Do you write copy first?

Do you write copy first or design a web page first?

It seems that most start with copy, but what about the design?

Here's what a lot of design-led companies do:

A design-led company doesn't typically concede to a page looking bad to accommodate pre-written copy.

So there is some give and take required. Here's a process that works well to get amazing copy AND top-notch design.

1️⃣ The copy is written to 85-90%.

2️⃣ Designers use that to make page designs that are 85-90%, noting any areas where copy and layout didn't work well together.

3️⃣ The copy is refined to 100%.

4️⃣ With that copy, the design is refined to 100%.

Of course, there are times when it takes additional rounds to get it there, but when everyone is focused on the best possible end-product, this works well.

Most importantly, this process needs to contain detailed communication with solid reasoning. Examples:

"This part of the copy needs to remain unchanged because it is the core positioning for this feature set."

"We cannot extend this headline to avoid a line wrap because it will result in a one-off design style that is challenging to maintain long-term."

Giving feedback containing explanations and context helps everyone understand that this is not your personal preference.

What do you think? How does your company create new web content?