Writing for the Entire User Experience

Flickr usually delivers refreshing, well-written content. As one example, the Community Guidelines skillfully unite plain language, web-writing fundamentals and crisp copy.

But I was startled – and amused – by an error message during a recent Flickr visit:

The metadata server cluster is currently disabled for maintenance.

Huh?

I typically hear these types of status updates from my software engineer colleagues.  For most Flickr users, however, it certainly doesn’t pass the what’s-in-it-for-me test. It’s an obvious slip in the Flickr experience, and we can assume (and hope) the message didn’t come from the content team.

We’re also reminded that content creators must consider every detail in the user experience. As we obsess over the main content areas, we sometimes overlook:

• Confirmation screens
• Page-cannot-be-found messages
• Subject lines
• Password reminders
• Automated e-mails
• Customer service messages

Each is an opportunity to extend your site’s voice and deliver memorable customer service. Nick Usborne compares it to staying in character:

If you are going to write a hard-sell piece, go for it. Get on the soap box and sell like crazy. Build a breathless pace and keep going. But don’t step out of character. When you do, you burst that “bubble” in which you are carrying your readers.

If you are going to write in a very honest, transparent way, the same principle applies. Be that honest, transparent person from the first word to the last word.

This quest can be filled with hurdles, especially if your site is integrated with inflexible third-party shopping carts, processing systems, tools and providers. As Usborne points out, though, maintaining your voice is essential to your credibility – and your brand.