For years, advertisers have searched for the twist of phrase, visual pun and Clever humor for advertising messaging. Now, Clear is the new clever.

A research article by the Nielsen Norman Group summarized today’s Copy by saying, “Users won’t read web content unless the text is clear, the words and sentences are simple, and the information is easy to understand.”

The web changes everything again. David Ogilvy fans will find the dictates of the new world copy order a little less than creative:

• Use large fonts, “tiny text dooms legibility”
• Use a clean font
• Use 8^th-grade reading level
• Use short sentences. Avoid compound sentences with subordinate clauses and conjunctions.
• Use user-centric language
• Use inverted-pyramid writing style

Headlines continue to be very important for readability and comprehension. Headlines are also is key to attracting eyeballs to your copy.

In addition to writing new, clear copy, you must also insert enough keywords to make a search engine optimization (SEO) difference.  So “Clear, search-optimized copy is the new clever.”