…don’t make these twocreatures live alone.

Design and Copy need each other…

Design and copy are two creatures that need tolive together in order to create the most engaging content … put at its simplest – words and pictures.

Together they make a whole. They deliver meaning. They evoke an emotion. Here’s why they make the best of companions and why the best copywriting and design should always live together.

01Together they’re stronger and more engaging

Design without words is often just something pretty for aestheticssake. Words without design and graphic content, can obviously beread (in the context of a book for example), but integral graphicshelp bring the copy content alive.

Think of a blog post for instance that is simply a pageof text. Then imagine the same blog post includingan infographic – which will be more engaging toread and share?

02But everyone can write … right?

Well … to a lesser or greater extent, yes. However, writing can be quite a personal thing. If you’re too attached to your copy, you can often write ittoo long, or too complicated and industry-specific, filled with jargon for instance. A good copywriter can certainly write industry-specific copy,you can find one who has experience in your sector.

The advantage is that they will be able to detach themselvesfrom the ‘personal’ danger of verbal diarrhoea and concentratefully on the subject in hand. Using their skills they will alsomake it as concise as possible, without leaving out importantcontent, but making sure it’s not War and Peace. Also, somepeople simply can’t write that well. Stick to your talents –if you’re not confident in what you’re writing, this willcome across in the content, so get a professional in.

03A halfway house sanity check

If either budget or the control freak in you means you’d still ratherwrite copy content for your business yourself, then why not use agood copywriter to sanity check your writing? A copywriter can doan edit and read-through, checking for the obvious spellingand grammar, as well as editing to make a sprawling tenpages much more manageable for your audience.

04Not just in it for the long copy

Think of all the great memorable ad campaigns, either in print or on television. The most memorable advertising headlines and brand tag lines will all have been sweated over by talented copywriters before they made it to your ears and eyes. Even if you’re not currently commissioning national ad campaigns or brand strap lines, think about headlines for your web pages, blog posts or email newsletters.

05The conceptual copy creature

As well as writing for headlines and strap lines a good conceptual copywriter can look at concepts for internal communications such as brand mission, vision and brand values. These, in conjunction with some beautiful design from can lead to some stunning content that can be shared with your clients or customers as well as internally with your staff.

06Writing for that other beast – the web

You’ll also find that many copywriters nowadayshave strong SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) skills.They can write copy that is both relevant to your business and will also rank well with online search engines.

This is particularly important for blog posts andeven more so for the main pages of your website.There’s no point writing online content if it’sdifficult for people to discover.

07And the copywriter’s viewpoint?

I asked one of my trusted copywriters, Sammy Castillo, from Castillo Copy, what her take on it was from a copywriters perspective …

“Like good design, great copywriting is a craft. It’s not something you can just turn your hand to because your boss says, “you’re good at English”. The ability to produce great copy develops over time. Don’t get me wrong, being a grammar guru helps, but the skill of a great copywriter is in the details: it’s interrogating the brief; getting inside the heads of the target audience; knowing everything about the product/service; the media; and developing a story that distils the marketing patter to deliver the message simply, clearly and concisely.

In short, great copywriting is about thinking first,writing last, and being economical with words.”

So next time you’re writing your own blogpost, press release, or content for printedmaterial, have a good think about the copyfrom the audience perspective.

Is it worth having it sanity checked by a copywriter? Would the copy come alive even more with some design content? Design and copy love to work together, so why not give them the opportunity?

Intelligent design for startups, small to medium businesses and community enterprises. Helping you stay front of mind with your clients and customers.

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