Microcopy is short text within a user interface – button labels, field names, hints, error and confirmation messages, empty-state texts. Despite their length, they have a greater effect on behaviour than most visual changes, because they sit exactly at the moment of decision. The rules are simple. Name a button after what happens after the click, not generically – send enquiry works better than submit. For fields that raise concern, add a short explanation of why you need the data. Word error messages so that they say what to fix, not that an error occurred. A confirmation after submission should state what will follow and by when. Write in a consistent tone across the whole interface and avoid internal terminology.
See also: Form optimisation, Design System, Error states and empty pages.
