Writing for the Web

Write Clear User-Interface Text

User-interface text basics

User-interface snippets like the text of buttons, forms, and FAQs are some of the most influential and (ideally) helpful pieces of copy on a site, and they should get as much of an editor's attention as any other text. Read more

Page titles

The page title is the band of text you see at the top of your browser window and is one of the most important pieces of copy on your site. Read more

Text links

Text links are clickable pieces of copy that enable people to jump to another place on the page or to another page on your site (“internal links”), or to another site (“external links”). Read more

Buttons and other UI elements

People may interact with buttons, radio buttons, and checkboxes to use your site. User-interface elements like these need consistently stated, helpful text. Read more

Alt text and image captions

Some people won't be able to see the images on your site--for example, people who use a text-only browser (such as those on some mobile devices), or people who are blind and use a screen reader. It's therefore important to add alt-text descriptions to images and, when possible, to provide image captions. Read more

Feedback messages and error messages

Never leave site visitors in the dark when they've made an input error, when they need to wait, or when they've encountered some sort of problem. Immediately let them know what's happening and what to do next. Read more

User-instruction mechanics

When explaining how to do something (for example, how to move around a site or a software program), you often need to refer to buttons or checkboxes, or to keys on the keyboard. Clarity and consistency are important. Read more