Summary: At first glance, a JSON error message about an insufficient balance may seem like a dead end. No characters, no conflict, no narrative arc—it feels sterile. But the lack of story is, in itself, a story. In this post, we examine the significance of what’s missing, what it reflects about communication in digital systems, and what marketers, developers, and decision-makers should learn from such content voids.
What “There Is No Story” Actually Tells Us
A well-formed JSON error message like, { "error": "Insufficient balance", "code": 402 }, is brutally honest. It doesn’t dramatize. It doesn’t explain. It doesn’t justify. It does something more powerful—it says just enough, and no more. And the absence of narrative forces us to reckon with what we expect from communication.
In that silence sits a deeper question: Why do we even want a story from a machine? Is it because we've grown used to every message selling, persuading, or scoring emotional points? Or is it our instinct to search for context, even in cold logic?
So when someone says, “There’s no story here,” what they’re really flagging is a mismatch between medium and expectation. But here’s the real question: Why do we expect more, and should we?
The Power of No Content: Why Emptiness Communicates
An error message is the system’s way of expressing boundaries. In Chris Voss’s terms—this is the system saying “No.” And “No” is not rejection; it’s protection. It invites questions. It opens negotiation. It sets the stage for clarity. The JSON message doesn’t entertain your emotions—it presents a line in the sand.
Developers often treat error responses as afterthoughts. Marketers ignore them altogether. But it’s in these dry statements that trust—or frustration—is born. Let me mirror that back: trust and frustration both begin at the point of a “No.” So how would your users feel if “No” came without even the dignity of context?
How could that perception change if your system simply added: { "error": "Insufficient balance. Please top up your account to continue.", "action": "visit payment page" }? A small shift. A big difference in tone. You’ve now acknowledged the user’s reality. That’s what Blair Warren refers to when he says, “People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.” Even if the user’s enemy is a payment wall.
A Missed Opportunity to “Engage”
Most digital platforms fail to treat error communication as a moment to Engage. That’s a lost negotiation. Why? Because users don’t just want to be told the rules—they want to feel understood. Even in the rigid formatting of a JSON response, you can build empathy, offer direction, and reduce friction.
Here’s where Cialdini’s principle of Reciprocity comes in. Give guidance, not just data. Offer alternatives. Suggest next steps. That generosity doesn’t cost computing resources, but it earns goodwill—and goodwill converts.
When you respond with only an error code, you're answering a ‘what’ but refusing the ‘why’ or ‘how.’ It's like hanging up during a customer support call. What does that do to your credibility? Your clients aren’t just looking for working apps—they’re looking for systems that pass the sniff test of professionalism. That’s where Authority and Consistency reinforce the perception of quality.
Reframing Technical Honesty into Strategic Messaging
The phrase, “There is no story to extract,” is a confession that the message wasn’t built with users in mind. But not building for the user is a choice—and not a neutral one. Every user interaction carries weight. If your service handles financial transactions, medical diagnoses, or mission-critical data—failing to offer an interpretive layer invites mistrust. It screams indifference.
That’s where marketers need to step in—not to dramatize, but to clarify. We need intelligent defaults, layered meaning, and graceful degradation. It’s not about handing out candy-coated “we’re sorry” messages—it’s about operational empathy. That’s how you transform error handling from technical noise into a moment of connection.
So, Is There a Story? Actually, There Is.
The lack of story *is* the story. It reflects the systems we’ve built. Some were engineered for function, not conversation. Some forgot the human on the other side. And when our platforms assume silence is efficient, users often interpret it as negligence—or even hostility.
By acknowledging that even minimal signals carry emotional weight, we can rewire how we approach user communication. You can get better engagement by simply asking: “What would this feel like if I were on the other end of this message?”
And if you’re a product manager, developer, or marketer reading this: What happens the next time your system says “Insufficient balance”? Will it shut down the conversation? Or open the possibility of action?
Pause. Ask better questions. Use your system’s “No” as an invitation—not an endpoint.
#MicroUX #ErrorDesign #DigitalEmpathy #ProductStrategy #CustomerCommunication #JSONmessages #UserFirst #MarketingAndTech #ChrisVoss #UXCopywriting #IEEOMethod
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Joshua Hoehne (vCO1Frox2j4)