Comments on: Want a good website, on time? Prioritise content.

By: Echo

Echo — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:11:16 +0000

I know the post is old, but hey, it still rings true. Once someone sees the content, they really know much more about how their eyes interact with the page, and whether things are arranged logically. I am a new reader to your site, this is the first post I read.

By: Stewart McCoy

Stewart McCoy — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:55:23 +0000

Excellent post. Your post echoes many of the sentiments expressed by the contributing authors at A List Apart. See the “content” category here: http://www.alistapart.com/topics/content/writing.

I’ve not ventured around your site much just yet, but it looks very promising.

By: Make Website Content a Priority « Autumn Editing & Writing’s Blog

Make Website Content a Priority « Autumn Editing & Writing’s Blog — Sun, 31 May 2009 08:45:02 +0000

[...] perusing a few writing blogs, I found an article that reminds readers of the importance of quality website content. The author asserts that many business owners put content last during the web design process, often [...]

By: Seven website mockup tools — Bad Language

Seven website mockup tools — Bad Language — Sat, 23 May 2009 08:49:09 +0000

[...] I am working on a number of website projects right now. My mission is to banish ‘lorem ipsum’ by working text into page designs before development starts. (To find out why, read my article: Want a good website, on time? Prioritise content) [...]

By: Bad Language / Writing for the web video

Bad Language / Writing for the web video — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:08:55 +0000

[...] Want a good website, on time? Prioritise content. [...]

By: Writeontheinternet

Writeontheinternet — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 03:25:54 +0000

#8 Bad Writing Costs Real Money~Ah, but good writing costs real money too. So its kind of a bad cycle. Those that pay website designers to create both the website and the bad copy to go with it, usually end up throwing even more ‘real’ money after it to get a good writer, like those of us on this wonderful little site, to fix it.

By: Simon Wakeman

Simon Wakeman — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:40:00 +0000

Hi Matthew,

I agree with what you’re saying entirely.

Content development is something that I put into client project plans, and then they typically remove saying they can “take the text from our leaflets” or “we’ll build it up gradually”.

The best designed, most functional site is nothing with out decent, well written and fit-for-purpose content.

It’s like having a top of the range car, but not having a driving licence – nice to look at, but absolutely useless for its core purpose.

By: Away With Words

Away With Words — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 14:48:28 +0000

Getting It Wrong about Web Writing…

I recently turned down a project because the client–an otherwise smart, experienced businessperson with a terrific idea for a start-up–just didn’t get it about writing for the web. The client had in mind a web site of at least 100…

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:07:24 +0000

Amen, Matthew. I honestly cannot think of a website project that has run late (that I've worked on) where its tardiness *hasn't* been due to content. Usually it's a case of the client thinking they'll have no trouble with it, and then discovering (as you point out) that writing is indeed a highly specialized skill. As Owen says above, design is often given a higher priority than content, but IMHO no other component of a website has the same power to make or break the site's success as content. Good content is simply the single most important component of a website.

By: Owen Lystrup

Owen Lystrup — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 02:34:00 +0000

You love top ten lists.

It’s okay, I do too.

I’m running into a problem somewhat like this right now, and I’ve run into it before.

Unfortunately, working with a bunch of designers, content tends to get put on the backburner. I think, as you said, that it’s just as important.

Often, in fact, once working with clients for a while, they usually come to realize that their feedback and effort is best spent on getting the content right. The design usually does not go through many drafts like content either.