What Is Microcopy?
Microcopy refers to the small pieces of text you see in apps and websites - like button labels, error messages, and instructions. Even though it's small, it plays a huge role in guiding users through the experience.
Microcopy helps users understand what to do next, gives feedback, and tells them if something goes wrong. For example, changing a button from "Request a Quote" to "See Pricing" makes it clearer what will happen when they click it. Great microcopy is short, and simple, and helps users understand exactly what to do.
Tips For Writing Effective Microcopy
Microcopy is everywhere: on confirmation messages, error alerts, menus, and during the sign-up process. Kinneret Yifrah, who wrote Microcopy: The Complete Guide, explains that microcopy does three main things:
- It helps users understand what to do before taking action
- It guides them through actions
- It gives feedback after they've completed the action
Good microcopy answers users' questions, helps them take action, and gives them a clear path forward. It's all about being clear, friendly, and helpful. Writing a great microcopy isn't always easy, but as Abraham Lincoln once said, it's about "communicating thoughts to the mind through the eye." The goal is to make sure users can understand what's going on and know what to do next.
Want more interesting tips on UX writing? Please read our full blog to learn about the basic elements of UX writing, the right language to use, UX writing research, content style guide, and user testing.
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