UX Writing Job Meaning and Required Skills
User experience-based skills are evolving day by day, and new jobs have emerged in this field. UX Writing is one of the new and lucrative jobs in the field of user experience design. This article intends to examine the various aspects of the user experience writing job:
- Who is a UX Writer ?
- What is the difference between UX writing and copywriting?
- How much money does a UX writer make?
- What skills does a UX Writer need?
These are some questions which You will find the answers to in this article.
What is UX Writing?
UX Writing is the art of creating text that appears in the interface of digital products (websites, mobile applications, etc.).
As digital products become part of our daily lives, users seek products that provide the most simple and friendly experience. Changes in the way we interact with technology have led to creating new jobs like UX Writing.
The apps and websites we use are becoming more complex, and users need guidance to use them. This is why companies need a UX writer for their products.
What is Microcopy?
As mentioned, UX writer, writes the guide of digital products, including text on buttons, menus, error messages, and more. We call these small parts microcopies.
In a more general sense, the UX writer has a mission of delivering the product’s message to the user. For this reason, these people should have a deep and complete understanding of the target users and, for this purpose, they should do UX research.
A UX writer is not always dedicated to microscopic writing. Rather, microcopies are only part of his responsibility.
UX writer creates a content style guide. This guide contains all the instructions needed for copywriting and product introduction. These activities lead to branding and make the sound of the product heard by everyone.
To summarize, the UX writer should always be thinking about customers. Any suggestions made by the manager or other colleagues, including programmers or designers, should be submitted in a user-friendly manner, and this is what a UX writer does.
The UX writer must approve everything that can be heard or seen by users.
What is the difference between UX Writing and Copy Writing?
UX writing and copywriting are very different from each other. Many UX writers are past or present copywriters. The copywriter helps sell the product, while the UX writer does more than that. At UX Writing, the goal is to guide the user intuitively.
The UX writer must consider users by creating an experience that improves the user’s daily life.
Not so long ago, every product came with a manual. But in recent years, the UX writer has taken on this task. He guides users through digital experiences. These experts can make connections between customer needs and company goals.
One of the jobs known as a content strategist is directly related to UX writing, although the two jobs are separate.
What companies hire UX writers?
Are you surprised that there is such a job, and are you curious to know which companies hire UX writers? The answer to this question is that having a UX writer is essential for any organization that offers digital products.
Prospective companies such as Wix, Booking, and Google offer products that make user’s lives easier. If you are eager for the reason, that’s because of UX writers’ impact on their products. So, they Hire these professionals, and instead, users always welcome the products of these companies.
The booking site, for example, has hired a large number of UX writers. This may come as a surprise, but Booking has hired these professionals about one-sixth of its designers! In contrast, companies that are a little behind, such as Oracle, are lagging in this competition.
What skills does a UX Writer need?
Different companies need different skills. The results of a survey of more than 50 job descriptions for UX writers in companies around the world show that the essential skills for a user experience writer are:
- Writing a user experience component, both in the product experience and in the website experience (for inexperienced writers, web pages are easier)
- Ability to copy in a variety of formats, from microcopy to long forms
- Understanding product design and how it relates to business strategy
- Experience working with data: tracking it, understanding how to gain insight from data, and taking action based on it (understanding numbers alone is not enough)
- The ability of user research
How much salary can a UX Writer expect?
There is not much information available at this time about the income of a UX writer. A recent survey of 440 user experience writers in 25 countries found that novice UX writers in the United States earned an average of $ 75,000 a year. Experienced writers, on the other hand, earn an average of $ 125,000 a year! (If you are new, do not expect such amounts immediately)
According to the Glassdoor job search site, the average annual salary of a UX designer is $ 100,000. UX Writing and UX design jobs are complementary, and their tasks should not be confused.
How do we know if UX Writing is the right job for us?
If you gather ten user experience writers in one room, you will find that each of them has a unique professional background.
One may have worked in journalism and the other in physics. This is because UX Writing is a new but in-demand job. This has led to people from different fields entering this job.
There seems to be no commonality among UX writers; Therefore, almost any interested and motivated person can join this field with effort. Here are some important skills for a UX writer:
A Designer mindset
What is meant by design here, is not aesthetic concepts but the creation of good performance in the product. It is the designer’s mindset that can help solve the problem. For example, when a user experiences a signing up form for a new online service, the UX writer should think, “How can I improve this experience?”
Good listening skills
A user experience writer should be able to hear well. Listening patiently, carefully, and critically is one of the most important skills for this job. These types of writers should be able to put aside their personal inclinations and tastes and be receptive to the ideas and criticisms of others. Otherwise, business progress will not be achieved.
Effective communication skills
If the user experience writer cannot communicate effectively with others, it is as if he is stuck in a glass cube and cannot get out of it. Effective communication with stakeholders, designers, customers, and project managers is from the requirements of this profession.
Tendency to learn continuously
Unlike some occupations, UX writing is an emerging professional. This skill is constantly evolving and changing. People who enter this field do not have much chance without continuous learning.
There are many virtual communities and forums where user experience writers discuss and solve problems and improve their skills.
How to get started as a user experience writer?
As mentioned, this job is in a rare and unique position. Despite the growing demand for specialists in this field, a low number of people are working in this field, and even more strangely, there is no academic field to teach it.
Of course, you need a work sample to learn this and prepare yourself for a real job. To build a portfolio, we suggest that you scrutinize your favorite apps or websites and come up with ways to improve them. To do this, you need to be familiar with design tools such as Adobe XD and Figma.
Learning the new UX writing profession and finding a job in this field can be stressful, but with a little effort and practice, you can reach your goal.
What other important tools and skills do you think are needed for the UX Writing profession? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on UX writing with other users and us.
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