7 Tests to Quickly Improve Your UX Copywriting
A/B Testing on phone buttons. Illustration by Gloria Li.
A clever UX writer would know that writing copy in a word document while checking for the squiggly red and green lines does not guarantee that their content is free from mistakes. In most instances, great copy requires the practice of content testing to evaluate if the writing is appropriate for a given target audience.
In this article, I have put together easy methods that you can use to test your copy for usability, readability, accessibility, and search-ability. These methods can be performed before, during, or after a content release.
Five Second Count. Illustration by Gloria Li.
Quick and cheap
First impressions
Evaluating screens, copy, advertisements
Instructions:
Display short copy or an illustration for 5 seconds. After each screen, ask users what they see on the screen and what they think the product allows them to do. Take the keywords from the results and see if they match the purpose of the copy. This method helps determine if the content expresses the intended message.
Highlighter testing with copy. Illustration & copy design by Gloria Li.
Corrects tone
Identifies awkward sentences
Easy and cheap
Instructions:
Select a text and get two highlighters. One highlighter (yellow) means the text it highlights makes people feel confident. The other highlighter (pink) means the text it highlights makes people feel confused. Give the participants a printout and coded highlighters with clear instructions. The colour results will provide a visual indicator of what works and what needs rewriting.
Brick wall. Illustration by Gloria Li.
Quick and cheap
Identifies “brick walls”
Needs only 5 participants
Instructions:
Grab someone from the hallway and ask them to use the product. Ask the participant to identify any brick walls (obstacles) or pain points (problems). The hallway testing method is advantageous because it not only samples a small group of users, but it’s also relatively quick and cheap to implement.
Cloze testing with bear example. Illustration and copy design by Gloria Li.
Fill in the blank
Assess structure
Optimize context
Check readability
Instructions:
Select a text and replace every nth word with a blank to fill. Typically, a cloze test requires every sixth word to be replaced, but you can choose a higher n value to make the test easier. Ask the participant to read and fill in the blanks. Calculate the score by taking a percentage of correctly guessed words. Synonyms and misspellings are allowed. If participants score 60% or higher on average, your text is reasonably comprehensible for this user profile.
5. A/B Testing
A/B testing. Illustration by Gloria Li.
Evaluates effectiveness
Compare versions
Statistical analysis of performance
Instructions:
Take a page and modify it to create a second version. Test your users by showing half of them the original version (control) and the other half the modified version (variation). Analyze the data to see which version performed better.
For example, half of your users are shown a red button (control) whereas the other half are shown a green button (variation) for the call to action. If the green button got more clicks, it means the variation performed better for that given goal. This method can be used for copy when choosing which button works best, such as a button that says “OK” versus “Got it!”
6. Readability Testing
Readability Chart from the University of Canterbury
Evaluates difficulty
No participants required
Benchmarking tool
The Flesch-Kincaid Index is a tool that ranks the grade levels of writing to evaluate the readability. The formula was first used to evaluate the difficulty of technical manuals.
Instructions:
Count: the words, syllables, and sentences.
Calculate Words per Sentence: (total words/total sentences)
Calculate Syllable per Words: (total syllables/total words)
Draw: connect the Words per Sentence and Syllables per Words with a straight line.
Read: the intersection will show your readability score.
Accuracy
1. Is the copy free from factual errors?
2. Is the copy free from grammatical or spelling errors?
3. Does the copy follow the content guideline?
Clarity
4. Does the copy have a logical structure that presents a compelling argument or concise instructions?
5. Is the message of the copy obvious from start to finish?
6. Is every sentence easy to read? (Refer to Flesch-Kincaid Index)
Authority
7. Is there an appropriate use of relevant jargon for the intended audience?
8. Are the claims supported by evidence and specific details?
9. Is the copy free from hyperbole, clichés, waffle, and needless words?
Empathy
10. Does the copy address the target audience?
11. Does the copy avoid making assumptions about the audience?
12. Is the content and tone appropriate to the audience’s interests, priorities, and knowledge level?
Value
13. Does the copy offer original insight and value to the reader?
14. Is the copy written in the client’s voice?
15. Is the copy engaging enough to incite readers to take action?
Instructions:
Start from the bottom of the pyramid and work your way up by asking questions about your content. Your content should cover all the questions in the competency test. The competency pyramid is important in assessing the accuracy, clarity, authority, empathy, and value of your content.
The Takeaway
Content testing is the practice of evaluating if writing is appropriate for the target audience. These 7 testing methods can be used to test your copy for usability, readability, accessibility, and search-ability. Try them out!
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