What is UX writing? And 10 resources to branch into UX writing in 2022.

Introduction

UX writing is essential in the modern business world. This role has gained popularity because businesses are developing more products to help customers solve their problems. A UX writer is responsible for helping a business understand its target audience, its needs, and how a product or service can meet them and writing effective content that makes a strong case for the product.

What is UX writing?

UX writing is a subset of UX design. It’s creating content that makes using a product easy and content that will help users accomplish their goals. So you can consider UX writing as a combination of UX designing and copywriting. That makes using a product easy and intuitive.

For example, when a company develops a website or an app, there should be clear guidelines for how users interact with it. This includes things like:

• Understanding what they can do once they’ve downloaded your app or visited your website (what features exist in the interface)
• How much time do they need before moving forward in an activity (a tutorial might help)
• Where exactly should the user go next after clicking something onscreen (a link could take them elsewhere within your application)?

As a user experience writer, you are responsible for creating easy-to-understand and navigatable content. You will be writing about products, services, websites and more. In some bigger companies, the UX writer is also responsible for creating user stories, which UX designers work with to create mockups and wireframes of the product.

You also need to ensure that your copy is engaging and readable so that people can easily navigate through it.

What is the difference between content writing and UX writing?

There are a few differences between content writing and UX writing. First of all, all UX writing is content writing, but not all content writing is UX writing. UX wirContent is a marketing tool, while UX writing is a user experience tool.

While you can write content in the present or future tense, UX writing is always written in the future tense because it’s about what users will do with your product after it’s released.

UX writers should be aware of this distinction and use language that explains how their products work instead of just describing them directly (as though they were marketing products).

Are content designers and UX writers the same?

Content designers and UX writers are different. Let’s look at their core responsibilities and how they differ.

Content designers focus on the content of an app or website, while UX writers focus on the user experience (UX). The two don’t always work together, but if you have a project that needs both types of expertise, it can be helpful to bring them in as part of your team. A content designer might create wireframes for an Android app; a UX writer will then write up these wireframes as well as any other documents needed for print or digital advertising materials like brochures or collateral materials for distribution through channels like email marketing campaigns.*

What are the skills of a good UX writer?

UX writing is a relatively new field, so most skills of UX writers are just a mishmash of the skills of a UX designer and content writer. However, some of these skills include.

• Being able to write in a clear, concise and engaging way.
• Communicate with users.
• The ability to make data-driven decisions.
• A solid understanding of the goals and workflow of the design team.

You are also expected to work with other teams on projects such as marketing or product management to understand what you do and how they might use your content in their projects (e.g., blog posts). If this sounds like something that interests you, then keep reading!

How can you become a UX writer?

Your goal to become a UX writer will start with learning the skills of UX writing. We have compiled the 10 best resources to start the journey.

1. UX Writing with Kinneret Yifrah on Udemy.
2. Google’s UX course on Coursera
3. Fundamentals of UX Writing Course
4. Transitioning into UX Writing
5. Think Like an Editor (Content Strategy and UX Writing) course
6. https://course.uxwritinghub.com/free_course
7. Microcopy by Kinneret Yifrah (book)
8. UX Writing hub (blog)
9. Microcopy and UX Writing Facebook group (Community)
10. Content + UX Workspace (Slack Community)

As with any new skill, it’s important to practice, so try to take tasks as you complete the courses listed above. Most of the courses will have portfolio tasks you can complete. In addition to the courses, we have listed some communities to join. Being a part of communities helps to fasten learning.

Benefits of a UX writer?

• UX writing is a growing field.
• UX writing is a great way to get into content marketing.
• UX writing is a great way to improve your writing skills and expand your horizons.
• You can work in teams and collaborate with other professionals on challenging but rewarding projects!

How much does a UX writer make?

If you are interested in becoming a UX writer, you should know how much you can expect to receive as a salary, and it is not pretty. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a UX writer can earn anywhere from $44,000 to $69,000 per year.

This low pay is not because businesses don’t recognise the importance of UX writing. It is just that the unique value a standalone UX writer brings to the team is not justifiable, especially for smaller teams.

And because of this low pay situation, when compared with other professions in digital marketing (like coding or web design), most UX writers work freelance jobs instead of full-time ones. The average freelance rate is around 50% less than what you’d get at an agency with standard benefits like health insurance or paid time off; however, some companies offer higher rates depending on your experience level or industry expertise.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve covered a lot of different topics related to the field of UX writing. We hope you learned a lot and can now make an informed decision on whether or not UX writing is right for you. If you decide to pursue it, we recommend keeping an open mind when it comes time to find work! There are plenty of opportunities, but remember that not every project will be suitable for every person in terms of skill set or experience level. It may take some time before your skills match what employers need most — so don’t give up!