As the saying goes, a little can go a long way. This is especially true of microcopy on websites – little snippets of text that add a clean line of clarity to sections of your website. Not only does this improve Ux via extra explanatory text for your visitors, but it is also an opportunity to improve SEO.
What is Microcopy?
Microcopy is a small snippet of text. It is used across your website to explain things to your visitors or to clarify things for them. So on a sign-up form, for example, the date of birth field on the form may have a small line of text underneath it explaining why the form wants to know your age “We ask for your date of birth to send you a voucher on your birthday!”. Microcopy is meant to be suitably inconspicuous and helpful to those who need it. It can be added as an image (i.e. an image with microcopy supplementing it on an overlay), but we would more recommend that it be added as actual text as it can help with both Ux and SEO as discussed below. The below image highlights MailChimp’s example of microcopy in red:
How can Microcopy help with Ux?
Microcopy can help with the Ux of your website as it exists to help the users and visitors to your website. This is beneficial for Ux as it shows a conscious effort of your website to assist those who visit it; this is a great and beneficial trait to the overall user experience. In this way, microcopy can also be used to direct visitors to the desired sections of your website such as your online shop for example. A small line of text under the link (whether this link is the text itself, a button, or an image) can help sway visitors to click/tap through to your online shop “Enter our online shop here to get 10% off your entire order!”.
How can Microcopy help with SEO?
SEO can also benefit from microcopy in two ways. Firstly, it can help you to reach the three-hundred-word minimum recommended per webpage as a good SEO practice. Secondly, it is also an opportunity to increase your keyword density. These two small but significant features of microcopy are more reasons to utilize it across your website. As the saying goes, a little can go a long way.
