Keeping it short & simple: a guide to microcopy
Whether it’s long-form content or short-form writing, words wield power all the same. The humble microcopy carries an equal but more flexible impact, adjusting to the context with snappy phrasings to guide users along the journey.
By now it seems common knowledge that using these small, informational bits of text can lead to an improved flow and a more effective user experience. Understandably, with the frequent caveat of a limited character count, choosing your words wisely can get tricky.
Get it right and you end up nudging people in the right direction and also reducing their cognitive overload. Get it wrong and you might have a sneaky in-built flaw on your hands by means of a poorly communicated error message or lack of clarity.
Microcopy can take many forms, all with the aim of:
- guiding and motivating users,
- addressing concerns,
- providing feedback,
- and reducing friction along the customer journey.
By keeping uncertainty to a bare minimum, users can feel more confident in what you have to offer and what they can expect from a product. It’s effectively a way of building trust and quite possibly increasing conversion rates when proper thought is put into phrasings.
Though it can be as simple as a one-word label on a button, or a short sentence explaining what a certain feature does, infusing it with some personality can give you an edge. But first, let’s look at why polishing and adapting your copy-craft is so relevant these days.
Skimming & scanning is the new normal
Already in 2008, we were told that only about 20% of online content is being read. Now we also know that 37 seconds is the average time readers will invest in an article, so you better make it count. No pressure, right?
Worry not; there are three proven ingredients to a better reading experience, helping both you and your audience get the most out of the written word.
- As it turns out, short copy increases usability by 58%,
- whereas a scannable layout gives it a 47% boost.
- By keeping things simple and objective you can earn a further 27% rise.
Combine all of these together and you will see a 124% increase in usability according to a 1997 Nielsen study. Now, catering to current behavioural trends is not an option if you want to earn your users’ attention.
To this end, keeping your wording concise is essential. No one wants to read a novel when they are trying to use a product or service, ticking off goals as swiftly as possible.
Your microcopy should also be easy to understand, even for users who are not familiar with similar products or services. Avoid using jargon and technical language; stick to the basics instead.
Make sure that your text is also consistent with the rest of your site’s or product’s content in terms of tone and voice. This helps create a cohesive user experience and bolsters the company’s branding.
Last but not least, aim to always test your microcopy before publishing it live. What may sound sensible to you may still leave others confused. Ask for feedback from people who don’t know the context as well as you do, in order to point out possible flaws.
Types of microcopy
In a 2017 study, researchers did us all a favour when they reviewed previous papers and industry principles on the topic of microcopy. They summarised their findings by developing a taxonomy of its categories and then defined common best practices to bring some clarity to this relatively new concept.
Below is a breakdown of each type with some examples to put them in context:
⮞ Instructional copy relates to text that encourages the user to take action. It is often implemented in forms, explaining required inputs. MailChimp’s way of clarifying password requirements serves as a good illustration of this here.
⮞ Error messages can encompass anything from the text on 404 landing pages to entering incorrect passwords. Should you lean towards the whimsical, illustrations or graphics can be a great way to get showcase some wit and humour — but simply getting creative with copy will do the trick, too.
⮞ Confirmation messages are the opposite; they are a thumbs-up to your user when an operation is successfully completed to show everything is going fine. It’s positive feedback that acts as a green light towards the next step to be taken.
⮞ Button labels are decision points within an interface that highlights the available options to the user. As such, they should be phrased in a clear and descriptive way to ensure they match the expected outcome.
⮞ Form labels define the type of text that should be entered into a field or what the selections of checkboxes and radio buttons relate to.
⮞ Form placeholders are the microcopy located inside text boxes either appearing as an example or conveying instructions, so users know what the system expects of them.
⮞ Empty states are placeholders for page elements with no current data. They contain informational microcopy such as instructions or suggestions to guide the user, or alternatively, serve to signal that no results exist for a search.
⮞ Concern alleviators are used for dispelling any lingering worries. Explaining how the user’s data will be handled, what security measures are in place or how the system works are examples of this.
⮞ Branding ties the microcopy into the overall voice and tone of the product (or business). Consider notification messages or casual check-ins, to name a few examples.
⮞ Page titles and headings build and support context (whilst aiding scanability). These, too, can be personalised to reflect the brand’s character.
⮞ Loading and progress messages communicate the current state to the user, serving as feedback that can also stray from more common phrases to inject some personality.
Case in point: research has shown that interactive animations reduce the perceived wait time and increase user satisfaction— simple progress bars and passive screens just don’t cut it anymore.
⮞ Delight moments are sparks of interactions where, for example, humour is used to convey emotions the user may be experiencing at that particular moment. Chrome comes with an integrated mini-game for those unfortunate times when we are left without connection to the digital sphere. Worth it.
Finally, microcopy can usually be broken down into two categories. Persuasive copy prompts the user to take action, whereas informative snippets provide key details of the product or service. Ensure you keep your language specific so the user is guided in the right direction rather than being pushed and pulled along the journey.
Current best practices
If you are worried or confused about microcopy in general, keep this in mind: the whole concept was only introduced in 2008. Overall, there is currently very little research or formal discussion on this topic specifically as it is such a fresh segment of writing.
Luckily, this study concludes with a summary of the overarching best practices identified during their review. These are:
1. Good microcopy is contextual.
2. Good microcopy is conversational.
3. Good microcopy is coherent.
4. Good microcopy alleviates concerns.
5. Good microcopy guides the journey.
6. Good microcopy is helpful.
7. Good microcopy is simple.
8. Good microcopy supports the job.
9. Good microcopy considers the audience.
10. Good microcopy is tested.
11. Good microcopy isn’t a design bandage.
12. Good microcopy supports the brand.
13. Good microcopy considers emotions.
14. Good microcopy is consistent.
15. Good microcopy is delightful.
Whilst these small pieces of copy can have a significant impact on user experiences, don’t forget that the tech industry is ever-changing and trends will keep shifting. If you want to keep ahead of the competition, it might be a good call to familiarise yourself with writing in all lengths.
Remember how Twitter used to limit people to 140 characters and then doubled it to 280? The rules sometimes decide to favour the more verbose in hindsight, so if you want to stay in the game, you will have to keep adapting. Keyboards at the ready — happy typing!
Thanks for reading! ❤️
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References & Credits:
- How Little Do Users Read? & How Users Read on the Web by Jakob Nielsen
- 29 Important Blogging Statistics Every Blogger Should Know in 2022 by Techjury
- Writing Microcopy by Joshua Porter
- Hohenstein, J., Khan, H., Canfield, K., Tung, S., & Perez Cano, R. (2016, May). Shorter wait times: the effects of various loading screens on perceived performance. In Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 3084–3090).
- Roberts, S. (2017). Microcopy: a taxonomy and synthesis of best practices.
- Image by vectorjuice on Freepik
