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Make the Most
of Microcopy
Enhance the User Experience while Boosting Your Brand
Lisa Hitt
Web and Digital Projects Specialist, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
MS, BA, AA
SEO Essentials Certification
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Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
CCI is a consortium of 43 colleges and universities in Virginia focused on cybersecurity innovation, workforce development, and research.
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Overview
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What We’ll Cover
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Terms you probably already know (but just in case):
Acronyms at Work
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What Is Microcopy?
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Definition
The small bits of text that help site visitors answer a question, complete a task, or learn more about something are microcopy.
These short, simple messages can create an easy, intuitive user journey while enriching the user experience and building trust in your college or university.
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Timing is Everything
Potential readers scan and click or move on — quickly.
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Small, but Mighty
Microcopy, usually ranging from 20 to 200 characters, appears throughout your site. It can include:
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A Helping Hand
Microcopy makes users feel seen, heard, and understood. Each word has a purpose.
They’re key to building the users’ trust; you’re saying you’ll be there for them.
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A Big Footprint
Microcopy could seem insignificant compared with most site content. You might think of it as throw-away text, something you can dash off in a hurry.
But it can have a major impact on the user experience, and leave a lasting impression — good or bad — about your school.
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Start at the Very Beginning
Because microcopy can play a major role in your site’s success, it should be considered at the beginning of any site launch or revamp plan.
Give it as much time and attention as you do to other content.
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Writing Microcopy
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Types of Microcopy
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Headlines
Headlines should tell the reader what to expect on a page or in a story.
They’re especially effective if you can incorporate the primary keyword you’ve mapped to a page into the text.
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Optimization Opportunities
When headlines appear on a SERP, they signal, “Here’s what you’re seeking.”
The headline must also convey a complete message on its own, because it’s likely to be seen out of context on a SERP, in tweets, in newsfeeds, and in newsletters.
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A Mix of Effective and Less So
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A Mix of Effective and Less So, Part II
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Where Size Matters
Keep the headline to 55 to 60 characters or six to eight words.
Digital platforms limit the characters they display.
Marketer Outbrain says eight-word heads get a 21 percent higher CTR than average.
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A Number of Issues
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Repetitive Redundancy
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Super Subheads
Subheads act as points of entry, allowing users to scan a page and quickly find what they want and need.
They’re especially important for the visually impaired, who use screen readers.
Subheads are also a great place to use secondary keywords.
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Photos: Captions, Names, Alt Text
Around 1 billion people use Google Images daily.
More than 10 percent of Google traffic is for images.google.com, or about 11,500 every second.
Optimizing captions, image names, and alt text could boost your SERP ranking.
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Captions
Photo captions might be the most read text on a page — it might be the only text someone reads. This content should:
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Caption as Mini-Story
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Caption with Unique Information
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Caption Guidelines
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Partial Caption Visible If Hovering
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More, But Not All Visible with Click
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Three Clicks In, a Complete Caption
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Image Names
When you get an image from one of your photographers or from a stock photo site, it’s likely to have a name that looks like this:
1453750606.jpg.
If you don’t change that to a descriptive name, you’re going to lose a major SEO opportunity.
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Alt Text
Alternative text, or alt text, provides a written description of an image for the visually impaired who use screen readers, which read the content aloud. Alt text:
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Alt Text Guidelines
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Calls to Action (CTAs)
Calls to action should intrigue, attract, and encourage the user to do something.
We want them to click through to another page, fill out a form, apply, find out more about us, or apply to attend our school.
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Constant Outreach
CTAs can take many forms, but the ones that appear on most school websites are buttons with or without an illustrative image.
They should be directly related to the content on the page on which they appear.
Every page should have at least one call to action. More is better.
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Friendly Persuasion
We want users to do something. Start your CTA with a verb, and use action words and phrases:
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CTA Basic Text Buttons
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Expanded Calls to Action with Art
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A Tool to Prevent Orphan Pages
Putting in CTAs that link pages to each other helps get visitors.
These pages have no links leading to them. The only way to find them is by typing in the direct link.
They’re not likely to get indexed, because web crawlers follow links to find pages.
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Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks help users navigate through websites.
Linking to related pages improves the user journey, allowing page visitors to find material related to their original search.
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What’s in a Name? Plenty
People need to know immediately what they’re getting (“Read a description of the Cybersecurity program in the catalog.” “Learn how to apply.”).
Banish the phrases “click here” and “learn more” from your site. They don’t convey information and violate accessibility best practices.
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Hyperlinks to Downloads
If a hyperlink is going to download something, say so, and always specify what the download is.
For example, put (PDF) after a hyperlink to a PDF document.
Or hyperlink to the full sentence: “Download a presentation template.”
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Descriptive Text Tells Users What They’ll Find
The hyperlinks here clearly state they link to a form and to a template for download.
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Hyperlinked Lists
If you have a large number of related links, try to put them in a descriptive bulleted list instead of cramming them into your text.
For example, if you’re listing lab equipment a student might need, you can link to places they can buy it.
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Taglines
A tagline works with the site name to define your identity. Developing an effective tagline can help:
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Standing Above and Apart
A great tagline attracts attention and sets you apart from your peers.
By briefly describing what your site has to offer and showing your value compared with competitors, a strong tagline can leave a lasting impression.
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Qualities of Effective Taglines
Good content should:
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University of Alabama Tagline
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UofA Call-Back Tagline
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Pull and Block Quotes
These bits of microcopy can:
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The Same, But Different
Unless the pull quote is highlighted text used to emphasize a fact, each should have attribution.
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Block Quote as Art
On pages where you don’t have a suitable image, you can use the quote itself as art or pair it with an illustrative photo.
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Saying Something Significant
When selecting a pull quote, look for a sentence that can stand on its own, in case that’s the only thing on the page someone reads.
Look for a fact that you might be able to use as a tweet.
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Highlight Brag Points
Using a block quote from an outside source can back up what you’re saying or emphasize the page’s point.
For example, if your degree program is certified by accrediting organization, you can use a block quote from that organization explaining why it’s significant.
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A Way to Stand Apart
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Not-So-Good Block Quote
This quote from a student sharing how a scholarship made her attendance at an out-of-state university possible is moving, but much too long.
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Response Pages
When you create this type of page, offer a response that provides real help.
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Form Responses
When people submit a form, they need to know that it’s been accepted.
Users are confused if they select “Submit,” but don’t get a confirmation/thank-you page.
A response page can also give them instructions for next steps.
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Offer Help if It Fails to Submit
Don’t make them search for the error, and don’t blame them for it:
“You failed to fill out this form correctly. Try again.”
Instead, try something like:
“Oops! Something’s missing. Look for the red asterisk to find the empty box.”
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What to Say, How to Say It
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Specificity is Best
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Identity Checks, Forgotten Passwords
These are some of the most frequent issues that users encounter
If students up an account when they apply, with a user name or password can be easily forgotten. And if some time has passed, they might have to confirm their identity.
Frustration can set in quickly. Good microcopy can minimize that.
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Humorous Response + Outreach Opportunity
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Error Messages
These response pages let the user know something’s not working.
We need to tell them what to do next.
Provide clear instructional or technical information, but keep it conversational and empathetic.
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Covering (Most) of the Bases
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We Could Use More Help
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Finding the Bare Bones
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Ouch!
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Unfound Page (404) Messages
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a site visitor is hitting a 404 (not found) page.
They need helpful information on what happened and what they should do next.
Each site should have a unique response.
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What to Include on the Page
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Humor, If Appropriate, Eases Frustration
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But Humor Alone Isn’t Enough
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Diversity
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Reach Out to Everyone
Microcopy can be a great way to showcase diversity and inclusiveness on your site.
Your content should represent the voices of all members of your community — students, instructors, staff.
Demonstrate how diversity enriches your organization’s goals and values.
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Guide Targeted Users
For example, on your financial aid page, include calls to action to scholarships for specific audiences. This could mean by:
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Student, Faculty Organizations
Another way to reach out is through groups set up for members of the academic community.
On pages such as Student Life or Faculty and Staff Resources, include calls to action that link to organizations in which they might be interested.
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Reusable, Required Text
CCI Highlights our inclusiveness and diversity by using required text in all calls for proposals:
“Applications from under-represented groups are particularly welcome. Women, under-represented minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.”
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Do’s and Don’ts
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Key Takeaways
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Questions?
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cyberinitiative.org
Thank you