"These texts were already accepted, let's not move them. Besides, if someone makes an effort, they'll understand. It is not a philosophy. 

"Let's write an announcement about it and that's it. I think it's enough that we put it under people's noses?". 

Chances are you've heard some of these texts. But if you want people to actually use your company's offer, sentences like these should set off a red light. 

After all, we all want to achieve our goals quickly and simply. And as customers - if we don't do it with this company, we'll go elsewhere.

That's right. The decision to "go elsewhere" occurs, among other things, when people:

• They feel lost - they don't know where to find something, where to go and what to click on to reach their goal,
• they do not understand what is going on - for example when they read long messages written in difficult language that do not fit their situation,
• are overwhelmed - they see a mass of information and no longer know what to decide.
  

Rest assured. These problems can be (at least partly) solved with texts.

Today, you'll learn a few rules that define how to design texts so that customers feel like they're talking to a service professional (even though they're clicking on that screen themselves).

Before we get into specifics, a word of explanation:

This article is an abridged and compiled transcript of Mobee Dick's first webinar entitled. "App, speak human!", hosted by Ewa Filipiak and Bartek Sury on 19.10.2021. The theoretical part could not have been written without the work of experts in the fields of communication and content design, but the most cited source (and the biggest inspiration) was the book Conversational design by Erika Hall.

If you feel unsatisfied after reading, refer to the sources at the bottom of the article for more knowledge.

UX writing, copywriting, conversational design - what are they and what are they responsible for?

"Okay, then who will help me with my lyrics?"

Recently, quite a few specialisations have emerged from general 'writing'. I will therefore introduce you to a few terms that should lighten the subject a little.

Copywriting promotes and encourages, UX writing guides and maintains

UX writing is about designing content for interfaces. It is therefore about applications, websites, services or other digital spaces where you are dealing with a process (e.g. you can buy something, book an appointment, send an enquiry).

It is sometimes the case that UX writing is talked about in contrast to copywriting. At Mobee Dick we look at these fields more as two supporting elements.

Imagine it as a relay race.

Thecopywriter is competitor No. 1. On cue, he takes off, and his role is to invite, sell, convince of benefits and values before users even interact with the product. And once he's passed the lap, he passes the baton to the UX writer.

When? 

In fact, when a user logs on to a product for the first time, they are undergoing onboarding. With UX writing, the task is therefore to: 

• maintain users,
• smoothly guide them through a process with their texts,
• give them a rewarding experience (or at least not annoy or disturb them).
  

This means that these areas should always support each other. 

Conversational design or meaningful conversation

To make it easier for you to imagine what conversational design is, I will refer to Scott Kubi (designer, author of Writing for Designers), who in a conversation with Kristina Halvorson (content strategist) said this:

The whole website experience feels like a pleasant interaction with a smart, competent customer service person. It doesn't feel like you're interacting with a robot. You don't have to have quirky personalities or chat bots, or little things that are popping and asking you questions in the style of an iMessage bubble to do that

Scott Kubie, author of Writing for designers

Can you feel it? 

Scott talks about creating an experience for the user in such a way that they feel they have a good interaction with a knowledgeable consultant. 

The product and the customer in a sense talk to each other, so it is good for the customer to feel and see that this product-consultant:

• supports him with empathy, 
• understands him,
• knows his language and conveys his knowledge simply and concretely.

Scott also points out that you don't need a chatbot or other solution that is supposed to simulate a conversation or actually speak to achieve this effect at all.

This can be done with 'plain' text.

How to design conversations - 4+1 model

"Then what should these text-talks look like? How do you write them?" 

I am in the comfortable position that I can simply give you 5 principles that were developed some time ago in the scientific world. 

So why the 4+1 model and not the 5 principles?

Because we actually owe it to two people - the British philosopher of language Paul Grice and the American linguist Robin Lakoff. 

Of course, they didn't talk about their findings in the context of digital products, but you can use these principles that way and it will be quite effective.

Paul Grice's 4 principles

Quantity

Give only as much information as necessary. That is, without unnecessary background outlines, digressions, anecdotes. As they say: "To the bank".

Quality

Earn trust, place a premium on authenticity and transparency. 

And this is not subjective advice or observation. For example: the 2021 trend map published by infuture.institute shows that consumers simply expect brands to be transparent. This is not a novelty, but slowly a market standard.

Relation 

Adapt the tone and topic to the situation and to the relationship. To make it easier, think of this as an example:

Imagine that a distinguished older gentleman walks into your company building and very shyly accosts you and asks where room 402 is. 

I assume you will not say to him: "Buddy, you're going to walk elegantly down this corridor, catch the lift and get to the other one. And if you can't figure out where the room is, there's supposed to be a Kasia hanging around, hit her up. You got this, right?" 

Of course you wouldn't say that (what a bizarre situation, besides he doesn't even know who Kasia is).

I see it more like this: "Please walk straight down the corridor and take the lift to the second floor. You should easily find a room, and if not, there will certainly be a member of staff there to help you.

Better at once, isn't it?

Businesses can enter into different relationships with their customers (neutral, friendly, partnership in the business sense, etc.). So ensure that the tone of your brand is authentic, 'out there' and simply fits with what you want to build.

Method 

Be concise and logical.

And if it is important for the user to follow the steps in a specific order, present it to him in an orderly (and not chaotic) way. Then he won't feel lost and won't ask himself: "What is actually wrong if I am doing everything as described?".

1 rule Robin Lakoff

Courtesy 

Being nice simply pays off, that's why:

• do not hide anything from your audience, 
• Where possible, give them a choice,
• make them feel good.
  

So much for theory. In the title of the article I promised you examples - so here we go!