Mastering Accessible UX Writing: Top Tips & Best Practices to Captivate Your Audience
Revolutionize your writing via accessibility principles
Good writing is like looking up to a clear sky; it allows your reader to see through your words and access a message simply. Nevertheless, good writing is more complex than merely writing a simile about the sky.
There are a lot of elements at play when we write. From word choice to sentence fluency, communicating succinct information is tricky, even for those who speak English as a first language.
UX writers aim to share information in as few words as possible. Some have nailed the art of concise script. Micro-copy has no choice but to remain short.
Inside Asia Tours provides an excellent example of expressing relevant information in a conversational tone.
You don’t have to think much when you read good copy like this. It grabs your attention clearly, making you want to learn more.
We can take many tips from UX writing principles to improve our design and writing work.
This article will provide actionable tips and best practices for designers to create accessible UX micro-copy. We’ll cover everything from simple language and short sentences to the color contrast of text. By following these tips, anyone can create a more inclusive and accessible digital reading experience for all users.
Use simple words in short sentences.
The difference between straightforward and complex writing styles becomes unmistakable when you see complexity, while it may be less noticeable with concise work. In other words, we often take the effects of precise writing for granted, while the results of overly complex writing are apparent.
We should remember that only some people use language as we do. Simple language reduces the risk of misinterpretation by whittling the wording down to its core meaning. Complex writing can sabotage the punch of your message, as it can be challenging to read and may even intimidate readers from engaging with your content.
Therefore, it is vital to prioritize clarity in your writing by using simple language, avoiding jargon and technical terms whenever possible, and organizing your ideas logically and coherently. Doing so can make your writing more accessible and increase your message’s impact on your readers.
Improving the clarity of your writing can be demanding, as it requires you to deliberately question your writing habits and replace complex terms with simpler alternatives.
For instance, instead of saying “utilize,” you can say “use,” which is more direct and easier to understand. Also, instead of writing a long sentence like, “I finalized utilizing word choice to discuss the significance of simple language,” you can state, “I stressed the importance of simple speech,” which is more precise.
By simplifying your writing, you can make it easier for your readers to understand and engage with your content. If you want to learn more about streamlining your writing further, check out The Beginner’s Guide to Simplifying Your Writing. Don’t hesitate to comment if you have any questions or feedback.
Lastly, straightforward language and short sentences go hand in hand when crafting accessible copy. Strive to keep your sentences short. Lengthy sentences take a lot of work to read for most people. Plus, when you keep your sentences concise, you can avoid using dull vocabulary.
Use hierarchy
Enforcing a hierarchy is one of the most practical ways to make your content accessible. This technique involves using headings and subheadings to structure your content logically. Headings and subheadings split up your content into shorter, digestible segments. By doing so, you can help your users scan and navigate your content, enabling them to find information quickly.
Consider an example from this fake article:
Wow — that was painful to read. If you tried hard enough, you could understand this content, but it’s more work than you would want, especially if it were a full-length article.
On the flip side, the writers at Writesonic apply hierarchy principles flawlessly. The 404 error page highlights the most essential information in large, bold text, followed by a subtitle that adds a conversational component (e.g., sorry).
Here’s another excellent example of how we can apply hierarchy in UX writing: the designers have emphasized Model 3 as the primary information you need to focus on, followed by the leasing option at a smaller font size and lower level of boldness.
If you need help structuring your hierarchy, determining your readers’ goals can be a practical starting point. By understanding what your readers hope to achieve, you can determine the best way to organize your content to meet their needs. Following these guidelines ensure that your content is reader-focused.
Use the active voice
One of the fundamental principles of effective writing is using an active voice.
In contrast to the passive voice, the active voice is more direct and dynamic. It involves placing the subject of the sentence before the verb, which highlights the person or thing that is acting. This approach not only makes your writing more transparent and accessible but also adds punch to your words.
For example:
Passive: The words were written by the author.
Active: The author wrote the words.
As you can see, the core meaning is much more apparent when we focus directly on each part of speech and its intent. The message becomes less straightforward when we add extra fluff like “were” or “by.”
Active voice makes your writing more engaging and persuasive, especially if you are trying to energize your readers.
Check color contrast
When designing digital content, it is essential to consider the accessibility of your writing to all users, including those with limited vision. Color blindness impacts a substantial portion of the population, and it can make it challenging to distinguish between different colors. In fact, color blindness affects roughly 300 million people worldwide, about the same as the population of the United States. This color blindness simulator helps give us perspective. Therefore, checking that your color choices provide enough contrast to make your text readable is critical.
To achieve this, you can use tools such as color contrast checkers to test the accessibility of your designs. These tools can help you determine if your text and background contrast works for users with different types of color blindness.
You can also use alternative methods to convey information, such as universally familiar icons, to ensure that users can understand your content regardless of their color vision abilities.
By taking these steps, you can create digital content accessible to all users, irrespective of their color vision abilities. This approach improves the user experience and demonstrates your design pledge to inclusivity and diversity.
Wrapping up
When you guarantee accessibility for a few, many experience the benefits, and your message is much more apparent when you write with simple language and an active voice. Plus, organizing your work with hierarchy and color contrast principles allows all users to read your work effortlessly.
Interested in learning more about improving your writing and UX skills?
Check out these free resources:
- The Beginner’s Guide to Simplifying your Writing
- A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Tone of Voice
- Twenty Free Online Resources to Practice Your UX Writing Skills
