet.
36. At all times – Empty phrase. Don’t use, or fix. Ex: Be vigilant at all times. Better: Be vigilant.
37. Attempt – Use simpler replacement, such as try. This word can be an example of nominalization too (verb or adjective turned into a noun). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Attempt it again. Better: Try again. Ex: His attempt at suicide was met with failure. Better: He attempted suicide but failed.
38. At the end of the day – Empty Phrases. Don’t use it. Ex: At the end of the day, the toughest survive. Better: The toughest survive.
39. At the present time – Empty Phrase. Don’t use or fix. Ex: I have no money at the present time. Better: I have no money now. I currently have no money.
40. At this point in time – Empty Phrase. Don’t use or fix. Ex: At this point in time, let’s just forget about our plans. Better: Let’s just forget about our plans.
41. Bald-headed – Redundant phrase. You don’t need headed. Ex: He was bald-headed. Better: He was bald.
42. Basic necessities – Redundant phrase. You don’t need basic. Ex: Prepare for disasters by stocking basic necessities. Better: Prepare for disasters by stocking necessities.
43. Belief – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: It’s his belief that editing can be done with ease. Better: He believes editing is easy.
44. Big – Weak adjective. Replace with something more precise. Ex: He was a big man. Better: He was six feet tall and 250 pounds.
45. Blend together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: The colors blend together nicely. Better: The colors blend nicely.
46. Bouquet of flowers – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of flowers. Ex: The bouquet of flowers was beautiful. Better: The bouquet was beautiful.
47. Brief moment – Redundant phrase. You don’t need brief. Ex: For a brief moment, he was speechless. Better: For a moment, he was speechless.
48. Brilliance – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Not all posts achieve brilliance. Better: Not all posts are brilliant.
49. Cameo appearance – Redundant phrase. You don’t need appearance. Ex: The actor’s cameo appearance caused a riot. Better: The actor’s cameo caused a riot.
50. Care about – Flabby verb construction. Use value or like to save a word. Ex: Do your readers care about grammar? Better: Do your readers value grammar?
51. Careful scrutiny – Redundant phrase. You don’t need careful. Ex: The lawyer read the document with careful scrutiny. Better: The lawyer read the document with scrutiny. Best: The lawyer scrutinized the document.
52. Carelessness – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Her carelessness caused his death. Better: He died because she was careless.
53. Catch on – Flabby verb construction. Use resonate or spread. Ex: Hopefully the message will catch on. Better: Hopefully the message will spread.
54. Caused a drop in X – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Pay cuts caused a drop in morale within our company. Better: Pay cuts demoralized our company.
55. Caused considerable confusion – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. In this case, use something more powerful, such as confused or baffled. Ex: The instructions caused considerable confusion in the class. Better: The instructions baffled the class.
56. Cease and desist – Redundant phrase. You don’t need and desist. Ex: Cease and desist all contact with Mrs. Jones. Better: Cease all contact with Mrs. Jones.
57. Close proximity – Redundant phrase. You don’t need close. Ex: The close proximity of the tourists caused the elephant to charge. Better: The proximity of the tourists caused the elephant to charge.
58. Closed fist – Redundant phrase. You don’t need closed. Ex: He hit me with his closed fist. Better: He hit me with his fist.
59. Commute back and forth – Redundant phrase. You don’t need back and forth. Ex: His commute back and forth exhausted him. Better: His commute exhausted him.
60. Comparison – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He made a comparison between apples and oranges. Better: He compared apples with oranges.
61. Completely destroy – Redundant phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: Joe completely destroyed his room. Better: Joe destroyed his room.
62. Completely eliminate – Redundant phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: You must completely eliminate your foes. Better: You must eliminate your foes.
63. Completely engulfed – Redundant phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: Flames completely engulfed the house. Better: Flames engulfed the house.
64. Completely filled – Redundant phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: He completely filled his cup. Better: He filled his cup.
65. Connect together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Connect together the two wires. Better: Connect the two wires.
66. Could possibly – Redundant phrase. You don’t need possibly. Ex: You could possibly win. Better: You could win.
67. Crisis situation – Redundant phrase. You don’t need situation. Ex: In a crisis situation try to relax and think clearly. Better: In a crisis try to relax and think clearly.
68. Current trend – Redundant phrase. You don’t need current. Ex: Some say blogging is a current trend that won’t last. Better: Some say blogging is a trend that won’t last.
69. Cut down on – Flabby Phrasal Verb. Use reduce or limit. Ex: You should cut down on your sugar intake. Better: You should limit your sugar intake.
70. Decrease in strength – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: The Euro decreased in strength against the US Dollar. Better: The Euro weakened against the US Dollar.
71. Definition – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His definition of fun was sleeping and watching television. Better: He defined fun as sleeping and watching television.
72. Depreciate in value – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in value. Ex: Assets depreciate in value as each year passes. Better: Assets depreciate as each year passes.
73. Descend down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: Descend down the steps to exit the building. Better: Descend the steps to exit the building.
74. Description – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Please give a description of the man who attacked you. Better: Please describe the man who attacked you.
75. Desirable benefit – Redundant phrase. You don’t need desirable. Ex: What desirable benefit does writing offer? Better: What benefit does writing offer?
76. Did not have much confidence in – Avoid using negative constructions if possible. Readers don’t like when you tell them what something is not. They like when you tell them what something is. Use distrusted or doubted. Ex: The soldiers did not have much confidence in their officers. Better: The soldiers doubted their officers’ abilities.
77. Did not pay attention to – Avoid using negative constructions if possible. Readers don’t like when you tell them what something is not. They like when you tell them what something is. Use ignored. Ex: The soldiers did not listen to their officers. Better: The soldiers ignored their officers’ orders.
78. Did not remember – Avoid using negative constructions if possible. Readers don’t like when you tell them what something is not. They like when you tell them what something is. Use forgot. Ex: The soldiers did not remember their orders. Better: The soldiers forgot their orders.
79. Different kinds – Redundant phrase. You don’t need different. Ex: The chart lists five different kinds of animals. Better: The chart lists five kinds of animals.
80. Difficulty – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: I’m having difficulty with math. Better: Math is difficult for me. Best: I’m struggling with math.
81. Due to – Clunky expression. Use because or revise. Ex: He got wet due to the rain. Better: He got wet because it rained. Best: The rain got him wet.
82. Due to the fact that – Empty phrase. Delete or use because or since. Ex: Due to the fact that I write, I love books. Better: Because I write, I love books.
83. During the course of – Redundant phrase. You don’t need the course of. Ex: The forecast will change during the course of the day. Better: The forecast will change during the day.
84. Dwindle down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: She loved to shop, so her savings dwindled down. Better: She loved to shop, so her savings dwindled.
85. Each and every – Redundant phrase. You don’t need and every. Ex: I loved each and every one of them. Better: I loved each one of them.
86. Ease – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He thinks editing is a task you can do with ease. Better: He thinks editing is easy.
87. Eliminate altogether – Redundant phrase. You don’t need altogether. Ex: We should reduce or eliminate altogether speeding ticket fines. Better: We should reduce or eliminate speeding ticket fines.
88. Eliminate entirely – Redundant phrase. You don’t need entirely. Ex: We could eliminate entirely testing and students would still learn. Better: We could eliminate testing and students would still learn.
89. Emergency situation – Redundant phrase. You don’t need situation. Ex: We have an emergency situation at the school. Better: We have an emergency at the school.
90. Empty out – Redundant phrase. You don’t need out. Ex: Empty out the dishwasher. Better: Empty the dishwasher.
91. End result – Redundant phrase. You don’t need end. Ex: Study and the end results will please you. Better: Study and the results will please you.
92. Encouragement – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His encouragement helped my success. Better: He encouraged me and I succeeded.
93. Enter in – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in. Ex: Enter in your name and email address. Better: Enter your name and email address.
94. Equal to one another – Redundant phrase. You don’t need to one another. Ex: They are equal to one another in size, but Joe is faster. Better: They are equal in size, but Joe is faster.
95. Eradicate completely – Redundant phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: We must eradicate completely these roaches. Better: We must eradicate these roaches.
96. Every single person – Redundant phrase. You don’t need single (unless referring to marital status). Ex: Every single person should attend. Better: Every person should attend. Or: Everyone should attend.
97. Evolve over time – Redundant phrase. You don’t need over time. Ex: Relationships evolve over time. Better: Relationships evolve.
98. Exact same – Redundant phrase. You don’t need exact. Ex: They spoke at the exact same time. Better: They spoke at the same time.
99. Facilitate – Use simpler replacement, such as help, yield, or aid. Ex: Patience facilitates understanding. Better: Patience aids understanding.
100. Facility – Stilted phrase. Say exactly what an object is (school, hospital, government building). Ex: The facility had a large cafeteria. Better: Johnson Elementary School had a large cafeteria.
101. Factor – Dull, unnecessary word. Replace with a verb. Ex: Avid reading was a factor in his writing ability. Better: Avid reading helped his writing.
102. Failure – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His failure was caused by not studying hard enough. Better: He failed because he didn’t study hard enough.
103. Fall/Fell down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: If you fall down, try again. Better: If you fall, try again.
104. Favorable approval – Redundant phrase. You don’t need favorable. Ex: The drawings received favorable approval from the planning board. Better: The drawings received approval from the planning board. Best: The planning board approved the drawings.
105. Fellow classmate – Redundant phrase. You don’t need fellow. Ex: A fellow classmate teased Johnny. Better: A classmate teased Johnny.
106. Fellow colleague – Redundant phrase. You don’t need fellow. Ex: A fellow colleague saw Jim stealing the office supplies. Better: A colleague saw Jim stealing the office supplies.
107. Few in number – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in number. Ex: First-time homebuyers are too few in number to absorb excess inventory. Better: First-time homebuyers are too few to absorb excess inventory.
108. Figure out – Clunky verb construction. Use determine, guess, or decide. Ex: I can’t figure out who’s who. Better: I can’t determine who’s who.
109. Filled to capacity – Redundant phrase. You don’t need to capacity. Ex: The stadium was filled to capacity with anxious fans. Better: The stadium was filled with anxious fans. Best: Anxious fans filled the stadium.
110. Final conclusion – Redundant phrase. You don’t need final. Ex: He came to a final conclusion that he hated his job. Better: He came to a conclusion that he hated his job. Best: He concluded that he hated his job.
111. Finally – Weak linking term. Be more precise. Ex: Finally, he got the job. Better: After five interviews, he got the job.
112. Final outcome – Redundant phrase. You don’t need final. Ex: Death was the final outcome. Better: Death was the outcome.
113. Final ultimatum – Redundant phrase. You don’t need final. Ex: I gave him a final ultimatum. Better: I gave him an ultimatum.
114. Find out – Clunky verb construction. Use determine, or learn. Ex: Find out what matters and what doesn’t. Better: Learn what matters and what doesn’t.
115. First and foremost – Redundant phrase. You don’t need first and. Ex: He remains first and foremost a businessman. Better: He remains foremost a businessman.
116. First conceived – Redundant phrase. You don’t need first. Ex: He first conceived the idea to start a business while he was a freshman in college. Better: He conceived the idea to start a business while he was a freshman in college.
117. First of all – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of all. Ex: First of all, I didn’t tell him your name. Better: First, I didn’t tell him your name.
118. Fly/flew through the air – Redundant phrase. You don’t need through the air. Ex: The bird flew through the air above us. Better: The bird flew above us.
119. For all intents and purposes – Empty phrase. Don’t use it. Ex: For all intents and purposes, the relationship was doomed. Better: The relationship was doomed.
120. Foreign imports – Redundant phrase. You don’t need foreign. Ex: He believes foreign imports hurt our country’s economy. Better: He believes imports hurt our country’s economy.
121. Former graduate – Redundant phrase. You don’t need former. Ex: She was a former graduate of Harvard. Better: She was a graduate of Harvard. Best: She was a Harvard graduate.
122. For the most part – Empty phrase. Don’t use it. Ex: For the most part, I enjoy editing. Better: I enjoy editing.
123. For the purpose of – Empty phrase. Don’t use. Ex: I practice yoga for the purpose of improving my posture. Better: I practice yoga to improve my posture.
124. Former veteran – Redundant phrase. You don’t need former. Ex: Uncle Bob was a former veteran of Vietnam. Better: Uncle Bob was a veteran of Vietnam. Best: Uncle Bob was a Vietnam veteran.
125. Free gift – Redundant phrase. You don’t need free. Ex: You get a free gift if you complete the survey. Better: You get a gift if you complete the survey.
126. Frequently – Imprecise Phrase. Use something more specific. Ex: I frequently wash my car. Better: I wash my car daily.
127. Frozen ice – Redundant phrase. You don’t need frozen. Ex: He fell through the frozen ice. Better: He fell through the ice.
128. Frozen tundra – Redundant phrase. You don’t need frozen. Ex: The frozen tundra was stretched out before them. Better: The tundra was stretched out before them.
129. Fuse together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of together. Ex: Fuse together the wires and continue with the next step. Better: Fuse the wires and continue with the next step.
130. Future plans – Redundant phrase. You don’t need future. Ex: What are your future plans for college? Better: What are your plans for college?
131. Gather together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Gather together your things and leave. Better: Gather your things and leave.
132. General public – Redundant phrase. You don’t need general. Ex: The portable bathrooms are for the general public. Better: The portable bathrooms are for the public.
133. Get – Weak verb. Cut it or use stronger verbs such as become, land, acquire, or retrieve. Ex: You need to get motivated. Better: Motivate yourself. Ex: How many clients did you get through blogging? Better: How many clients did you land through blogging?
134. Get out of – Weak phrasal verb. Use exit. Ex: Get out of the building. Better: Exit the building.
135. Give in – Weak phrasal verb. Use concede, or quit. Ex: Don’t give in. Better: Don’t quit.
136. Go ahead and – Clunky expression. You don’t need it. Just start with the verb that follows this expression. Ex: I might have to go ahead and call the cops. Better: I might have to call the cops.
137. Go back over – Clunky verb construction. Use reread, reexamine, or reevaluate. Ex: Let’s go back over the case files. Better: Let’s reexamine the case files.
138. Go into – Clunky verb construction. Use enter; or visit, discuss, or explain. Ex: I will go into the school today. Better: I will visit the school today. Ex: I will go into detail about blogging during the lecture. Better: I will explain blogging during the lecture.
139. Go on – Flabby verb construction. Use continue. Ex: I could go on quoting famous people, but I won’t. Better: I could continue quoting famous people, but I won’t.
140. Grateful every day – Flabby phrase. Use eternally grateful. Ex: I’m grateful every day. Better: I’m eternally grateful.
141. Grew/Grow/Grown in size – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in size. Ex: He grew in size since I last saw him. Better: He grew since I last saw him.
142. Had a discussion concerning – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: We had a discussion concerning the proposed changes. Better: We discussed the proposed changes.
143. Had/have a conversation (about) – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: We had a conversation about money. Better: We talked money.
144. Harder than it has to be – Empty phrase. Use harder than necessary. Ex: You’re making it harder than it has to be. Better: You’re making it harder than necessary.
145. Has/have to be – Clunky verb construction. Use must be. Ex: This has to be the right place. Better: This must be the right place. Ex: I have to be strong for her. Better: I must be strong for her.
146. Have a need for – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Do you have a need for me? Better: Do you need me?
147. Heat up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up. Ex: Heat up the soup. Better: Heat the soup.
148. Helps keep – Clunky verb construction. Use keeps or another strong verb. Ex: Outlining helps keep your thoughts straight. Better: Outlining clarifies your thoughts.
149. Here’s the thing – Colloquial expression. You can do without it.
150. Hollow tube – Redundant phrase. You don’t need hollow. Ex: He slid down the hollow tube at the water park. Better: He slid down the tube at the water park.
151. I feel (that) – Timid expression. If you believe something, just say it. Besides, you can’t “feel” an opinion. Ex: I feel that college isn’t that much fun. Better: College sucks!
152. I believe (that) – Timid expression. If you believe something, just say it. Ex: I believe everyone should study music. Better: Everyone should study music.
153. If you need to – Flabby if clause. Rework the sentence. Ex: If you need to get more clients, you need to market yourself properly. Better: Market yourself properly and you’ll gain more clients.
154. If you want/wish/would like to – Flabby if clause. Rework the sentence. Ex: If you want to get good grades, listen to your teachers. Better: Listen to your teachers and you’ll get good grades.
155. I might add – Flabby phrase. Delete it. Ex: I’m an excellent writer, I might add. Better: I’m an excellent writer.
156. Increase in strength – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: You’ll see an increase in strength with exercise. Better: Exercise will strengthen your body.
157. Individual – Whenever possible and appropriate, use a simpler replacement, such as man, woman, or person. Ex: If you’re the type of individual who likes adventure, skydiving is for you. Better: If you’re an adventurous person, skydiving is for you.
158. Initial – Whenever possible and appropriate, use a simpler replacement, such as first. Ex: My initial thought was to flee. Better: My first thought was to flee.”
159. Integrate with each other – Redundant phrase. You don’t need with each other. Ex: The two systems must integrate with each other to share data. Better: The two systems must integrate to share data.
160. Intensity – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: She has a high level of intensity. Better: She is intense.
161. Intention is – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: My intention is to sleep all day. Better: I intend to sleep all day.
162. In terms of – Flabby phrase. Delete it. Ex: The job offer was tempting in terms of salary. Better: The job’s salary was tempting.
163. In my opinion – Flabby phrase. Delete it. Ex: In my opinion, blogging rocks! Better: Blogging rocks!
164. In order to – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in order. Ex: In order to succeed, you must work hard. Better: To succeed, you must work hard.
165. In spite of that fact that – Flabby phrase. Use although. Ex: In spite of that fact that I’m rich, I don’t own a car. Better: Although I’m rich, I don’t own a car.
166. In the event of – Flabby phrase. Use if. Ex: In the event of someone pointing a gun at you, don’t resist. Better: If someone points a gun at you, don’t resist.
167. In the event that – Flabby phrase. Use if. Ex: In the event that you win, you’ll receive a trophy. Better: If you win, you’ll receive a trophy.
168. In the process of – Flabby phrase. Delete it. Ex: I’m in the process of quitting my job. Better: I’m quitting my job.
169. Introduced a new – Redundant phrase. You don’t need a new. Ex: They introduced a new software upgrade. Better: They introduced a software upgrade.
170. Introduced for the first time – Redundant phrase. You don’t need for the first time. Ex: The new owners were introduced for the first time at the company meeting. Better: The new owners were introduced at the company meeting.
171. Investigation -Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: My investigation led to solving the case. Better: I investigated and solved the case.
172. Is aware of – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He is aware of his bad reputation. Better: He knows his reputation stinks.
173. Is in love with – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He is in love with Judy. Better: He loves Judy.
174. Is interesting to me – Weak to-be verb construction. Revise it. Ex: Editing is interesting to me. Better: Editing interests me.
175. It is / it’s – Grammar expletive that robs your sentence of strength. Avoid it. Ex: It’s two hours before the game starts. Better: The game starts in two hours.
176. It seems like – Flabby phrase & a grammar expletive. Delete it. Ex: It seems like you hate me. Better: Apparently you hate me.
177. It would be – Grammar expletive that robs your sentence of strength. Avoid it. Ex: It would be polite if you said hi to her. Better: Be polite and say hi to her. Ex: It would be nice if we had more vacation time. Better: I wish we had more vacation time.
178. Join together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: They join together as one. Better: They join as one.
179. Joint collaboration – Redundant phrase. You don’t need joint. Ex: The joint collaboration between state and federal agencies failed. Better: The collaboration between state and federal agencies failed.
180. Kneel down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: Kneel down before Zod. Better: Kneel before Zod.
181. Knowledgeable expert – Redundant phrase. You don’t need knowledgeable. Ex: She’s a knowledgeable expert in her field. Better: She’s an expert in her field.
182. Lacked the ability to – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences, such as wasn’t able to or couldn’t. Ex: He lacked the ability to read. Better: He couldn’t read.
183. Later time – Redundant phrase. You don’t need time. Ex: Call me at a later time. Better: Call me later.
184. Led to the destruction of – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: The fire led to the destruction of the town. Better: The fire destroyed the town.
185. Lift up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up. Ex: Lift up the weight. Better: Lift the weight.
186. Live studio audience – Redundant phrase. You don’t need live. Ex: The band played to a live studio audience. Better: The band played to a studio audience.
187. Made a decision to – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He made a decision to leave. Better: He decided to leave.
188. Made/make an announcement – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He made an announcement that he was getting married. Better: He announced he was getting married.
189. Made it to – Flabby phrase & a grammar expletive. Use arrived, or reached. Ex: They made it to their destination. Better: They reached their destination.
190. Made out of – Redundant phrase. You don’t need out. Ex: It was made out of wood. Better: It was made of wood.
191. Major breakthrough – Redundant phrase. You don’t need major. Ex: The invention was a major breakthrough in nuclear technology. Better: The invention was a breakthrough in nuclear technology.
192. Major feat – Redundant phrase. You don’t need major. Ex: Bending horseshoes is a major feat of strength few can match. Better: Bending horseshoes is a feat of strength few can match.
193. May/might possibly – Redundant phrase. You don’t need possibly. Ex: She may possibly get the job. Better: She may get the job.
194. Meaningful – Weak adjective. Delete it or redo your sentence. Ex: It was a meaningful gesture. Better: The gesture touched me.
195. Meet together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: The two roads meet together at the traffic circle. Better: The two roads meet at the traffic circle.
196. Meet with each other – Redundant phrase. You don’t need with each other. Ex: We met with each other to discuss her offer. Better: We met to discuss her offer.
197. Merge together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Our companies should merge together. Better: Our companies should merge.
198. Mix together – Redundant phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Oil and water don’t mix together. Better: Oil and water don’t mix.
199. Most unique – Redundant phrase. You don’t need most. Ex: His poetry is most unique. Better: His poetry is unique.
200. Movement – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: My movement startled the cat. Better: I moved and startled the cat.
201. Mutual cooperation – Redundant phrase. You don’t need mutual. Ex: We need mutual cooperation to succeed. Better: We need cooperation to succeed.
202. Mutual respect for each other – Redundant phrase. You don’t need for each other. Ex: My father and I have mutual respect for each other. Better: My father and I have mutual respect. Or: My father and I respect each other.
203. Need to do to – Clunky verb construction. Use need to or must do. Ex: That’s all you need to do to succeed. Better: That’s all you must do to succeed.
204. Never before – Redundant phrase. You don’t need before. Ex: Never before have I been so offended. Better: Never have I been so offended.
205. New innovation – Redundant phrase. You don’t need new. Ex: It was a new innovation to content marketing. Better: It was an innovation to content marketing.
206. New invention – Redundant phrase. You don’t need new. Ex: The new invention would change the world. Better: The invention would change the world.
207. None at all – Redundant phrase. You don’t need at all. Ex: None at all survived. Better: None survived.
208. Not honest – Avoid using negative constructions if possible. Try to say what something is instead. Ex: He is not honest. Better: He’s dishonest.
209. Not important – Avoid using negative constructions if possible. Try to say what something is instead. Ex: It’s not important. Better: It’s unimportant/trivial/minor.
210. Now pending – Redundant phrase. You don’t need now. Ex: Our request is now pending. Better: Our request is pending.
211. Off of – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of. Ex: Get your plate off of the counter. Better: Get your plate off the counter.
212. Offered a suggestion – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: I offered a suggestion of a place to eat. Better: I suggested a place to eat.
213. On a regular basis – Flabby phrase. Use regularly instead. Ex: I exercise on a regular basis. Better: I exercise regularly.
214. Open up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up (unless talking about someone revealing something to you). Ex: Open up the windows. Better: Open the windows.
215. Originally created – Redundant phrase. You don’t need originally. Ex: Nobody truly knows when the world was originally created. Better: Nobody truly knows when the world was created.
216. Outside in the yard – Redundant phrase. You don’t need outside. Ex: The kids are playing outside in the yard. Better: The kids are playing in the yard.
217. Outside of – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of. Ex: He puked outside of the bar. Better: He puked outside the bar.
218. Over exaggerate – Redundant phrase. You don’t need over. Ex: She tends to over exaggerate. Better: She tends to exaggerate.
219. Palm of my hand – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of my hand. Ex: He placed the gun in the palm of my hand. Better: He placed the gun in my palm.
220. Passing fad – Redundant phrase. You don’t need passing. Ex: Selfies are a passing fad. Better: Selfies are a fad.
221. Past experience – Redundant phrase. You don’t need past. Ex: My past experiences are what made me who I am today. Better: My experiences are what made me who I am today.
222. Penetrate into – Redundant phrase. You don’t need into. Ex: The bullet can easily penetrate into the wood. Better: The bullet can easily penetrate the wood.
223. Period of time – Redundant phrase. You don’t need of time. Ex: Dinosaurs ruled during that period of time. Better: Dinosaurs ruled during that period.
224. Personalfriend – Redundant phrase. You don’t need personal. Ex: He’s a personal friend of mine. Better: He’s a friend of mine.
225. Personalopinion – Redundant phrase. You don’t need personal. Ex: It’s just my personal opinion. Better: It’s just my opinion.
226. Pick and choose – Redundant phrase. You don’t need and choose. Ex: Pick and choose your friends wisely. Better: Pick your friends wisely.
227. Pick out – Flabby phrase. Use choose instead. Ex: Pick out an outfit to wear. Better: Choose an outfit to wear.
228. Pick up on – Flabby phrase. Use notice, or sense instead. Ex: He didn’t pick up on the subtle nuances. Better: He didn’t notice the subtle nuances.
229. Play up – Flabby phrase. Use emphasize instead. Ex: You need to play up your best features. Better: You need to emphasize your best features.
230. Plunge down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: The stock market plunged down today. Better: The stock market plunged today.
231. Point out – Flabby phrase. Use emphasize, say, mention, or state instead. Ex: Let me point out the rules first. Better: Let me mention the rules first.
232. Polar opposites – Redundant phrase. You don’t need polar. Ex: The two friends are polar opposites. Better: The two friends are opposites.
233. Postpone until later – Redundant phrase. You don’t need until later. Ex: You should postpone your appointment until later. Better: You should postpone your appointment.
234. Pouring down rain – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: The pouring down rain ruined the picnic. Better: The pouring rain ruined the picnic.
235. Preheat – Redundant phrase. You don’t need pre. Ex: Preheat the oven before you prepare your ingredients. Better: Heat the oven before you prepare your ingredients.
236. Present time – Redundant phrase. You don’t need time. Ex: He’s not available at the present time. Better: He’s not available at present.
237. Protest against – Redundant phrase. You don’t need against. Ex: You must protest against tyranny. Better: You must protest tyranny.
238. Put off – Flabby phrase. Use postpone, delay, or stall instead. Ex: He put off his dentist appointment. Better: He postponed his dentist appointment.
239. Put together – Flabby phrase. Use assemble, build, or built instead. Ex: They put together the child’s toy. Better: They assembled the child’s toy.
240. Raise up – Redundant phrase. You don’t need up Ex: Raise up the flag. Better: Raise the flag.
241. Reaction – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: My reaction caused everyone to be surprised. Better: The way I reacted surprised everyone.
242. Really – Flabby modifier. Try to do without, or think of a more powerful word you are modifying. Ex: I’m really hungry. Better: I’m starving.
243. Reason why – Redundant phrase. You don’t need why. Ex: I’ll never know the reason why she left. Better: I’ll never know the reason she left. Or: I’ll never know why she left.
244. Refer back – Redundant phrase. You don’t need back. Ex: You’ll have to refer back to the instructions. Better: You’ll have to refer to the instructions.
245. Refusal – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His refusal to leave forced me to call the cops. Better: He refused to leave, so I called the cops.
246. Reply back – Redundant phrase. You don’t need back. Ex: Reply back to this email to get the special offer. Better: Reply to this email to get the special offer.
247. Resulted in a decrease (an increase) – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: The mandate resulted in an increase in taxes. Better: The mandate increased taxes.
248. Revert back – Redundant phrase. You don’t need back. Ex: Revert back to the saved file if you experience problems. Better: Revert to the saved file if you experience problems.
249. Safehaven – Redundant phrase. You don’t need safe. Ex: That area is a safe haven for smugglers. Better: That area is a haven for smugglers.
250. Same exact – Redundant phrase. You don’t need exact. Ex: I have the same exact phone cover as you. Better: I have the same phone cover as you.
251. Seriousdanger – Redundant phrase. You don’t need serious. Ex: You’re in serious danger. Better: You’re in danger.
252. Shock – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: What he revealed caused a shock to his family. Better: What he revealed shocked his family.
253. Short – Weak Adjective. Replace with something more precise. Ex: Bob was a short man. Better: Bob was four feet tall.
254. Show up – Weak verb construction. Use appear, enter, visit, or arrive instead. Ex: If you show up early, call me. Better: If you arrive early, call me.
255. Situation – Vague noun. Be more specific if possible. Ex: The situation got worse. Better: The riot got worse.
256. Small – Weak Adjective. Replace with something more precise. Ex: My desk is small. Better: My desk is only three feet wide.
257. So – Unnecessary intensifier. Delete. Ex: It was so delightful. Better: It was delightful.
258. Spell it out in detail – Redundant phrase. You don’t need in detail. And you can use define, or explain instead. Ex: Did you spell it out in detail for him? Better: Did you spell it out for him? Or: Did you explain it to him?
259. Spend – If this word is followed by an ing verb, modify your sentence. Ex: How many hours do you spend writing each day? Better: How many hours do you write each day?
260. Start off/out – Redundant phrase. You don’t need off/out. Ex: Let me start off by saying thanks. Better: Let me start by saying thanks.
261. Starts to – Redundant phrase. You don’t need to. Ex: If it starts to rain, close the window. Better: If it starts raining, close the window.
262. Stillpersist – Redundant phrase. You don’t need still. Ex: If symptoms still persist, call your doctor. Better: If symptoms persist, call your doctor.
263. Stillremains – Redundant phrase. You don’t need still. Ex: Even after all the bombing raids, the building still remains. Better: Even after all the bombing raids, the building remains.
264. Suddenimpulse – Redundant phrase. You don’t need sudden. Ex: I had a sudden impulse for chocolate cake. Better: I had an impulse for chocolate cake.
265. Surprise – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: Her actions were the cause of his surprise. Better: Her actions surprised him.
266. Surrounded on all sides – Redundant phrase. You don’t need on all sides. Ex: They were surrounded on all sides by enemies. Better: They were surrounded by enemies. Or: Enemies surrounded them.
267. The first step is to – Flabby phrase. Use first, or start by instead. Ex: The first step is to realize you have a problem. Better: Start by realizing you have a problem.
268. Take alook at – Redundant phrase & Nominalization. You don’t need take a. Ex: Take a look at this photo. Better: Look at this photo.
269. Take action (to) – Flabby verb construction. Use act instead. Ex: You must take action to resolve the matter now. Better: You must act to resolve the matter now.
270. Takes up/Taking up – Flabby verb construction. Use consume instead. Ex: If blog chores take up too much of your time, outsource them. Better: If blog chores consume too much of your time, outsource them.
271. Talk about – Flabby verb construction. Use discuss instead. Ex: Let’s talk about it. Better: Let’s discuss it.
272. Tall – Weak Adjective. Replace with something more precise. Ex: The building is tall. Better: The building is six hundred feet tall.
273. Temper tantrum – Redundant phrase. You don’t need temper. Ex: The kid is having a temper tantrum. Better: The kid is having a tantrum.
274. The (most) important thing is to – Flabby expression. Delete it. Ex: The most important thing is to remain positive. Better: Remain positive.
275. The reason – Flabby phrase. Delete it. Ex: The reason you hate me is because I’m beautiful. Better: You hate me because I’m beautiful.
276. There’s / There is – Grammar expletive that robs your sentence of strength. Avoid it. Ex: There’s time to change your mind. Better: You have time to change your mind.
277. There are / There were – Grammar expletive that robs your sentence of strength. Avoid it. Ex: There are some bloggers who seem to have all the luck. Better: Some bloggers seem to have all the luck.
278. There will be – Grammar expletive that robs your sentence of strength. Avoid it. Ex: There will be some people who fail the class. Better: Some people will fail the class.
279. This is a (insert noun here) that – Flabby construction. Use this (insert noun here). Ex: This is a subject that students love. Better: Students love this subject.
280. Time and time again – Flabby phrase. Use repeatedly instead. Ex: You will see it time and time again. Better: You will see it repeatedly.
281. Took up – Flabby phrase. Use consumed or occupied instead. Ex: It took up all my time and energy. Better: It consumed all my time and energy.
282. Transformation – Nominalization (wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). His transformation into an athlete caused shock among his peers. Ex: He transformed into an athlete and shocked his peers.
283. Try to figure out – Flabby phrase. Use determine, guess or decide instead. Ex: Try to figure out what you want in life. Better: Decide what you want in life.
284. Two equalhalves – Redundant phrase. You don’t need two equal. Ex: Cut the fruit in two equal halves. Better: Cut the fruit in halves.
285. Utilize – Use simpler replacement, such as use. Ex: Utilize your time wisely. Better: Use your time wisely.
286. Very – Flabby modifier. Use a stronger word that very is modifying. Ex: I was very scared. Better: I was petrified.
287. Went back over – Flabby phrase. Use reread or reevaluated instead. Ex: They went back over the case files. Better: They reread the case files.
288. When it comes to – Flabby phrase. Use when, with ordelete the phrase instead. Ex: When it comes to creating blog posts, you must choose headlines wisely. Better: When creating blog posts, you must choose headlines wisely. Best: Choose headlines wisely when you create a blog post.
289. Which is – Flabby phrase you can live without. Ex: Chocolate, which is my favorite flavor, is also the name of my cat. Better: Chocolate, my favorite flavor, is also the name of my cat.
290. Who is – Flabby phrase you can live without. Ex: His brother, who is a doctor, lives in Washington. Better: His brother, the doctor, lives in Washington.
291. Will be different – Flabby to-be verb construction. Revise. Ex: Each instance will be different. Better: Each instance will differ.
292. Within that time frame – Redundant phrase. You don’t need frame. Ex: You must sign the paperwork within that time frame. Better: You must sign the paperwork within that time.
293. With reference to – Flabby phrase. Use regarding instead. Ex: With reference to what you said earlier, I don’t agree. Better: Regarding what you said earlier, I don’t agree.
294. Write down – Redundant phrase. You don’t need down. Ex: Write down your name on this sheet of paper. Better: Write your name on this sheet of paper.
295. You can – Flabby verb helpers. Delete or revise. Ex: You can visit Oz by following the Yellow Brick Road. Better: To visit Oz, follow the Yellow Brick Road.
296. You’re going to – Flabby phrase. Use you’ll instead. Ex: You’re going to learn about writing in class today. Better: You’ll learn about writing in class today.
297. You’re going to have/need to – Flabby phrase. Use you’ll have to, or you must instead. Ex: You’re going to need to exercise each day. Better: You’ll need to exercise each day.

It’s Time to Tone Flabby and Forgettable Writing

So there you have it – 297 flabby words and phrases you should banish from your writing today.

That’s nearly three hundred ways to tone and trim your prose.

But powerful though this list is, it won’t work if you simply read it and move on.

Just as cockroaches quickly reappear when lights go out, these words and phrases will soon creep back into your writing.

Unless you make it part of your editing process to find them.

So bookmark this post.

And next time you think you’re ready to click Publish, go back and weed out these subtle attention killers.

Your writing will be more powerful and your readers’ attention will soar.

About the Author: Shane Arthur is a former copyeditor for Jon Morrow’s kick-butt Guest Blogging Certification Program (affiliate link) which teaches writers just like you how to get their work featured on the world’s biggest blogs and online magazines.

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