UX Writing vs Copywriting

Did you know that you’re probably employing different styles of writing without even realizing?

Writing is a vast and vague discipline that encompasses different kinds of writing, all with their own unique purpose, style, and content. Copywriting is the most well known kind of writing, and is often used to describe the general responsibilities of a brand writer—including writing and editing for web, print, and more. UX Writing is another kind of writing that most copywriters are employing without realizing it. But what is it? 

In this blog, I’m going to cover the main differences between copywriting and UX writing, demonstrate them with real-world examples, and share some best practices for UX writing.  

Definitions and Differences

Simply put, copywriting is creating content for marketing purposes, with the intent of getting your audience to take a specific action—usually to buy a product. UX writing is creating copy content that enhances user experience; for example, helping a user to navigate a product. Let’s take a look at their main differences side by side.

	Copywriting	UX Writing
Purpose	To persuade you to do something or buy something	To streamline or enhance user experience
Content	Is about a product and is usually a single piece of copy (product description, headline)	Is part of the product and is usually small pieces of microcopy that work together (buttons, menus)
Style	Uses witty, flashy, and persuasive language	Is clear, concise, and direct in language
Measurability	Can be measured with sales data	Is measured by engagement on a user interface
Audience	Consumers	Existing users
Discipline	Marketing	UX Design
Examples	Ads, emails, packaging, social media, headlines, taglines	Guides, websites, digital buttons, labels, apps

As Scarlett Payne writes on Boldist, “Copywriting helps the business. UX writing helps the customers.” Copywriting is marketing a product to potential customers, whereas UX is for users or people who have already bought the product.

Real-World Examples of Copywriting and UX Writing

Let’s examine these principles in action. I’ve pulled some examples from Angel City Football Club (ACFC), a women’s professional soccer team in Los Angeles, California.

In their marketing assets, such as emails or landing pages, they encourage you to take actions, such as tuning in to watch an away game, buy tickets for the upcoming match, or purchase team merchandise to show your support.

Within their website and app, they have buttons, banners, and menus that make it easy for the user to find the information or pages they need.

Copywriting Examples

In this email, ACFC is persuading me to buy merchandise to “gear up” for the upcoming game. Using language like “13 days until Angel City returns home” implies a sense of urgency to my purchase.

On their advertisement for season tickets, ACFC writes “Less than 300 seats remain!” to increase the feeling of “I better buy now!”

Note the CTA (call to action) buttons on each ad. They are short, clear, and concise—these employ UX principles.

Product descriptions also employ copywriting tactics to make the item more desirable and persuade the user to purchase it. Check out any item from ACFC's merch store and pay attention to the copy that describes each item; it'll be flowery, descriptive, and use plenty of emotive adjectives.

UX Writing Examples

Look at the menu selection on the ACFC app. In just one to two words, they tell me exactly what each page is so that I, as a user, know where to go. Using headlines for each category also helps users easily scan for information.

On the ACFC website, the tickets web page is separated into distinct categories based on ticket type. The labels prevent unnecessary scrolling or navigating that may deter a user from purchasing tickets—they can access the ticket category with just a click.

UX Writing Best Practices

Writing effective UX writing comes down to two main principles: clarity and audience.

How to Write Clearly

1. Use Plain Language: Write like a human. Use words that any user can understand easily. Click Here, Sign Up, Buy Now. 

2. Be Concise: UX copy is short. There’s no room for fancy language. Get to the point. 

3. Avoid Jargon: Your users may be outside your industry and your main job as a UX writer is to assist them. Skip jargon or fancy terms. 

4. Front-Load Copy: Digital users scan, not read. Put the most important information first to catch interest and help users find what they need. (Example: Write “Tap for game score” instead of “To see game score, tap here”.)

5. Use Numerals: Though the general rule is to write out numbers 1–9, use numerals in UX copy. There’s no room and users need to scan info at a glance.

Know Your Audience

Who is using your product? What information is most important to them? Knowing your audience and how they will interact with your product will help you enhance their experience. If you’re not sure, test! Testing on a variety of users is a great way to find issues and solve them before your product is released to the public.

In summary: copywriting sells to you, UX writing helps you. Be clear, be concise, and be useful. Notice the websites and apps that you use in day to day life. How do they employ UX writing practices in their notifications, error messages, menus, and instructions?