What is UX writing?

In short, UX writing is the process of designing content for digital products—applications, websites, or CRM systems. In the creation process, the focus is on shortening and refining statements to convey the most important information in as few words as possible. Why? So that users receive what they came for on a silver platter, without unnecessary mental effort or time spent analyzing the message.

It’s not just about neatly crafted paragraphs in longer texts, but also—and perhaps more importantly—about slogans and taglines, category names, and even individual words on CTA buttons, labels, or prompts.

How is it different from copywriting?

The goals of UX writing and copywriting differ. Copywriters typically create marketing or informational materials aimed at engaging the audience and influencing their purchasing decisions. It also plays a key role in SEO (search engine optimization).

UX writers, on the other hand, create content designed to guide users through the interface of a website or product in an intuitive way. Users should not wonder where they will end up after clicking a particular button or tab. The content must clearly communicate the information and be understandable to anyone using the digital product.

Not just labels and buttons

Drawing a clear line between UX writing and copywriting is not as simple as it may seem. In content creation, we must not forget about microcopy—the short messages, labels, and even slightly longer statements. These can include short product descriptions, text on sliders, or even captions under images.

Features of good UX writing

Simple language and clarity are the key features of UX writing. Technical jargon, which is only understandable to a narrow audience, is avoided here. Instead, everyday language that is accessible to the average person is used.

Clarity is achieved by shortening the content to convey the most important message. This is about distilling the essence of the text and encapsulating it in one or two sentences. As shown in the attached image, PZU approached this concept by delivering only the „meat” in the product preview description. It’s a clean, clear message that tells you exactly what to expect from the product, without unnecessary, drawn-out explanations.

Where to use UX writing?

Almost everywhere. Any kind of digital product—websites, apps, e-commerce platforms, CRM systems, etc.—needs well-thought-out microcopy, labels, and CTAs to fulfill their role. Even blogs or image-oriented pages (like the 'About Us’ section of a company website or a CSR page) benefit from UX writing, though not necessarily for the main text, but for category labels, headers, previews, and various buttons.

It’s worth reviewing the text on your website and considering whether something could be written shorter, simpler, and in a more user-friendly way. Conducting a content audit is also a good way to identify areas where changes could positively impact your product’s goals. Changing the copy on your website can bring noticeable results in a short time, with relatively low costs.