In this blog post you’ll learn how UX writing shapes seamless digital experiences and drives business success, from microcopy optimization to real-world examples like Amazon’s button placement. Get ready to enhance your platform’s user experience!

The UX writer plays a crucial role for any business building a digital platform. They are responsible for guiding users and shaping their experience using words. One might say they act as a navigator through the user journey, and a skilled UX writer can be instrumental in achieving your business goals.

What is UX Writing?

UX stands for user experience, and a UX writer creates a positive one by helping users understand what to do and how to do it. When constructing a digital platform, the team should ideally include a UX designer and a UX writer, in addition to developers, project managers, and others. The UX writer (who is usually also a copywriter) oversees language, word choices, and the voice in the user experience of your app or website, participating in every step of the project: from research and analysis to process, structure, prototype, design, and measurement.

Distinguishing UX Writing from Copywriting

UX writing differs from copywriting in that copywriting focuses on creatively evoking emotions, interest, and ultimately selling something with words. UX writing, on the other hand, is about using words to guide people through their experience with your platform, avoiding complexity and friction to create a seamless user journey. In UX writing, the goal is for users to complete their tasks effortlessly without having to stop and think. Copywriting often aims to make customers think and engage more deeply. However, UX writing and copywriting often overlap on a platform, as both persuasive (copywriting) and guiding (UX writing) text may be needed. If this is handled by the same skilled person, you stand a better chance of ending up with seamless and stunning copy throughout the platform.

The UX Writer’s Main Tool is Microcopy

The output of a UX writer’s work is called microcopy—those small but critical words resulting from their efforts. To write effective microcopy, a UX writer needs to understand users and customers through research, identifying their problems, motivations, goals, language, and needs as they navigate the application. Additionally, a UX writer collaborates closely with the designer’s process, crafting a tone or voice personality to optimize the language for your platform’s target audience. They conduct user interviews, create content strategies, and consider SEO (search engine optimization). Their work ultimately helps users accomplish your desired actions, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, purchasing a product, or upgrading services.

A significant aspect of UX is usability and accessibility. Microcopy should always be clear, concise, and human, regardless of the brand or voice personality. It should make platforms accessible to all, regardless of their education level, cultural background, or disabilities.

UX Writing Is Design

I dare say that writing UX is also designing. This is not just because the UX writer works closely with UX designers, but because she’s designing the experience your users or customers will have. A UX writer must possess both a writer’s and a designer’s mindset. As a writer, one needs to consider how many words fit, how to describe actions so that users understand, and what tone to use. But one also needs a designer’s mindset to think about what happens in the next step of the user journey and what problems users might encounter.

The Most Lucrative Button in History?

UX design is not just about what and how you write but also where you place it. A classic (and costly) example of how a few words in the wrong location can backfire is from Amazon’s e-commerce site. The issue was with the common phrases ”Email Address,” ”Password,” and two buttons labeled ”Login” and ”Register.” These words themselves were not the problem; in fact, you should ideally never change ”Log in” as users expect it. The issue was the placement.

When Amazon’s customers had filled their carts and clicked ”Checkout,” they encountered these words and buttons. It frustrated them. They didn’t want to create an account; they just wanted to make a purchase. Amazon recognized their mistake and tried a simple solution: they replaced the ”Register” button with ”Continue” and added a clarifying message below it: ”You do not need to create an account to make purchases on our site. Simply click Continue to proceed to checkout. To make your future purchases even faster, you can create an account during checkout.”

This change led to a 45% increase in Amazon’s sales, equivalent to $300 million in the first year, which demonstrates that UX writing is deeply intertwined with psychology and understanding human behavior.

Much can happen in a user’s journey through your platform, and various emotions can arise. This is why any copywriter you hire to create content and communication for your website or app should also be a UX writer, to guide, assist, and support your users through a smooth sailing experience.

Are you on the prowl for such a sparkling individual?