A question we frequently encounter at Red Platypus is “what should we get done first – the web copy or the website design?”
Our answer is always that the written content should come first.
This applies to everything involving copywriting, from a website to a pamphlet.
Our preference is always to write the copy first, and then send the content on to the designer.
Here are three reasons why it pays to write your content before you design your website:
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You get your website faster (and for a cheaper price)
When a designer is working with the written content you have approved, their life is so much easier.
Instead of guessing the length of the paragraphs and position of the words by putting in placeholder lorem ipsum text, they have the actual content at hand.
This means they can lay everything out as you want it to look, creating harmony with the design from the beginning.
Then, when it’s time to look at the first draft, you’re far more likely to like what you see, and you should only need a few changes. This will save you money – because you won’t have to go back and forth with changes.
2. Content writing shapes the design
If a designer can read the content for your website, they will be able to uncover a true sense of your brand and create a website in which the words and design live in harmony.
For example, if the designer is building a website, they could do the design first by laying out a basic wireframe, and then shove the content in when it comes.
But if the designer has the content first, they can work with the whole picture and nail your brand.
This will unlock the designer’s creative powers to display the information in an innovative and aesthetic way.
3. You discover what you REALLY want
By going through the process of writing the copy first, you’ll uncover what your core message.
Creativity is funny like that. We all start with an idea, but it changes as we take action, and the final result may be vastly different to what you began with. (Sometimes even the process of writing a blog can turn out this way!)
By going through the creative process of writing first, you can enter the creative process of design with far more clarity, knowing what you want to say.
This empowers you and gives the designer the best change of excelling.
Best of all, you might unlock a completely new approach, and get your website designed and live a lot faster.
Always write your content before you design your website
At Red Platypus, our process is always to write the content for a creative project before any design work takes place.
We set up a meeting with clients to discuss what they want to say and how they want to say it. This covers everything from tone of voice and style to keywords.
When the writing is all signed off, only then do we progress to the design phase.
We find this method is much faster, smoother, and helps everyone get what they want.
So, before you start a design, here are some steps to optimise your content first:
⭐ Write out a list of all the things you want to say
⭐ Determine what your overall message should be
⭐ Understand your main call to actions
⭐ Decide on your tone and style
⭐ Work with a writer to finesse the language
⭐ Organise the information in user-friendly way
⭐ Find a designer who will display your content in a creative way that is on-brand
Need help with writing your content before you get your website designed?
If you need help writing your web copy, book a free call with us and we’ll discuss what you need to say so you can get the design you’re after.
