Microcopy writing guidelines

Owned by Ange Romanska (Deactivated)
Last updated: Mar 22, 2021 by Lael Birch (Deactivated)
3 min read

Microcopy refers to short text that is presented to the user to provide orientation and often encourage them to take action. It can be anything from error messages, hints to form labels, hover info tips, or on page brief welcoming copy. Done well it helps the user to feel welcome and supported, having a significant impact towards a positive experience. Done poorly it can quickly introduce frustration and hinder interactions, resulting in a negative experience in which we lose trust.

Best practices

Microcopy should:

  • communicate clearly and directly;

  • avoid the use of internal jargon;

  • be friendly, conversational and human;

  • avoid unnecessary modifiers (ex: ‘Click the button below' - the button itself is enough, or ‘Submit your response and move to the next step’ - instead simply use 'Submit’).

General guidelines

  • In paragraph copy write out numbers up to nine, use numeral for 10 and up. When using variable numbers in UI messaging to indicate user interaction it is best to stick with numerals to simplify translation requirements (ex: ‘4 license assignments remaining’).

  • Use exclamation points sparingly!

  • Use ‘Sentence case’ rather than 'Title Case' (there may be exceptions but this is the default). Buttons are not an exception.

  • Use the second person pronoun ‘Your’ to describe user specific tasks for generating content (ex: ‘Name your list').

  • Use ‘My’ to highlight content that benefits from a sense of ownership (ex: ‘My discussions' or 'My profile’).

  • Use an active voice instead of a passive voice.

    • In a sentence written in the active voice, the subject of sentence performs the action. In a sentence written in the passive voice the subject receives the action.

      • Active: The dog bit the man.

      • Passive: The man was bitten by the dog.

  • Be mindful of cultural differences (ex: customized messaging that uses an informal first name salutation is considered rude in some countries).

  • Confirm that translations represent the context of the action appropriately.

  • Where possible for messaging and UI interactions use language that falls at or below a seventh grade reading level.

  • For short microcopy avoid the use of punctuation. This is particularly true for modal titles, sub headings, and form input helper / error text.

There are four types of feedback we can give to our user.
Feedback Method communication theory by David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney

  1. ‘No’ — negative, destructive

  2. ‘No, because…’ — negative, constructive

  3. ‘Yes, but…’ — positive, destructive

  4. ‘Yes, and…’ — the appreciative response

We can use a combination of these to write positive messages for our users.

  • ‘You are unable to view grading because you are auditing this course. Please upgrade to the verified track.’

    • This sentence explains what you cannot do, while also telling you that there is a solution in a friendly manner.

  • ‘Your subscription has been activated. View your learner dashboard.'

    • This is also good as it tells you in very positive terms what has happened and what you can now do.

Resources

There are a number of great comprehensive company style guides out there we’ve only just scratched the surface. Here is some inspiration!

Check out some articles about the craft of UX writing.