UX writing in localization

What is UX writing?

UX writing (User Experience writing) is a process of creating user-oriented content whose primary goal is improving the interaction between user and software. This activity is often related to software elements such as navigation, buttons, error messages, tips, banners, and other parts responsible for user experience. Unlike copywriting (creating landing pages or blog articles), UX writing aims to provide an excellent user experience, not attract or push sales. During this process, the experts focus on clarity, conciseness, and functionality, which are closely related to the product's context of use and influence customers' engagement. For example, research shows that 89% of users will go with a competitor in case of a poor user experience, and 74% of businesses call user experience a crucial part of boosting sales.

Examples of UX writing

One of the main goals of UX writing is designing user flows and creating clear and consistent guidance at every step of the product journey. Let's look at a few scenarios of flows used in most web and mobile applications. Initial user engagement. Here, the main goal is to help a new user start interacting with the product. Mostly, UX writers prepare some welcome texts and first instructions on creating a profile/sign-up or what can be done with the software.

• Onboarding. UX writers create clear, easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions that help users get comfortable with the interface. Onboarding content creation is also essential when new features are released, or changes are made to existing ones.
• Contextual clues. In this scenario, pop-up windows or text on hover can provide helpful information about parts of the application or web resource.
• Navigation. The clear and familiar names in the navigation help users find the needed functionality and don't frustrate them with multiple clicks to find the parts of the application or website they need.
• Error messages. Clear error messages inform the user what went wrong and how it can be fixed. Confused messages or their absence can lead users to avoid dealing with the issues and leave the web resource.
• Confirmation and completion messages. Notifications about the successful completion of actions support the user and create confidence that everything was done correctly. For example, when the user is notified that the order has been completed. In turn, closing messages of gratitude help end the user journey on a positive note.

Why should you care about UX text localization?

As described in the previous paragraph, UX content is essential to user satisfaction with the product and closely related to the quality of their experience. That's why the localization of the UX text should be considered much more responsible.

Also, it is essential to remember that localization includes not only translation but adaptation to the audience's tone of voice and the region's cultural nuances. Thus, it is common for businesses based in different regions to communicate with users using varying levels of literalness and formality, and your copywriting team should have a precise guideline for each market.

To highlight the importance of correctly communicating UX content, we defined five points that can be increased if all done correctly.

• Usability. When users have a guide who shows everything inside the product, it will help them quickly find the needed functionality and use all its benefits from the start. Otherwise, important parts can be missed without proper support, leading to decreased satisfaction and future usage — almost half of users (42%) leave websites if they encounter UX problems.
• Trust and loyalty. The intuitive and seamless interface fosters a strong connection with the audience. Users have access to a broad market, allowing them to find the perfect fit. As a result, 86% of consumers are likely to disengage from the brand after encountering two unsuccessful customer experiences.
• User engagement. According to statistics, most users, on average, use apps for 3-7 days before deciding. So, you have limited time to compete with the other market players, and great UX can help you keep a top position.
• Market coverage. Localizing UX writing allows companies to enter new markets and attract users from different countries, which opens up new business opportunities and contributes to the growth of the number of users.
• Profit. A great UX can increase a website's conversion rates three times.

How can Lingohub help UX writers during localization?

Lingohub, a comprehensive localization tool, provides a list of abilities to support UX writers during content localization. Let's review them in detail.

Labels and segments grouping Labels is a tool that allows you to create unlimited "color tags" for your text segments to mark needed information and quickly filter them by request. You can simply manage labels inside the application and highlight UX-related content.

Quality checks Lingohub offers a robust quality assurance tool to ensure your texts fit predetermined criteria. This tool includes length, spaces, HTML tags, placeholders, line breaks, etc. This feature, for instance, can set character or word limits for translations to ensure that the localized text fits within the design constraints of the application, which is essential for buttons and navigation lines. With quality checks, you can prevent issues such as text overflow or misalignment, which are crucial for maintaining a seamless user experience.

Term base Lingohub allows for the creation and maintenance of a term base, a set of approved terminology, and phrase translations. This tool helps maintain consistency for specific words to ensure all project users see the same terminology. Also, term bases significantly speed up the localization process because UX writers get clear suggestions and do not need to check the correct translation of the words manually.

Professional translation If you need experts who can support UX localization, Lingohub is the best place to find them. Our professional translators bring expertise to handle complex localization tasks, ensuring high-quality results. You can easily order translation or proofreading for your content, and rest assured, everything is at the top level.

If you want more information about Lingohub's features and abilities, we will gladly guide you through our application during a short demo call. Arrange a suitable time, and let's grow together!