Processing Fluency
Why easy-to-process information feels more trustworthy and how to apply processing fluency to increase conversions in your marketing.
In this issue
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It’s almost 2026 and you decide that your old blender is past its prime. You look for a new one.
You see two boxes on the shelf. One box has a clean, simple label. The other uses a jagged, unreadable font. You grab the clean one instantly.
That is Processing Fluency. We prefer things that are easy to think about. We often mistake “cognitive ease” for truth, beauty, or safety.
Complexity, on the other hand, feels like a risk. If you have to squint, struggle, or pause to understand something, that’s a danger or risk to our brain.
Science backs this up. Researchers Alter and Oppenheimer analyzed stock market IPOs to see if companies with easy-to-pronounce symbols (like KAG) outperform those with difficult ones (BDL). They did. Significantly.
Investors didn’t check the financials. They just trusted the name that was easier to say.
Now let’s see how to make your marketing flow, too.
Three ways to leverage Processing Fluency
Simplify your visuals
If your landing page looks like a puzzle, you have already lost.
As we said, visual clarity equals trust. When a font is hard to read, people will blame the content of the text instead.
Studies show that instructions printed in a difficult font are perceived as harder to do than the same instructions in a clear font.
Have you ever thought why Google’s homepage is mostly white space? That’s your answer.
They remove every ounce of visual friction so you can get to the answer faster.
Review your assets. Increase the contrast and use sans-serif fonts. Give the eye a place to rest.
Use Rhyme as Reason
“If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
The line might be controversial, but it did win a trial. And proved that rhyming statements are perceived as more truthful.
We process aphorisms and slogans more fluently. Because they flow, we also assume they are accurate. Even when they aren’t.
Gillette did an entire campaign using this effect:
Gillette, the best a man can get. Nationwide is on your side. Pringles—You pop, you just can’t stop. This sounds catchy but also empirically true and satisfies your brain’s desire for pattern.
Try it in your copy. You don’t need to be Dr. Seuss. Just adding a rhythmic cadence or alliteration can boost credibility.
Need more? We’ve also covered Rhyme as Reason a while ago with tips on how to use it best.
Make decisions feel familiar
Fluency increases when things match what people already know.
You can instinctively click on the shopping cart icon knowing that you’ll land on the cart page. Or you’ll know that a five-star rating will mean something is exceptional.
That’s because it’s all familiar.
Stripe didn’t reinvent checkout but only copied what already felt safe: card number first, expiry, CVC, one clean column.
No clever labels. No surprises. Just the pattern your brain recognizes.
We mentioned that unfamiliar flows will make you slow down. As soon as you hesitate, your trust bar decreases. Use conventional wording. Expected icons. Proven layouts.
If users have to figure out your page, you’ve already lost Processing Fluency.
COMPLIANCE: Get compliant before you end up on the naughty list. December is the only quiet month to prep for audits. Handle compliance now, avoid Q1 delays, and unlock smoother sales. Delve offers $1,500 off. Book a demo.*
AI EDUCATION: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Midjourney… So many names, but what’s actually useful for you in your work? There’s a newsletter called The Deep View that exists to sift through all the noise and get you up to speed on what’s actionable with AI products, and it’s free. Join 512,000+ subscribers with one click and let AI empower you.*
SOCIAL MEDIA: Remixes are eating traditional marketing. Fan-edit culture shows that media power now belongs to those who create the most remixable content, not the most polished narratives. It seems like surrendering control means better performance.
PSYCHOLOGY: Want a better CTR? Turn insults you get into ads. When an electronics store was called a “birdbrain store,” they didn’t write a stiff apology; they ran ads featuring birds running the shop. The result was a 26.7% higher click-through rate (CTR). Witty.
AI OPTIMIZATION: Semrush’s analysis of 10M AI Overviews keywords shows they’re now pushing deep into commercial and transactional searches. They’ve risen from 8% to 18% for commercial and 2% to 14% for transactional searches between January and October. Ouch.
ICYMI, last time we looked at the False Consensus Effect.
The “Fluent” Crew
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