UX writers are responsible for the verbal part of the user’s interaction with the product—they are the authors of all the words featured throughout the user experience. Compared with other writers, they are very limited in the length of text they can use. As a result, they have to carefully consider every word and predict, analyze, and guide their users’ reactions at every point of their journey.
In this article, you’ll find research-based strategies for creating UX copy that effectively and clearly communicates to your users, builds trust, and leads them to the desired outcome.
Contents
What does UX writing include?
Before we dive into the “how” section, let’s first list the typical components for which UX writers are responsible:
- Buttons.
- Form labels.
- Navigation and other kinds of menus.
- Error and security messages, notifications.
- CTAs.
- Help messages that are showcased on the screen.
Now, let’s discuss the strategies UX writers use to create the kind of microcopy that helps turn a random user into a loyal client.
Choose the tone of voice that strikes a chord with your audience
Research by Nielsen Norman Group shows that the tone alone is enough for users to form their opinion of how trustworthy the company is, who its target audience is, and how friendly the brand is. The researchers concluded that the tones promising best results were casual, conversational, and enthusiastic.
In other studies, using informal language in microcopy resulted in a 35% higher conversion than using formal language. People who took part in the test shared that formal wording created an impression that the company was trying to upsell them.
It’s very likely that the users’ preference for informal language results from spending a lot of time using social media and messengers. Here, short texts and informal language are ubiquitous. Who knows, maybe in the foreseeable future, emoji symbols will become an indispensable part of microcopy in all kinds of apps.
For some brands, a casual tone doesn’t work. As you might have guessed, this may refer to brands dealing with large sums of money, like auto insurance companies. When text sounded more serious, users considered the brand more trustworthy.
Imagine yourself in your user’s place
A basic tool among UX designers and writers alike is an empathy map. It helps predict which emotion the user will experience during each part of their journey. On this map, every screen or direction is paired with a description of the user’s emotional reaction.
The list of valuable tools also includes heat maps and screen recordings of the user’s interaction with the app. This is exactly where you’ll discover the events that are red flags for any UX writer or designer: rage clicks, longer-than-expected read times, and too much scrolling. Screen recordings are among the most valuable sources of information for creating a working empathy map.
Of course, the copy is rarely the primary source of frustration—users are more likely to be dissatisfied with other parts of their experience. However, the UX writer can help solve their problems by adding empathy and helpful information.
For instance, a person who ordered a couple of pizzas for dinner receives the following notification: “Your order has been delayed.” If they are already hungry or maybe even have a guest, things can escalate very quickly.
To address this reaction, the UX writer can modify the message by adding “We’re sorry” in the beginning and then writing something like “The driver is getting your pizzas to you as quickly as possible. Contact support [phone number] if you need help. We offer you a 15% discount on your next order.”
The second version takes into consideration how the user feels, so it’s more likely to resonate with them.
Being persuasive, yet credible
One popular example of being unauthentic is how brands use the scarcity principle. We are wired to be more interested in a product with limited availability, so many shops use messages like “only one item left” or “discount ends today” to make their products more appealing.
The problem is that lots of users see through these techniques. If they buy the product and then, the next day, find out that it’s still available (or the discount still exists), it will undermine their trust.
One way to counteract this reaction can be microcopy like “Back in stock” or “New discount.” Also, instead of saying “Only one item left,” the writer could have written “Inventory running low.”
The bottom line
As a UX writer, you may have a diverse client base, but there are several key strategies that work no matter what you’re developing: a restaurant app, a logo quiz, or a website for a large bank. The art and science of UX writing is based on finding the right tone, empathizing with your user, and staying persuasive without being dishonest.
