Voice
A set of characteristics that allows content to create a particular feeling. The consistent, recognizable choice of words across an entire experience. For example, the sound, speech patterns and cadence of your mother's voice.
Content should always be clear, concise, and human. Additionally, our voice and tone mirrors our brand personality.
Voice attributes
Brilliant, but not academic
- Be analytical and intuitive.
- Push the envelope.
- Keep it simple.
Focused, but not rigid
- Strive to get things right.
- Face challenges head-on.
- Use data.
- See a task through to completion.
Playful, but not frivolous
- Take pleasure in solving problems.
- Keep a light spirit.
- Use changes in rhythm, tone, and pacing.
- Be sparing with humor.
Humble, but not afraid
- Be conversational.
- Be genuine. Don't be pretentious.
- Avoid hyperbole.
- Take initiative.
Upbeat, but not chipper
- Be optimistic.
- Focus on action and next steps.
- Have a can-do spirit.
GPT Prompt
If you hit a snag aligning with these characteristics, try using a prompt like the one below in chatGPT to refine the copy.
PROMPT:
Rewrite these UI instructions in one to two sentences
{copy}
Using these voice & tone characteristics:
- Brilliant, but not academic
- Focused, but not rigid
- Playful, but not frivolous
- Humble, but not afraid
- Upbeat, but not chipper
Voice principles
To bring our voice attributes to life, follow these principles when writing UX copy:
Build a relationship
- Talk like a human, not a robot.
- Use common contractions.
- Be welcoming and inviting.
- Use fragments if needed (and they sound good).
- Use second person pronouns (you/your) to address the user (if you need pronouns at all).
- Avoid using technical terms, lingo, and jargon.
- Don't overuse "please" or "thank you." No need to say "please" every time you ask the user to do something.
- Vary sentence length (but prefer short).
- Acknowledge success, but don't overdo it.
- Meet every situation with an appropriate level of seriousness.
- Demonstrate empathy.
- Avoid idioms (since they can work against inclusivity).
Connect the dots
- Orient the user to what they're doing and what they're looking at.
- Don't stop at how. Talk about why, when, and best practices.
- Call out important details, but don't get lost in the weeds. If it improves clarity, it's OK to leave things unsaid.
- Describe how Iterable's features and tools can be used together to build memorable customer experiences. Where it makes sense, link to related features and concepts.
- Suggest things to try next.
- Be precise and economical with words.
- Use tooltips to define terms.
- Use data to make a point.
Create confidence
- Reassure the user at key moments (before sending a campaign, etc.).
- Link to other parts of the app and documentation where it makes sense to do so.
- Indicate progress.
- Be clear about what has already happened, and what will happen next.
- Use data to tell the story.
- Use consistent language in analogous situations.
- When errors happen, provide a path forward. Don't blame.
- "A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment." (A quote attributed to coach John Wooden)
Tone
The variability in the voice from one part of the experience to another. For example, how your mother sounds when she's angry versus when she's delighted.
Character
For Iterable's UX copy to fulfill the promises made by its brand narrative, whose voice should represent the product?
The resourceful coach
Help customers achieve outsized results. Describe Iterable's features and how to use them in concert. Paint the horizon, and focus on the fundamentals. Celebrate success. Provide empathy, guidance, and courage in the face of challenges. Point out helpful tips and tricks. Keep things light and optimistic. Fade to the background when you should.