A UX writer is someone who specializes in creating text for the interface of a digital product. This is a relatively new profession, as the task of writing such texts is usually performed by copywriters, marketing managers, or other well-written members of the development team. A few years ago, this work was set aside, because it became clear that the creation of UX text should be approached professionally. There aren’t any specific requirements when applying for a UX writer position, as these can vary depending on the company or type of product you’re writing for, but it would be nice if you had a degree in communications, art, or creative writing.
Copywriting is an important part of UX design and plays an important role in providing a high-quality user experience. The job of a UX copywriter is to write texts for digital products. There are two types of text: microcopy (labels, buttons, notifications, and other small notes) and macrocopy (large text, such as written content on pages, instructions, newsletters, etc.). UX copywriting helps users easily navigate the product, perform various tasks and get all the information they need, help them get all the information they need. This is a difficult task, but at the same time very interesting and should not be confused with ordinary copywriting. In this article, we will briefly review some aspects and rules of writing UX texts, as well as some tips that may be useful for those who are just starting their career in this field.
There are three main goals of UX writing:
to help the user perform certain tasks in the product,
provide the user with useful information,
to give a “voice” to the product and/or brand it represents.
It is very easy to distinguish a good UX text from a poor one: a good text is readable, clear and concise. To create such a text, a UX writer must follow a few simple rules. Here are the most important of them:
No slang or difficult to understand technical/professional terms
Remember that the target audience of a digital product is usually ordinary users, so use only common and easily understood words (except for very specific applications). Do not use complex words that need to be searched on Google, as well as slang.
Brief information
UX texts should guide users through the product without any extraneous information. Don’t waste users’ time and be clear about the feature/problem.
There is no passive state
The passive voice lengthens the sentence and does not give clear instructions. When creating text that requires the user to take any action in the product, always use the active voice and preferably place it at the beginning of the sentence.
Texts should give solutions
In case of errors, always provide a solution so that users can complete their task, otherwise they may lose interest in using the product. For example, instead of just saying “Payment not accepted,” add “Try again” or “Pay with a different wallet.”
Testing is a must
UX writing in a product requires testing as much as the product itself. It is necessary to measure the effectiveness of different versions of the text in order to choose the best one.
Texts should be creative
The requirement to write short and informative texts does not mean that they have to be boring. Try to make UX writing creative without breaking boundaries.
To write a copy for a digital product, you need to understand how it works, what functions it performs and what goals it achieves. Therefore, you should start by carefully studying all the information about the product you are trying to write about. It is also best if you can talk to the development team to get more information and ask any questions that arise while writing the text.
Easy-to-understand, concise text is key to effective UX. The less time spent reading the text on the screen and performing the task, the better for the user. Of course, this does not mean omitting important information, but rather compressing it into a short form. For example, instead of “You must enter a password to enter the application”, it should simply be “Enter a password”. The more succinctly you can present the information without losing its meaning, the better.
Суть написання UX полягає в тому, щоб направляти користувачів до продукту і допомагати їм виконувати завдання. Тому текст у додатку повинен передбачати питання користувача і підказувати йому, що робити далі, надаючи чіткі інструкції в потрібний момент. Змушувати користувачів думати про свої наступні кроки або блукати продуктом у пошуках відповідей – головна помилка UX, яка може призвести до поганого утримання користувачів.
Just as the product itself should be consistent in style and color, its texts should also be consistent. Be sure to use the same key terms with consistent spelling (for example, don’t use “login” on one page and “login” on another), stick to a consistent tone of voice and number format. In some cases, UX writers are given a style guide to follow when creating copy for a specific product, but if not, you must control the consistency of the copy yourself. Inconsistency leads to confusion and increased user error.
Your goal as a UX writer is to understand the needs and characteristics of the audience you are writing for. For example, terminology and writing style should correspond to age characteristics. If you’re writing about a product for an older audience, avoid slang and jargon, don’t write archaic for younger readers, and make sure every sentence can be understood straight away without too much explanation.
A mistake many new UX writers make is that they start out writing in a robotic tone. This is fine in some cases, but users generally find human writing more attractive. Use the passive (e.g. “Please enter your password” instead of “You need to enter your password”), future tense (e.g. “The page is loading” instead of “The page will open”), unnecessary abruptness, imperative tone (e.g. “Your invalid email address. An authentication error occurred. Please enter a valid email address”).
If the product is intended for global use, but has not been localized or involves only machine translation of the content, your task is to write a text that does not lose its meaning when translated. To do this, avoid idioms and phrases that are known only in certain cultures, and simplify the sentence structure as much as possible.
The demand for UX writers is increasing day by day and many IT companies are looking for UX writers. To start a career as a UX writer, learn the basics of writing for digital products, find your first UX job, and find a mentor to guide you through your first project. You can take a special online course that we offer.