Content is king. Design is second.

Also, I am not a copy writer though I can assist.

I say these things because time and time again I try to push to get content from clients before actually working on a layout. Some times I do get the content upfront. Other times I do not. Depending on how much you want to say on your website depends on where everything gets spread across the website. When you provide the content before planning of the layout it can help in a number of ways:

1. As you physically start to put pen to paper it helps to jump start that creative side of your brain. You may have had one initial direction you wanted to go in with your content but as you began writing you hit a spark. Next you began seeing your content flow in a different direction. Maybe it from a general info-mercial tone to a fairy tale theme.

This always happens to me almost all the time. As I have one ideal and begin brain storming and more and better ideals follow.

2. When you provide your data it really helps in creating the mock layout before we start laying down some code. We can then properly and effectively position content instead of trying to fill space.

For example, you want to provide a coupon for print. Do we want to have it on all pages? The home page? Knowing how you want to target you audience is key.

Content is not just words. It’s guidance overall.

3. News and blogs post. They’re good to have. New content helps in gaining your search rankings with search engines. You can’t just write a one word posts but a fair paragraph or so. Also, it’s just good to have to inform your visitors of the latest events going on.

4. Nobody knows the objective of your website better than you!

I once was begging a client to provide me content for his website. He simply pointed me to his competitor’s website and told me to copy his website and change the wording a bit.

True story!

Also, NO. I will not do copy content from another website.

I prefer you provide the content and tell me about yourself. I can definitely help with the wording but it helps to have some content before hand. I am not asking for a novel. Just enough to get the creative gears spinning.

So, keep that in mind. Work on your content. Work on your posts. Let’s get people reading your site!