Write clearly to communicate effectively
Date
24 November 2025
Every day, copywriters, social media managers and anyone involved in communication and writing wake up knowing that they will have to find a way to communicate effectively, inclusively and clearly.
This is no small task, especially when communication takes place in complex fields characterised by technical and sector-specific language, and often by a tendency to complicate language much more than necessary.
What we will cover in this article:
Simplifying is NOT trivialising
Each of us has encountered, at least once, a text that was difficult to read. And we are not talking about a book by Proust, but instructions or concrete information to be used in everyday real life. Package inserts, contracts, public administration texts: raise your hand if you have never felt, at least once, completely helpless when faced with texts of dubious interpretation.
The richness of language is certainly a wonderful thing. It is undeniable that using certain words rather than others adds precision and nuances of meaning that make every communication deeper and more authentic (as well as beautiful). Be careful, though: in certain contexts, there is a tendency to use language that is not so much rich as unnecessarily complex, stemming more from a desire to project an “elevated” image and show off one’s authority than from an expressive need, effectively creating a distance between the speaker and the listener.
And this is where the fear of simplifying comes in: as if using clear and accessible language meant trivialising what is being said. In reality, when simplifying means making the message more functional and easier to understand, what we are doing is positive, not demeaning. Because we must not forget that we write and speak, first and foremost, to communicate, and we can only do so when we are able to understand each other.
When we fail to make ourselves understood, we generate not only misunderstandings, but also frustration, disaffection and, in general, a rift between us and our users.
While the problems of “bureaucratese” are well known to everyone and risk making us feel like the protagonist of Kafka’s The Trial every day, there are other areas where the difficulty in communicating clearly stems from the technical nature of the subject matter itself. We are referring, for example, to the medical, engineering and IT fields, and so on. In these cases, it is undeniable that, among professionals, the use of technical language is functional to communication because it allows for the level of precision needed among “peers”. But if you have to communicate with people who are not experts in the field, persisting in the use of complex and jargon-filled language means creating a linguistic distance between the speaker (or writer) and the listener (or reader). This is where experts in writing and communication should come into play, using their skills to build a bridge between technicians and less experienced people, thereby facilitating the exchange of messages.
Writing clearly: it can be done!
The ‘problem’ is certainly felt, and we cannot say that there are no attempts to remedy it. Thanks in part to the European Accessibility Act, which came into force in June 2025, public administrations and companies of a certain size are beginning to make their websites accessible in terms of clarity of communication.
There is certainly still a lot of work to be done: according to the Report on Clear Language, produced by the Associazione Linguaggi Chiari (Clear Language Association) with the aim of analysing the current state of plain language in Italy, public administration bodies continue to use highly complex vocabulary, syntax and morphology on their websites, employing predominantly bureaucratic language that makes texts difficult to read and communication unclear, especially in certain areas (taxation and justice above all).
However, this does not mean that no efforts are being made in this direction: during the third edition of the Di Parola Festival, held in Ancona last September, several experts presented case studies of projects they are working on in the field of clear language and simplification. Giacomo Grassi (Head of User Experience and Digital Processes at INPS), for example, showed how, despite the difficulties and complexity of the project, active work is being done to simplify the texts on the INPS website, one of the most representative examples of an institution that uses language that is abstruse to most people, while Diego Bazzano (Head of Passenger Information and Digital Media at ATM – Azienda Trasporti Milanesi) showed how it is possible to transform the technical language of the transport sector into messages that can also be understood by non-experts. How? By starting with constant collaboration between communication experts and ATM operations staff, who are used to using extremely technical language internally.
It is thanks to this collaboration that a message such as this:
Attention, please.
Traffic disruption due to unauthorised delivery to the iron floor.
has been transformed into a message like this:
Attention.
A person on the tracks has forced us to cut the power and stop the trains.
Examples of simplification in other languages
Although the problem is particularly acute in Italy because it is historically rooted (Italo Calvino already discussed it when talking about “antilingua”), we are certainly not alone. Even abroad, there is a need to speak clearly and comprehensibly, even when dealing with complex issues such as medicine, a sector in which clarity is essential because those involved are often intimidated by their own health (or that of their loved ones).
Back in 2020, the British National Health Service (NHS) website stood out for its innovative use of language, addressing its users with terms that were anything but slang or technical jargon but, on the contrary, simple yet precise. For example, on the page dedicated to moles, very simple terms are used, such as “bleed” or “crusty”, rather than medical terms (such as “ulcers” or “exudate”).
This result was achieved not only thanks to the collaboration of medical experts, but also thanks to tests carried out on ordinary people to ensure that the texts were understandable before publication. This is how the site manages to communicate clearly with its entire target audience, using language that is effective and precise in its simplicity.
How to make complex languages clear
These examples clearly illustrate two concepts in particular:
- It is possible to speak (and write) clearly and precisely. What’s more, it is necessary.
- Making communication clear in areas characterised by complex or highly technical language is a task that communication experts can (and must) perform, drawing on their knowledge of the sector and the target audience and, equally importantly, through constant dialogue with experts in that particular field.
This is no small challenge, one that communication agencies face every day in a wide variety of fields, from construction to chemicals and cosmetics, from digital services to legal services.
SAY it simply
At SAY, for example, we collaborate with Serverplan, an Internet Service Provider specialising in web hosting – a sector defined by a highly technical and often impersonal language, which can easily create distance between brand and audience, ultimately undermining communication effectiveness.
Our email marketing strategy was designed with the goal of strengthening the relationship with customers. As a result, the company’s newsletters feature a simple, direct, and approachable tone of voice – clear, engaging, and empathetic – allowing messages to be delivered in a way that is both compelling and easy to understand.
In a context like newsletters, where attention is a scarce and valuable resource (how many emails do we delete every day?), clarity of language is essential. Our work therefore focused on refining the brand’s communication style, avoiding unnecessary complexity and technical jargon that would have added nothing to either the message or the brand’s authority.
The result? Following our intervention, the client achieved a 91% increase in conversion rate – thanks to one of the most successful DEM and email marketing campaigns in the sector in terms of revenue performance.
Communicating in a simple and clear way isn’t just possible – it’s essential. When done properly, there’s no need to fear being imprecise, trivial, or less authoritative. At SAY, we know this well: simplifying complexity and delivering measurable results are at the heart of our corporate mission, “We guide our clients through the complex world of communication with a shared, interdisciplinary approach focused on results that can be seen, felt, and measured.”
From complexity to clarity: the journey starts here.
