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UX Copy

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

UX copy (also known as Microcopy) is the words in digital products – websites, apps, electronic kiosks and complex systems – that are related to the interaction between users and the user interface (UI), as part of user experience (UX):.[1]

  • Motivating users to take action
  • Instructing users on how to successfully complete a desired action
  • The feedback users get upon completion of an action or upon an error

Notifications, emails and text messages having to do with user experience are also regarded as part of UX copy.

Promotional or informative content which doesn't have anything to do with user experience is not considered UX copy.

The profession of writing UX copy is usually known as UX writing.

The origin of the term[edit]

In his 2009 blog post "Writing Microcopy"[2], Joshua Porter, a UX designer, wrote about a payment process he developed for a retail website that received recurring errors having to do with the address the users submitted to the site. 5-10% of transactions ended in these errors. Porter finally decided to add this short text above the address fields: "Be sure to enter the billing address associated with your credit card". "It was clear the right copy meant I didn’t have to worry about that problem anymore, thus saving support time and increasing revenue on the improved conversion".

Porter shared a thought with his readers following this: Tiny words, when appearing in the right place at the right time, completely change the user experience.[3] In his post he gave a name to these tiny words: Microcopy.

As time progressed, and a need rose to distinguish the term from Copywriting, an alternative term has emerged – UX copy. The profession was then called UX writing.

Main goals of UX copy[4][edit]

  1. Help users complete a desired action – UX copy is meant to facilitate a process; guide the users as to which action to take, how and when to take it; clarify unclear terms; alleviate concerns; answer questions that might arise; make the process as smooth and frictionless as possible for the users.
  2. Create engagement and a positive experience – make the users trust you, feel emotionally invested, sometimes make them lough and enjoy the experience, encourage their cooperation and leave a positive impression of their use of the interface. In consumer brands, like online shops or leisure-time apps, well written UX copy can contribute to a raise in conversions, i.e. sales, subscriptions etc.; in professional products well written UX copy can contribute to the making of a professional and easy to use product, that will allow users to make the best of it.
  3. Strengthening the brand – UX copy is written in the brand's unique voice and tone, making it stand out from that of the competitors.

Main characteristics of UX copy[5][6][edit]

  • Clarity – the most important trait of UX copy is clarity. We need the users to quickly and easily understand what they need to do and what is the best way to do it.
  • Conciseness and Brevity - the goal is to write as few words as possible in the UI, so as not to create a visual and cognitive overload. That is why we strive to write UX copy that is as curt as possible, especially in processes where the users need to perform many, complex or quick actions. That being said, where users have any kind of emotional experience, like when completing a purchase or joining a community they care for, the UX copy can be longer in support of the overall experience.
  • Humanness – UX copy tries to give the users the experience of conversing with another human. This is why it will be written in conversational language, even in an interface of a complex professional system. Different brands and products can adopt various registers in their UX copy, from standard formal language all the way to rampant slang, according to the brand’s personality. This trait is based on the research undertaken by Prof. Clifford Nass as published in his book: The Man Who Lied to His Laptop. In his research he found users expect their interface to act human and according to accepted social norms.[7] 
  • Usefulness – UX copy must be useful for the users. Usefulness can be having an explanation present in just the right place, alleviating concerns or giving precise guidance. Usefulness can also manifest as an emotion, like when using humor to achieve a better experience.
  • Context sensitivity – UX copy should change according to the situation the user is in. When the users are frustrated – it should be concise and especially practical, but also show them empathy; in situations where the users are happy – UX copy should support this experience and put up a happy face of its own; when users are confused – it should be purposeful and inspire confidence, and so forth. A good example of matching UX copy to context can be seen in Mailchimp's voice and tone design.
  • Inclusiveness – it is important for the interface to solicit users without making any presumptions about their ethnic origin, cultural background or gender,[8] unless it is specifically meant for a demographically distinct group. That is why UX copy written for the general public will never contain cultural-esoteric slang, words known only in a specific geographic location, gendered addresses, and of course racism, ageism or sexism.

A list of UI components where UX copy is used[edit]

UX copy and voice and tone design[edit]

UX copy is part of the brand language, which is decided upon in the process called: Voice and Tone Design.

User experience surveys found that the voice and tone design has a significant impact on how the brand is perceived by users.[9]

With a voice and tone design it is possible to write systematic and consistent UX copy. This is how the brand ensures that it speaks with one coherent voice over all digital platforms, and that its voice is unique, making it stand apart from other brands.

Humor in UX copy[edit]

Some mistakenly think UX copy means humorous texts in the interface. In fact, using humor can serve the brand for good, but can also hurt it. It depends on the personality of the brand, its target audience and the specific situation.

Prof. Clifford Nass found in his research that humor has a positive effect on users, makes them feel better about themselves, like the interface more and act more easily. That being said, he advises not to use cynical humor that might offend users[10]. Since the primary goal of UX copy is usability, and since two of its main traits are clarity and context sensitivity – haphazardly or heavily combining humor in interfaces can result in drawing negative responses from the users. This is why humor should be added sensitively and in small doses, unless the brand has humor as one of its main traits[11]

References[edit]

  1. Yifrah, Kinneret (2017). Microcopy: The Complete Guide. Israel: Nemala. p. 7. ISBN 9789655721089. Search this book on
  2. Porter, Joshua. "Writing Microcopy". bokardo.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  3. UXLx - User Experience Lisbon (2014-10-02), Microcopy: How to write small, deadly copy for all occasions, retrieved 2018-07-24
  4. Yifrah, Kinneret (2017). Microcopy; The Complete Guide. Israel: Nemala. pp. 8–9. ISBN 9789655721089. Search this book on
  5. Cordell, Ryan (2018-03-10). "My 6-point microcopy checklist for non-UX writers". The Startup. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  6. "The Four Cornerstones of Writing UX Microcopy | Adobe Blog". Adobe Blog. 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  7. Ivar., Nass, Clifford (2012). The man who lied to his laptop : what we can learn about ourselves from our machines. Yen, Corina. New York: Current. ISBN 9781617230042. OCLC 792747875. Search this book on
  8. Fox, Jason (2017-10-09). "Whatever it wants, they gets". Jason Fox. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  9. "The Impact of Tone of Voice on Users' Brand Perception (Nielsen Norman Group UX research)". Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  10. Ivar., Nass, Clifford (2012). The man who lied to his laptop : what we can learn about ourselves from our machines. Yen, Corina. New York: Current. ISBN 9781617230042. OCLC 792747875. Search this book on
  11. "The right way to use humor in your microcopy". InVision Blog. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2018-07-24.


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