Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Rachel McConnell

Sometimes being a UX copywriter is a lonely place.

Fighting for a ‘place at the table’, and constantly battling for the content to be seen as a vital asset can be exhausting.

I carried out a recent survey to find out who wrote the functional web content in organisations. Thankfully the majority said content or copywriters, but a significant proportion didn’t. I’d wager a bet that if you asked who did the UI design in organisations, not a single respondent would answer ‘UX copywriters’.

So why is content still under-represented?

Even in digital agencies there are often no inhouse content writers. This is a huge oversight in my opinion. Good copy can often be the pivotal difference between a good looking web journey with an average user experience, and a beautiful website with an amazing user experience. Copy can make a user fall in love with a brand. Copy can make a lengthy web journey feel quick and painless. Copy can take a user seamlessly from page to page. And copy can make the boring parts of a web journey feel fun and engaging. Here are some great examples of companies using copy to elevate their web journeys. Brands that just ‘get it’.

Innocent

We’re all familiar with their irreverent packaging, but this tone of voice is carried right through to the smallest of smallprint, including privacy policy wording. No mean feat when it comes to legal copy, and this couldn’t have been done without great (and tenacious!) copywriters.

Boden

Masters of flattery, they’ve perfected copy their target audience can resonate with. Knowing how the target audience communicate is always a copywriter’s first task in any project and vital to getting the tone right.

Trov

Aimed at the younger market, this copy uses a conversational style to make what could be monotonous (buying insurance) seem simple and painless.

Gov.uk

Whilst it’s not going to raise a smile, clarity of copy is essential for any web journey, and no one’s nailed clarity and accessibility more than the copywriters at GDS.

Mailchimp

They could have just gone with ‘we’ve sent your email’ but the copy writers at Mailchimp wanted to congratulate the user, and why not? After all, we all need a little pat on the back every now and then!

Apple

Yes, Siri is based on conversational VUI, written by copywriters. Without copy Siri would just be a search engine.

Businesses that already understand the importance of good copy are streets ahead of the ones that don’t.

A shift in mindset is needed from just thinking about design and interaction design, to thinking more about building a conversation and starting a relationship with a user.

Good design might get your customers’ attention, but good design coupled with good copy will keep them coming back for more.

So invest in copywriters, because great copy doesn’t just write itself!

Invest in UX writers to elevate your brand was originally published in prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Invest in UX writers to elevate your brand

Cool stuff, every week

More Articles