User experience (UX) design is about creating the best experience for users of digital content, especially websites and mobile apps. This involves testing and creating the best product including the layout of the elements, the color palette, and the fonts, but it also includes language. UX Writers create the text that appears on websites and apps, and this type of writing has some important differences from copywriting and content creation by marketing professionals.
What Is UX Writing?
UX Writers focus on creating and shaping the user experience through text and language. UX writing leads users smoothly through the product, and like other aspects of user-centered design, UX writing should not stand out; it should be intuitive. If the user has to stop and think about directions or descriptions, that interrupts the flow of the experience. UX writing is purpose-driven. It is entirely devoted to getting the user from point A to point B smoothly and effortlessly.
How Is UX Writing Different From Copywriting?
UX writing is often referred to as microcopy to differentiate it from long-form digital writing. Copywriters create articles, blog posts, product descriptions, and other types of writing that may be anywhere from a few paragraphs to thousands of words in length. The purpose of copywriting is marketing or selling a product or experience.
The purpose of UX writing is to create an easy and enjoyable experience for users of digital products. It is much shorter than marketing copywriting and encompasses words on buttons, helpful hints, instructions, and error messages. Sometimes UX Writers create emails, informational messages, and terms and conditions. Basically, any words that appear on a website or mobile app are considered UX writing.
Unlike copywriting that is meant to be memorable and make the reader take an action, UX writing is purposely forgettable. It blends into the design as the user moves through the application and makes sure they can successfully achieve their goals.
How Do UX Writers Fit Into the Design Team?
Like all aspects of UX design, UX writing is collaborative, and the earlier the UX Writer is brought into the design process, the better. Instead of using stand-in language like “ipsem lorem,” the UX Writer can fill in that language and it can be tested along with the rest of the design. UX Writers can make sure that the language of the product communicates clearly.
Another role for UX Writers in the design process is to create a content style guide. This style guide helps keep the design team moving in the same direction, as well as supporting the company brand and creating a consistent product voice.
What Qualities Do UX Writers Need?
Of course, UX Writers need to be good communicators and have a solid grounding in the rules of good writing. They also need to be creative and think like designers. Active listening helps UX Writers hone in on what the other team members are saying and reflect that in the language of the product.
Writing is often seen as a solitary profession but UX Writers are part of the design team, so the ability to work well with others is important. Another quality of a good UX Writer is curiosity and a drive to life-long learning.
How to Get a Job as a UX Writer
UX writing as a profession is relatively new but the demand is growing. According to the job website Glassdoor.com, salaries for UX Writers range from a low of $80,000 per year to a high of $159,000, with an average of about $113,000 annually in the United States.
Getting a job as a UX Writer is similar to finding a job as a UX Designer. A strong portfolio showing past writing is the way to get hired. Ideally, you should choose three to five examples of your best work, depending on how long you have been working as a UX Writer. Do not attempt to include everything you have ever done in your portfolio. No one has time to look at it all. Tailor your examples to the job you are applying for to give the company an idea of what you can do.
Most portfolios include three basic sections: a personal introduction, a collection of case studies, and contact information. You can organize the portfolio however you like. Some people choose to have a landing page with links to different sections, while others prefer everything on one page with clickable ‘read more’ buttons. However you choose to set up your portfolio, be sure to maintain consistency in layout and visual elements. It is also a good idea to use a photo or logo at the top of the page. This will be the first thing visitors to your page see, so it should be attractive and eye-catching.
The next section shows your work. Some people use logos from companies they have worked for and others use high-quality images from past work as entry points for case studies. Include a summary of the project and what you did next to the image. It is becoming more common to include gifs and videos in portfolios to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. A short video introduction can be a good attention getter, as is a video montage of different work.
Above all, be sure that your portfolio reflects your best. Use examples of the best work you have done with the highest quality images. Make sure that there are no spelling or punctuation errors because this is a sign of sloppy work.
It’s a good idea to put your portfolio on a personal website, even if you have to pay a bit for it. Creating a personal website is a further example of what you can do. However, if you choose not to go that route, there are many portfolio hosting sites to choose from such as Behance and Dribbble.
What if You Are New to UX Writing?
When you are an experienced writer, choosing only three of your best projects can be a challenge, but what if you are applying for your first UX writing job? Where can you get examples for a portfolio if you haven’t worked as a UX Writer yet? The three most common ways to build up a portfolio are volunteer work, UX writing challenges, and classes.
Volunteer Work
In order to gain experience and collect examples for your portfolio, you can volunteer to work with designers for charities and non-profits. You can also help create designs for friends.
UX Writing Challenges
Another way to collect examples of work for your portfolio is to complete some UX writing challenges. These are fun exercises in creating microcopy that arrive in your email regularly and once completed can be used to show recruiters what you can do.
Take a UX Design Class
If you want to switch to a career as a UX Writer, you could take a class. This is a very new field and there aren’t that many specific writing classes available, but taking a UX design course can get you started. Bootcamps and certificate programs are intensive training courses that run from a few weeks to a few months. Check to see if the course covers UX writing before signing up.
Not only will you learn about all aspects of UX/UI design, but you will also leave class with a professional-quality design portfolio that you can show to prospective employers. You can choose classes that meet in-person or online to learn design software and other applications. Some people prefer to attend brick-and-mortar sessions when learning new information, but that isn’t always available. Live online classes have a similar set-up with a real-time, remote instructor who can answer questions and take control of your monitor—with permission—to show you how to do things. Training is part or full-time and available weekdays, weeknights, or weekends to meet anyone’s scheduling needs.
Conclusion
It’s easy to learn UX design and start a new career. Check out Noble Desktop’s UX design classes. Choose between in-person sessions in NYC at Noble’s location or sign up for live online UX design courses and attend from anywhere. Use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me to find other UX design bootcamps in your area.