B2B content is flooded with recycled words and phrases. They creep into multiple assets until everything starts to blur together. Once upon a time, the biggest challenge associated with recycling words was the occasional raised eyebrow or snarky comment on social media about obvious marketing content. However these days, overused buzzwords are now one of the clearest AI tells in writing. If your B2B content is full of them, it will sound like AI wrote it.

If your content is full of the same generic buzzwords that everyone is using, it won't sound like you. It won't sound like your subject matter experts, either. Instead, it will sound like the same machine-trained filler everyone is using. That’s when audiences switch off and search engines and LLMs start pushing your content further down. Ultimately, trust is at stake.

The most overused words in B2B writing include utilise, digital transformation, foster, robust and empower. They make content sound generic and machine-written. Better alternatives are simpler words like use, build, refine, resilient and enable. Here are some more of the worst offenders that I'm seeing right now, and some ideas on what to say instead.

1. Utilise: five letters more than you need

This one has been a cliché in technical writing circles for decades. You can lose the middle five letters and nothing changes. “Use” is cleaner and says the same thing.

2. Digital transformation: makes you sound behind

If you’re still using this phrase in 2025, you’re signalling that you’re behind. Nobody needs to hear that you’re “on a digital transformation journey". Say what you’re actually doing instead. Are you migrating systems into the cloud? Rolling out a new customer platform? Automating claims? Be specific.

3. Foster: a clear AI tell

Once a harmless word favoured by the HR crowd to describe culture-building, it's quickly become one of the clearest tells of AI writing. Swap it out for real verbs: build, grow, develop, create.

4. Quietly and sharpen: filler words to cut

Unless you’re talking about sound, pencils, or knives, cut them. They don’t add meaning. Better choices are “improve” or “refine". Both are more precise.

5. Robust: a fancy word for strong

It sounds weighty but doesn’t explain anything. At best, it’s a fancy way of saying strong. A stronger question to ask is why it’s strong. Is it resilient? Secure? Thorough? Say that instead.

6. Leverage: the ultimate corporate cliché

Another generic corporate filler word that rarely adds much to the sentence. If you mean use, apply, or draw on, then write that.

7. Game-changing: hype without substance

Hype, not substance. If you're convinced that something really changes the game, describe why that is. Spell out the difference in terms your audience can recognise. If you've got proof-points, give me those too.

8. Unlock (and unlocking value): empty phrasing

Again, one of the most common AI phrases. What are you actually giving people access to? Say that directly. For example: “get faster insights” or “access new markets".

9. At scale: spell out the numbers instead

It feels impressive until you realise it tells the reader nothing. Spell out the scale if it matters: 10,000 users, five regions, three million transactions.

10. Empower: overused and meaningless

Overused to the point of emptiness. Try “equip” or “support", and be clear about the action you’re helping people take.

Three key takeaways for better B2B content

1. More is not always better. If a word, phrase or sentence doesn’t add meaning, cut it.
   

2. Think about what people want to hear, not just what you want to tell them. That’s the difference between internally facing value propositions and how you explain them to the market.
   

3. Be specific and spell out what’s actually happening. Give me proof where possible. Grandiose, unsubstantiated claims don't play well in B2B writing anymore.

Where to go next

If you want your content to stand out from the sea of sameness, start with the words you choose. The Write Like a CCO Prompt Sheet is designed to help marketers cut overused buzzwords, avoid AI tells and keep B2B content sounding human.