Attn: All Mobile Designers and Copywriters - the phrase "Get Started" is officially played out as of 2016.

I am tempted to gather screenshots of every app I've encountered that uses the call-to-action "Get Started" on both Android and iOS in the past year.

Do I feel like I've begun anything? No, actually I don't. And therein lies the problem. My usage of an app does not constitute the commencement of a any sort of timeline from my own perspective as a user. The latest example I encountered was something along the lines of:

"News keeps you up to date on the latest events."

"Get started"

Wtf?? Get started, what? This has been rising to boil on a low flame for months now and I think it's starting to slowly simmer.

If I am going to get started, please let it be the entry way into a task that has a clear beginning. It is not the catch all to show users after an instructional tutorial or slideshow.

Please, think twice before you throw in another "Get Started" into your UI. It is beginning to lose all actual meaning, and yes it is common, and everywhere, so that supports using it in your app, but please use it when relevant.

Try "Begin", or the simple, time tested "OK".

There is in fact nothing wrong with "OK".

Next week I'll rant about the growing usage of the phrase "Got it."

Great design resource

100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (Voices That Matter) Submitted August 05, 2016 at 09:01PM by sachio222 http://ift.tt/2aZE4Da