Do you want to optimise your user interface texts and improve your web copywriting? Find out more about this new writing discipline tailored to the user experience: UX writing. How does this specific form of writing fit into digital interface design projects, and what are the benefits? Explained by Gwenaël Bony, freelance UX designer, consultant and corporate trainer.
UX writing, for user experience writingis part of the UX design process and is one of the specialisations of the profession. This approach involves writing the texts that accompany the user's experience of a digital product or service. These texts, known as microcopies, can be found on a website, a mobile application, a connected object or even a chatbot.
Here, then, is the first difference with any content for commercial or communication purposes. The microcopies concern all the screens and interactions that make up the digital system to be designed, with a myriad of small text elements, whereas the rest of the editorial content refers back to the skills of marketing and journalism.
The aim? To guide users and help them interact with the product or service in a fluid and intuitive way. To achieve this, UX writers need to take account of users' needs and expectations, while respecting technical constraints and marketing objectives.
It's a cross-disciplinary, global project that will require a creative process and iterations. As uses and needs evolve, the writing process must be regularly re-evaluated and modified.
Case study: UX writing to enhance the user experience
To illustrate the benefits of UX writing, here's the case of a company presenting its catalogue of products and services on an e-commerce site.
With web trends changing so rapidly, a redesign of the site is becoming a matter of urgency.
After the launch of the new site and its communications campaign, it's clear that the conversion rate is not up to scratch. Worse still, cart abandonment is high.
To understand this phenomenon, user tests are organised to understand when and why web users abandon their shopping baskets.
The test results were clear: users were lost and frustrated by the new interface. They found the product sheets too complex and the navigation too unclear. In particular, they were bothered by the ambiguous wordplay, which was incompatible with the habits of Internet users.
Faced with this negative feedback, the company decided to train its marketing and design teams in UX writing. This training enabled the teams to become aware of the importance of microcopy in the user experience.
The practical application of UX writing
Following the training, the company's teams put in place an action plan to improve the UX writing of their e-commerce site. Here are some of the measures implemented.
The teams remove ambiguous puns, reserving them for pages better suited to the development of the brand universe, and use simple, direct language.
Similarly, the interface is enhanced with tooltips and clear text to limit errors. For example, clicking on a button by mistake because the wording of the CTA was wrong and misled the user. This gives users maximum autonomy and confidence.
Another measure is the addition of clear, concise messages to help users identify and resolve any errors they may encounter.
Finally, messages inform users of the status of their order or their interactions with the site. Here, humour adds the touch of humanity and proximity that is so dear to the company.
Measures to improve UX writing
- Improve the clarity of product sheets
- Page prevention and error messages
- Addition of messages for error recognition and resolution
- Feedback to reassure users
Example of the Asphalte clothing e-commerce site
The use of clear and reassuring terms, coupled with a table, diagrams and concrete examples, limits the risk of errors while reassuring that a free exchange is possible. Other brands go even further by offering a refund.
The impact on corporate culture
The UX writing training has had a positive impact on the company's culture. It made the marketing and design teams aware of the difference between their perception and that of customers.
Rule no. 1: you are not the user.
The teams have also learned to work better together to create a fluid and intuitive user experience. They have developed a better understanding of the interdependence between UX and UI, SEO and marketing.
Every business holds part of the truth. A good user experience makes sense if there is an objective to achieve. And that objective must resonate with the needs and interests of the audience.
Don't neglect the importance of form in your work. Your texts will remain mute if the design of the interface does not follow the recommendations in terms ofaccessibility and ergonomics.
What is UX design?
When you interact with an interface, a product or a service, you are having an experience. This experience includes your feelings and emotions in the journey towards achieving your objectives.
It is in this experience that the trust between the user and the brand is built, leading to the act of purchase, commitment or loyalty.
To guide the design team in its choices, the UX designer must first understand the psychological mechanisms of the user, his environment, as well as his interests, needs and frustrations.
UX design meets the needs of utility, usability and desirability.
The unsuspected benefits of UX writing
In addition to the obvious benefits, such as improved conversion and customer satisfaction, UX writing can bring unsuspected benefits to businesses. A better understanding of customers enables companies to better understand their customers' needs and expectations. This can be achieved through user testing, surveys and data analysis. Similarly, UX writing requires close collaboration between marketing, design and development teams. This enables companies to create coherence in the digital ecosystem. Finally, UX writing helps to optimise SEO. Well-written, search-engine-optimised microcopy can help companies to improve their natural referencing.
Key facts: thanks to the implementation of an action plan to improve the UX writing of its e-commerce site, the company has seen a significant improvement in its conversion rate and a reduction in shopping basket abandonment. It now offers a high-quality user experience that meets the needs and expectations of its customers. UX writing training is a real added value for the company, and will be followed by new employees.
