Specific examples
When testing your internet speeds on EE, they’ll try and contextualise what the speeds mean.
Design Examples
UX Writing Examples: Real Microcopy
See how companies like EE, Medium and AO write microcopy, with annotated examples including in-context setup steps, dynamic social proof and intent-based tooltips.
Real world examples:
Updated: 23/09/2026, view all 1,490 examples
Examples on Built for Mars include
EE turns internet speeds into TV streams
Medium matches social proof to the article
AO intercepts copying with a price checker
Quick action to copy address
eBay make it easy to copy someone's address with 'click to copy' prompts.
Tiny AI thumbnails
While Manus AI is working through your request, it’ll dynamically show small thumbnails of what it’s doing.
Comparing prices on hover
If you hover over the price name (i.e., to copy it), AO will show you a price comparison of other retailers.
Pasting items on Claude
If you paste more than 600 words into Claude, it’ll add it as an attachment instead of putting it all into the input field.
Embedding iOS instructions
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FAQs
How do you explain technical data to users who don't understand it?
Translate the numbers into a scenario people can picture. For example, EE describes speed test results as how many TVs could stream Lord of the Rings at once, rather than leaving users to interpret Gbps figures. The more specific the scenario, the more memorable the benefit.
What makes social proof feel credible without extra explanation?
Specific job titles and company names carry credibility on their own, so there's no need to explain who each person is. Relevance matters too. As an example, Medium changes the members shown on its premium prompt based on the article being read, so a web development reader sees roles at companies like Google or Meta.
Where should setup instructions go if users have to leave the app?
Put them at the point where the action actually happens, not in a separate help page. This is what Grammarly does by adding keyboard activation steps at the bottom of its iOS settings page, since users have to go there to allow the keyboard anyway.
How can microcopy respond to what a user is about to do?
Watch for a small behaviour that signals intent, then show copy that answers it. For instance, AO shows a 'Quick & easy price checker' when someone hovers over a product name, a likely sign they're about to copy it and compare prices elsewhere. The tooltip keeps them on the page instead.
Is it worth writing microcopy for places most users never see?
Hidden spots reach a small but very specific audience, which makes a targeted message more effective. For example, Reddit's web console shows 'Using Reddit at work? Work for Reddit.' with a careers link, aimed squarely at developers inspecting the site.