Placeholders

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Placeholders explain the function of their text field, while simultaneously suggesting what to write. They could even just be decorations to an otherwise desolate space.

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Good placeholders are:

1. Quiet
2. Helpful

They motivate users and reinforce brand messages, without distracting from the experience.

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Example of a placeholder which needed improvement:

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• Low text opacity. Good.
• Text too long. Not good.
• The “...” added a passive aggressive spin on the placeholder. Not good.
• Send button was lit even when no text had been drafted. This added confusion/discomfort. Not good.