Copy and messaging guidelines for UI text, notifications, and marketing
Courtex Tone & Voice
Guidelines for writing UI copy, error messages, notifications, onboarding text, and any player-facing content.
Principles
1. Keep it simple
Avoid unnecessary words. Say what you mean, clearly and concisely.
- Use plain language — avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity
- One idea per sentence where possible
- If it reads like a legal disclaimer, rewrite it
Before: "Your registration has been successfully processed and you have been enrolled in the session." After: "You're in! See you on the court."
2. No bullshit
We don't exaggerate, and we don't stretch the meaning of words. Be honest.
- No inflated claims ("the world's best badminton platform")
- No dark patterns — be clear about what buttons do
- If something went wrong, say so plainly — don't bury it in corporate softening
Before: "We're experiencing some technical difficulties that may be impacting your experience." After: "Something went wrong on our end. Try again in a moment."
3. Respect
We don't put other people down in order to lift ourselves up.
- No elitism, no condescension, no shaming
- Leaderboards celebrate performance — they never mock lower ranks
- Error messages don't blame the user
- Beginner players should feel as welcome as advanced ones
Audience Messaging
For Organisers
Organisers are time-poor people running social clubs. They want efficiency and reliability.
Primary message: "Courtex handles the admin so you can focus on growing your social."
Tone: Practical, direct, reassuring. Emphasise time saved and control gained.
| Context | Example |
|---|---|
| Onboarding | "Set up your club in under 5 minutes." |
| Session creation | "Create a session, set your cap, done." |
| Cancellation | "Session cancelled. Members have been notified." |
| Dashboard | "Here's what's happening with your club this week." |
For Players
Players want to find games, track progress, and feel part of a community.
Primary message: "Courtex is where you find your next game."
Tone: Warm, encouraging, community-focused. Celebrate participation, not just winning.
| Context | Example |
|---|---|
| Discovery | "Find a social near you." |
| Booking | "You're all booked! Get ready for a ripper of a match." |
| Stats | "You've played 12 games this month. Keep it up!" |
| Ranking | "Your MMR has gone up — solid effort." |
Tone Examples
When things go right
Warm, celebratory, but not over-the-top. Use Australian-flavoured enthusiasm where it fits.
| Situation | Example copy |
|---|---|
| RSVP confirmed | "You're in! See you on the court." |
| Booking confirmed | "You're all booked! Get ready for a ripper of a match." |
| Profile complete | "All set. Let's find you a game." |
| First match recorded | "First match logged — the grind starts now." |
| MMR increase | "Your MMR went up. Nice work." |
When things go wrong
Honest, calm, and helpful. Never alarming. Offer a path forward where possible.
| Situation | Example copy |
|---|---|
| Session full | "Oops! That session is fully booked. Try checking out another social nearby — there's bound to be one that suits you." |
| Generic error | "That didn't quite work. Our team's on it. Try again in a sec, yeah?" |
| Session cancelled | "This session has been cancelled. Check the club page for upcoming dates." |
| Payment failed | "Your payment didn't go through. Double-check your card details and try again." |
| Empty state (no clubs) | "No clubs in your area yet. Be the first to add one." |
Australian Personality Notes
Courtex has an Australian personality — casual, unpretentious, and community-oriented. Use sparingly in appropriate UI moments:
- "Ripper" — great, excellent (e.g. "Get ready for a ripper of a match")
- "Yeah?" — softens a request or statement (e.g. "Try again in a sec, yeah?")
- "Social" — common term for a casual badminton session (preferred over "session" in casual copy)
- "On it" — implies responsiveness and accountability
Do not overdo it. Australianisms should feel natural and occasional, not forced. UI elements like buttons and form labels should be standard English.
Anti-patterns
Things we do NOT do:
| Anti-pattern | Why |
|---|---|
| "Congratulations! You've unlocked a new achievement!" | Over-gamified; not our aesthetic |
| "Oops! Something went terribly wrong!" | Melodramatic; creates anxiety |
| "You must complete your profile before proceeding." | Authoritarian; we guide, not command |
| "Warning: This action cannot be undone." | Too clinical for casual contexts — use judgement |
| "Be the best player in your club!" | Competitive framing that excludes beginners |
| "Join 10,000+ happy users!" | Marketing fluff — no bullshit |
| All-caps CTA labels like "BOOK NOW" | Not our tone; use sentence case or title case |
Writing Checklist
Before submitting copy or UI text, check:
- [ ] Is it in plain language?
- [ ] Does it use Australian/UK English spelling (
organised,colour,cancelled)? - [ ] Is it honest about what's happening?
- [ ] Does it respect the user regardless of their skill level?
- [ ] Does it avoid over-inflated language?
- [ ] If it's an error message, does it offer a path forward?