Content Rookie

Episode 27: Breaking into UX Writing, being a Generalist, and why UX Writing salaries are higher Need some practical tips for getting into UX Writing? Are you wondering if being a generalist is even appreciated? And why the heck are UX Writers paid more than most other writers? Well, in today's episode with Yuval Kreshtcher we dig into all these topics and more. Join us for a fun episode that'll i...

Episode 26: How to do UX writing without a UX Writer Don't have the budget for a UX Writer, Content Strategist or Content Designer yet? Well, there's plenty you can do to improve your microcopy anyway and it will pave the way for future UX Writers. This episode is especially for young companies and start-ups looking to create better UX copy on a small budget. Learning outcomes: Who can do UX writi...

Episode 25: Your UX Writing Portfolio  All your questions around UX Writing portfolios are answered in this episode with Senior UX Writer Anjana Menon (currently at Spotify). Anjana and Nicole talk about whether you need a UX Writing portfolio, what should be in it, how it should look and how a portfolio review works. Tune in if you're looking to break into UX Writing or get your portfolio up...

Episode 24: UX Writing and Content Design Stakeholders UX Writing, Content Design, and Content Strategy are all about collaboration. Your day-to-day work will likely involve people from Design, Legal, Tech, Localization, and many more. So how do you best build functional relationships with all these people? Two experienced UX Writers/Content Designers share their thoughts in today's episode. Featu...

Episode 23: UX Writing, Content Strategy, and Content Design - Then, now, and in the future (Working title: Labels are for icons, not people: but apparently nobody gets what we’re doing) In this episode with guest Jane Ruffino, we discuss all things UX Writing. How did it start years ago? Where is it now? Why are the titles so confusing and how do they make our job harder? The longest episode of C...

Episode 22: How to get paid I wanted to give this episode a fancy title, but really it's just about this: how to get paid as a writer or content marketer. I talk about how I got started freelancing and give full transparency of my rates through the years. What impacted my rate, how did I increase it, and what can help you negotiate your salary if you're working in-house? Learning outcomes: Startin...

Episode 21: How User Research can take your copy to the next level A conversation with User Research Estelle van Ravestyn that goes into the basics of User Research and how it can benefit your writing (and design!).  Learning outcomes: What is User Research? User Research for (UX) Writers How to do your own User Research How to work with your bias Connect with my guest: https://www.linke...

Episode 20: You don't need to be a writer to be a copywriter A conversation with my friend Jörgen Kjellgren on how our backgrounds affect our writing and our ways of working. We talk about topics such as staying creative and focused on personal projects while also working creatively, how music-making could make you a better writer, and how being very firm with who you are can make it easier to fin...

Episode 19: How cultural context affects your UX writing  With hundreds of markets and different cultures, creating a one-size-fits-all approach to writing is simply not possible - no matter if you're a UX Writer, Copywriter or Content Marketer. Join me and my guest Robin Reidl (Spotify) in today's episode on Culture + Design. How can you test for cultural aspects and immerse your writing pro...

Episode 18: From Copywriter to UX Writer - Which writing discipline suits you? Many writing disciplines, even more career opportunities. But what does a Content Writer do vs a UX Writer? How does Content Marketing differ from Content Writing or Content Management? Who needs to know SEO, have a thing for data or design? And who does the actual writing? Tune into this episode to get insights into my...

Episode 17: How localization can accelerate the quality of your content Join me and my guest Martina Russo (Movingwordstranslations.com) in a conversation about how localization works in practice, how to manage it, and the tools that can help you achieve the next level of quality. If localization is more than just translations, how do you ensure you have all the tools and knowledge you need to ach...

Episode 16: Why you need to pay attention to localization Join me and my guest Hristina Racheva (Google, Skyscanner) in a conversation about the importance of lozalization and why it can make or break your user experience. Most companies hire specialized writers only for their master language (usually, English) and foreign-speaking markets can suffer from bad translations, even damaging a brand's...

Episode 15: 7 common UX Writing issues In this episode, I take you through some of the most common UX Writing issues and how you can approach them - from writing error messages and designing onboarding to choosing your casing and punctuation. Spoiler alert: consistency always wins! Learning outcomes: Quick fixes for UX Writing Why details matter When to bring a designer into the picture Writing bu...

Episode 14: What is technical writing? In today's episode, I discuss all things technical writing with my guest James McKie (iZettle/Paypal). James has been a technical writer both in-house and independently for 20+ years and shares everything you need to know about technical writing and how it's different from other writing disciplines. Learning outcomes: What is technical writing? How much tech...

Episode 13: How to get published I published my first poetry collection with an indie publisher last December and it was everything but smooth. After a chaotic couple of months, my book was made available but I wish I'd done a lot of things differently. Learn from my mistakes. Learning outcomes: Publisher red flags How to choose a publisher Finding an agent When and why you should consider self-pu...

Episode 12: Is your copy any good? Measuring content and copy Measuring content and copy impact can be challenging. How do you set KPIs and what should you truly look out for when capturing feedback from users? In this episode, I share my thoughts on all things measuring copy impact. Learning outcomes: Why measure content/copy? How to set KPIs Why making friends with Customer Success Teams is impo...

Episode 11: Content for Growth - Generating leads with content For most companies, content efforts serve only one purpose: lead generation. But it can be tough to create content that generates leads. You have to align with other marketing initiatives and teams while still being mindful of putting out good content and not alienating your audience. Is there even such a thing as content for growth? T...

Episode 10: UX Writing - What it is and how to get into it UX Writing (User Experience Writing) is getting more popular by the day with many companies hiring their first UX writers. But what actually is UX Writing and how does it differ from copywriting? Is it just about Microcopy? These questions and more are answered in this all-new episode of Content Rookie. Learning outcomes: UX Writing - Defi...

Episode 9: The dos and don'ts of copywriting There's a lot of copywriting advice on the internet. And some advice is better than others. In this episode, we look at some common copywriting dos and don'ts and discuss when and how specific copywriting tricks make sense - so you can become better at writing and writing copy.  Learning outcomes: What really good copy looks like What you should av...

Content Rookie Episode 8: Getting into freelance writing This episode goes beyond our usual programming due to the number of requests for insights on freelance writing and copywriting. Together with guest Kat, we explore what freelance writing looks like in practice, how freelance writing, editing, and copywriting differ, and how to get started. Learning outcomes: What background do I need to beco...

Episode 7: Kick-ass copywriting Copywriting is (mis)understood as a lot of different things - but what does it really come down to? Clarity. Structure. Persuasion. And some kick-ass writing. If you're wondering what copywriting really is about or interested in getting into it, this episode covers the basics. What you'll learn: What copywriting is How copywriting differs from content writing The ba...

Episode 6: Getting started with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) SEO and content are barely separable anymore in a time where most people do their research online. No matter if you're trying to sell, entertain or educate your audience, you're going to want to know the basics of SEO to ensure your content is found by the right people. In today's episode, we have our first guest speaker, Erik Huss,...

Episode 5: Become a great storyteller Storytelling is a bit of a buzzword in content marketing and copywriting. But it really shouldn't be. It actually is THAT important. Stories can make or break your brand and a good brand story can pull all your content efforts together. It's always worth it to try to tell better stories. We're looking at how to do that in this episode. Learning outcomes: What...

Episode 4: Crafting content along the user journey A look at the user journey or customer journey and how it affects content. What type of content is required for different touchpoints? How does Awareness, Consideration or Purchase intent affect the content format? Find out in this episode of Content Rookie by Nicole Michaelis. Learning outcomes: Understanding of the marketing/sales funnel Underst...

Episode 3: Creating authentic content Understand how company values affect content output and how to leverage them to create authentic content people truly care about. Authentic content marketing doesn't have to be difficult, but it requires that you stop thinking like a salesman and start thinking like a mentor. Why? Find out in this episode of Content Rookie. Learning outcomes: Understanding wha...