Every form of writing has its own set of rules.
Writing a scientific article is different from writing an advertising piece. Writing an advertising piece is different from writing an opinion article.
Today, I’d like to focus on UX Writing.
Let’s start with the fundamentals. What’s user experience writing? In vague terms, we can say that UX writing is every bit of text that a user sees or hears (hi, Alexa!) on an interface. We can also say that the main goal of UX writing has three elements:
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- Help the user get from point A to point B
Point A: the user installs and opens the app for the first time. Point B: they complete their goal, whether it’s buying a book, booking a restaurant, or something else.
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- Assure that the user understands the “why” and “how” of every step of the journey
People must know what is happening all the time. What happens if I tap on that button? Have I completed the payment? Or do I need to do it again? On a message crafted for a digital platform, there’s no space for doubt.
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- Avoid friction
If I don’t know what happens when I tap a button, I won’t tap it—so I won’t convert. If I don’t understand the language, I won’t complete the action I’m supposed to. If the app’s language is too complex, I’ll look for a competitor’s app.
Quite a snowball over here, don’t you think? The solution to all these problems is the same: writing.
Now, let’s get back to the start. We’re talking about User Experience Writing. As we have already seen, we are writing to help the user in their digital experience. And who’s this user? A person. A person who talks like a person. A person who uses people’s everyday language.
So, let me offer you three essential tips about UX writing:
1 – Write like you’re talking to a friend.
I probably don’t know you. I’ve probably never seen you in my entire life. Even so, I bet that when you’re talking to a friend, you use simple language. All the time. Did I get that right? I knew it! You don’t say that you hereby express your positive regard for a person, marked by an emotion of fondness or esteem. You say you like that person. You talk like a normal person. You use words that millions of people do. You use them in the same way that millions of people do. So, let’s do the math and look at science. People are attracted to others and things that resemble them. These are facts. Now, let me ask you something. Imagine that I show you two apps. The first one uses language that is like the one that you use on a daily basis. The second one has a ton of jargon and complex words. Which one will you prefer? Always write in a light, simple, and fluid way. Always think, “How would I explain this to my friend?” and write it down with no reservations. Probably, it won’t be your final copy, but it will be an excellent starting point. The less you write, the less people will need to read. The less people read, the less mental effort they will have to make. And what’s the consequence? The chance of people interacting with your content will be much higher. A brand must avoid saying to customers that “pursuing the societal protocol in our society regarding celebration for one’s birth, we acknowledge and are obligated to tell you that your parents were successful in a sexual interaction that occurred a variable number of weeks ago that granted you juridical personality.” A brand must always prefer to say, “Hey, Ricardo, happy birthday!”
2 – Write like you’re a GPS.
Imagine that you’re running late to work. You enter your car and turn on your GPS. What are you hoping to find? The fastest and most direct way to get there? Or the longest and most beautiful road, but that offers you beautiful landscapes? That’s the same thing with digital products. Always write your messages in the most direct and straightforward way. Always imagine that your users are running late for work.
3 – Write as if you are writing a telegram.
Back in the day, telegrams were straight to the point. There was always plenty to say and very little space. It’s the same with UX writing. A writer must ensure the user knows what to do, why it matters, and what comes next. Nothing more. Nothing less. Don’t bring to the table beautiful metaphors and lovely puns. Save them for yourself and only write what the user needs to know. If you are able to say it with 6 words while having 7 words in your copy, say goodbye to one of them. If you can do the job with 5 words and you have 6, it’s ciao for now for that extra word. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
As William Faulkner once said, always kill your darlings in writing.
At the end of the day, UX writing is nothing more than a conversation. There’s the brand, represented by a fictional person who has something to say. And there’s the user, a real person who will read, understand, and consider it useful. So, let’s make these conversations as natural as possible. I’ve never heard anyone complain about how simple a text is. What about you?
Speaking about conversations, I’m inviting you to a series of conversations about UX writing.
I will hold this workshop online on the 29th of May and the 2nd, 4th, and 6th of June.
We will explore ways to make your messages clearer, shorter, and more helpful for your users.
Spots are limited! Sign up now and take your UX writing skills to the next level.
