Some basics you probably already know:

• Website users don’t read, they scan.
• Eye-tracking research shows that people scan web content in an F-pattern.
• Using bullets and shorter sentences aids readability.

What you may not know, though, is that usability is only one part of the overall user experience (UX) picture.

Meet UX Expert Kristine Remer of JuneUX

With mere seconds (and about 3 clicks) to grab people, we writers have been learning to fall OUT of love with our clever, darling children words. So what’s a writer to do in a UX world?

I recently connected with someone who could answer my question: Minneapolis-based UX expert Kristine Remer.  I noticed Kristine because she’s a smart, funny tweeter — and she generously suggested meeting over coffee.

A self-taught usability professional, Kristine was designing wireframes and optimizing her former employer’s site before she knew what to call it. She read all she could about usability, which at the time only consisted of early works by the fathers of the industry, Jakob Nielsen and Steve Krug. Over seven years at Home Decorators Collection, Kristine and her team brought the e-commerce site to a point where it was making $1M per day. She’s now a consultant, helping Fortune 500 and other large companies with user experience design and strategy.

First things first. What’s the difference between usability and user experience (UX)?, I asked. Are they interchangeable terms? As it turns out, these weren’t such dumb questions. In Kristine’s experience, many companies are still learning about what user-centered design is and how to incorporate it into their workflow.

She thinks of UX as an umbrella term for:

• User experience design
• User research
• User interface design
• Usability
• Content strategy
• Customer experience

Advice for Copywriters from a UX Perspective

When it comes to copywriting for a client whose site is undergoing a UX overhaul, Kristine thinks it’s great when writers are involved in the upfront user research. The better you understand the users, their motivations, and the tasks they want to undertake on the site, the more effective you will be as the copywriting team member.

What other advice would Kristine give writers working as part of a UX team?

• “Ask for research-based user personas,” she says. The most common mistake people make is to guess who their users might be, without the benefit of real research, and “they end up designing and writing for themselves.” To create a truly delightful user experience, you have to really understand each type of user, their background, and motivations. Kristine usually conducts between 8-15 interviews when identifying a client’s user personas.
• In hundreds of usability tests she’s conducted, Kristine has noticed that “people tend to only read three things: headlines and subheads, bulleted lists and links.” She points out that search engines also like links that actually say something about what the user will see next — as opposed to hypertext urging users to “Click Here!”
• Forget everything you know about snappy, marketing-y headline-writing. Instead, write headlines that really SAY something, and help site visitors scan and understand your content quickly by breaking up large blocks of copy into smaller paragraphs and bulleted lists.
• Avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible, as some of your users may be investors, journalists or job seekers unfamiliar with your industry.
• Users also tend to be drawn to content that is visual, so Kristine recommends working with your design team to create informative graphics or illustrations. An example she really likes is the jean buying guide on American Eagle’s website (see below). “The content is so simple and straightforward. Informative content doesn’t need to be thought of in terms of sentences and paragraphs – also think about content in terms of writing captions and call-outs,” she says.
• She also recommends trying to set content goals. What action do you want users to take after viewing the content? Comment on it? Complete a form? Buy something? “If you measure the outcomes of your content, you will undoubtedly improve as a copywriter,” Kristine says.
• “In most cases, the content IS the user experience,” says Kristine. “So having the right information and the right amount of information in the tone and language of your site’s users is a must.” She also recommends that copywriters learn more about the fast-growing content strategy field. There are numerous books and blogs out there to learn more. She recommends starting with uxbooth.com/blog/complete-beginners-guide-to-content-strategy/.
• Read more about UX. Kristine recommends resources like uie.com/brainsparks/, uxmatters.com, useit.com, alistapart.com and boxesandarrows.com.

I’m happy to report I finished my homework. Introducing my copywriting portfolio, conveniently located right here on my blogsite for all who wish to peruse it. I encourage all prospective clients to line up and take a gander. And if you have questions, don’t hesitate to drop me a line: leawrites [at] gmail [dot] com.

I anticipate good things for us this fall!

Image courtesy of Brian Snelson.

In the sweltering heat of summer, Americans love knowing they can hit the “down” arrow on their thermostats and enjoy cool air coming out of their air conditioning vents. But what if you hit that button and nothing happened?

Intense heat in much of the country has many homeowners turning over the reins to their electric utility, many of which promise lower rates if you let them turn off your A/C on extreme temperature days. But some homeowners dislike the idea of giving up control of their home’s air conditioning.

What if you could control your own cooling system – and still save money and energy?

You can with zoning, say the experts at ZONEFIRST, Inc., a leading manufacturer of HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) zoning products.

“Installing a zoning system lets you automatically direct cooled air only to the rooms that need it,” says Richard Foster, ZONEFIRST president. “So instead of cooling the entire house, you cool only the rooms you’re currently using.” You have a light switch for every room, says Foster – why not a thermostat?

Your HVAC contractor installs motorized dampers in the ducts to each room or zone of the house. Like turning on the light switch in a room you’re using, thermostats open and close the various dampers to control the temperature in each room or zone.

While zoning may sound like an expensive option to some, the improved comfort zoning provides – solving the problem of some rooms being too hot while others are too cold – along with the energy savings that can be achieved, make zoning a smart home improvement. In fact, says Foster, zoning pays for itself in energy savings.

Studies have shown that shutting off those unused rooms with a zone damper system can save up to 25% on a home’s utility bills, says Foster. “Putting the cooling (or heating) where it’s needed, when it’s needed, increases comfort and saves energy.”

For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.FIRSTZONE (367-7896). For more information on zoning, visit the company’s website: www.zonefirst.com.

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You’re in luck. It’s now possible to add zoning to an existing home. And not only is it affordable… it helps you save up to 25% on your energy bills!

Learn more about this eco-friendly home improvement by watching our new video:

How to Save Energy, Get Comfortable

By Adding HVAC Zoning

Elmwood Park, NJ, November 4, 2010 – After months of crushing real estate news, frustrated would-be home sellers may soon be blowing off steam by swinging a hammer.

With fewer houses being sold, homeowners are staying put – and making the most of what they have. Remodeling spending is expected to see double-digit growth in 2011, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, released last week by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Particularly popular in a stressed economy are green home improvement projects that increase energy savings, as well as homeowners’ satisfaction in their homes.

“Zoning your heating and cooling is a smart, green home improvement that helps you get comfortable in every room of your home, and save up to 25% on your energy bills,” says Richard Foster, president of ZONEFIRST, Inc. “Plus, a house with zoned heating and cooling is more attractive to home buyers when you’re looking to sell down the road.”

ZONEFIRST has introduced a new video that shows homeowners just how easy it is to add zoning to an existing home.

“The perfect time to consider zoning is when you’re remodeling,” says Foster. “Often builders and remodelers are quick to add more heating and cooling equipment, which is costly – and not very eco-friendly. Instead, zoning helps you use your existing equipment to heat or cool the renovated space.”

For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.604.1044 (U.S. only). For more information on zoning, visit www.zonefirst.com.

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Chris & Janie Peterson

And if I’m being honest — which is what I am, because I simply CAN’T be one of those pants-on-fire fibbers who claims to be an expert in EVERYTHING — that’s exactly what happened when Dick Foster said, “Lea, I’d like to do a video.”

My answer? “You betcha!” Or something else that sounded affirmative and terribly confident.

It’s not that I wasn’t up for the challenge. I knew I could write a great script, because one of my strengths is writing in a conversational tone. Plus, I’m a capable project manager, and I knew that I could find and hire some local video experts to help us with the rest. After all, Minneapolis is known for its abundance of creative talent. I just had to go find us some.

Wasn’t long before I found Peterson Productions. Husband-and-wife team Chris and Janie Peterson are the perfect blend of complementary strengths, with boatloads of Emmy nominations and impressive on-air credentials between them. With Chris directing lighting and photography, and Janie leading the way as producer, our one-day shoot was a breeze.

(Well, except for a swarm of chugging school buses. And some low-flying planes. And a VERY busy groundskeeper/lawn mower at the public golf course across the street. Other than THAT, we had a very smooth shoot.)

Can’t wait to share the video — it’s now in editing — but for now, enjoy some photos!

Steve & Dick, ready for another take.

Dick memorizing his lines among the dying hydrangeas.

ZONEFIRST Retro Round Zone Dampers save time and labor with Plug & Play wiring.

Elmwood Park, NJ, June 7, 2010 – They may not grace the pages of a home decorating magazine, but “invisible” home improvement projects that save energy and money in a down economy – such as adding zoning to a home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system – are gaining momentum, say industry sources.

HVAC zoning systems allow homeowners to direct the heated or cooled air only to rooms that need it, rather than the whole house. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates zoning, when used in conjunction with a programmable thermostat, can save up to 30% on home energy bills – potentially substantial savings, since a home’s HVAC system makes up half of its energy usage, according to the U.S. EPA.

“The great news about zoning is that it not only saves energy – it allows you to feel comfortable in every room of your home,” says Richard Foster, president of ZONEFIRST, a leading manufacturer of zoning products. “So you can say goodbye to that stuffy upper level, or the freezing cold basement you plan to remodel.”

Foster points out that zoning is now possible even in existing homes, thanks to advances in wireless technology. “Wireless thermostats and ZONEFIRST’s new Plug & Play retrofit dampers allow you to easily and affordably add zoning to almost any existing home,” says Foster.

Indoor comfort industry leaders expect to see zoning sales in existing homes continue to climb, a trend reported recently by The Air Conditioning | Heating | Refrigeration NEWS (May 17, 2010).

Home improvement spending is also expected to grow five percent this year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have also reported on this trend.

Prices for zone systems vary, and depend on a home’s size, and how many zones the home requires. For a ZONEFIRST contractor near you, email info@zonefirst.com or call 1.877.604.1044 (U.S. only).

For over half a century, ZONEFIRST has been the industry leader in zoning. Starting with the development of the first zoning dampers and registers in the 1950s — and today, with exclusive “plug & play” dampers — ZONEFIRST has led the way in excellence and continued innovation. For more information, visit www.zonefirst.com.

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I understand why you back-burnered my copywriting proposal. I really do. The recession has hit your business hard, and maybe you got cold feet.

You figured, shouldn’t I save a buck and just do this writing myself?

You know how I feel about this subject, of course. What might take me a few hours to write could take you days. Weeks, even. You’ll labor over it, solicit the opinions of many, second-guess yourself, then chuck it all and start over. Sure, it’ll get done and you’ll feel proud of your work. But at what cost?

While you were sweating over sentence structure, who was minding the store? Who was making money?

OK, I made my point. But since you’ve made the decision to write your own marketing copy, I’d like to offer some basic tips to increase your chances of success.

1. Less is more. Face it — we writers fall in love with our words, and it’s hard to let them go. But the truth is, people don’t have time to stop and appreciate your deft use of the English language. In fact, they’re not even reading it — they’re skimming. They need to determine whether they want what you’re selling — quickly. Be ruthless, take out unnecessary words. Get to the point quickly and compellingly. Then stop.
2. Edit, edit and then edit some more. Rewriting is good for the soul, and great for your copy. I find that reading it aloud is great for testing my copy’s flow and tone. I’m also a big fan of putting it down and coming back to it later, if your deadline allows for it. It’s amazing how a little bit of time affects your perspective on a chunk of copy.
3. Use short sentences and paragraphs, especially for the web. Ask any usability expert — to deliver your message quickly and impactfully, make it short. Long sentences and paragraphs are off-putting for readers (skimmers). Be succinct, or lose them forever.
4. Avoid keyword stuffing. SEO is vitally important for your web copy, no doubt. And knowing your most profitable keywords is, well, key. But remember that you’re writing not only for search engines, but for human beings. Show some personality, pay attention to how your words “sound” when read aloud. Don’t play the keyword “stuffing” game — your copy (and your results) will suffer for it.
5. Don’t trust spell-check. But please use it. In this texting world, we’re becoming all-too-accustomed to its shorthand communication style. I think it’s also partly responsible for our tolerance for typos and other usage errors. (Do YOU know when to use “its” vs. “it’s”? “Your” and “you’re”? Do you understand the difference between “regimen” and “regime”?) When it comes to representing yourself professionally, errors like these are unacceptable. Yes, we’re human, and we make mistakes (especially when we’re rushed or overwhelmed). But if you proofread carefully, you can avoid most of them. (Besides reading something aloud, another trick I use is to read a piece backward, one word at a time. And of course, enlisting another set of eyes also does wonders.)

I hope this helps you, dear client. I wish you the very best in your DIY copywriting endeavors… and remember, I’ll be here for you when you need me.

Respectfully,

Lea

Call me a sap, but I appreciate the way they humanized the power of Google’s search product. And I can relate to Google’s desire to connect with real human experiences and emotions — because it’s something I try to do in my copywriting work. Whether I’m writing about IT services, a drug treatment center, commercial construction, you name it… I want my words to reach through the screen and connect with people in a convincing, real way. Business is about people connecting with each other, no matter how corporate or stuffy your marketing materials may sound.

The memory of that ad (probably my favorite this year) led me to Martin Peers’ Wall Street Journal article, “Google, Market Thyself.” Peers calls Google’s effort on national TV a “signal” that the rapidly diversifying company is “learning to market itself” after previously relying on word of mouth.

I don’t know about you, but I take heart from the possibility that a mighty giant like Google might actually be “learning” to do something, engaging in a bit of trial-and-error, just like the rest of us. After all, isn’t marketing ourselves one of our biggest challenges? As the game changes — or as your company evolves — you shift and rewrite your plans accordingly.

I suppose it’s just nice to know that our struggles can run so parallel, no matter the size of your business.

What marketing challenges have you encountered recently in your own business? How have you dealt with those challenges? And what, by the way, did YOU think about Google’s Super Bowl ad?

Photo courtesy Aussiegall on Flikr.

I was paired with my travel writer friend, Beth Blair, and we somehow ended up with a handful of other volunteers who weren’t from the bloggers’ group. I’m not sure if it was the hairnet or the uplifting feeling of helping someone else — but before long I found myself joking, dancing and singing along to the music they piped in while we scooped, bagged and sealed more than 13,000 meals for the people in Haiti. We had a blast, even if we did look ridiculous.

Silliness aside, I was so impressed with Feed My Starving Children. The staff was great, and I appreciated the real-world way they communicated with us about the sobering issue of world hunger. We started our shift with enthusiasm, and a true sense of the importance of what we were about to do. I’m excited to have found an organization for my family to support — and I look forward to showing my daughters how to share our good fortune with others.

Can’t wait for the next event with my fellow Minnesota bloggers — all of whom are fascinating, talented and wonderful people. Thanks to Melissa Berggren for organizing, and Lenore Moritz for inviting me!