UX writing has become integral to designing a website with a seamless user experience. It’s not just about the words on the page but how they’re presented and interacted with the user.
UX writing can distinguish between a confusing and frustrating website and one that engages and converts visitors into customers.
In this post, we’ll explore the power of UX writing and how it can transform your website into a user-friendly and effective online platform.
What is UX Writing?
User experience writing (UX writing) refers to creating all customer-facing text or copy that shows within digital products.
Users can interact and use software products, such as desktop and mobile apps, games, and other “multimodal” experiences, such as voice interactions, by understanding how they work (think-talking TVs, Google Home devices, Amazon Alexa, or car interfaces).
UX writing’s main objective is to develop microcopy that helps users finish tasks in web products or mobile apps. In other terms, UX writers are interaction designers.
UX writing includes such topics as:
- The welcome message that appears when you launch a program on your phone
- The words you see written on icons, like “Log in” or “Sign up.”
- Error messages appear when something goes wrong, such as inputting your password incorrectly.
- On a website, the menu products’ labels
- Detailed instructions on what to do next; for instance, when booking a flight, you’ll typically be asked to choose your travel dates and location before selecting your seats, etc.
These brief instructions seem insignificant. However, UX writing is just as significant as UX design itself.
What Does a UX Writer Do?
UX writers are multidisciplinary experts who have a working knowledge of, among other things, interface design, content strategy, and design. They combine their expertise in these fields to create copy that enhances users’ intuitive interactions with digital goods.
UX writers create the text that appears on the surface of a digital product. It applies to all writing, including menus, error messages, and buttons. These brief texts are referred to as microcopies.
In a broader sense, UX writers convey the product’s content throughout all its interfaces, from emails and product pages to copy and push notifications. Therefore, they must conduct UX research frequently and gain a profound grasp of the user to accomplish this effectively.
Many UX writers have experience as copywriters or still do. However, a UX writer’s duties go beyond simply aiding in product sales, unlike a screenwriter’s. By designing an experience that will enhance users’ everyday lives, they must provide users with value.
The UX writer’s responsibility is to intuitively lead the user through the digital experience, bridging the gap between the user’s requirements and business objectives.
However, UX authors don’t spend their entire day creating microcopy. Additionally, they contribute to developing the brand or product voice and ensure that it is accessible to and usable by all content producers within the company.
To accomplish this, UX writers produce a content style guide, an internal document outlining the rules and writing standards for the copy and content of a company’s products.
Last but not least, in a more philosophical sense, UX writers need to stand up for their customers. Therefore, the UX writer must speak up whenever a designer, developer, or product manager proposes a feature, task, or project that the user might find confusing and explain how it can and should be communicated more clearly.
Why is UX Writing Important?
UX writing is essential because it initiates a meaningful dialogue between the customer and the product (shapes the overall user experience).
The user experience, also known as UX, refers to how easily users can interact with a product or service and carry out their intended duties (e.g., booking a flight or buying a cinema ticket).
If the user has a positive encounter, they will likely buy that product again. From a business standpoint, that is a devoted client who will keep interacting with (and probably recommend) the company. Without that link, the user might get lost and switch to a competing product because it can better serve their needs.
The user experience can be significantly aided or hindered by UX design. The most established and effective (such as Google and Airbnb) have devoted UX writers on their design teams. UX writing should be an essential component of the design process from the beginning rather than just an afterthought or an addition after the product has been created.
How Do You know if UX Writing Is for You?
Here are some crucial traits and abilities that a UX writer should have.
A designer’s viewpoint
Making products work well is what design is all about, not making them look good. The mentality of the designer is one of problem-solving. For instance, a UX writer should consider “how can this experience be enhanced” when signing up for a new online service.
Active listening
Putting your ego aside and remaining open to various ideas and recommendations are requirements for a career in UX. It’s not about you but how user requirements and business objectives line up. It calls for setting aside vanity, paying attention to criticism, and maintaining an open mind to new ideas.
Interpersonal Connections
As a UX writer, you must collaborate with stakeholders, product managers, developers, and UX designers. Developing solid relationships with them is one of the most vital aspects of the work.
Continual Studentship
In contrast to bookkeeping, which has been around for centuries, UX writing still evolves with community support. You can join conversations in various online UX writing groups or follow along. Because UX writing methodologies are evolving quickly, authors must keep up with these changes.
The UX Writing Process
UX writers follow procedures, just like designers. The UX writing method may include some or all of the steps below.
Define the Problem
Every piece of writing a UX writer solves an issue. You must define an issue before you can start solving it. Learning more about the specifications for a specific project may entail speaking with the product design team, product team, and partners. After that, it assists in having a written statement describing the precise issue you should solve.
Understand the User and the Context
UX writing is a job that demands empathy toward users. To develop a larger content strategy that meets their requirements, UX writers must place themselves in the position of potential customers.
UX writers use various means to get to know their users better. For example, some might employ customer personas to understand their target audience. Various other quantitative and qualitative UX research methods can be helpful in this undertaking.
The context that you are writing in is also an important consideration. Significant differences emerge when writing the copy for a form field instead of for calls to action. UX writers must factor in the context to produce copy appropriate to that use case.
To create suitable copy for that use case, UX writers must consider the context.
Perform a Competitor Analysis and Market Investigation
You can begin your investigation once you have a problem statement prepared. It may entail studying numerous instances to determine how a specific issue can be resolved using UX writing strategies.
UX writers may research what their rivals are doing to influence their strategy for the project. They will pay close attention to the terminology used in the sector and the typical structures and flows other goods have.
It’s unnecessary to copy what they’re doing, but knowing how others in your business deal with your problems can be helpful.
Ideate
You don’t always need to come up with original, ground-breaking ideas, which is one advantage of doing some UX study. Instead, you can research how other UX writers have handled similar issues before developing a strategy that works for your user context.
With that in mind, the rest of the ideation process must be highly tailored to the intended product and user demographic. Spend some time coming up with ideas, and then narrow that selection down based on what you believe will work best for the audience your UX writing will be targeting.
Prototype and Review
The UX writer can test their copy ideas after they have sketched them out. You can see your work more clearly through the perspective of a digital product by prototyping. Seeing your ideas in a document is one thing; seeing them in a website or app prototype is quite another.
You can accomplish that using a variety of modeling tools, including Figma. The UX writer can typically add their copy to the same file if the designer has already made a wireframe in Figma (or any other wireframing tool) so they can see how it fits into the proposed design.
This procedure aids in identifying any problems with the way the text and the graphics work together. The suggested copy may be too long for a particular area of the design, or the design may need to include more components to make room for some crucial copy. The end user will profit from changes that can be made by both the UX writer and the UX designer.
Refine
Only after several iterations will your work reach its ultimate form. The UX writer will refine their text until they feel it is user-ready based on the results of the prototyping stage.
Once the copy has been tested on users and input has been gathered, they will work with the UX designer or UX researcher to refine it. The testing and iterating process can go on indefinitely without obviously concluding.
After all, that is the essence of UX: constantly enhancing the product to satisfy the user’s requirements.
Documentation/Presentation
As with any role in UX, it’s best practice to maintain records of your work and monitor the development of the UX writing process. In addition, it allows UX authors to set standards and best practices, which can help achieve consistency—a key idea for a positive user experience.
Your employer may have interactions or presentations where you defend your choices as a UX writer in front of the design department and other stakeholders.
How Can You Get a Job as a UX Writer?
You wouldn’t be far off if you thought yesterday was the ideal moment to become a UX writer. Given the current rate of UX writing growth, companies are expected to employ thousands of UX writers in the coming years. So maybe you’re pondering where to begin.
For those who want to become UX writers, numerous resources are accessible, and more are being created daily.
Here are a few examples:
To acquire the fundamentals, you should enroll in a general UX design or a writing course. Through these courses, you can collaborate with a mentor who will help you grow and gain the experience you need to land your first job.
What’s included in a UX Writer’s Portfolio?
It’s essential first to understand how UX writing differs from other kinds of writing. UX designers concentrate on creating wireframes, mockups, and screen designs, so their portfolios highlight their work’s visual workflow and end product.
The study and usability testing can still make their work more visually appealing. They use UI words rather than creating a style. Instead of concentrating on UI, prototypes, or customer journey maps, UX writing uses written solutions you develop to solve design issues.
The following are the essential components you should include in the portfolio:
Personalized Statements
Above all, the UX writing in your portfolio should be able to talk for itself. However, it is beneficial to include some details about you. A brief biography can provide insightful information about your demeanor and working style.
So that the readers know who you are and what you can do for them, you can add a summary of your abilities. That is also a plus for UX authors who possess technical knowledge.
Tell your potential clients or employers who you are, what you are excellent at, and how you will use your skills in the workplace in a few paragraphs of writing. A brief but compelling introduction helps your customer understand what makes you unique and how you can support their cause. Remember that you don’t need to go overboard; just enough personality should be displayed as your readers search for the best applicant for the position and the best resume.
Contact Details
Make it simple for prospective employers or clients to contact you if you want people to discover you and have opportunities to work with you. Include your social media connections and phone number, and email. Place links to your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook profiles in prominent locations.
Case Studies and Work Examples
The most valuable component of your UX writing portfolio is your work examples. Thus, compile all of the writing you have done so far, such as screen titles, buttons, menus, labels, placeholder texts, error messages, alerts, forms, sign-up pages, descriptions, and confirmation modals, and include the best of it in your portfolio.
Testimonials
Include recommendations from your previous employers or clients if you have expertise working as a UX writer. Include documented recommendations from clients and employers in your portfolio. Ensure the names, positions, and companies of those who provided the quotes are obvious.
UX Writing Tips and Best Practices
To achieve that perfect balance of being concise and valuable, blending in with and enhancing the user experience while injecting a hint of personality takes careful balancing (whatever that may mean for the brand). It requires practice to write UX. It involves more than just writing user instructions and ensuring they appear on the screen.
Here are some UX writing tips and best practices to keep in mind.
Be Clear and Concise
Each microcopy should have a distinct goal. It has no place on the interface if it doesn’t aid or direct the user. Try to deliver the information succinctly and effectively, trimming any extra “fluff.”
For instance, saying “Enter your passcode” rather than “You must input your six-digit passcode to log in” is much more effective.
Don’t make the user Overthink.
Simplicity is your ally (and the user’s) when writing for user experience. Always prioritize simplicity and precision; make it simple for the user to comprehend what needs to be done. Avoid using long, complicated phrases that make the user pause and reflect.
As an illustration, the statement “I don’t want to delete my account” is unclear and difficult to understand. “I want to retain my account” would be a more straightforward replacement.
Active, Not Passive Voice
In your UX writing, as much as feasible, use active voice. Users get the impression that they read from a reputable and trustworthy source. Sometimes you need to use the passive voice subtly but do so in moderation.
For instance, stating, “You must upload a profile picture before you can finish your account creation, is awkward and wordy.” The message is significantly improved by switching to the active voice, as in the sentence “Upload a profile picture to complete creating your account.”
Write for accessibility and diversity.
It is essential for all stages of the UX design process, and UX authoring is no different. No matter how the reader accesses the product, write in an easily understood manner.
A more inclusive way to say the same thing is “Show more choices.” for instance, some people who view your copy might use a screen reader rather than reading or seeing it. The “See more choices here” copy will then exclude those individuals.
Show, Don’t Tell
Make sure to demonstrate to consumers how to use a product consistently. Use visual clues and instructions to inform them of a product’s capabilities and entice them to discover what it can do for them. If you tell them about a product’s features, users won’t learn much about it, so avoid doing that.
Difference between UX writing and Copywriting
UX writing and copywriting may seem similar, but they serve different purposes.
Copywriting is focused on creating persuasive and engaging content to promote a product or service. It can use more creative and emotional language to persuade the user to take action.
UX writing is centered on enhancing the user experience and helping users achieve their goals on a website or app. It focuses more on usability and clarity, using concise, straightforward language that guides the user through the interface.
While both are important in creating a successful digital product, UX writing emphasizes utility and usability, while copywriting is on persuasion and conversion.
