UX writing: the small words that make your website sell

You can have the most beautiful design in the world, but if the button says “Submit” and nobody knows what’s being sent or what happens next, people hesitate. And when they hesitate, they leave. UX writing is the craft of writing an interface’s text: buttons, menus, forms, notices and error messages.

Principle 1: clear before clever

A menu with “Our universe” and “Let’s connect” feels original, but it makes people think. “Services” and “Contact” are understood instantly. Save creativity for headlines; in navigation, clarity wins.

Principle 2: buttons say what happens

A button is a promise. Instead of generic verbs, describe the result:

• “Submit” → “Get your quote”
• “Next” → “Choose shipping”
• “Subscribe” → “Send me updates”
• “Buy” → “Pay $48,900”

Principle 3: the heading answers “what’s in it for me?”

Visitors arrive with a question. Each page’s heading has to answer it. “Welcome to our website” says nothing; “Online stores that sell while you sleep” does.

Principle 4: forms that don’t scare people

• Ask only for what’s needed and explain why you want each piece of data if it isn’t obvious.
• Labels always visible, not just gray placeholder text that disappears when typing.
• Format examples: “E.g. 351 123 4567”.
• When they’re done, say what happens next: “Done. We’ll reply within 24 business hours”.

Principle 5: errors that help

“Error 422” or “Invalid input” helps no one. A good message says what happened and how to move on, without blaming the person:

“That email looks incomplete. Check it has an @ and a domain, like name@company.com”.

Principle 6: one voice

If you’re casual in one place and stiffly formal in another, the brand sounds messy. Define the tone (close, direct, professional) and apply it across the site, automatic emails included.

Principle 7: write for scanning

On screen almost nobody reads straight through: they scan. Short paragraphs, subheadings that summarize, lists and bold on what matters. Like this article.

An exercise for today

Go through your site and note every button. For each one ask yourself: if I only read this button, would I know what’s going to happen? If the answer is no, you know where to start.

At PuntoArg we write interface copy alongside the design, because it’s part of the experience, not last-minute filler.