Tiny Words With A Huge Impact
What is microcopy, AKA micro-content?
Microcopy is a form of copywriting. Microcopy is the small text snippets that help us move around digital copy, websites, and apps. When people use an online product or service, there are many different ways they can help them. The goal is to make the process as easy as possible for them. Think of microscopy as a way to use words to help solve problems, like when you write a letter.
Usually, a UX writer or content designer has to write a microcopy.
To summarise: microcopy is short text fragments of phrases, often presented with no additional context. Used to communicate key messages in a concise form:
page titles
headlines
taglines
email subject lines & pre header text
summaries
hints, tooltips, explainers
social media and ad copy
text fields in online forms
meta text + alt text
onboarding & off boarding copy
error messages
captions
notifications
One thing that almost all types of microcopy have in common is that they make people do something. This text helps you learn how to do things that you've never done before in an easy-to-follow way. For example, a microcopy error message would make people want to fix the problem by giving them a reason.
It is essential for three main reasons:
Clarity: The first reason is that it makes it easier for people to use or read your message. This can be especially important for recruitment websites, where job seekers may be unfamiliar with the organization or the application process. Microcopy that is easy to read helps users find and do the things they want to do. Use it to build trust and reassure users, for example, by telling them why you need their data or how you'll use it.
Branding: Microcopy is an opportunity to reinforce the company's employer brand and messaging. By using consistent language and tone, recruiters can help to create a cohesive and memorable experience for job seekers.
Call to Action: Microcopy has been shown repeatedly that it has a significant impact on how many people click on something. It can be used to encourage desired actions, such as applying for a job or signing up for a newsletter. Clear and compelling microcopy can help to increase conversion rates and ultimately lead to more successful recruitment efforts.
In a nutshell, microcopy is a great way to change how people feel about your company. Microcopy is important for recruiters because it can help to improve the overall user experience, prevent errors, reinforce branding, and increase conversion rates. It's a small but powerful tool that can have a big impact on the success of their recruitment efforts.
If writing microcopy is a puzzle, the four corner pieces are:
Brevity
Context
Action
Authenticity
Your microcopy can help people feel more confident when they sign up, subscribe, or apply. But to make it happen, you should think about what users might ask.
Here are some common objections to thinking of when writing microcopy:
people might fear that you will spam there
people might fear that you will lose the data
Microcopy that is well-written helps people fight against these objections and helps find what they need.
When writing microcopy, keep in mind that your audience is probably jam-packed. They might not have time to read through a lengthy page of text.
As an example, in job postings: One way to help your candidates is to break your text into a few smaller chunks and give to each paragraph concise, clear, actionable and authentic tagline.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, microcopy is important to recruiters because it has a significant impact on the candidate experience and can ultimately affect the success of their recruitment efforts. You should think about what your audience wants to know and how you can help them get it. Microcopy is the first thing they see on your site and the first impression they will form. If they don't understand what you're trying to say, they won't trust you and won't buy from you. So, keep this in mind when you're writing your copy.