5 UX Writing Principles

1. Useful:

Text alone should not have an end in itself, it always serves user:inside and the business goal. Superfluous text should be removed and possibly replaced with useful graphics.
Evolution has made us better at grasping objects than assigning raw numbers. So we should summarize calculations and numbers for users and present them graphically.

2. Clear:

Instructions should be formulated unambiguously and actions should have unambiguous effects. For example, it can make sense to mark completed tasks in a form in a different color or to assign a green arrow to entered, correct data. Terms should always be assigned the same meaning and numbers should be displayed as digits instead of being written out in full.
In addition, the user flow should always follow the natural gaze guidance and not lead erratically, for example from the top left at noon to the bottom and then back to the top right corner of a screen.

3. Accurate:

Good UX writing always delivers exactly the type and amount of information that is needed at that moment. In this way, users are not inundated with data and retain a better overview. Choices should be kept manageable for users. In the case of an offer whose selection options are difficult to limit, it can make sense to make a clear recommendation.

4. Dialog-oriented:

The goal is to establish a dialog between user:in and the system and to address user:in their language and their current situation. Communication should feel natural and completely normal. It makes sense to address users as "you" and "your" (e.g., "your account," "your order," "your shopping cart") to create a sense of unity and togetherness.

5. Accessible:

Good UX writing excludes no one and is understandable, regardless of education level or cultural background. UX writers should make barrier-free and make their product, without exception, accessible to people. Optimally, there should be 10 to a maximum of 13 words per sentence, tending to be less; a paragraph should follow a maximum of 5 lines of body text. Headings can help divide texts and give users orientation within a text. As a study by the Nielsen Norman Group has shown, most people tend not to read texts completely, but rather to "scan" them. During this "scanning", headings and highlighted keywords are an important element to support the user.

What is the difference with classic marketing texts?

Marketing texts are designed to sell a product or service. In UX writing, however, the focus is not on a product, but on the user's path to purchase and navigation through a system.
UX writing accompanies users on their buying experience and ensures a smooth "state of the flow", i.e. an order process that is as fast and error-free as possible. In addition, UX writing not only concerns the body text in a product - i.e. on a website or an app - but also any text on buttons, call-to-actions and forms as well as the labels. Thus, UX writing is not about the promotional purpose of a product, but rather about the overall impression and customer journeys.

Conclusion

What seems logical and intuitive to the UX writer can be difficult for users to comprehend. That's why it makes sense to subject the processes to tests and let as many people as possible experience the customer journey.

So UX writing defines not only the balance of textual and graphical content, but also the logical structure of the text. UX writing is also about focusing on people's needs and making content easy to understand. However, less is not always more here. It is about the qualitative shortening of content and the active appeal to user