The professional UX Writer or User Experience Writer basically deals with the creation and management of online texts. He has the task of keeping the user glued to the screen through his writing. So we are not talking about a simple web copy: the UX Writer has to create excellent content, follow the rules of writing to help the user, and accompany him to do what the site or article requires. Be it a call to action to download an ebook or leave a simple email. Do you also want to pursue this career? Come and discover the Digital Marketing Program by Digital Coach®.
A good professional in this field must basically do four basic things:
- attract readers with interesting and catchy titles;
- keep attention while reading;
- continue to meet the expectations of the reading user;
- verify these expectations with concrete evidence.
If the text is well written and follows these characteristics, the UX Writer will be able to convince the user to perform an action, such as filling out a form.
A good text also has to be:
- simple
- clear
- direct
- informal
- capable of communicating a message.
In this article, I would like to offer you the following interview with Camilla Maccaferri, UX Writer at GoStudent. Thanks to her, we will discover what are the fundamental characteristics of this new profession.
I would say let Camilla have the floor.
Who is the professional UX Writer and what does he/she do?
The UX Writer is somewhere in between the content creator, the copywriter, and the UX designer. His or her purpose is to improve the usability of content, hence its usability, substantially simplifying what we want to achieve from our users (also at the level of call to action). In general, it takes care of all the microcopy, such as labels, tags, and buttons. Everything that basically constitutes a site, a portal, a web page.
So let’s say that the UX Writer acts as a bit of an intermediary between the UX Designer and the content generation.
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What skills does a UX Writer need to possess?
First of all, he must possess content design skills and, therefore, must be able to write. He does not necessarily have to be a super creative copywriter. From the point of view of generating new content, he will hardly find himself if he is only a UX Writer generating, for example, campaign-like content.
However, he must be well-versed in the rules of writing.
A smattering of SEO is useful but not indispensable. He must, however, know the fundamentals of UX design and perhaps a little about UI. We are talking about an intermediate professional figure, so he must also mediate a little between these two professions. So it is useful for him to have a smattering of all these things. Certainly, however, the fact of knowing how to write, and knowing how to write well, is an absolute priority.
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What tool does a UX Writer use?
Let’s say that being a contact profession, the UX Writer tool does not exist.
For example, I now work with UX and UI design colleagues who use Sketch, so we use this tool. But there are also UX Writers who do not put their hands on the tool but simply take a screenshot of the hardboard and then write on it. Let’s say that I think having a smattering even of the use of the main design tools is useful because writing text directly in the UI, in the design above all, also helps you to understand how the final result will be perceived by the external user. So I always recommend, if possible, working directly on the hardboards. But then it really depends on the workflow you set up with UX and UI.
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How does one become a UX Writer?
This is a good question. I honestly don’t know if there are more academic or institutionalized courses or pathways today. When I started working in digital, there were no training courses. I can tell you, however, my experience. I have a degree in modern literature, so it has absolutely nothing to do with what I do now. Then I started working as a copywriter and as content in a digital agency.
From there, I was interested in the world of user experience, and so I started to study this discipline with my colleagues. So then that also came as a natural path, in the sense that compared to content or “copy tout court”, a UX Writer also has this background. Maybe there are also institutional paths, but the most natural and best thing is always to work in a collaborative context with colleagues who do something else and teach you a bit about where you start from.
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What other professionals do you interact with?
I started my work experience in the agency even though I now work in the company. But despite this, the design team approach has remained the same. Collaboration and exchange with other professionals are indispensable, especially with those who deal with User Experience and UI. In the sense that the design of a page is created by working together:
- experience (wireframe);
- the content;
- and then after the visual.
And it’s a continuous work in progress with the user experience and design professionals.
You definitely get to interface with the developer as well at some point in the flow. Because when you get to development, maybe there are things to be “set up” and improved. So there is definitely an interaction part with the developer. There may also be an interaction with marketing, as in the project I am currently working on. This is because the content that has to be conveyed through the copy, of course, is within a frame of rules also established with the agreement of marketing.
And then there are the usual reference figures such as the project manager. But let’s say that the synergy, the primary asset is UX Writer content, UI, and UX Design.
What kind of company does a UX Writer work in?
I would say there are three big clusters:
The classic communication agency deals with campaigns, sites, etc. Consulting, which is a design part where I previously worked before joining the current company. I am talking about big companies like Accenture and Young, which have developed a digital division in recent years. Company. Now even traditional companies are realizing that it is important to hire professionals in UX and Design.
How much does an average UX Writer earn?
As with all digital professions, it depends very much on seniority and business reality because, obviously, a big consultancy will have a spending power that perhaps a small communications agency does not. The range, in my opinion, is very large. It can range from 25,000 USD for a junior to 40,000/45,000 USD for a senior.
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As you may have read, UX Writer is an emerging profession. More and more companies realize how important such a figure is in their marketing strategy. Being able to convince users to take action through good copy can make all the difference in the success of a strategy. Thanks to Camilla, we found out more about this digital profession.
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