Words and user experience design: writing for a process
1. Use your words. - The greatest tool you can develop to help with this stuff? Creating a big, long list of usable (and non-usable words). This can be done as you're going through the copy or you can create it ahead of time. This will help to ensure you remain consistent through all the stages, steps, and pages of your website. For example, maybe the best way to explain what a form field will do is by saying, "This information will be used to verify you're of the appropriate age to use this website. It will not be shared with anyone." From this statement, you can start to map out the phrases you use to describe your form fields; you use contractions, you use the word "verify" instead of "make sure," you use simple, short sentences, etc. You got all of that information just from one bit of microcopy written about why you're asking for the visitors age!
I created this list as I was going through a client's process copy to make sure I used consistent terminology.
2. Enjoy some well-mannered frivolity. - Microcopy can often be a way to get across your brand in an unexpected way. It really can be a great thing to use, but only use it if it won't interfere with your users' ability to navigate your website. Saying, "Just click the button, stupid!" makes your brand seem refreshing and relatable, but it removes the usability of the button since it no longer tells them what they'll find behind it.
Wordpress uses humor in an effective way by further explaining the thought behind the humor.
3. Are you functioning properly? - It may be tempting as your writing copy for your app to inform users about the functionality of the feature you're describing since you may have built it, but it can be very overwhelming to a visitor who just wants to see the benefit. For instance, stating that. "Duplicates will be marked and removed from your database and will not receive more than one email" seems perfectly fine, but in the end, the user would much rather see something like, "Duplicate entries will only receive a single email" or something with a little personality, "Don't worry, if there are any duplicates, they'll only receive one email." If you write with the benefit of your functionality in mind (i.e., what would the user appreciate about this functionality), you'll avoid this problem.
This could have stated that a because of the code, a user can enter their email or username and the form will accept either. Instead, Betwext simply states that a user can enter whichever piece of information they have/remember.
4. Think before you ink. - Before even putting finger to keyboard, you'll do yourself a favor if you sit and think through how you'd like your UX copy to come across to the user and what you'd like them to feel as they're going through the your website. Without a firm strategy in place, you'll have inconsistencies and create confusion for your users. By mapping out that every bit of copy throughout your process should read as instructional, should encourage ease and simplicity, and should inform a user as to why you require the information, you'll be able to more easily write consistent, clear directions for using your website.
5. Write for your outliers. - If you're even reading this article, you're probably more internet savvy than the majority of the planet. It's easy to assume your ideal user wouldn't need any explanation of the signup process or the information you're requesting, but in reality, you need to assume there will be users that need their hands held. This means being clear and instructive even where you think something is obvious. The best solution for this writing in this manner? Provide examples. Even the smartest web user can get things wrong or read directions incorrectly. By providing examples either in the form field itself, or in a box next to your form field, you'll help users quickly know what they're required to do in order to proceed through the process.
This little drop-down seems obvious to some, but users may get scared as they're checking out that they will not have an option to ship their item to someone else.
6. Be a button glutton. - Buttons should be able to stand alone, without context, and a user should still understand what's on the other side of it. If it's a link to more information, be clear what information is behind it by saying something like, "More Pricing Information." That button, without context, still tells me that if I click it, I'll get to a page that tells me all about pricing for your services. Use sentences if need be, just make them descriptive and make them clear about where they're pointing. If it's submitting a form that I just filled out that asked me to create a user profile, tell me that the button I need to click to proceed will, "Take me to my completed profile page." As a rule of thumb, "Submit" should never be the text on a button unless you're asking if someone wants to bend to your will.
MailChimp's button text is clear about what you'll find on the other side of this button. It also stands alone without context.
7. Keep it short, simple, and sexy. - But not too short. I'd be willing to bet you a significant amount of money that nothing you're asking a user to do needs more than two sentences to explain. If it does, you probably have something in there about your sexy code and functionality and you didn't listen to point #3. People don't want to fill out your form. It's blocking them from getting to the thing they really want! However, microcopy can help them get through it much more painlessly, so it's a necessary aspect of your usability. Also, be sure to write in simple sentences. This means lots of periods and one subject per sentence. Commas are cool and all, but your microcopy probably shouldn't contain them. If it does, you're telling the user too much and you need to cut it back. For example, telling a user, "This information will be used to tailor search results, deliver relevant content throughout the site, and ensure you're seeing location-specific information," is just too long. They won't read it, then you'll get a scathing email later saying you never told them you'd use their location to narrow search results, trust me. Instead, simply state. "This information will help to deliver more relevant information throughout the website," to get across the same point, faster.
Use these above items for more usable, friendly navigation throughout your websites. The best part about usability and copywriting? Testing your results. Thankfully, the web is pretty gosh darn flexible and you can test out variations of text (or no text at all) to see what best helps individuals through a process on your website. So give it a shot and see if you can't increase your users' experience. Have any other tips you'd like to add to this list?
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