UX Copywriting Tips

I am not a natural-born writer, but I am a product designer. Part of my job is making sure that the design is appropriate for the accompanying copy, and vice-versa. I’ve listed some helpful tips if you don’t have a handy copywriter around.

Headlines

1. Use 5–6 words.
2. Use sentence-style caps for all titles, headings, labels, menu items.

Body Copy

1. Short copy is effective for mobile interfaces and landing pages.
2. Long copy is good for web resources that provide users with complex information on specific topics that aren’t well-known and need additional informative support.
3. Cut out introductory phrases.

CTAs

1. Use 1–2 words or link a phrase in body copy.
2. Use the active voice with verbs. If possible, use the present tense.

Captions

1. Use as the short text under a picture that describes its content.
2. In web, the fonts are usually small and italic.

Best Practices

1. Use numerals in place of words for numbers.
2. Don’t overpromise with your product — say what it does, but don’t say how great it is.
3. Exclamation points should be avoided as they could come across as shouting.
4. Don’t use culturally specific idioms.
5. For error states, write the message so that the user don’t feel blamed for the error. Focus on the solution for the problem, not the problem itself.

That’s it! If you’ve got any copywriting tips, I am definitely all ears in the comment section.