Let’s just be honest. There are some real douches in the corporate world. I mean there are some really smart people. But there are also some REALLY big douches; you know, the one’s you want to smack on a daily basis. The ones who make you cringe when you hear even the slightest whisper of their voice.

You know who they are. Whether they’re the suits or the hipsters – cue the Converse All Stars –  they’re out there. And some days it takes everything in you not to smack Mr. McDouche himself he’s said something so far over your head that you wonder if they even know what they’re talking about. As he continues to talk, delighting himself in their all of their McDouchery, you completely zone out. Along with every ounce of patience so goes your respect.

Don’t be like Dr. McDouche. Chances are he doesn’t know ish.

When someone says something so over your head, or as we like to say, use “big words”, there’s a good chance they don’t know what they’re talking about. And even if they do, they’re likability goes down dramatically because they’re just not relatable.

On the other hand, if he can take the time to break it down to the layman, then they have a superb understanding of the subject…in and out. There’s no longer the need to impress. Instead, the key goal is to communicate.

The same is true for websites and blogging. We get it. Your subject is deep or super creative or super geeky. Whatever the case is, while your audience may share the interest, their passion and level of understanding isn’t as deep as yours. In fact, that’s why they’re reading your blog; to learn and gain a greater understanding of the topic at hand. In this case, the last thing you want to do is use language that they don’t  – and maybe don’t care to – understand. And if you can’t communicate on their level, you’ve lost them.

How can you increase website traffic if you can’t get the people who stopped by to stay longer or come back later?

People have zero desire to get tripped up over terms, and they won’t waste their time on a site that makes them think about the words too hard. They want to gain information in the easiest manner possible. And if you’ve failed at speaking plain English, you lose them.

Instead, tell stories, use examples, and paint pictures that they can relate to. This approach much more palatable. It’ll leave a pleasant taste in their mouth, and they may even come back for more. And you once again are hailed as the genius you already know you are.