![\"Microcopy](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/cover-photo.png\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nClear. Concise. Consistent. These are the 3 C’s of UX writing and are 3 of the most important concepts a UX writer must understand in order to write great microcopy for their users.<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a closer look at each one:<\/strong><\/p>\n ADJECTIVE Origin \u2014 Middle English: from Old French cler, from Latin clarus. \u201cClear<\/strong>\u201d in UX writing means exactly the same thing as it would in any other context:<\/p>\n These are on the functional level<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This is on the emotion<\/strong>al\/e<\/strong>xperiential level.<\/strong><\/p>\n Ok, that\u2019s just the definition.<\/p>\n But why is it so important?<\/strong><\/p>\n Microcopy is all the words that help users understand interfaces and take action. It guides them by communicating in their language.<\/p>\n No one likes feeling confused, being mislead, or having to work hard to get what they want (from a product). <\/span><\/p>\n It leads to negative emotions towards the product such as:<\/span><\/p>\n All of these are the exact opposite of what you want. <\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately, an experience results in an emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n Microcopy must be clear to help give your users what they want <\/span>and<\/i> what they need to <\/span>experience\u00a0<\/span>satisfaction, which is a positive emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n Satisfied users will return to buy, share, interact, sell… all the things you want them to do!<\/strong><\/p>\n How do they <\/i>talk?<\/strong><\/p>\n When you talk to your users with their words, you are clearer to them.<\/p>\n There are many ways to research your users, like:<\/span><\/p>\n Use vocabulary from your research.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Remember, it should still be generic enough not be slang or jargon. You still want everyone to understand it.<\/span><\/p>\n Reading it out loud is even better.<\/strong><\/p>\n When you read something out loud, you can hear the tone better. You can hear if something is a tongue twister or just sounds wrong. You can hear if it\u2019s confusing or not.<\/span><\/p>\n Would this make sense to someone else who has no prior knowledge?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Would your grandmother and little brother understand it?<\/span><\/p>\n Would someone who knows nothing about the platform get it?<\/span><\/p>\n Would everyone in the target audience understand it <\/span>easily<\/span><\/i>?<\/span><\/p>\n You can make assumptions, but without testing you will not know.<\/strong><\/p>\n At the simplest level, ask someone who doesn\u2019t already know what you\u2019re trying to say, what they understood.<\/span><\/p>\n Was it clear to them?<\/span><\/p>\n In essence, qualitative research means testing content on users and getting insightful feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n Take all the conclusions from steps 3 and 4 and make your content clearer.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n Rewriting, rewriting more, and then rewriting again helps refine content. <\/span><\/p>\n Remember to take a rest in between.<\/span><\/p>\n Going away and coming back is a great way to gain perspective. It let’s you see something you\u2019ve written as if for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are like most writers you may never feel it\u2019s perfect. That’s OK!<\/strong> It\u2019s not an exact science.\u00a0<\/span>You should get input from peers. You\u2019ll only know how good it is after testing.<\/span><\/p>\n Practice makes perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n Jargon is specific terminology that only a specific group of people use for a specific use.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s so specific that even users who know it will find it harder to understand, as it is not used in everyday conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n Research has shown that 80% of specialists prefer simple language to jargon whenever possible<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 GOV.UK.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a short video that sums up why you should use Plain Language for Everyone, Even Experts<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b>Slang is a lot like jargon, but is sometimes\u00a0<\/i>good for your specific audience.<\/span><\/p>\n Only use slang to add “flavor” after everything is already clear.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s least appropriate in places where the users needs clear, simple and easy directions, like error messages, or when filling out forms that might make them anxious, like credit card details.<\/span> For example, don’t write:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYo! Dog, da’ digits ain\u2019t groovin’\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n for an error message for wrong input of credit card number.<\/span><\/p>\n Slang can add personality and give your microcopy that extra edge, just be careful with it.<\/p>\n <\/b>Words, sentences and paragraphs that include more than one clear idea are complicated concepts and are less clear for users, so you should break them down. Concepts that are inherently hard to understand and need a lot of explaining will always be unclear. The best you can do is break them down or avoid them unless absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n When I started working for gov.il, there was a headline repeated on all service pages:<\/span><\/p>\n Conditions for receiving the service<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n This is both obscure and bureaucratic. It\u2019s also unspecific so, altogether an unclear way to say something pretty simple:<\/span><\/p>\n Who can apply and what you need<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n See how clear it is:<\/span><\/p>\n Anyone scanning the page will understand it immediately and quickly find the information they need.<\/span><\/p>\n Because \u201cConditions for receiving the services\u201d is not everyday language, simply reading it requires an effort. You then need to figure out what it means and how it is relevant.<\/span><\/p>\n To sum up:<\/span><\/p>\n ADJECTIVE<\/span><\/p>\n Giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Origin<\/i><\/p>\n Late 16th century: from French concis or Latin concisus, past participle of concidere \u2018cut up, cut down\u2019, from con- \u2018completely\u2019 + caedere \u2018to cut\u2019.<\/i><\/p>\nCLEAR<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nEasy to perceive, understand, or interpret.<\/em><\/strong>
\nLeaving no doubt; obvious or unambiguous.<\/em><\/strong>
\nHaving or feeling no doubt or confusion.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
\noxforddictionaries.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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![\"Hand](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/paul-skorupskas-59950-unsplash.jpg\")
Why does your microcopy need to be clear?<\/b><\/h2>\n
When your microcopy is not clear:<\/h3>\n
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When your microcopy is <\/i>clear your users will:<\/h3>\n
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WIN-WIN for your users and your product<\/span><\/h3>\n
How to create clear copy every time:<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Research your users’ language<\/h3>\n
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\nI once skimmed through about 100 thousand words on gamer forums when I was writing microcopy for a gaming platform. I found out how they talk and what their motivations were. Conversation Gold Mine!<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n2. Write the content<\/h3>\n
3. Read it<\/h3>\n
4. Ask yourself:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Test it<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Rewrite it<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Repeat till perfect<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nThings that make content unclear: <\/b><\/h2>\n
Jargon\u00a0<\/b>(your mortal enemy)<\/h3>\n
Slang<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nComplicated concepts<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nLet\u2019s see an example of a before and after<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Picture2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Picture3.png\")
<\/p>\nClear content is an absolute MUST! It\u2019s perhaps the most important rule of good microcopy, for your users to:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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CONCISE<\/h2>\n
![\"Picture](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Quote-Twain-cross-out-wrong-words1.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Infographic:](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/cognitive-load-info-graphic.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Zoom.us](\"https:\/\/uxwritinghub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Zoom.png\")
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