“Make it so simple a 12-year-old can understand it” sounds clever, but it’s not how grown-ups buy.
Your readers are homeowners weighing budgets, procurement leads comparing risk, and developers watching timelines. They’re intelligent, busy, and experienced – and they’re scanning your website to decide whether you’re worth the investment.
Website readability should make the site effortless to use for anyone… but your message? That should speak directly to the people who actually sign.
Let’s unpack why writing like a babysitter might be costing you high-end buyers, and how to elevate your copy without sacrificing clarity.
Website Readability: Clarity is not the same as dumbing it down.
If you’re building a high-end brand – whether you’re an interior designer, product brand, or lifestyle entrepreneur – your words should respect the intelligence, taste, and buying power of your audience.
- You’re not selling to toddlers.
- You’re not writing clickbait.
- You’re not shouting into a TikTok void (unless that’s your niche).
You’re speaking to discerning buyers who are investing in aesthetic, emotional, and financial transformation.
So let’s write like it.
The Problem: Copy That Undermines Your Brand
You’ve invested in stunning photography. You’ve obsessively picked your fonts and colors. You’ve curated a visual story that says refined, elegant, trustworthy.
But then your copy says:
“Hi! I’m Sarah! I loooove pretty spaces and I just want everyone to feel happy in their home!”
Nice, but… ok?
Your buyer isn’t looking for a bestie – they’re looking for a trusted expert who can confidently lead them through a high-stakes decision. Whether it’s a renovation, a purchase, or a design collaboration, the stakes are too high for baby talk.
Write for the Buyer: Not the Algorithm, Not the Masses
You’re not writing for the algorithm*. You’re not writing for your peers. And you’re definitely not writing for your middle school English teacher. You’re writing for the people who make decisions – and their mindset is very different from the casual browser.
Writing for the buyer means writing for:
- The decision-maker – Not the trend follower or aesthetic admirer. You’re speaking to the person who controls the budget, signs the contract, or greenlights the purchase. They want clarity, confidence, and clear value – fast.
- The client with money – Not the one collecting moodboards or “just getting ideas.” High-end clients aren’t looking for inspiration. They’re looking for partners, suppliers, or experts who can deliver on a vision without hand-holding.
- The CEO of the home (or the business) – Whether it’s a homeowner managing a major renovation, or a procurement lead selecting a product line, this person is focused on risk, return, and reputation. They need to know that you’re a professional, not just a creative.
Your copy should validate their priorities, respect their time, and guide them through the decision-making journey with elegance and authority.
* However, sometimes you ARE writing for the algo, and that requires another set of writing skills. In this article, I highlight the difference between copywriting & SEO writing, where the latter is, in fact, writing with the algorithms in mind!
3 Rules for Readable, Respectful, Buyer-Focused Copy
Speak like the brand you want to be
Your tone should reflect your positioning, not a generic content formula. Luxury brands often use third-person language, formality, and elegant restraint to signal sophistication. Premium lifestyle brands lean into a personal-yet-professional tone to build connection while maintaining authority. Mass-market brands? They go conversational, casual, and quick. None of these should talk to a kid.
There’s no one-size-fits-all voice – but there is a right one for the brand you’re building. Your words should carry the same weight as your design: strategic, intentional, and aligned with the buyer’s expectations.
Use specificity over simplicity
You’re not writing a children’s book – you’re building a brand. Simplifying your language doesn’t mean flattening it. Instead, elevate your vocabulary with purposeful precision. Use words that reflect the depth, quality, and values of your work.
Phrases like artisan-crafted, sustainably sourced, or Scandinavian minimalism speak volumes and convey aesthetic, intention, and positioning in just a few syllables. These are not “fancy” words; they could be the right words for buyers who value thoughtfulness, beauty, and discernment.
Your language should feel curated, not cluttered. Just avoid going full thesaurus on your readers – ornate isn’t the same as elevated. If your copy starts sounding like a historical fiction novel, dial it back.
The goal: clear, confident, and brand-aligned language that respects your buyer’s taste and intelligence.
Structure with intention
Your website shouldn’t be a wall of text or a catalog. It needs to be a curated journey. And in that journey, structure matters just as much as substance.
Use clear sections to separate ideas, bold headlines to guide the eye, whitespace to create breathing room, and buttons that actually lead somewhere strategic. Think of your site as a showroom – not just beautifully styled, but thoughtfully laid out to guide visitors from curiosity to conversion.
Let your design and copy hold hands, not compete for attention.
Typography, spacing, layout, and flow should all support the story your words are telling. The best websites feel effortless not because they’re oversimplified, but because they’ve been architected with intention.
Your visitors shouldn’t have to guess what to read, where to click, or what to do next. That’s your job – and done well, they won’t even notice. They’ll just feel guided, confident, and ready to take the next step.
Read: Make Buying Easier by Guiding The Clients
What High-End Buyers Actually Want To Read
Your future clients aren’t skimming for entertainment – they’re scanning for trust signals.
They’re looking for evidence that you’re capable, credible, and aligned with their standards. Every word, image, and headline is being quietly evaluated for professionalism, clarity, and confidence. They’re not here to be wowed by clever quips or quirky personality – they’re deciding whether you can be trusted with their vision, their investment, and their timeline.
This means your website copy needs to do more than sound good – it needs to feel trustworthy. And that trust starts with clear, confident messaging that speaks directly to the priorities of a high-intent buyer.
Your clients specifically want to know:
- Who you are and why they should care
- What you offer and how it solves their problem
- What it costs (or feels like it costs)
- What working with you actually looks like
- What kind of results or outcomes they can expect
- Who else thinks highly of you
If your website answers these clearly – without diluting your brand voice – you’re doing it right.
Now, should you keep your copy simple? Yes. Should you aim for making it make sense for a 12-year old? Nope. Write for your clients in mind, always!
