Could there be “you” in UX writing?
By: Delviana Soselisa
Tags: Experience, Ux Writing, Blibli, UX, User Experience

When the “U” in UX writing suddenly feels a bit more personal.

Photo by bongkarn thanyakij from Pexels

If UX writing were a human, I’d probably describe it as a selfless being. Think about it — it helps guide the users while using a product and, at the same time, needs to be inclusive and accessible for all. So selfless, literally and figuratively speaking!

Behind the words, there’s a writer — a human being with a unique voice and personality. With that in mind, is it still possible for a UX writer to express herself/himself in the writing?

As a UX Copywriter, I can tell you the answer to that is…

not really.

Here’s why.

1. UX writing needs to remain consistent

Imagine there are 5 writers (hey, that’s us at Blibli!) given the same task of creating an error message for a certain case. There’s no way we would end up with the same results (word choice and structure) since each of us might interpret it differently. And that’s not how the UX writing works.

UX writing needs to be consistent, whoever the writer is. It should reflect the brand’s voice in every single interaction. Why? Because inconsistency will only lead to a missed opportunity to resonate with users — and we don’t want that to happen. Thus, the only way to achieve consistency is by following the writing guideline, consisting of the brand’s tone of voice, the rules, and the glossary.

2. It’s for the user, not you-sir

Going back to the purpose, we’re here to help guide users while using a product. During the process, a UX writer collaborates across teams — we work with researchers, designers, product managers, developers, key business stakeholders, and more.

UX writer also listens to the users’ feedback — gaining insights on what works or what needs improvement based on their experiences. So, it’s quite irrelevant for a writer to push something based on personal preferences.

If you think both explanations seemingly scream a big NO, then why did I answer “not really”?

From my experience, a UX writer can still be able to get creative with the copy as long as we keep those two points in mind.

Here’s a brief look at how I managed to “sneak” a favorite remark in Blibli’s What’s New copy.

My first What’s New copy

The brief was simple: introduce a new way for customers to return products. As a user, “I’d like to be informed about it”. At the same time, as a company, “We hope that customers are satisfied with their orders and have an enjoyable shopping experience — in other words, no need to return the products”. So, how to create an effective copy that could meet both needs?

This was when I found the “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” remark (one of my favorites) perfectly appropriate to be used in the message. It’s clear, concise, witty, and consistent with the brand’s voice. A smooth way to add a personal touch, too!

It’s great to know that a UX writer can explore and express in the writing. But never forget that the “U” stands for user.

We keep the users in mind.

We design for the users.

We help the users every step of the way

in the brand’s tone of voice.

And that’s, my friend, what UX writing is all about.

Special thanks to Karen Priyanka and Edwin Mohammad, without whom this article and the What’s New copy won’t exist :)