Microcopy

Microcopy is the copy you see around – usually under – CTA buttons. It adds that little extra reason to click or removes that last little bit of doubt. Not all sites have microcopy, but those that do have generally taken the time to think more about their readers’ journey. 

Headline > Subhead > Body > CTA > Button > Micro

This is the last step (pre-click) in the long journey that started with an attention-grabbing headline and a clarifying and compelling initial subhead. Next, we moved the reader down the page using pain and/or benefit-focused section headers, convincing them within those sections with relevant and empathetic body copy. 

The CTA section (where microcopy lives) connects the dots between the argument you’ve laid out and the offering you’re proposing will solve the reader’s problem. The CTA copy itself encourages and inspires action, while the button copy makes clicking through seem like a natural and desirable next step. 

And then, right when it’s all about to pay off, when the final puzzle piece is about to be put in place, there’s that tiny little voice inside the reader’s head: “But what if…?” or “Does this include…?” or “Is this just…?” or “How will this be different from…?”. 

They’ve been here before, many times on many other pages, and it hasn’t always worked out.

That (very natural and sensible) moment of hesitation before action is a good thing. It shows up before good and bad decisions. Your microcopy is there to give them what they need to confidently push through their hesitation, arriving at the glory that awaits them on the other side of the button!

One last little nudge

Sometimes all that’s needed is a last little tiny push. Something like, “You’ll be so glad you did,” or “Imagine being able to ______.” A little, reaffirming, positive statement that doesn’t necessarily add anything to the argument, but is the equivalent of the anonymous crowds cheering on the runners in the last few hundred meters (or yards) of a marathon.

Generally, though not always (NEVER always), this sort of microcopy shows up on sites selling more aspirational/luxury products or services. Something with low risk and high attraction, where the buyer is unlikely to be choosing between multiple options (or laying down a relative fortune).

The nudge, then, is personal. Helping the reader to be their best self or to follow through on their desire to indulge in something. 

Or it could be a reminder of a great deal they’ll get by joining/signing up/buying now. A little congratulatory flourish reminding them “There’s never been a better time to buy” or suggesting that they “Share the second one free with a friend (or keep it for yourself – no judging here).”

Putting fears to rest

Another – and potentially more effective – form of microcopy is the fear-buster. Maybe they didn’t see your guarantee. Or maybe they forgot your amazing refund policy. Perhaps they need to see, as they click, that this truly is the best option on the market (and therefore the right and logical choice to make).

You often see this kind of microcopy on opt-in boxes, where the reader is being asked to enter their email. “We never share your info” or “No spam, not even in sandwiches.”

At the end of the day, it’s tough to keep all the positive aspects of a purchase in mind as you go through the vetting and choosing process. You read and re-read things, but then it comes time to purchase and who knows what’s stuck and what hasn’t. 

So, a clever thing for marketers to do is make sure that what they believe are the most important selling aspects – hopefully based on research – are front and center in the reader’s mind as they make the final decision (and click).

New information (maybe you need something else?)

Another effective use of microcopy is to provide non-fit readers a link to what you think they might actually want. Maybe it’s a section of your site that is for another industry altogether, or a service vs product situation, where both solve the same problem, but in a different way.

Like, they’re about to click through to the sales or landing page for your top-tier, year-long, hands-on mastermind. And you know, from experience, that some people end up there while trying to find your entry-level, free, email-based course. So, you put in a cheeky little something like, “Just looking for the free stuff? Click here.”

While there is an element of selling, still, to this use of microcopy, it’s more about being helpful, providing a good experience for your readers. Offering a little extra wayfinding.

Even if you are in the right place (as a reader) you’ll appreciate the certainty that the other thing (the thing you don’t want) is somewhere else. This ever so subtly improves your confidence in clicking through.

How I write microcopy

At some level, when I’m writing microcopy, I’m thinking through all of the above uses for it and picking which is most appropriate or necessary for this particular page. The kernel for this almost always comes from some kind of customer research.

If I know that one of the top issues people have is uncertainty around whether something will work for them, then I’ll try to use the microcopy to reinforce whatever kind of guarantee accompanies the offering; I’ll take a second to remove any last remnants of fear or risk that readers might be feeling.

On the other hand, if the research shows that people love the tone or feel of the brand and that being in its world and the feeling it gives them is a big part of why they buy, then I’d be more inclined to use that valuable (if micro) bit of mental real estate to reinforce that. I’ll try to make them laugh if the brand is funny or sassy, or make them feel great about their decision if the brand is more empowering or supportive.

Microcopy is very context-specific, so I make sure not to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. My main goal is to insist that there is some because it is a powerful, often-read section of the page that offers your last chance at persuasion (or positioning) before the click (or rejection) takes place.

What makes successful microcopy 

Microcopy can be considered successful if it adds to the reader’s confidence in clicking the CTA button—either by adding positive emotion (encouragement) or removing negative emotion (fear). It needs to be on-brand, based on research and/or a strong hypothesis, and succinct. That’s it! Did it make more (of your ideal) readers click? Yes = Successful.

One last thought from me on the topic: While there is a very good opportunity to have a little fun here, it’s wise to remember why you’re writing microcopy in the first place. The last thing you want to do is write something so funny or makes-you-think-y that it distracts readers in the final seconds, sending them down a different path altogether (and actively dissuading the click).

Got thoughts on these thoughts? Let’s connect! Send me a message here.