Supporting an MVP launch with content
See how I researched and created content for a new digital product — including a user journey map, a content audit, writing guidelines and plenty of copy examples.
This portfolio project was originally published on elisatrippetti.com.
As part of a UX writing course, I was challenged to design a set of content guidelines to support the launch of a fictional digital product of my choice.
Here’s how I went about it.
“Excellent work, Elisa. Your brand voice guide is neat and straightforward — perfect to support an MVP. You’ve also included plenty of examples of dos and don’ts.”
— Luca Longo (senior designer and UX mentor)
- Role: content designer
- Language: Italian
- Tools: Figma, Airtable
- Timeline: 2 months
The problem
I’ve been following the creator economy for several years now.
Content creators have gone from casual posters to full-time influencers with a busy publishing schedule and multiple income streams, including merch, paid communities, courses and books.
Many of them, though, still rely on brand deals to make a good living off their craft.
An idea
Several influencer networks already exist in Italy to help creators consistently find brand deals, but partnerships come with a long list of requirements to meet.
Guild, an emerging Italian network, aims to fill the gap.
With Guild, creators can find brands on their own and for free on a dedicated platform, or switch to a paid plan to get training, financial advice and a whole team to help them plan and produce content.
Journey mapping
Conversation mining and creator-led podcasts helped me get a better understanding of the current landscape in Italy.
I started compiling the main needs, problems, fears and frustrations creators face in their daily work.
With this information, I created a journey map to document the steps creators go through when looking for a network.
Factors undermining the relationship:
- lack of information and guidance, high commission, lack of transparency, scams, steep learning curve
Content auditing
While studying creators, I also had a closer look at existing networks.
I identified 6 potential competitors on the Italian scene and picked one for a more in-depth website content audit.
This exercise gave me insight into where other players are doing well and where there’s room to improve the experience.
Opportunities for improvement:
- clear value proposition, well-defined tone of voice, inclusive UX writing practices, clear calls to action, consistent terminology, better readability
Content guidelines
Guild can use its content to address some of the needs and pain points uncovered in the previous steps.
I used Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism to nail down Guild’s values, culture and relationship with its audience.
I then narrowed down a list of 4 key adjectives that capture the brand’s personality: friendly, determined, curious and ambitious — just like the creators Guild wants to attract.
In a voice chart, I described how writers at Guild can embody these traits and included several copy dos and don’ts.
To make the copy consistent and accessible, I drafted UX writing best practices and a set of style guidelines.
Each recommendation is accompanied by practical examples of what to write and not to write in different contexts.
The (micro)copy
After creating this framework, I wrote a set of sample pieces of content (including UI components, webpages, emails and social media posts).
A tone map shows where each piece of content is on the tone spectrum (from formal to informal, and concise to detailed).
The result
A complete set of content guidelines covering what every new writer on the client’s team needs to know: user research, brand personality, tone of voice, style and plenty of examples to bring the product’s content to life.
Use content guidelines as a starting point to scale your voice while staying consistent and recognizable!
Before you go…
Want to know how we could collaborate? Contact me
