Summary: Most marketers overlook system messages because they seem technical, sterile, or boring. But what if those dry error messages exposed something more powerful—a failure in the client journey? That interruption isn’t just a glitch; it’s a marketing moment. By reading between the brackets of a plain JSON error, we uncover the gap between intention and execution, urgency and inaction. This post explores how something as uneventful as an ‘insufficient balance’ notice carries tension, consequence, and—if you know how to approach it—narrative value.
The Message Wasn't the Problem—It's the Missing Story
What landed on the desk was a short JSON response:
{
"error": {
"code": "INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE",
"message": "Your account balance is not enough to run this query. Please recharge your account."
}
}
No characters. No setting. No resolution. Just a bureaucratic wall. But inside that nothingness lives a highly dysfunctional user story. Not because it lacks color, but because it reflects a real-world disconnection—the user wanted to act, but something stopped them. The tool speaks, but it doesn’t communicate. Why does that matter? Because unacknowledged friction points kill momentum silently.
So let’s ask: Who’s behind this query? What were they trying to do? Where was the system’s responsibility in helping them succeed? This isn’t about dramatizing IT. It’s about asking better questions, so that your tech—and your messaging—stop being the reason ambition fails.
A Small Message with Massive Implications
On the surface, this is an account balance notice. But the impact trickles down dangerously. Let’s map it out differently:
- Blocked action: Whatever the user wanted to learn, fix, or forecast—they can't.
- Lost time: The intent existed; the system stalled it.
- Ambiguity: “Recharge your account” doesn’t explain where, how long it’ll take, or if help is available.
So while the JSON itself is clean and valid, it presents a dead end rather than a bridge. The burden is implicitly thrown back on the user—without ownership from the system that failed to anticipate it. That’s not just poor UX. It’s poor empathy.
What This Error Actually Says About the Company
What happens when a user gets a robotic message like this? Think about their assumptions:
- “Clearly, they expect me to handle this alone.”
- “I guess they don’t care if I hit a wall.”
- “Recharge? Is this a billing issue? A permissions problem? Am I locked out?”
By not offering context, resolution, or guidance, you reinforce a perception that the user must work around your system, not with it. That undermines brand trust—but worse than that—it creates a shop floor equivalent of abandoned carts. The user wanted to do something, and you let them walk away with nothing done.
The Missed Opening: From Obstacle to Opportunity
Imagine this moment had gone differently. What if the system had said:
“You’re so close. The system can’t process that query because your balance is €4.72 too low. Want to top up now and keep going?”
Now you're not just informing. You're guiding. You're re-engaging a motivated user who’s already halfway down the funnel. It re-frames the error as direction, not rejection. And here’s where persuasion science steps in:
- Reciprocity: Offer help and direction when the user is stuck, and they return engagement.
- Commitment & Consistency: Tie the moment to what they already started doing—keep them moving forward.
- Authority: Make the system appear proactive, not passive. Authority is built through leadership, not blame shifting.
So What Is the Real Story?
The real story here isn’t embedded in the JSON syntax. It’s found in what the message fails to activate: empathy, reassurance, engagement. A user is trying to consult a tool. The tool stops them with a blank wall. A better copy choice, a smarter response strategy, and a clearer next step don’t just reduce frustration—they increase sales, reduce churn, and shorten cycles.
To fix or rewrite a JSON message means nothing unless we fix the mental framework wrapped around system communications. We’re not just writing error messages—we’re managing digital conversations. Make the message human, and the service becomes trusted.
The Takeaway That Tech Teams and Marketers Both Miss
If you think the story isn’t there just because it doesn’t look like one, that’s your signal to dig deeper. The absence of narrative is sometimes the loudest alarm. People don’t abandon platforms because of one error—but patterns of indifference do.
Error messages are narrative interceptors. Either they reinforce the user’s original purpose—or they fracture it. That dichotomy’s where decision lives. That’s where your marketing lives. And that’s where your brand wins or loses long-term engagement.
Next time your tech team throws you a "nothing story"—like a balance error—lean in, not out. Ask:
- What was the user thinking before this message appeared?
- How can we respect that intent?
- What would it cost us to give them momentum again?
You'll find it’s never just an error. It’s a spotlight on where your system stopped marketing when it should have stepped in.
#DigitalFriction #UXCopywriting #BehavioralMarketing #ErrorMessageDesign #MarketingInTech #SystemMessaging #UserRetention
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Markus Winkler (-q8MdTL2998)