UX Writing: The Microcopy That Converts Visitors to Customers

The difference between a button that says "Submit" and one that says "Get My Free Guide" is the difference between a 2% conversion rate and a 5% one. The words on your interface — button labels, form placeholders, error messages, success notifications, empty states, and tooltips — collectively determine whether users feel confident, confused, or frustrated. This text is called microcopy, and it's the most undervalued design element in developer-built products.

Button Labels: The Action Words

Generic (bad): "Submit," "Click Here," "Go," "OK." These tell the user what to do mechanically (press this button) but not what happens next (what's the outcome?). Specific (good): "Create Account," "Add to Cart," "Download PDF," "Start Free Trial." These communicate the outcome — the user knows exactly what will happen when they press the button.

Benefit-oriented (best): "Get Started Free," "Save 20%," "Join 5,000+ Readers," "Secure My Spot." These don't just communicate the action — they communicate the value of the action. The user isn't "creating an account" (boring) — they're "getting started free" (exciting).

The first-person trick: "Create My Account" outperforms "Create Your Account" by 25-30% in A/B tests (ContentVerve study). The first-person phrasing ("my") creates psychological ownership before the action is completed.

Error Messages: The Trust Moments

Technical (bad): "Error 422: Unprocessable Entity." "Invalid input." "Request failed." These communicate that something went wrong without helping the user fix it. Human (good): "That email address doesn't look right — can you check for typos?" "Your password needs at least 8 characters and one number." "We couldn't process your payment — try a different card or contact your bank."

Great error messages follow the FIX framework: Friendly (don't blame the user), Informative (explain what went wrong), eXit-providing (tell the user how to fix it or what to do next). An error message that meets all three criteria transforms a frustration moment into a trust-building moment — the user feels supported, not punished.

Empty States: The Opportunity Moments

Empty states — the screens users see when no data exists yet (no orders, no products, no messages) — are missed opportunities. Lazy empty state: "No items found." Helpful empty state: "Your cart is empty. Explore our collection to find something your little one will love." + a CTA button linking to products.

The best empty states: acknowledge the empty condition (so the user knows the page loaded correctly), explain what this section will contain (so the user understands its purpose), and provide a clear action to populate it (so the user has a next step).

Confirmation Dialogs: The Reassurance Moments

Anxiety-inducing (bad): "Are you sure? This action cannot be undone." (What action? What will I lose?) Clear and specific (good): "Delete 'Blue Cotton Dress' from your cart? You can always add it back later." (Specifically names the item, reduces anxiety by offering reversibility.)

For destructive actions: name the specific thing being affected, state the consequence in plain language, make the safe option (cancel) visually prominent, and make the destructive option (delete) visually distinct (red, but not the primary button style).

Loading States: The Patience Moments

Generic: Spinner + "Loading..." Informative: "Fetching your order history..." or "Preparing your dashboard — this takes about 2 seconds." Progress information — even approximate — reduces perceived waiting time by up to 40%. Users don't mind waiting; they mind not knowing how long they'll wait.

The UX Writing Checklist

For every piece of microcopy, ask: Is it clear? (Would a first-time user understand it without context?) Is it concise? (Can it be shortened without losing meaning?) Is it helpful? (Does it guide the user toward success?) Is it human? (Does it sound like a helpful person, not a system error?) Is it consistent? (Does it use the same terminology as other parts of the interface?)

Microcopy is the texture of your interface — the fine grain that makes the difference between "works" and "feels good to use." Get the words right, and the interface transforms from functional to delightful.