Microcopy

Microcopy is the short text that helps visitors use a page: button labels, form field labels and hints, error messages, tooltips, the line under a button and the confirmation message after a form is sent. Each piece is only a few words, but it appears at the exact moment a visitor is deciding whether to continue.

Good microcopy removes uncertainty. A button that says Get my free quote tells visitors what they will receive. A line beneath it that says No obligation, reply within one business day answers two common worries. A hint next to a phone field that says Only used to arrange your call explains why it is needed. An error message that says Please enter a valid email, like name@example.com is more helpful than Invalid input.

Microcopy should be specific, honest and written in plain language. Avoid jokes or clever phrases where clarity matters, such as on payment pages. Read every label, button and message on your page in sequence, as if you were a cautious first-time visitor, and ask at each step what you would be worried about. Then use microcopy to answer that worry right where it occurs.

How to improve it

• Rewrite generic buttons like Submit or Send into labels that describe the result.
• Add a short reassurance line under the main CTA, such as No credit card required, when it is true.
• Explain why you need sensitive details like a phone number.
• Write error messages that say what went wrong and how to fix it.
• Test your button text with the free CTA button checker (open tool).

How PageScore checks it

PageScore rates CTA wording specificity and submit button wording, and looks for free-trial or no-credit-card mentions. Its AI review also comments on copy clarity across the page.