Top 5 UX Writing Blunders You Should Avoid

The article is devoted to UX writing mistakes, considering and eliminating which you will increase the number of satisfied customers.

Text is an integral part of the content. It matters for SEO, loyalty, company image, and brand credibility. Moreover, sometimes short phrases are everything for:

• whether the user will abandon the cart;
• what the conversion rate will be;
• user’s opinion about the company;
• impression of interaction with the site.

The text on buttons and pop-ups can tell this. They should not be neglected. This is why UX writing came into being. Like design, it focuses on the user experience and seeks to improve it.

Words can make a client fall in love with a company. Or vice versa – scare away the user at the last moment. Next, we will tell you about UX writing mistakes, eliminating which you will increase the number of satisfied customers.

Using “Lorem Ipsum”

Avoid using fake text. And even in the prototype. By filling it with real content, you appreciate the finished product design. You may as well want to use a prototyping tool for that.

You will see if the text fits the size of the items. If not, you can adapt, for example, by reformulating the phrase. However, using fictional text will not allow you to see this beforehand. Be sure the flaw will be revealed right before the launch of the product or blog.

Also, when using text-fish, there is a chance that the page will forget it somewhere. This creates serious difficulties. After all, it is content that explains the context of a particular page.

Addressing a Sense of Shame

Getting the user to take action is good. However, it is essential to do it correctly. The use of passive aggression to stimulate action is an example of the opposite.

It even sounds strange. Occasionally, however, there are pop-ups that friendly offer to subscribe and passive-aggressively allow you to unsubscribe. At the very least, this is unethical. To avoid such mistakes in communication with a client, it is necessary to continually improve skills, adopt positive experiences from experts, read thematic articles, books, and participate in workshops. This is the only way to ensure high-quality content.

It’s strange to start a relationship with customers and make them feel ashamed. It’s even more surprising to hope for a long-term relationship after such a thing. This move will not work for every user. And the people he nudges into action are unlikely to stay with the company for long.

Lack of Emotion

Any text read by the user is the company’s appeal to him. How does it happen? In reality, no one likes to interact with detached people who are not involved in the conversation. There is a feeling that the person does not care about you. This is also true for the communication of the company.

Most often, unemotional appeal occurs on error pages. They are filled with dry text. He has no intention of helping or explaining the situation. They are just instructions that confuse the user.

The message looks abstract. It doesn’t explain what happened. Even after reading it, a person will not understand how to avoid such a nuisance in the future. The value of such a message to the user is zero.

Error pages can be points of strengthening visitor relationships. Just add some emotion and humor. Best of all, it will help change negative user experiences into positive ones.

Here’s a good example. And there are several reasons for this:

• No charges against the user.
• The person explained what could have caused the mistake.
• The explanation is presented in understandable words.
• The message is written in a positive tone.

But most importantly, Spotify offers the user options for further action. In fact, it helps to eliminate the mistake. This is a great example of how one post can change a negative user experience into a positive one.

Blurry Text

In UX copywriting, the purpose for which a particular phrase is written is essential. Every word has a challenge. You need to make sure that the text is appropriate for the purpose. This is a relatively large-scale question, so it is easier to disassemble it with examples.

In addition to the text that is displayed on the pages, there is content that describes the functions of the buttons. It can make the use of the site more enjoyable. Let’s imagine that there is a page for adding bank card details. It’s great that the user can pay with it. It’s comfortable. But what if you change the text on the button so that the person understands why to click on it?

Users don’t like challenging tasks. However, some companies ignore this, maintaining a multi-stage payment process. You can show that everything is much easier for you. To do this, change the word “Continue” to “Complete and Pay.”

Also, make sure the buttons and lines in the forms are clear. With their help, you can create a database of email addresses and make a mailing list. However, you must first obtain the contact details.

Users may fill in the form fields incorrectly. This is normal. Usually, people don’t know how it works on a particular site. Help them by telling them how to fill in the fields correctly. Below is an example of how not to do it.

None of the suggestions presented help the user to complete the task. Probably, the person will make a couple of attempts and give up. The most offensive thing is that it is not he who will lose, but the company.

Instead of resentment, supplement the notifications with friendliness and willingness to help. Add examples or explanations. So, the visitor will immediately understand what information to enter. By seeing the rules, he will be able to complete the task. And even if a mistake is made, the person will correct it.

This is an example of good form text. The use of humor makes the information easy to understand and creates a positive impression. We also added examples to the fields. Thanks to them, the user instantly understands what data to specify.

Too Much Text on the CTA Button

Very often, when it comes to UX copywriting, there is not enough text. Users are simply told the facts. At the same time, the need to explain further actions is ignored. However, the situation is reversed with buttons.

Companies often talk too much. The CTA button is one targeted action. For example, getting started or installing an app. It is not necessary to describe such a task in detail. Just nudge the user into action. In fact, 1-3 convincing words are enough for this.

This is a case where brevity is especially welcome. Don’t overload the button with unnecessary information. The shorter, the better. Here are some text options for the CTA button:

• to learn more;
• to begin;
• checkout;
• rate the app.

In support of this, look at the following example. Buttons in it contain no more than 2 words. However, the purpose of each of them is obvious. Minimal textual content helps guide the user without overloading the application with information. Everything is simple and easy.

Conclusion

User experience is the key to achieving loyalty. If you want to increase trust in the company and qualitatively develop relationships with customers, you need to improve it. And UX writing will help with this.

About the Author: James Riddle is a freelance writer passionate about new technologies, marketing trends, and branding strategies.

Title image from the Flame pack on Ouch illustration library

Learn how to work on user experience for multilingual websites and design for mobile ecommerce, check how to design user-friendly product pages and billing forms for ecommerce websites, and read how user experience influences the level of trust in the website.