{"id":55044,"date":"2021-02-16T07:00:12","date_gmt":"2021-02-16T15:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eigene-homepage-erstellen.net\/?p=55044"},"modified":"2021-07-26T16:21:34","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T23:21:34","slug":"writing-for-ux-principles-and-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eigene-homepage-erstellen.net\/blog\/content\/writing-for-ux-principles-and-examples.htm","title":{"rendered":"Writing for UX: Principles and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Though they say nobody likes a critic, there is something to be said about how much value constructive criticism can add. Good UX relies on customer and audience input to continually improve products, services, and experiences. Luckily, A UX writer can translate the user’s needs into actionable changes to improve the user experience.<\/p>\n

Of course, it takes more than looking at a website, an app, or a point within a process and aimlessly making adjustments in hopes that it will fix a wide array of issues. It requires thorough knowledge of the company, product, brand, and most importantly: the user. Here at Portent, we do exactly that. Before we dive into principles and examples, let’s cover how we define and execute UX writing.<\/p>\n

What is UX Writing?<\/h2>\n

UX writing is the practice of creating copy for alerts, CTA’s, navigation, and every element you see on a page to help nudge users through a digital experience. Whether a user fills out a payment form, lands on a service page, or views a shopping cart, a UX writer’s role is to proactively find opportunities to reduce friction points and move the user further down the marketing funnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If there is a roadblock on the user’s side that prevents them from seamlessly accomplishing a task, it poses a threat to the business’s goal as much as the user. The bottom line is that if a digital process is broken, neither the user nor business can benefit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Four Major UX Writing Principles<\/h2>\n

UX’s goals depend on the project at hand, but it is vital to follow UX best practices no matter the business, product, or platform. Although there are various ways to approach UX writing, most writers stress that for content to be effective, it must be purposeful, conversational, concise, and consistent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. Be Purposeful<\/h3>\n

When it comes to good UX writing, the content on a page must serve a clear purpose to the user and provide information necessary for the user to know without leaving the page. Since 79% of users are scanners<\/a>, it’s essential to position the content with the highest priority toward the top of the page. Users should be able to get the most critical information right off the bat, or they may bounce off your website to find it elsewhere.<\/p>\n

2. Be Conversational<\/h3>\n

Creating a conversational experience does not require adding personality for the sake of it. Instead, use a tone of voice<\/a> that leaves a positive impression on the user when the process is mundane or could cause irritation (such as a user getting locked out of an account or entering incorrect credit card information into a form-fill).<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that there are nonverbal ways to communicate with your users as well. Color, typography, and spacing can express brand personality and mood, which is just as important when making a digital impression.<\/p>\n

Not sure how to make your copy more conversational? Think about how you would explain the process you want your users to go through to a friend or family member.<\/p>\n

3. Be Concise<\/h3>\n

Although it might take a lot of copy to inform the user and make it personable (such as a complicated product), you might not have the space to fit it on the page. There is a time and place to be descriptive and creative, but it is imperative to respect the user’s time and attention span when it comes to UX.<\/p>\n

Too much copy can overwhelm the user, but too little copy can come off as cold, bland, or unhelpful. To achieve this delicate balance, each word, sentence, icon, and punctuation mark must be carefully selected.<\/p>\n

Ensure that your content is concise and to the point as long as the user’s needs are met first. The key is only to include vital information that is easy for a broad audience to understand (without too much fluff or jargon).<\/p>\n

4. Be Consistent<\/h3>\n

Once you have established content that is purposeful, conversational, and concise, it should be applied to all aspects of the website throughout the user journey. As mentioned earlier, a good user experience removes friction<\/a>. If the elements on a page are inconsistent, it will not illustrate a seamless experience, and backtrack on the hard work you put into the copy’s design, content, and personality.<\/p>\n

It is essential to consider all four principles when you create content for a good user experience. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that not all principles always work together. For example, if there is limited space on a page, conciseness must be the top priority—and so on.<\/p>\n

Examples of Poor UX Writing<\/h2>\n

Every icon, word, color, and layout play a role in a user’s experience. Just looking at one small element on a page shows how the four principles are kept in mind throughout the design process to meet user and business goals. Let’s walk through a few examples of how UX writing could be improved.<\/p>\n

404 Page Copy<\/h3>\n

Broken links happen, and it is often outside of the UX writer’s control. Although a UX writer cannot fix the broken link, it is up to them to create a 404 error page that can soothe the user when they arrive at the page.<\/p>\n