“Place your order.” —Amazon
Is there anything better than knowing you’re one click or tap away from seeing that brown box on your doorstep? Those three little words say everything you need to know. No guesswork. No confusion. You’re done (except for the dreaded wait for delivery 😉).
This is what a quality user experience looks like. Through copy, we can support customers as they move through our websites and tech tools. UX writing is the process of creating that copy.
What the Heck Is UX Writing?
UX writing is a fancy-schmancy phrase that simply means user experience writing. It’s the process of writing the copy that helps support and lead users through a website, app or a type of software.
The prompts shown on your new iPhone during set-up? That’s UX writing. Useful 404 error pages that make navigating a website easier? Yep, that’s UX writing too.
UX writing: The process of writing the copy that helps support and lead users through a website, app or a type of software.
Let’s go a bit deeper. UX writing typically includes two main types of copy: microcopy and macrocopy (it’s all a bit meta, isn’t it?).
Microcopy
Microcopy is the small tidbits of copy found around websites and tech tools. For example, a call to action (CTA) button on your website is an example of microcopy. Other examples of microcopy include:
- Loading messages
- Error messages
- Captions
- Tips
- Form-field text (text found inside the boxes on forms)
Macrocopy
Macrocopy is the larger blocks of text that deliver context to your audience. For example, the “thank you” message you receive after entering your email address into a website form is an example of macrocopy. Other examples of macrocopy include:
- Purchase confirmation pages
- Thank you messages
- Informative messages
- Pop-up messages
UX Writing: Your Customers Demand Good UX
So what’s the big idea? UX writing is critical, especially as technology continues to be an ever-growing part of our lives. Both microcopy and macrocopy guide us through making purchases, placing orders, creating documents, making calls, scheduling appointments and so much more.
Put simply, there is no online, in-app or mobile experience without UX writing. And if that isn’t enough to see just how important it is for your business, your customers also demand and expect a solid user experience.
A well-designed user interface could raise your website’s conversion rate by up to 200% and a better UX design could yield conversion rates up to 400%.
74% of visitors are likely to come back to your site if it has a good mobile UX.
Copy is powerful. One missing CTA button can make or break the entire experience for a website visitor and result in a lost lead for you. You can’t ignore it.
Want to learn more? Adobe’s UX Writing Guidelines are a great resource.
Brands Doing UX Writing the Right Way
There are so many brands out there doing all of this the right way. To help visualize its importance, here are some examples of UX website writing in the wild (check out the copy in the orange boxes!).
1. Google
First, here’s a classic example to show just how simple and critical UX writing can be. If you visit Google’s website, what are you going to do? Search. That’s the brilliance of the “Google Search” button. It’s simple, to the point and quickly enables a user to perform their task.
2. Apple
This tidbit of text is a great example of using microcopy to advance your audience further into the funnel. Apple provides users with a simple CTA followed by a couple of benefits without taking away from the aesthetics of their Home page.
As a bonus, check out the “Learn More” copy under the event announcement. Easy peasy and actionable—just the way UX writing should be.
3. Disney
Website menus are also examples of UX writing. Disney’s website is the hub for all of their services and products from their streaming service to theme parks. This menu makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for, fast.
The User Experience Matters Just as Much as Marketing Does
Capturing the attention of your audience is the first hurdle. Once you do, it’s important to provide the best user experience possible to keep it. Where do you need support? The Word Nerds are here to help. Send us a message!
