Position Spotlight - UX Writer

Our UX Writer Evelyn tells us how she finds the right wording for our users and the importance of relying on data vs. intuition.  

Can you give us a brief summary of what your job entails?

Sitting in GetYourGuide’s Product and Design department in Berlin focused specifically on our marketplace, I work together with teams of designers, analysts and developers to create a smart and seamless booking experience for millions of travellers worldwide. I even write a little too.

{{Divider}}

‍

What does an average day as a UX Writer look like?

Everything starts with research. Lots and lots of research. Beg, borrow and bribe others for data. That’s the only way to shape any halfway decent ideas. Have a Club Mate. Write your thoughts down on paper, post-it notes, the back of your hand. Talk to a colleague about said ideas. Realise you tried to reach a solution before attempting to identify a problem. Start over. Prioritise like a pro. Launch a user test online and watch the feedback flood in. Listen, observe, learn. Reach that all-important light bulb moment. Work on a split test you planned to set up last week. Grab anything caffeinated. Write some more. Go home. Repeat.

{{Divider}}

‍

What is the most challenging aspect of your role?

Technology now allows us to test every element of web copy and then apply those learnings to produce copy that sells. A/B testing is a tactic we use here to validate our hypotheses, but it can just as easily shatter preconceived notions of what we think good copy looks like. I learnt pretty quickly that no writer can rely on intuition alone, or anyone for that matter.

{{Divider}}

‍

Why, in your opinion, is this role interesting for potential candidates?

Almost everything you think you know will be challenged, in meetings, in user tests, in the kitchen making coffee. You’ll go home every day feeling smarter, sharper and ready to start all over again. There’s nothing more interesting, or liberating, than that.

{{Divider}}

‍

What advice would you have for someone who wants to work as a UX Writer at GetYourGuide?

UX writing is more than putting pen to paper, fingers to keyboard. You’ll need to provide reasons for your decisions just as a designer might; if you settled on ‘Complete booking’ over ‘Order now’ for a call-to-action (CTA) on the checkout, a product manager might ask, “What’s the difference? And how will this affect how the user feels?”. So you should be able (and willing) to champion your copy choices, no matter how short the message.

‍

Favorite thing about working with GetYourGuide?

The people. A cliche, but accurate.

{{Divider}}

‍

Interested? We are hiring UX Writers in both English and German!

‍