5 Signs of Good UX Copy
How do we know if UX copy is good? Of course it has to be written well, with correct grammar and spelling. But what else? Should it be catchy or memorable? Funny? Creative?
While it varies across industries and from product to product, here are five things we UX writers strive for in crafting copy, no matter what product we’re working on:
1. It’s clear and to the point.
Good UX copy doesn’t blather on and on. Users should be able to quickly scan a string of text and understand what to do next. Our goal as UX writers is always to craft clear, guiding instructions or information that users can take in easily, without having to think extra hard, so they can get to their desired destination with as few bumps in the road as possible.
2. It doesn’t annoy or deceive users.
Remember those pop-ups with the “No, I don’t like saving money” links you had to click if you didn’t want to enter your email address and subscribe to the newsletter? Bleh. The internet is full of “gems” like that—little bits of copy that aim to make you second-guess yourself or do something you didn’t plan on doing. Well, the jig is up, and most of us UX writers are no longer cool with our profession being associated with that type of mindf$#%ery. Good UX copy shouldn’t make users feel bad, even if they technically caused something to go wrong.
Photo by Volkan Olmez on Unsplash
3. It’s accessible and inclusive.
UX writers aren’t solely responsible for accessibility, but we can do a lot to make sure users feel included and can actually use the products we’re working on. These include things like adding alt-text to images, replacing generic “Click here”s with descriptive link text, eliminating stereotypes and offensive language, and more. By now we all know that, in spite of the childhood playground chant about sticks and stones, words can hurt.
4. It’s in sync with the target audience.
You wouldn’t speak to baby boomers exclusively in teen slang, nor would you use developer jargon with oncology nurses. The same principle applies to how we choose our words for digital products. UX copy has to be written with a clear understanding of who is going to be encountering it—not demographics, which can be biased and paint a skewed picture, but rather the users’ pain points, challenges, concerns, and what they’re hoping to achieve by using a certain product. UX copy isn’t one size fits all for all products, nor is it “whatever floats the UX writer’s boat”; it has to be tailored to the users and the context.
5. It mostly goes unnoticed.
Unlike T. Swift’s latest hit, users shouldn’t remember every word throughout the flow. If they do, it means they spent way too much time reading it. The copy is the means to an end; the end is a successful user experience. Sure, a little memorable playfulness or wit is okay here and there if it fits the brand personality, but most UX copy should be so smooth and easy to understand that users read it and immediately forget about it.
Is the UX copy working? The only way to know is to test and look at the data. Nevertheless, these traits can guide us in creating better, more user-centric copy and experiences.
Looking to work with thoughtful, curious UX writers who have these traits (and more!) down pat?
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