When you hear “user experience,” you probably think about the design and technical elements that make up a website: colors, font, graphics, navigation, site speed, etc. While these are critical to a user’s experience, one element often gets overlooked: content. From its organization to the actual words on the page, content is essential to great user experience.
What is user experience?
User experience (UX) refers to a person’s complete interaction with a company, including its services and products, although it most often refers to an experience with a company’s website. The ultimate purpose of UX is to create an easy, efficient, relevant, and all-around pleasant experience for a user. This not only includes answering the right questions and attracting the right people, but getting those people to the answers they need in the smoothest possible way.
Why is content important to user experience?
We’ve all visited websites that leave us feeling frustrated. Sometimes it’s because the site won’t load properly or quickly. Other times, a particular color or font makes it difficult to read the text. Perhaps, though, you just aren’t finding what you’re looking for. Maybe the navigation is confusing or certain information isn’t immediately apparent. This is where content comes in.
At its core, UX writing is designing with words. UX writers write copy and organize content in a way that helps users efficiently interact with a product to create an overall pleasant experience. In contrast to copywriting or sales-driven content, great UX writing should be invisible: it so seamlessly guides you through an experience that it’s one with the product.
When content is optimized for user experience, you’ll see:
- Increases in your organic traffic.
- Stronger brand loyalty.
- Higher user and customer engagement.
- More efficient designs throughout your site.
- Growing credibility within your industry.
Basic UX Writing Principles
Writing for user experience requires a deep understanding of a business and its products, services, and audience. It’s also vital for a content person to be present in conception and strategy conversations with designers and web developers. This ensures that content is optimized from the beginning, rather than fitting it in later when much of the design and framework is completed.
A UX writer will ensure content is written and organized in a way that successfully conveys the brand voice and tone, while smoothly moving a user through actions on the website. Here are some of the writing principles UX writers will employ to optimize content for user experience.
- Create scannable content. Most people don’t read every word on a page. Creating lists, using active voice, and writing relevant, clear, and concise headlines helps a user get to the information they’re looking for faster.
- Ensure content is high-quality. This means extensive proofreading, writing effectively and efficiently, being an authority, and, perhaps most importantly, being useful. Fifty-nine percent of users will avoid a business if they spot typos.
- Write clear CTAs. This is a big one. Having a clear CTA is essential to positive user experience. A UX writer will ensure CTAs are clear and easy to understand and work with a designer to make sure they stand out on a page, leading the user to the logical next step.
Great UX writing should be invisible: it so seamlessly guides you through an experience that it’s one with the product.
How to Improve Your User Experience
Looking for ways to improve your website’s user experience? Mad Fish can help. From design optimization to content strategy and consultations, our in-house experts help brands put their best foot forward and create positive experiences for their users. Let’s talk!