Why copywriting is so important for design
UX/UI designers are often considered the “creative” types.
But with great creativity comes great responsibility to communicate that design in a way that is both appealing and informative. As a UX designer, you’re not just designing an interface — you’re designing user experience.
And as such, it’s important for you to be able to write compelling content that will help your users better understand the benefits of using your product or service.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 7 reasons why copywriting skills are valuable for UX/UI designers!
1. Copywriters are experts at persuasive language
Copywriters are experts at witty language, which is just a fancy way of saying they’re persuasive. Persuasive language is what drives the design decisions of a UX/UI designer.
As persuasive words can help you be more creative, witty copywriters are able to think outside the box and create an experience that’s refreshingly different from your competitors.
Copywriting skills also allow you to hone in on the precise benefits of how using your product or service will benefit users — this gives them the incentive to keep reading!
Your copy should speak directly with your target market in order for it to really resonate well with users; people respond better when they feel like someone understands their needs “so look at who you’re trying to reach before putting pen-to-paper (or fingers-to-keyboard).
2. Copywriting skills can be used to write about your design process
Using copy to write about your design process is a great way to share your knowledge with other designers, as well as potential clients.
Incorporating copy into your design process is also an excellent idea if you’re looking for ways to differentiate yourself from other UX/UI designers -By telling the story of your skillset, you’ll make it easy for UX/UI designers to understand what sets your design process apart.
This can be done through blog posts, tutorials or even writing about how certain projects were completed; whatever type of content marketing strategy you prefer!
3. You’ll need copy for marketing materials, websites, and blog posts
The last thing to mention is that having the ability to write copy can be very helpful for more than just designing websites and blog posts.
If you plan on marketing your design skills, it’s a great idea to have a portfolio of some sort with compelling content about what you do best — all written by you!
In this way, when potential clients or employers are reviewing your work they’ll get much better insight into what makes you different from other UI/UX designers.
And even if writing isn’t necessary in order for them to understand the value of what you have to offer, knowing how well-versed (pun intended!) in good copywriting practices will help set yourself apart as someone who values quality user experience above all else.
For example, one of the most effective ways to learn how to write good copy is by studying what’s already been written.
Instead of reading a textbook about it or listening to someone give you some tips for writing on your favorite podcast, read as many blog posts and articles online as possible that are well-written.
4. Writing is an excellent way to practice UX/UI principles in a creative way
Creative writing will help you think about UX/UI in a different way.
Writing can help us better understand how our users interact with applications, websites and other digital products that we design.
It also helps to improve the user experience by making it more natural and conversational for your audience or readers when they engage with your product.
The words you use will have an impact on their emotions, which affect everything from whether someone’s willing to buy something online, stay up-to-date with brands via email newsletter subscriptions or share content on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Nothing is worse than spending time crafting what should be thoughtful copy only to realize once published that there were spelling errors all over the place.
5. A good writer will know how to use words that evoke emotion and tell a story
Storytelling is incredibly important when writing your case studies, so you can effectively explain your design process, the challenges you faced, and how your design was ultimately successful.
Knowing how to craft a story is an art in itself, but there are some very helpful tips any writer can follow when they’re looking for inspiration:
- Tell the whole story — don’t stop halfway through with cliffhangers or leave readers hanging on what happened next!
This will frustrate them and make it impossible for people to truly understand why your message matters.
It also makes it difficult for others who may be reading about your project down the road since they won’t have all of the context needed to get excited about what you’ve done.
So keep everyone updated by showing all sides of things as events unfold until you reach that feeling of completion;
- Make sure to be detailed but not so over-analytical that you bog down your readers with too much information.
You want to keep in mind that not everyone has the same levels of knowledge about a subject, so they’ll get bored or confused if you go into all the details;
- Write how YOU would speak — people can tell when someone’s writing is stiff and contrived vs. when it seems more natural because they’re using their own voice;
A personal touch will make an essay, blog post, letter, email or any other written work seem more authentic which makes it easier for readers to engage and enjoy what you have to say!
It also helps them respond better since everything feels less ‘forced’ or robotic.
6. Copywriters are trained in the art of storytelling through words- which is perfect for UX/UI designers who want people to understand their designs and feel connected with them emotionally
If you can tell the story of how useful an application is, or how well a design works, then you’ll be able to help people use it better.
The best part about UX/UI designers is that they have the ability to bring their designs to life and show them off in front of all kinds of audiences through words- whether on websites, social media posts, video demos, or even just conversations with users.
This means they are often required to write copy that can do many things: be engaging enough for readers but informative enough for potential customers; speak the language your audience prefers (e.g., fancy vs. informal).
And if this little list doesn’t convince you yet…think about these two reasons:
Imagine you’re speaking to someone and they stop listening to you because of your awkward tone, or the way you’re conveying your message.
When people are reading content on a website, for example- if they get bored or frustrated with what they’re reading then chances are that interaction will become a negative user experience for them.
7. Good writers have strong editing skills- which means they’re able to make changes quickly when needed without sacrificing quality or clarity
Great writers are able to write a piece of content that conveys their ideas without sounding cluttered or wordy.
Being able to produce quality content on the fly and having the capability to make thoughtful changes quickly and without sacrificing quality or clarity is something the best writers have.
UX is all about being able to take feedback and implement it quickly and efficiently, so the better you are at writing, the better you’ll be able to take feedback and work with it.
In conclusion, UX/UI Designers should be able to write copy because it helps them with their design process, and is a valuable skill I would highly recommend all designers learn.
