Too often, empty states are treated as an afterthought in user experience design. A blank screen, an empty section, a “no results found” message—these moments can leave users feeling lost, confused, and disengaged. But these empty spaces hold immense potential to improve the UX.
Crafting strategic, compelling empty state writing is a powerful way to turn these seemingly empty moments into opportunities to guide, engage, and delight your users.
In this post, we’ll go deep into the purpose of empty state UX writing, explore best practices for creating effective empty state copy, and show examples of brands that are nailing their empty state UX.
The purpose of empty state UX writing
Empty states occur when a user encounters a blank or near-empty screen or section within an application or website. These moments can happen for a variety of reasons—the user has no data to display, they’re viewing a new feature for the first time, or they’ve reached the end of available content.
While empty states are often overlooked, they actually present a valuable opportunity to engage users and guide them towards their goals. Thoughtful empty state writing can transform an empty canvas into a chance to:
- Orient the user: When users encounter an empty state, they can feel lost or unsure of what to do next. A clear, instructive copy can help direct them and set appropriate expectations.
- Maintain momentum: Empty states risk disrupting a user’s workflow and causing them to disengage. Engaging copy can keep users motivated and encourage them to take the next step.
- Showcase personality: Empty states allow you to inject a bit of brand personality into your product and build an emotional connection with users.
- Educate and inform: Empty states present an opportunity to educate users about features, provide helpful tips, or share relevant information.
Think of empty states as a strategic touchpoint, and you can turn these potentially frustrating moments into positive experiences that keep users engaged and coming back.
Best practices for empty state copy
Now that we’ve covered the purpose of empty state UX writing, let’s take a look at some best practices for crafting compelling empty state copy.
- Set clear expectations: When users encounter an empty state, they need to understand why the screen is empty and what they should do next. Use clear, direct language to explain the current situation and guide them towards their next steps.
- Maintain a positive tone: Empty state copy should avoid sounding frustrated or defeated. Instead, strike an upbeat, encouraging tone that keeps users motivated and engaged.
- Offer a clear call-to-action: Include a prominent call-to-action that tells users exactly what they can do to move forward, whether that’s adding new content, exploring other features, or trying a different search.
- Inject personality: Empty states provide a unique opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality. Use playful, conversational language that resonates with your target audience.
- Provide relevant information: Use empty states as a chance to educate users about features, share helpful tips, or share other useful information that can improve their experience.
- Keep it concise: Empty state copy should be brief and to the point. Avoid lengthy explanations or unnecessary details that could overwhelm or distract the user.
- Test and iterate: Monitor user behavior and feedback to understand how your empty state copy is performing. Continuously test and refine your approach to optimize the experience.
By following these empty state best practices and guidelines, you can transform empty states from frustrating moments into engaging, user-centric experiences.
Examples of effective empty state writing
Let’s now jump into some superb empty state UX writing. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or aiming to understand the empty states better, these examples have you covered.
1. Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is a collaborative document workspace that allows you to write, add media, and more in one place. It stands out with its refreshing approach to empty state UX writing.
Unlike the typical blank document screen, Dropbox Paper’s empty state is anything but boring. The copy is cheeky, delightful, and often uses literary devices like imagery, puns, and rhyming. It’s not only short and simple, but also inspires and engages the user.
And the best part? You get a new, unique empty state message every time you open a new document.
This approach accomplishes a few key things:
- Takes the boredom out of the typical empty document experience
- Inspires and engages the user to start creating
- Injects personality and a sense of delight into the user experience
2. Gumroad
Gumroad is an e-commerce platform for creators to sell digital products. From books and blogs to printables, you can sell whatever you want with your Gumroad seller account.
Gumroad’s platform is all about empowering creators to start small, experiment, and grow their businesses. If you’re new to Gumroad and haven’t added any products yet, you’ll encounter the following empty state in the product section of your dashboard.
Rather than simply asking the user to create a product, Gumroad’s empty state UX writing embodies the brand’s core values and approach, including:
- Guiding the user to create a new product
- Encouraging them with reassurance that “your product doesn’t have to be perfect” to help quell self-doubt
- Providing a clear call-to-action to create the product
- Offering a helpful link on how to create a Gumroad product
Not to mention, the empty state illustration in this example perfectly reinforces the message.
3. Feedly
Feedly is an RSS reader that aggregates and compiles new content feeds from websites, Reddit, and other online sources. It helps users track topics, trends, and gather research to stay informed on what’s happening across the internet.
If a user hasn’t connected their Reddit account to Feedly yet, they’ll encounter the following empty state.
This UX writing example for empty states stands out for being informative, concise, clear, and genuinely helpful. This Feedly empty state UX copy is effective because it:
- Clearly explains the specific action the user needs to take (connect their Reddit account).
- Outlines the benefits and use cases for integrating Reddit content into Feedly.
- Provides direct, prominent call-to-action buttons to guide the user towards connecting their account.
- Uses a friendly, conversational tone to keep the user engaged and motivated.
4. Lex Page
Lex is a powerful AI-powered text editor designed to help writers unlock their best work.
From providing AI-generated feedback to fine-tuning your drafts, Lex offers a suite of advanced features to support every stage of the writing process.
When you first open a new Lex document, you’re greeted with an empty state that stands out as a shining example of effective UX writing.
Here’s why this empty state UX copy is well executed:
- Crystal clear instructions for the user on what to do next.
- Doesn’t just tell the user to start writing—it also educates users on the tool’s core capabilities, including AI features and formatting capabilities.
5. Canva
Canva is a popular online graphic design tool, known for its easy-to-use UI and some great bits of UX copy found across the platform.
If you’re a new user, as soon as you log in, you’ll find the following empty state. While the empty state UI gives you a lot of cues to explore yet this simple piece of writing goes a long way in case you feel yourself lost.
This empty state copy perfectly complements the UI and brand voice, seamlessly connecting the message. It’s a great empty state copy example as it:
- Aligns perfectly with Canva’s visual design, using the same friendly, conversational tone.
- Conveys a sense of excitement and potential with the “Possibilities await” header.
- Provides a clear, simple call-to-action to encourage the user to get started.
- Avoids overwhelming the user with too much information or instructions.
To sum it up
Empty state UX is often overlooked, but it presents a valuable opportunity to engage and guide your users in their journey.
If you treat empty states with the same strategic care as your core user flows, you can unlock the hidden potential of these moments—to better engage, educate, and delight your users.
As you write and refine the empty states in your own products and services, keep these best practices in mind:
- Set clear expectations and provide guidance
- Maintain a positive, motivating tone
- Offer relevant calls-to-action
- Inject your brand’s unique personality
- Keep the copy concise and easy to digest
FAQs on empty states
What is an empty state in UX?
An empty state in UX refers to a blank or near-empty screen or section within an application or website. These moments occur when a user has no data to display, is viewing a new feature for the first time, or has reached the end of available content.
What is the difference between zero state and empty state?
The terms zero state and empty state are often used interchangeably in UX/UI design, but they can have slightly different connotations depending on the context. A zero state refers to the initial state of a product or feature when a user first encounters it, before any data or content has been added. An empty state, on the other hand, is what a user sees when they have no data to display. It can occur at any point during the user journey.
How do empty states can improve user experience?
Empty states present a valuable opportunity to engage and guide users, rather than leaving them feeling lost or disengaged. Thoughtful empty state UX writing can:
- Orient the user and set clear expectations.
- Maintain the user’s momentum and motivation.
- Showcase the product’s personality and build an emotional connection.
- Educate and inform users about features or provide helpful tips.
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