Copywriting is Interface Design
The importance of copy in design of digital products
If you will ever have to choose between two designers on who to hire, take the one who has better writing skills. Why? Because copywriting is interface design. There are almost no cases when words don’t go with design. Icons with names, forms with labels, instructions, step by step guides. These are all user interface.
Copywriting plays a critical role in designing nowadays. It can determine if a user will understand what to do next. Or what went wrong with your product when an error occured. It will tell them how to use something if it is not obvious or it can confuse them even more.
So we have to stop splitting our teams into focused and specialised departments and start allowing them to collaborate. Designers have to work hand in hand with copywriters. Because the end will result will be a more harmonious product.
Why a designer needs a writer’s skill set?
Because writers know they have to put themselves in the shoes of the readers. They have to write something relevant to their audience. And a good designer has to ask almost the same questions as a good writer:
- Will they understand what the app says?
- Is the action message clear enough?
- Can we write three instead of five sentences about this feature?
- Do they need to know this information?
- Do we name a button Update or New?
- Do we show there are 5 new messages or new messages?
That’s copywriting. And if we want to write a great copy, we need to speak the same language as our customers. Because if we have the most advanced engineering and modern design, it does not mean we can get away with jargon and a lousy copy.
For example, think about those button names and what it means to your customers. Maybe they get confused all the time, because they see it named differently in another app? Or their English is not that advanced to understand it?
Effective, concise writing and editing leads to effective, concise code, design, emails, instant messages and more — Getting Real by 37 Signals
If you think that writing is only about words, then you are wrong
Being a good writer means knowing how to communicate clearly. A good writer is the one who puts himself in the shoes of his audience. They know when to omit something or add extra delights. And this core principle is the same as for being a great designer, they both go hand in hand.
Clear writing leads to clear thinking. You don’t know what you know until you try to express it. Good writing is partly a matter of character. Instead of doing what’s easy for you, do what’s easy for your reader — Michael A. Covington
And the impact the writing has on your brain will have the same effect on the product — clarity. Because when a person is able to think clearly, his product has clarity too. The final look and feel of a product is a result of your thinking or as Massimo Vignelli said in his canon:
Whatever we do, if it fails to communicate, it is wasted effort. Clarity of intent will translate into clarity of result, and that is of paramount importance in design.
What are the side effects of a confused mind?
When the person who works on the product does not have clear thinking it results in complicated designs. It results in confused customers. It results in fewer sales or conversions. And you have to remember that we love complexities, but not complications (M. Vignelli). That’s why having the skill set of a writer will give you only clarity to your product.
Good copy gives personality to your product
Before you even start designing, you have to define what personality you are giving to your product. What kind of person do you want it to be? Funny? Smart? Polite? Strict? Forgiving? Serious? Modest and likeable? What are the qualities and traits of your product?
Your product has a voice — and it’s talking to your customers 24 hours a day — Getting Real by 37 Signals
These all come from good copywriting. And once you define the core personality traits, you have to keep them in mind when designing and building the product. And whenever you want to make a change to your app, ask yourself it fits the personality of your app.
Don’t’s for design copywriting
- Don’t use words that most people don’t understand;
- Don’t use jargon;
- Don’t sound like an engineer talking to another engineer;
- Don’t say more than you need to say;
- Don’t go too long on text and stay short and simple;
- Don’t write bloated text. Just say what you do or what the product does;
- Any other suggestions here? Leave down in the comments
Books mentioned and used
- Getting Real by 37 Signals
- The Vignelli Canon by Massimo Vignelli
- Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy
One more thing
I host a design podcast, Laroche.fm, and if you are into design and the business side of it, I would appreciate if you could give it a listen. And if you would like to receive future updates about new articles, my reading list and pocast episodes, you can join My Weekly Newsletter ❤
