A website is only as good as its interface. Wordiness and clumsiness are the primary sins of a bad user interface. The clumsiness of a website prevents effective user interaction on a mobile app or a website. Today clumsiness is being replaced by minimalism, not only in design but also in words!
The Changing Language in the Digital Age
The language of the web has changed in a lot of ways. Not only is there a need to write concisely, but social media has itself given a lot of new words (or internet slangs) to the vocabulary we use today. All these changes, trends, and experiences have been created for the simple purpose of enhancing user experience by making social media fast and easy.
To create positive experiences, the focus now remains on what appeals to the audience and what they want to learn. When it comes to user experience, what most people get wrong is that UX is not just about the design. In fact, UX is defined by everything that impacts the experience of the audience – including the words.
So What Exactly is UX Writing?
UX Writing can often be easily confused with copywriting. While UX writing does involve writing copies for websites, it deals with more specific objectives. Put simply, UX writing refers to writing copies for the user interface touchpoints. This writing is aimed to be useful for the user and provide them with helpful instructions and also cater to their emotions.
While a copywriter’s objective is to attract the audience and educate them about the product, UX writing explains the products and experience, ensuring that the audience stays. UX writing creates a positive experience for the user from the very moment they visit a website or open an app, through the entire flow and the exit – all with words!
UX writing copies are generally referred to as ‘microcopies’. A microcopy helps the user do stuff on the platform with very little words. Some examples of microcopies include:
- Call-to-Actions
- Instructions
- Navigation Buttons
- Error Messages
- Thank You Messages
- Forms
- Loading Screens
- Privacy Stuff
Let us look at one instance to understand how UX writing can drastically affect user experience. Imagine landing on a 404 page. Feels bad! But what if you find a really creative message on that page! Something that says they are sorry and encourages you to browse other pages. Feel different?
With the right words, you can always save the day and ensure that your users don’t have a bad experience on your website. This is how effective good UX writing can be.
Let Your Website or App Do the Talking – Why Invest in UX Writing?
People use websites and apps for many different purposes. While some want to solve some problems with it, others might just want to explore. No matter what the reason, the user must be able to navigate well to achieve their goal. This is where UX writing comes in handy.
Another great advantage of UX writing is user retention and engagement. In this fast-paced world, speed is everything. Products and platforms have very little time to attract audiences and retain them. UX writing sets the tone of experience in the initial moments and helps in keeping the engagement. Also, with explained functions and clear instructions, the chances of a user sticking around increases.
Let us take a look at some reasons why UX writing is important for creating great products today:
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UX Writing Ensures Clear Product Experience
Every product needs to provide some guidance to users – both new users and old ones. In such scenarios, UX writing proves instrumental in creating intuitive and clear user experiences. For instance, UX writing can help users mitigate through the booking or online purchasing flow – which is a common fear that many users may experience.
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UX Writing Helps Appeal to Emotions
Emotions are a part of human behavior – fear, joy, anxiety, despair, and other complex emotions too. When written properly, UX writing can show a deep understanding of human emotions and needs when using a portal. For example, when you ask users to write a review, a simple message such as – ‘ Tell others how your experience with this product/service was’ – can be very helpful.
It can give them a clear idea of what they need to write. it shows that their reviews will be read by others, and it also makes the user feel that their feedback is valued. This is a thoughtful microcopy in action.
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UX Writing Gives Users Clarity and Control of Actions
The numbers of abandoned carts, canceled subscriptions, and failed retention are significant. These can happen for many reasons such as:
- Confusing check-out messages
- Forms with many questions or lots of personal questions
- Jargon or ostentatious words
- Unclear booking or shipping charges
- Uncertainty about how to cancel an order or claim a refund
If users can’t find clarity in procedures or do not have complete control over their actions, they will abandon and switch. With good UX writing, you can use proper instructive CTAs. UX writing around buttons can also inform users about what is going to happen next after they click on a certain button. This will make them feel in control and give them the confidence to complete the transaction.
The goal of UX writing in such cases is to reduce the anxiety of the users and inform them of every step. For this, there is no need for a large paragraph. Just simple sentences that are concise and clear!
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UX Writing Ensures Transparency
Digital products can often raise concerns about privacy and security. A microcopy that can ensure transparency and build trust will create a positive user experience. If users feel that it is unsafe to complete a transaction, they are most likely to leave the site or app.
One of the major reasons behind this is the form users are required to fill. Most people assume that users will simply provide all the information they are being asked for. With an effective microcopy, you can tell the users why you are asking for information, how you will use it, and at the same time encourage them to submit the required information.
For instance, if you need to ask for your user’s credit card details, make sure you tell them:
- Why do you need it?
- What will they be charged for and how much?
- How can they cancel if they don’t want to be charged?
This transparency will build trust with the brand.
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UX Writing Encourages People to Take Action
The biggest advantage of UX copy from a revenue point of view is that it urges the audience to do more. Good UX writing can guide people to complete tasks, help in driving engagements, and encourage people to explore further.
For example, when users are shopping on an e-commerce portal, and they remove an item from their shopping cart, a microcopy could urge them to explore similar options that they might be interested in.
In Conclusion
UX writing is the bridge between digital products and users. It helps people communicate with the digital product well. Today, UX copy has become a necessity for designing processes and systems that offer a good user experience.
The benefits of UX writing are numerous
- Creates brand loyalty
- Enhances user engagement
- Guarantees seamless product experience
And much more. To sum it up, good UX writing can make your product memorable for the users. Hire the best UX design company now, and they will take care of all your needs!
