The specific challenges of financial products
Banks and other financial institutions have become some of the largest employers of UX writers. In UX Writing Hub’s 2022 salary survey, nearly 19% of respondents worked in fintech, ahead of ecommerce and health. This is not a coincidence. Finance brings unique challenges that make clear writing essential.
Difficult concepts and terms
Finance is full of jargon and acronyms that make sense to insiders but not to customers. Research by Nielsen Norman Group shows that people read about 25% slower online, and complex language makes it even harder.
At the same time, there is a shift toward more conversational language in digital products. “Plain English” is evolving into writing that feels more like natural speech. Even traditional banks are moving in this direction. Few want to sound like institutions anymore.
An important task for UX writers in finance is to explain features clearly and design flows from the user’s point of view.
Complex products and flows
Banking products often involve long, detailed user journeys with multiple verification steps. Users who get stuck may need to call support, which can be time-consuming and frustrating for both sides.
The ultimate goal of UX writing is to make products so intuitive that users can complete their tasks without tutorials or help calls. Clear, transparent communication also strengthens trust. When people see language they understand, they feel safer.
Communicating with empathy
Financial markets are sensitive to global events. Changes such as Brexit, the pandemic, or economic instability affect people directly. That makes empathy in communication especially important.
A well-known example of tone gone wrong was when a British energy provider tried to offer tips for staying warm by suggesting things like star jumps and cuddling pets. The advice was meant to help but came across as condescending.
Financial institutions can avoid these pitfalls through research, testing, and a continuous process of refining how they communicate.
Challenger banks leading the way
In the past decade, established UK banks have faced competition from new players like Monzo and Starling. One thing these challenger banks share is how they speak.
Monzo’s publicly available style guide states: “We use the language our audience uses, and make technical stuff as clear as we can”, “We’re transparent about what we’re doing and why, and we don’t hide behind ambiguity” [1]
This approach has influenced other industries too. Companies like Slack and Headspace apply similar principles, extending plain and accessible language even to legal copy and release notes.
Traditional banks and legacy copy
Older banks face another challenge: legacy content. Many have years of copy stored in products, websites and emails written long before UX writing existed. Updating this content requires large, coordinated efforts and experienced writing teams.
A broad target audience
Most banks serve a wide audience. That means UX writing must be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, education or language fluency. Surveys show that more than 16% of adults in England have very poor literacy skills. To reach everyone, public text is often written at a reading level understood by nine-year-olds, and banks are encouraged to do the same.
Clarity saves time for everyone. The easier it is to read, the easier it is to trust. Tools like Hemingway Editor can help writers check reading levels and improve accessibility.