Why Content-First Approach is Important in Web Development
Article by J.C. Yee
Graphics Design by Ryan Rivera
A content-first approach has, in many ways, proven to be a much better strategy in web design in development. After all, content is the foundation of your website’s structure. In construction, the foundation always comes first. It solidifies your website’s substance, that even if your web design isn’t up to standard, users will be a bit more forgiving knowing that reading through every page is worthwhile.
However, despite these, many businesses still prefer finishing the design first. Based on our experience, some of these companies find it easier to fit in the content after the design, not knowing that there are repercussions alongside it.
Here are 5 reasons why a content-first approach is essential in website development.
5 Reasons You Should Go for a Content-First Approach
Content puts SEO first
Let’s be honest; one of the reasons you have a website is because you want to be discovered on Google. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) simply allows your website to do just that. But for SEO to work correctly, your website needs to have optimized content, such as keywords, so that users can find you when they look for the service you provide.
If people can’t find your beautiful website because your content isn’t optimized, then you’re just wasting your website’s potential.
Clear Design Direction
“Sell the sizzle, not the steak” is one of our mantras regarding website copywriting. This is because content adds aroma to your website, attracting customers to learn more about your products and services.
Professional web copywriters will often structure the content precisely like how it would be presented on the website. This gives the designers a clear direction of how every piece of information will be laid out.
Here at Gotafflair for example, our web copywriters give instructions and suggestions to the designer since they have a better understanding of what the product or service is all about. By giving out a coherent direction, the design process will be much more efficient.
Streamlined workflows
Indeed, a content-first approach allows for a much more efficient workflow because it saves the designer’s time from figuring out which piece of information to prioritize over another. If the content comes after the design, just imagine the endless rounds of revisions must be done.
This especially applies to situations where the copy doesn’t fit the finalized design, resulting in a compromised content. Like we’ve said earlier, when building something, we always start with the foundation for the next stage to continue without hindrances.
Consistent branding
Part of the copywriting process ensures that the tone of the site’s content is aligned with the brand’s personality. It can be formal, casual, elegant or dependable, depending on the industry they’re in and the audience they serve.
By adopting a content-first approach, the designer can determine the theme they’ll use to design the website. If it’s formal, then the layout will be much more straightforward, with corporate imagery, among others. If it’s casual, then the designer will choose warm colors alongside fun imagery.
Branding your website usually requires the small details we mentioned above. One way to get on board that process is by determining the content which will shape your site’s overall look and feel.
Better content quality
A content-first approach means that content won’t be restricted by any design factors. With this, copywriters have total freedom and creativity in writing your site content. Even more so, they can have a strategy in mind to make sure that your website will pack a punch.
The content-first approach that we have here at Gotafflair has allowed us to cater to thousands of satisfied customers. With our proven strategy, we’ve saved time, effort and resources that have allowed us to maintain productivity from start to finish.
Looking for web design experts you can seamlessly work with? Contact us at sales@gotafflair.com for a free, no-obligation consultation.
