Field Tips: Why Big Words Make You Look Less Smart

Years ago, while researching copy best practices, I came across a research paper with a hilariously ironic title: Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly.

The paper was a bit of a trek, but the data proved a truth I’ve advocated for decades: simple copy beats complex prose. 

More than a decade later, with the volume of content and channels reaching a breaking point, here’s why simplicity is still your greatest competitive advantage:

1. Simplicity is a status symbol. In an era of AI-bloated content, brevity is a signal of high-level thinking.
2. Small words = Big Authority. Contrary to old-school belief, the simpler your language, the more intelligent and confident you appear to your prospects.
3. The more simple, the more inclusive. Less complex copy ensures your message resonates with non-native speakers, neurodivergent audiences and those using assistive technologies.
4. Cognitive load is the enemy.It’s not that your audience can’t process complex jargon; it’s that in a world of five-second attention spans, they simply won’t.

Here at Responsory, we push for the simplest form of copy whenever possible. We don’t just write; we architect clear, concise messages designed to win leads and drive sales. As measurable marketers, we’re always testing and challenging assumptions to get the best results we can for our clients.

Whether the channel is a blog, short-form video or classic direct mail – copy that’s simple and direct will outperform copy that tries too hard.

Test it for yourself. I promise the results will tell you everything you need to know.

If you want results that speak for themselves, reach out to our team. We’d be happy to lend a hand.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

NASA’s Artemis II mission is making history not just for its scientific milestones, but for its approach to digital storytelling. For the first time, astronauts are heading toward the moon equipped with iPhones to document their journey in a way that feels strangely intimate compared to the grainy broadcasts of eras past. From a viral Instagram Reel styled like a ’90s sitcom to high-definition selfies of the crew gazing at Earth, the mission is being built for social media. While the devices can’t connect to the internet or Bluetooth, the content they capture is being relayed back to Earth, where it is racking up millions of views and turning a serious scientific endeavor into a massive cultural moment.

WHY IT MATTERS

This shift in NASA’s communication strategy highlights a critical lesson for marketers: the power of humanizing a brand. By leaning into memeable moments and using the same consumer tech that billions of people use every day, NASA is making a distant and complex achievement feel accessible to a younger, tech-savvy audience. It proves that even the most prestigious or technical organizations can benefit from a personality-driven social presence. For marketing professionals, this is a reminder that authenticity and relatability often outperform polished, corporate messaging. As the Artemis II crew proves, if you can make a moon mission feel like a personal vlog, you can bridge the gap between any brand and its community.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Google has officially confirmed a significant logging error in Google Search Console (GSC) that has been inflating impression counts since May 13, 2025. This bug, which went unnoticed for nearly 11 months, caused reporting tools to over-report how often site links appeared in search and Discover. Google is now rolling out a fix that will cause a visible (and potentially sharp) decrease in reported impressions over the coming weeks. Importantly, Google clarified that this was strictly a data-logging issue; actual rankings, search demand, and click data were not affected.

WHY IT MATTERS

For marketing professionals, this correction challenges the theory that rising impressions and flat clicks were due solely to AI Overviews stealing traffic. Because impressions were the denominator in every Click-Through Rate (CTR) calculation for the past year, your reported CTRs were likely artificially suppressed. This means content you previously judged as underperforming may have actually been more effective than the data suggested. As the fix rolls out, you should expect your impressions to drop while your CTR appears to improve mathematically. Use this period to re-baseline your KPIs and prioritize clicks and conversions as your primary indicators of organic health.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

A coalition of over 200 child development experts and advocacy groups is demanding that Google prohibit AI-generated videos from being recommended to children. These videos, often dubbed AI slop, are fast-paced, high-volume clips featuring bright colors and nonsensical or even dangerous AI-generated imagery. While YouTube requires disclosures for realistic AI media, many of these animated clips bypass those rules, leaving parents to play whack-a-mole with content that can overwhelm a child’s cognitive development.

WHY IT MATTERS

For marketers, this isn’t just a social issue; it’s a significant brand safety risk. Roughly 64% of consumers say that the content appearing near an ad directly influences their perception of that brand. If your high-quality branded content is sandwiched between hypnotic AI slop, it risks being perceived as inauthentic or cheap by association. As regulators and platforms face pressure to implement toggle switches for AI content, brands relying on algorithmic reach may find their organic and paid visibility suddenly restricted in sensitive categories.