Think about the last time you used a new app. What made it feel easy? Or annoying?
Chances are, microcopy played a huge role.

Good microcopy feels natural. Human. Helpful. It knows when to explain and when to get out of the way. It respects your time. It anticipates your confusion before you even realize you’re confused.

Bad microcopy? That’s where we get sign-up forms that say “Invalid input” with zero context. Or confirmation messages that don’t confirm anything. It’s vague, cold, and usually leaves users guessing.

Writing Microcopy That Works

Here are a few principles I follow when writing microcopy:

Be clear, not clever.
Don’t trade clarity for wordplay. A witty error message is still an error.

Write for real people.
Use the language your users use. Read it out loud — does it sound human?

Guide, don’t guard.
Instead of warning users about what not to do, focus on what to do.

Be concise, not abrupt.
Short is good. Rude is not.

Context is everything.
Make sure the copy reflects where the user is in the journey — and what they might be feeling.

Some have an even narrower definition, limiting microcopy to the short texts that support other copy or elements on the page. For example:

Here, some might say that only the “SHIFT+ENTER” is microcopy, as it’s a little bit of text supporting the send button.

For the purposes of this course, we’ll take a broader definition of microcopy that includes most of the copy inside an app or website. With this broad definition, we see that microcopy is the very framework upon which the rest of our apps and websites are built.

But words alone are not enough. The most powerful way to deliver a message is through visual communication. That’s why writing and design go together hand in hand. Let’s have a look at a few historical examples to show just how closely these two elements are linked:

Think small was a 1959 ad campaign by Volkswagen and has been called the best advertising campaign of the twentieth century.

Two words, one simple image, and they managed to build one of the most successful ad campaigns in history that boosted sales and built a lifetime of brand loyalty. The way the text and image support each other needs no explanation. 10/10 for copy and design.

They have managed to communicate that you can change your entire life in an instant just by scratching a ticket.

But not all microcopy is for advertising. When it comes to apps and websites, the best microcopy should make the user feel as if they are communicating with a real person rather than just a digital interface. The role of the UX writer is to bring this goal to fruition, which has the power to make or break a product.

In short, make sure your writing is brilliant! No, not full of light brilliant. Brilliant as in superb or wonderful. OK, I think you get the point.

To illustrate how good design and copy can positively affect user experience, let’s take a look at a few examples of high-quality work.

Medium’s newsletter aims to surprise you with a story:

Dropbox Paper’s empty state placeholders:

The writers of Zocdoc are doing an excellent job of making their website intuitive so that users can easily order a doctor online when they’re not feeling their best.

At Lemonade, they make sure users have a better experience getting instant insurance. Instead of the tired old process, Lemonade gives the user a digital web product that makes it straightforward and easy.

Harry’s is a subscription service for shaving accessories. If you find yourself on their 404 page, you’ve probably “missed a spot” and they want to help you to fix that.

Spotify uses witty microcopy when you un-like a song in your Daily Mix playlist.

Empty state message by Outlook:

Dropbox copy helps users easily navigate through an error page, with cute illustrations too!

Netflix’s payment setup is written in clear, helpful language.

The list of great digital products goes on and on. Notice how the UX writing in these examples directly impacts the quality of the user experience — whether that experience is good or bad.