Content design is the art and science of crafting words that serve a purpose – whether it’s guiding a user through a process, encouraging a click, or delivering an impactful message. While the field has grown immensely in recent years, even the most experienced content designers get it wrong sometimes. And I should know!

Here are 13 of the most common mistakes content designers make and how to avoid them:

1. Cognitive overload

Content designers love to write, but if we had a favourite slogan it would be “less is more.” I once started on a live service where the content of the entire user journey had been written by a colleague with no experience of the principles of content design. And it showed. There was a lot of complex language and the flow of the user journey was completely unintuitive.

One piece of content I had to make sense of was: 

‘We work with partners and stakeholders to identify and shape opportunities for the development of sustainable, strategic benefits through effective deployment of business improvement strategies and methodologies’.

Don’t over-explain or include unnecessary details that could baffle and intimidate users. Use plain English and only include the most essential information. Remember the KISS principle.

2. Ignoring accessibility

Content that isn’t accessible excludes a significant portion of the audience. This includes poor contrast, unclear language and a lack of alt text for images.

Accessible content is often easier and more inclusive for everyone, not just those with disabilities, by promoting clarity, simplicity, and usability for all users.

Familiarise yourself with accessibility standards like WCAG and test your content with tools like screen readers. The Equality Act 2010 requires all service providers to make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure their websites are accessible to people with disabilities. Failure to do so can lead to legal action. Very useful pushback to anyone challenging the essential content changes you need to make.

3. Neglecting mobile optimisation

In the last quarter of 2024, mobile devices accounted for 62.54% of global website traffic. 

It’s important to be aware of how users are likely to access a service. Approximately 80% of people claiming benefits don’t have a computer and rely on mobiles to access web content.

Internal government services are more likely to be used from laptops, whilst services for young people are highly likely to be mostly mobile.

With so much web traffic coming from mobile devices, failing to design content for smaller screens is a critical oversight. 

Keep sentences short and avoid dense paragraphs. There are plenty of apps you can use to test your design on different screens and devices.

4. Caring for your content

When your content is finally out there in the big, bad world it’s easy to feel like it’s ‘job done’. It isn’t. Content can age very quickly. Try to think of your content as a garden. You need to keep an eye on it and over time, get rid of any weeds. Ideally it should be ‘evergreen’. I worked on a site where they had a ‘Latest News’ page. It hadn’t been updated for two years and most of the links didn’t work any more. Set dates to review your content and use analytics to decide if you need to iterate it. Governance and guidance will make your content sustainable .

5. Not collaborating with other teams

Despite being a really friendly breed, content designers sometimes work alone. This can lead to inconsistencies or misaligned messaging. If you’ve been involved in designing a service you’ll probably have seen the screens so often you could be blind to any problems. Always try to work closely with UX designers, researchers, developers, SMEs and product managers to ensure cohesive and effective content. It’s usually a good idea to invite team members from different professions to content crits. Try to make them aware of what your role is and how they can collaborate with you.

Don’t assume developers prefer to read technical writing. I once had some really useful feedback from an Estonian developer on some content I’d written. He had a very good understanding of the complexities of the service and as English was his second language there were some words he thought could have simpler alternatives.

6. Forgetting about SEO

Even when your content looks great and tests well in research it can fail if it doesn’t account for search engine optimisation (SEO). Research the keywords on your site and make sure headings, meta descriptions, and alt tags are user friendly. Make sure the site you are working on has been indexed correctly on Google, or you won’t have any users and you won’t have any useful analytics to measure your SEO.

7. Failing to test content

Try and attend as many user research sessions as possible to see how your content lands with users. A/B testing is great in these sessions for showing how well any changes to existing content is working. Regularly check analytics to measure performance and iterate based on findings. Failing to test your content can lead to missed opportunities for improvement.

8. Being too generic

Generic, one-size-fits-all content doesn’t engage or resonate with users.

In our service around supporting educational choices for young people, we had a link to open days. Young people said this would only be useful if it provided information about the courses they were interested in and not just generic information about open days

Personalise content where possible. Use data to tailor messages to specific user segments.

9. Overlooking microcopy

Microcopy, like button text, error messages, and tooltips, is often treated as an afterthought, but it plays a huge role in user experience.

Make it easy to navigate through your service with clear signposting. I worked on a project where instead of a direct link to a document someone had written,  ‘Scroll down and click on the image at the bottom of the page to read more’.

Give microcopy the same attention as larger pieces of content. Make it clear, concise, and actionable. Users shouldn’t have to guess what clicking the big green button does.

10. Using jargon or complex language

Technical terms or industry-specific jargon can confuse users, especially those unfamiliar with the subject. 

I once saw this error message whilst trying to use a website:

‘Liquid error: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.’

It sounded like something from an episode of Dr Who. Apparently it means your FetchXml is broken. And I have no idea what that means either.

On a DfE service for teenagers we worked on, none of them understood the word ‘vocational’, although that’s a term that everyone who works in education uses.

Flowery language or creative flair often takes precedence over clarity and usability.
Use plain language and test for readability. Tools like Hemingway App can help identify overly complex sentences, but be careful not to be too over reliant on it.

Always prioritise usability. While style can enhance the experience, it should never hinder comprehension. Nobody is impressed when you try to use big words!

11. Ignoring user feedback

If users are confused or unhappy, you can’t argue that your content works.  Ignoring their feedback can perpetuate problems.
The app of a large service I worked on hadn’t been updated in several years and continued to attract negative comments like this on the App Store.

“As messy as a badly fitting nappy”

“Use a clairvoyant if you want something easier to understand and more accurate”

Regularly collect, playback and analyse user feedback. Use it to refine and improve your content over time.

12. Not documenting content guidelines

Inconsistent tone, style, or terminology across a product can confuse users and weaken the brand.
Create and maintain a content style guide to ensure consistency and clarity across all touch points.

Also for handover, if you’re leaving a project you want the next content designer to be able to follow your decision making process.

13. Forgetting who you’re writing for

The user. Remember them?

Sometimes it’s too easy to fall into the trap of writing based on your own assumptions. Without enough user research it’s something you might occasionally need to do as a starting point, but it’s always better to understand user needs, goals, and pain points as soon as you can. Invest time in user research, personas, journey maps, and analytics to ensure your content aligns with real user needs. Avoid asking unnecessary questions and focus on gathering only the data required to deliver the service effectively.  

Try to share the principles of content design with stakeholders, but don’t upset them by imposing guidelines as hard rules. Choose your battles!