Initially, technical documentation and interface texts were written by developers. Those days are fortunately gone, and today copywriters, technical writers, and UX writers help create and improve digital products.
What are the specifics of each specialist's work? What are the differences between them? Let’s find out.
WHO IS A COPYWRITER?
A good copywriter is not only the author of the text, but also a SEO specialist and a marketer. His or her professional feature can be a unique author's style or even a set of different styles (expert, friendly, playful, self-ironic, etc.).
WHAT DOES A COPYWRITER DO?
A copywriter writes texts that help sell a product or service. These can be advertising and informational articles, news, digests, descriptions of products and services, slogans, posts for social networks, websites, online stores and more.
WHO IS A TECHNICAL WRITER?
A technical writer is a specialist who writes technical documentation for external and internal use.
Most often, technical writers have a technical background. This is not a mandatory requirement, and specialists with a humanitarian mindset can figure out the nuances as well, but in practice such cases are quite rare.
WHAT DOES A TECHNICAL WRITER DO?
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A TECHNICAL WRITER ROLE?
In technical writing, the main thing is to understand the product. The beauty of the style and presentation of the material are secondary.
WHO IS A UX WRITER?
A UX writer (UX editor, UX copywriter) is a master of minimalism. The hardest part of UX writer’s work is writing microtexts for interfaces: signing buttons, naming fields, tabs, coming up with hints for the user.
A UX writer combines the skills of a copywriter and a designer: he is the master of the word, and at the same time considers the requirements for the visual.
WHAT DOES A UX WRITER DO?
As a UX writer, you can't afford redundance – no one will read a seven-line tip. Moreover, thinking about the signature for one button might take you an hour or more.
For a UX writer, it is important to imagine the user’s journey through the product: whether the user will understand the purpose of the button and how exactly he will understand it. UX writers often have copywriters, editors, journalists, PR specialists background.
TECHNICAL COPYWRITER VS TECHNICAL WRITER: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
To sell or to instruct?
If the intention is to describe, explain, or instruct, then the author is a technical writer.
If the intent is also to point out benefits, then the author is a technical copywriter.
You will notice that the technical copywriter focuses on convincing you to buy the product. While a technical writer focuses on explaining a product.
Persuasive vs. Descriptive
You may have noticed that a technical copywriter tries to be persuasive. He or she is trying to convince you that you need to buy a product for yourself or your company.
A marketing brochure describing the benefits of a product is a typical copywriter's product.
A technical writer writes to describe a product. A user manual describing how to use the product's features is a typical product of a technical writer's work.
Buyers vs Users
The writing style also reflects the intended audience for each type of document.
If you're thinking about buying a product, you might want to read a sales brochure written by a tech copywriter.
If you want to learn how to use the product, you can read the document written by the technical writer. As a user, you are probably already familiar with the benefits of the product. Now you are interested how to use the product.
IN A NUTSHELL
A copywriter is a master of info style who knows the basics of SEO-optimization and analytics; and how to solve business problems with the help of content.
A technical writer is a specialist with technical education or extensive experience with the product, who knows the principles and the language of tech documentation. This role requires high attention to details, and the ability to read blueprints and code.
A technical copywriter should have a broader understanding of the product or the service in order to describe its main benefits and sell them to the consumer.
UX writer is normally a former copywriter, editor, translator or designer. His or her main superpower is the ability to convey a lot of information in a few words, while making this information as clear as possible.
What are the specifics of each specialist's work? What are the differences between them? Let’s find out.
WHO IS A COPYWRITER?
A good copywriter is not only the author of the text, but also a SEO specialist and a marketer. His or her professional feature can be a unique author's style or even a set of different styles (expert, friendly, playful, self-ironic, etc.).
WHAT DOES A COPYWRITER DO?
A copywriter writes texts that help sell a product or service. These can be advertising and informational articles, news, digests, descriptions of products and services, slogans, posts for social networks, websites, online stores and more.
WHO IS A TECHNICAL WRITER?
A technical writer is a specialist who writes technical documentation for external and internal use.
Most often, technical writers have a technical background. This is not a mandatory requirement, and specialists with a humanitarian mindset can figure out the nuances as well, but in practice such cases are quite rare.
WHAT DOES A TECHNICAL WRITER DO?
- writes manuals – for users, installers and administrators;
- creates technical specifications;
- participates in the localization of interfaces;
- develops internal guidelines for various purposes;
- engages in analytics - though not always;
- can create commercial texts: newsletters, releases, advertising booklets.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A TECHNICAL WRITER ROLE?
- experience as a technical writer – on average 1‒3 years;
- knowledge of technical documentation standards;
- the ability to describe complex things simply and clearly;
- knowledge of English is at least at the level of understanding of professional texts.
In technical writing, the main thing is to understand the product. The beauty of the style and presentation of the material are secondary.
WHO IS A UX WRITER?
A UX writer (UX editor, UX copywriter) is a master of minimalism. The hardest part of UX writer’s work is writing microtexts for interfaces: signing buttons, naming fields, tabs, coming up with hints for the user.
A UX writer combines the skills of a copywriter and a designer: he is the master of the word, and at the same time considers the requirements for the visual.
WHAT DOES A UX WRITER DO?
As a UX writer, you can't afford redundance – no one will read a seven-line tip. Moreover, thinking about the signature for one button might take you an hour or more.
For a UX writer, it is important to imagine the user’s journey through the product: whether the user will understand the purpose of the button and how exactly he will understand it. UX writers often have copywriters, editors, journalists, PR specialists background.
TECHNICAL COPYWRITER VS TECHNICAL WRITER: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
- Intention
To sell or to instruct?
If the intention is to describe, explain, or instruct, then the author is a technical writer.
If the intent is also to point out benefits, then the author is a technical copywriter.
You will notice that the technical copywriter focuses on convincing you to buy the product. While a technical writer focuses on explaining a product.
- Style
Persuasive vs. Descriptive
You may have noticed that a technical copywriter tries to be persuasive. He or she is trying to convince you that you need to buy a product for yourself or your company.
A marketing brochure describing the benefits of a product is a typical copywriter's product.
A technical writer writes to describe a product. A user manual describing how to use the product's features is a typical product of a technical writer's work.
- Audience
Buyers vs Users
The writing style also reflects the intended audience for each type of document.
If you're thinking about buying a product, you might want to read a sales brochure written by a tech copywriter.
If you want to learn how to use the product, you can read the document written by the technical writer. As a user, you are probably already familiar with the benefits of the product. Now you are interested how to use the product.
IN A NUTSHELL
A copywriter is a master of info style who knows the basics of SEO-optimization and analytics; and how to solve business problems with the help of content.
A technical writer is a specialist with technical education or extensive experience with the product, who knows the principles and the language of tech documentation. This role requires high attention to details, and the ability to read blueprints and code.
A technical copywriter should have a broader understanding of the product or the service in order to describe its main benefits and sell them to the consumer.
UX writer is normally a former copywriter, editor, translator or designer. His or her main superpower is the ability to convey a lot of information in a few words, while making this information as clear as possible.
