What are the Basic UX Writing Principles?

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UX writing is a combination of art & science.

On average, people spend 6 hours & 36 minutes daily on the screen, visiting sites, apps, social media platforms, etc.

Therefore, the words on your website or app are super important. They should be clear & convincing to get people to buy things. Even a single word can make a big difference.

This is where UX writing principles come in.

It’s all about choosing the right words to guide people through your product & make it easy for them to use. This includes website text, product pages, buttons, confirmation emails, & forms.

UX writing is becoming an essential part of website design. It helps to prevent people from getting frustrated & makes the whole experience much smoother & more enjoyable.

In this article from Design Journal, we’ll discuss seven basic UX writing principles so you can do great UX copywriting that connects with your customers.

What is UX copywriting?

UX copywriting helps you easily use a website or an app. It guides you, tells you what to do, & explains things clearly.

Why is it important?

Good UX writing makes things easy to understand. Poor UX copywriting, on the other hand, is confusing & frustrating. It makes you want to give up.

What does effective UX copywriting do?

• It shows you where to go next
• It gives you clear instructions
• Explains things in a simple way

Simply put, UX copywriting makes using an app or website a pleasant experience.

7 Basic UX Writing Principles

UX writing principles guide the creation of user-friendly, clear, and compelling content in digital products.

These principles ensure that the text aligns with the overall user experience and helps users navigate, interact, and accomplish tasks seamlessly. 

Here are the key UX writing principles:

Audience research

Before you write anything, think about who you’re writing for & what you want them to do. Ask yourself these questions:

• Who are you talking to? Imagine the person reading your words.
• What do you want them to do? For example, do you want them to buy something, sign up for something, or learn more?
• What brought them to this page?
• What’s the next step? What action do you want them to take?

Once you know where you want to go, it’s easier to write words that will help people get there.

Clarity

Many people think using the fewest words is the best way to write for user interfaces. They try to make their writing as short as they can to save space & help users finish tasks quickly.

While keeping your UX copy short is crucial, making sure people understand what you’re saying is more important. 

Writing a short message that is confusing or misleading can cause problems for users. 

For example, when asking users for sensitive information like their personal details, you need to explain why you need this information clearly.

This will make users feel more comfortable sharing their information with you.

If you struggle to make your sentences clear & concise, an online sentence rephraser helps you simplify the UX copywriting without changing its meaning. 

The tool can break down long sentences into shorter ones, rearrange their structure, & replace words with suitable synonyms. This way, you can make sure your copy is easier to read.

Simpler word choice

Use words that people are used to seeing on websites, like “Add to Cart” or “Checkout.” This helps people find their way around the website & complete their purchases.

Don’t use fancy or confusing words.

Using strange or complicated words can confuse people & make them leave the website. Simple words are easier for people to understand, which makes them feel more comfortable.

It would be best to pay attention to how people talk. Use words that they would use in everyday conversation.

Reading your UX writing aloud could also help! If reading sounds unnatural or stiff, try to use simpler words.

Right tone

Imagine visiting a doctor’s app that uses silly, playful language. 

It wouldn’t feel right!

Would it? 

Writing in the right tone helps people understand & trust your company. It makes using your app or website easy & enjoyable.

How to keep the right tone?

• Step into Your Audience’s Shoes : think about who will use your app. Are they students, professionals, or just regular people? Write in a way that they will understand.
• Align with Your Brand: does your company seem friendly & helpful? Or serious & professional? Make sure your writing reflects this.
• Focus on Context: a friendly tone is okay for a welcome message but not an error message.
• Ask People for Their Opinion: get feedback from people who use your app. If something feels wrong, tweak your tone to make it better.

When you apply this UX writing principle in the right way, you not only tell people what to do, but you also make them happy. It helps them use your app or website smoothly & leaves a good impression.

Persuasiveness

When you write for websites or apps, you can use special tricks to gently guide people towards a goal. For example, if you make people think something is rare, they’ll want it more.

Most often, we read the product descriptions on Amazon or Alibaba that say they only have a few products left. Guess what? This makes people want to buy it quickly before they miss out.

Black Friday, winter, & summer sales are a great example. They offer significant discounts quickly, making people rush to buy things.

If a website says there are only two products left, but it’s still the same the next day, people won’t trust the website anymore.

Instead of lying, you can say, “Back in stock soon.”

This helps people feel excited about the product without misleading them.

Conciseness

Your UX copywriting should be concise & help people know what to do.

Every word should have a reason. Get to the point quickly, but make sure people understand. Carefully remove any unnecessary words.

Which of these two options would you prefer for a food item?

1. Select this option to proceed with the selection & placement of your food order.
2. Click here to order food.

You would prefer the second one. 

Why?

Because it’s simpler & makes the ordering process much smoother & less frustrating.

Call to Action (CTA)

Once you get people interested in your selling, tell them what to do next. This is where “calls to action (CTAs)” come in. 

They are like signs that tell people where to go. Your signs should be clear & exciting. The words you use should match what you want people to do.

For example, if you want someone to get a free guide, you could write a CTA that says, “Download Your Guide for Free!” And if you want them to sign up for emails, this CTA will work for you: “Subscribe for Updates!”

Including CTAs as a UX writing principle will make it easier for readers to buy from you.

Conclusion

Good UX cowriting is the bridge between your product & users. To write a winning UX copy, you must learn basic UX writing principles like knowing your target audience, choosing the right tone, & focusing on clarity.

Every word you write counts. Whether it’s a button that encourages people to click or clear instructions, your words should help people & make them feel comfortable.

By learning the UX writing principles, you can write a top-notch copy encouraging readers to purchase your products!

Read our highly researched Design Principles that will guide youto create better designs for your projects. 

Frequently asked questions

What are some other UX writing principles?

The UX writing principles guide creating effective, user-centered content in digital products. Key principles include:

• Clarity: Use simple, direct, and easy-to-understand language.
• Conciseness: Communicate the message in as few words as possible.
• Consistency: Maintain uniform terminology and tone throughout.
• User-Centered Language: Write from the user’s perspective and focus on their needs.
• Accessibility: Ensure content is inclusive and easy to understand for everyone.
• Empathy: Use positive, supportive, and human-like language.
• Action-Oriented: Use actionable and specific text for tasks or CTAs.
• Focus on Microcopy: Attention small elements like tooltips, labels, and error messages.
• Test and Iterate: Continuously improve content based on user feedback.

What is the concept of UX copywriting?

UX copywriting focuses on crafting clear and concise content that enhances the user experience within digital products like apps or websites. 

It ensures that every word aligns with the design to guide users seamlessly through their journey, whether completing a task, navigating an interface, or resolving issues. 

Using user-centric and actionable language, UX writing bridges the gap between the interface and the user, making interactions intuitive and effective.

How do you document UX writing?

To document UX writing effectively, follow these steps:

• Create a Style Guide:
  • Define tone, voice, and brand language.
  • Specify grammar, punctuation, and formatting rules.
• Build a Terminology Glossary:
  • List and define terms to maintain consistency (e.g., “Sign in” vs. “Log in”).
• Develop Content Patterns:
  • Outline templates or reusable text blocks for common elements like CTAs, error messages, and onboarding screens.
• Use Design Systems:
  • Integrate your content guidelines into the product’s design system to ensure collaboration between writers, designers, and developers.
• Establish Writing Principles:
  • Document key principles (clarity, empathy, etc.) that writers must follow.
• Version Control:
  • Keep track of content updates and maintain a changelog for iterative improvements.
• Provide Examples and Best Practices:
  • Include screenshots or mockups demonstrating good and bad UX writing practices.
• Collaborate:
  • Share the document with stakeholders (designers and product managers) to ensure alignment and usability.

Tools like Google Docs, Notion templates, or Figma plugins can centralize and share your UX writing documentation.