Fundamentals

These fundamentals apply to every piece of content you create. For specific questions, dig into our detailed content guidelines for everything from grammar to components.

Think of tools you use every day, such as your phone, car, blender. They all have a learning curve. But the very best of them feel easy from the very first use. Buttons are where you expect them. Labeling is intuitive. Everything unnecessary has been removed, and what’s left is the perfect balance of words and visuals. That’s what we’re building here at Shopify.

Content 🤝 design

Words are an essential part of the design. Very few interfaces make sense without content. But each word and every period adds noise to the experience. So weigh every word.

• Only add content that’s necessary for clarity
• Let visuals and icons do the talking wherever you can (“+” not “+ Add”)
• Remember design doesn’t always dictate content (not every situation calls for subcopy, even if the component has been designed to include it)

Tip: Ask yourself, could this word be an icon? Could this header, subcopy, and button just be a button?

Keep it lean

Too much content makes a tool feel cheap and that it’s hard to use. Not enough leads to confusion and frustration. Great design means finding that sweet spot.

• Find the shortest, clearest way to give merchants only the info they need to take action
• Skip the punctuation (exceptions: questions or text with 2+ sentences)
• Get rid of any repetition

Tip: Approach content like Jenga. What’s the most you can take away before things fall apart?

Write like merchants talk

Don’t worry too much about voice and tone, just focus on sounding human

• Use plain language
• Use contractions (“don’t” not “do not”)
• Some jargon is okay, as long as it’s what actual merchants say
• Aim for a 7th grade reading level—it’s easiest for merchants to digest

Tip: Read it out loud. Does it sound like something a human would say? Ship it.

Inspire action

Don’t overwhelm people with too many choices or too much info upfront

• Focus on the one thing merchants need to know or do next
• Start sentences with verbs so they feel like actionable instructions
• Be direct (“add apps” not “you can add apps”)
• Use design (font size, location on the screen) to communicate importance
• Break multi-part tasks down into digestible steps (aka “progressive disclosure”)

Tip: What’s the most important thing for merchants to do here? If it’s not clear, start over.