WEBSITE COPY OR WEBSITE DESIGN. WHICH COMES FIRST?

If you are thinking of a website revamp, how should the process work? Which comes first - words or visuals?

The truth is that developing a website is a collaborative process which involves two (sometimes 3) parties:

  1. Copywriter

  2. Designer

  3. Developer

As a copywriter, you might think that I’m biased (probably am a little), BUT

 

surely what you want to say is the logical starting point!


People buy products after they read words that make them want those products. Website developers and designers are super talented at developing and designing websites but they’re not experts in web copy. 

The good news is that there’s a clear copy process that you should follow before you brief your developer.  Yes, this takes a bit of time and thought but it saves time and money in the long-run.

Imagine having all of your copy laid out before you brief that talented design guy? No more dreading filling in lorem ipsum placeholder text! No more wondering if what you’re saying is clear!

So here are the steps that you should take before you brief your Web Developer:

Craft a Clear and Compelling Message for your Business

Read Donald Miller’s book, ‘Building a StoryBrand’. In it, you’ll get access to a 7-part Story Framework that you can use to craft a clear message.

Draft a Visual Copy Layout for each Page of your Website

Use a tool like Draftium or Google Slides to map out each block in text.

Define an Image Plan that Reflects your Message

Source images yourself from stock sites or write out an image brief.



I’ll admit, it can be difficult to think clearly about your business and what your website should say – many leaders suffer with trying to say everything and end up saying nothing at all. I’m here to help if you need it. 

P.S. If you’re thinking, ‘she expects me to read an entire book?!’, listen to this podcast episode instead!


Monica Fahy