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Navigating Colloquialisms and Legal Jargon in Attorney Web Content

Alex Valencia
 | 
Published   May 23, 2022

Does your attorney website content resemble state statutes? Or does local jargon seep into your personal injury blog?  Your tone and vocabulary play a crucial role in making content appealing to readers. A good article writing service will pick up on the nature of your “language” and weave it into your content, but there are cases when too much conversational language or legal jargon isn’t the best marketing tool.

Working With Colloquialisms in Your Attorney Web Content

Colloquial phrases are an important part of any language. A popular example is the term for a “soft drink” – the northern mid-west states typically refer to this beverage as “pop” while southern states call it “soda” and other regions may use “cola” or “soda pop”. While all of these terms are correct, some are more commonly accepted than others in certain areas.

Geographically specific words and phrases are a gray area when writing content for lawyers. For attorneys with local practices, throwing in regional sayings and popular terminology may be both helpful and harmful when it comes to web content.

While colloquialisms aren’t common in formal writing and suit spoken language better, a law firm blog with a casual tone might benefit from some regional flair. If your goal with your personal injury marketing is to establish yourself as a true local, using local language may be a good tactic for your web content.

Colloquialisms vs. Jargon – They Are Not the Same!

There’s a big difference between colloquial phrases and jargon. Colloquial phrases are geographically based, while jargon is typically more profession-based. What we choose to call a soft drink is drastically different from choosing to call a slip-and-fall accident a case of “premises liability”.

In some instances, legal jargon can deter readers from attorney web content. They seek clear explanations of legal information. If they wanted to read through wordy state statutes or federal laws, they would seek the official texts.

When crafting content for attorneys, opt for straightforward language that resonates with the average client’s comprehension level. If you are dealing with the general public or clients largely unfamiliar with legal issues, you will want to simplify laws and avoid jargon like “mass tort reform” and any Latin legal terminology unless properly explained. For areas like patent law, lawyers might use advanced terms if they’re standard in typical legal discussions. It’s all about knowing your target audience.

Work with an Article Writing Service That Knows Your Language

Any article writing service worth its salt will know when it’s appropriate for your website content to use colloquialisms. At We Do Web, we take the time to really get to know our clients and develop the voice they want to portray through their web content.

To learn more about how our writers can put the best words on your blog, give us a call or fill out our contact form to speak with our sales manager to learn about the power of good attorney web content and personal injury marketing. 888-594-5442.

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