The importance of pronouns in microcopy

The importance of microcopy

On digital platforms, such as websites or apps, it’s not just the design that plays a crucial role in the user experience. The text matters too. This applies to longer pieces of copy, but even more so to microcopy.

Microcopy guides and directs users. Think of text on buttons, forms, tool tips... This text can be phrased in different ways, including through the pronouns you choose.

Do you talk about ‘Your items’ or ‘My items’? ‘Your price’ or ‘My subscription’? There is no right or wrong answer, but it’s important to realise that both pronouns feel different to your users.

First person (I/my): adding a personal touch

First-person pronouns like ‘I’ and ‘my’ do particularly well when creating a personal environment for users. Something that platforms as Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive have understood very well:

‘My files’ feels very personal. It really is something you own, something you use and customise as you like.

The same goes for this example of HBO Max: ‘My list’. As a user, you add programmes to the list, and all items on that list also become ‘your’ items.

And this button on the Zalando website shows that this also applies to calls-to-action:

Here, the first-person pronoun emphasises the feeling of control: users feel they are actively deciding whether to share their data, rather than being influenced by the platform.

Do you want your platform to give users a sense of privacy, personalisation, and/or control? Then first-person pronouns are your best choice.

Second person (you/your): starting the conversation

Have you read my blog post on conversational writing? Then you know that good microcopy is similar to the perfect sales rep of your brand or product — someone who conveys your values and is helpful at the same time.

Do you want your platform to act as an assistant and help users? In that case, second-person pronouns are perfect.

Let’s look at some more examples:

‘Your genre mixes’ implies that Spotify composed these mixes especially for you. You didn’t make any choices yourself, on the contrary: Spotify helps you discover music you like.

Or ‘Calculate your price’ on the Primagaz website: it’s not so much about a sense of control or personalisation, but rather that this tool helps you calculate your custom price. See the difference?

The use of second-person pronouns matches a more conversational way of writing. ‘Hey, I thought you might like this song!’ almost sounds as if the interface is having a chat with the user. And that’s a good thing. To quote from my blog post on conversational writing:

“The more human an interface and the more it fits our social standards, the more the user will connect to it and become convinced by what is said.

That makes users carry out the desired action more quickly and leaves them with positive feelings about your product.“

And what if we just leave out the pronouns?

I, you, he or she: can’t see the wood for the trees anymore? It might be worth having a second look. The risk with digital platforms is that they can quickly feel ‘mechanical’ and impersonal. And that’s exactly what you want to avoid.

So don’t just say ‘Start free trial’, say ‘Start my free trial’. Don’t say ‘See orders’, say ‘See your orders’ instead. You will notice that these small additions make a huge difference.

There’s no such thing as bad choices

What goal do you want to achieve? What feeling do you want to convey? Who is your target audience? These are just a few of the questions that help determine which pronouns best suit your platform.

Fortunately, there is no such thing as bad choices. I can’t give you a one-size-fits-all solution, but I can tell you that A/B testing is the best way to see what works and what doesn’t for your platform and target audience.

Not sure how to get started? Or would you like some more advice on how to write for your platform? My copy colleagues and myself would be happy to assist you.

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About the author

Nicki Sannen

Senior Copywriter - iO

Growing up with a love for languages, Nicki is right at home in the exciting field of copywriting. She enjoys playing with language both creatively and practically, without losing sight of the user's experience.