A to Z of UX Writing for Product Managers & Designers
Why should Product Managers & Designers learn UX writing at all?
I am back at Xplainerr! It’s been more than a year since I wrote last. As they say, the best time to write was yesterday and the second best to write is today!
In today’s blog, I want to cover UX writing. (Please do share on LinkedIn/Twitter). I want you to quickly jump on the blog.
✍🏻 What is UX writing?
UX writing stands for User Experience writing. It refers to the process of crafting the text or content that appears in a digital product such as websites, apps, or software. The goal of UX writing is to create clear, concise, and effective messaging that guides users through the product and helps them achieve their goals.
UX writing is an important aspect of user experience design because it directly impacts how users interact with the product. Good UX writing helps users understand the product's features, how to use them, and what benefits they offer.
Let's take an example from the Spotify app to explain the difference between good and bad UX writing.
❌ Bad UX Writing Example: If the copy for the 'search' bar on the Spotify app says "Type here to search", it's not very helpful. The copy is too generic and doesn't provide any context to the user about what they should search for. It doesn't guide the user and can lead to frustration and confusion.
✅ Good UX Writing Example: On the other hand, if the copy for the 'search' bar on the Spotify app says "Search for songs, artists or albums", it's much better. This copy is more specific and provides clear guidance to the user about what they can search for. It's also concise and easy to understand, making it more effective in helping users achieve their goals.
In summary, UX writing plays an important role in creating a positive user experience by providing clear and effective messaging that guides users through the product.
👉🏻 Why should Product Manager & Designers learn about UX writing?
Product managers and designers should learn about UX writing because it is an essential component of user experience design. A well-crafted UX copy can make the difference between a user being able to use a product with ease or becoming frustrated and giving up.
UX writing helps to create a cohesive experience for users by ensuring that the messaging is consistent across all touchpoints of the product. It also helps to reduce confusion and increase usability, making the product more user-friendly and ultimately more successful.
Let's take an example from Booking.com and Gmail to illustrate the importance of UX writing.
🌴 Booking.com Example: On Booking.com, the copy for the "Check Availability" button could simply say "Check Availability." However, a more effective UX copy would be "Check Availability and Prices." This additional wording is crucial for users because it lets them know what to expect after clicking the button. It also saves users time by giving them all the information they need in one place.
✉️ Gmail Example: In Gmail, when a user tries to send an email without a subject line, a message appears that says "Subject is empty." While this is technically correct, it's not the most user-friendly copy. A better option would be to say "Please add a subject to your email." This copy is more helpful because it tells the user what to do next and helps them complete the task more efficiently.
In conclusion, product managers and designers should learn about UX writing to improve the usability and user experience of their products. Effective UX copy can make a significant impact on user engagement and satisfaction, ultimately leading to greater success for the product.
🥳 Core UX writing principles
There are several principles that guide UX writing, but here are the top five:
👓 Clarity
The language used should be clear and easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that might be unfamiliar to the user.
❌ Bad example: "Sorry, the page cannot be rendered at this time due to an error. Please try again later."
✅ Good example: "Oops, something went wrong. Please try again later."
🤱🏻 Brevity
Keep the text concise and to the point. Users have limited attention spans and don't want to read long paragraphs.
❌ Bad example: "In order to complete the registration process, you need to fill in all the required fields. This includes your name, email address, password, and date of birth."
✅ Good example: "Please fill in all required fields to register."
🚧 Consistency
Use consistent language throughout the product to avoid confusing users. Use the same words to describe the same actions or features.
❌ Bad example: "Click here to search" vs. "Search here"
✅ Good example: "Search for products" (used consistently across the product)
🤴🏻 Empathy
Use language that shows empathy towards the user. Address their needs and concerns and guide them towards a solution.
❌ Bad example: "Invalid username or password"
✅ Good example: "Oops, it looks like your username or password is incorrect. Please try again."
📚 Context
Provide contextual information to guide the user and help them understand what they need to do.
❌ Bad example: "Error: 404"
✅ Good example: "Sorry, we couldn't find the page you were looking for. Please check the URL or try searching for it."
In summary, good UX writing is clear, concise, consistent, empathetic, and provides context to the user. It helps users achieve their goals with minimal effort and frustration, leading to a positive user experience.
🌎 Case studies
Let’s see some examples of what a good vs bad UX writing is.
📅 Google Calendar
❌ Bad example: "Event creation failed"
✅ Good example: "Oops! Looks like something went wrong. Please try again."
Explanation: The bad example is too technical and doesn't provide any useful information. The good example is more user-friendly and empathetic, acknowledging that something went wrong and offering encouragement to try again.
💰Stripe
❌ Bad example: "Error: 400"
✅ Good example: "Sorry, we couldn't process your payment. Please check your payment information and try again."
Explanation: The bad example is too technical and doesn't provide any useful information. The good example is more user-friendly and provides guidance on what went wrong and what the user can do to fix it.
🥅 Netflix
❌ Bad example: "There was an error. Please try again."
✅ Good example: "We're having trouble playing this title right now. Please try again later or select a different title."
Explanation: The bad example is too generic and doesn't provide any useful information. The good example is more specific and provides guidance on what the user can do next. It also acknowledges the issue and offers a solution.
🚖 Uber
❌ Bad example: "Driver not found"
✅ Good example: "Sorry, we couldn't find a driver in your area. Please try again later or select a different pickup location."
Explanation: The bad example is too abrupt and doesn't provide any guidance on what the user can do next. The good example is more user-friendly and provides options for the user to try again later or select a different pickup location.
🚁 Micro-copy for error message, buttons and tooltips
⚠️ Error Messages
Be specific and clear: Error messages should clearly explain what went wrong and how to fix it.
❌ Bad example: "Invalid password."
✅ Good example: "Password must contain at least one uppercase letter and one number."
Use plain language: Error messages should be easy to understand, even for non-technical users.
❌ Bad example: "Transaction declined."
✅ Good example: "Your payment cannot be processed. Please check your payment information and try again."
Offer helpful suggestions: Error messages should provide helpful suggestions or next steps to the user.
❌ Bad example: "Invalid login."
✅ Good example: "Your username or password is incorrect. Please check your credentials and try again or reset your password."
Be empathetic: Error messages should convey empathy and understanding towards the user's frustration or inconvenience.
❌ Bad example: "Error: 404 Not Found."
✅ Good example: "We're sorry, our servers are currently down for maintenance. Please try again in a few minutes."
🔵 Button labels
Be concise and clear: Button labels should be short, clear, and accurately describe the action.
❌ Bad example: "Submit"
✅ Good example: "Save Changes"
Use active verbs: Button labels should use active verbs that convey the action the user is about to take.
❌ Bad example: "Account Deletion"
✅ Good example: "Delete Account"
Follow platform conventions: Button labels should follow platform conventions to reduce cognitive load for the user.
❌ Bad example: "Put in Shopping Bag"
✅ Good example: "Add to Cart"
Prioritize primary actions: Button labels for primary actions, such as submitting a form, should be more prominent and distinct than secondary actions.
❌ Bad example: "Create Account"
✅ Good example: "Sign Up"
🔍 Tooltips
Provide context: Tooltips should provide additional context or explanation for the user.
❌ Bad example: "Name"
✅ Good example: "Enter your full name, as it appears on your government-issued ID."
Keep it brief: Tooltips should be short and to the point, without overwhelming the user with information.
❌ Bad example: "Passwords must be a minimum of 8 characters in length and contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number."
✅ Good example: "Password must be at least 8 characters long."
Use plain language: Tooltips should use plain language that is easy for all users to understand.
❌ Bad example: "Feature only for premium members."
✅ Good example: "This feature is only available to premium subscribers."
Make it visually distinct: Tooltips should be visually distinct from other elements on the page, so users can easily identify them.
❌ Bad example: The tooltip appears as small, grey text next to the icon, easy to miss.
✅ Good example: The tooltip appears on hover, underlined and highlighted in blue.
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