Comments on: Words, words, words

By: Lynx As A Simple (but Fast!) HTML Parser - Nerdabout New York : Science Channel

Lynx As A Simple (but Fast!) HTML Parser - Nerdabout New York : Science Channel — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:12:06 +0000

[...] But Lynx is the perfect tool if you want to focus on the content of your Web page or application. Often not enough attention is paid to Web content, but Lynx can help with [...]

By: Jeremy the Freelance Traffic Expert

Jeremy the Freelance Traffic Expert — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:13:53 +0000

Yes, it seem that content and design do work hand in hand. I have found that improving my copywriting skills and communication ability has helped to enhance my results with clients.
After all a picture paints a thousand words…but most of the time you need to paint a picture with words in less than 1000 words. And as designers, if we like it or not we need to be able to communicate with words…You need to be able to communicate your message with colorful and expressive words that get your message across.

Having a small range of communication is like viewing the world by looking through a straw…you’re bound to bump into something a poke out your eye.

By: Ryan Peter

Ryan Peter — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:19:10 +0000

That’s certainly interesting – I think I’ll bookmark A List Apart and check it out. I didn’t know it until accidentally stumbling onto this blog.

I’m a copywriter myself, and am quite stunned by the lack of support when it comes to content on websites – both from clients, and from designers / coders / whoever in the business. Content is probably the most important of all. There’s nothing worse than a wonderfully designed website that makes your eyes pop out and then there’s… a … a… spelling mistake! Or a grammar issue! Not to mention the sheer BORING content, that doesn’t even make sense or leaves you still asking, “What are you selling again?”

A visit to A List Apart shows 139 articles on design, and a dismal 39 for writing. Is this because there is a lack of writers? Or because there’s just not much that can be said? Or because everyone is focused on design? Or that design is just more complicated?

I don’t know… I do find it consistantly interesting that writing is continuously placed on the backburner in so many fields today. Maybe everyone just got jealous that copywriters used to get paid do much (and these days, most don’t get paid very well at all!)

By: Weight Bee

Weight Bee — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:28:13 +0000

I’m not sure if they heard me or not. Its been my experience that the ad agencies would love to get a bigger piece of the web pie, but that they don’t really understand it. They prefer to make it look flashy, and hope the design drives traffic

By: Bank zdjec

Bank zdjec — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 13:10:26 +0000

I find that helping clients with their content is a huge part of my practice. Most of my clients are writers, but they can freeze up when writing about themselves. I often end up writing humorous dummy content just to get them going.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:01:49 +0000

It sorta goes back to the age-old question, doesn’t it?

Does design dictate copy or does copy dictate design?

For many youngsters, you may not remember the pre-Internet days … waaay back when a copywriter worked with an art director in an agency environment …

but, like way back then, the question is still asked.

As a copywriter, I totally agree that content is still King. What good are all the flashy design and navigation elements, if the content is a big snore?

In my business, I work with clients to help them understand how vital their content is. Then, I write it for them.

No B.S. Just good copy.

When design and words work together — it’s almost orchestral, don’t you think? The pace, the tone, the tenor … all follow the words.

Yes, I love words.

By: bug_girl

bug_girl — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:49:35 +0000

One thing that makes me frustrated is the amount of content “theft”.
Our university pages are constantly being harvested and republished in link farms, and my personal blog has had pages lifted entirely, without attribution.

So, the uni looks like it’s selling resume writing pyramid schemes, and I…well, it just bugs me when stuff I’ve written is swiped, and I don’t get credited. (no pun intended)

Some people I know have made their blogs private because of this, which means less words for the rest of us.

As far as design + content…..*shudders*
Imagine working with 50+ academics, all of who are SMEs in different fields. And they all have to reach agreement on a single site…..

By: Lisa Firke

Lisa Firke — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:01:52 +0000

Who else has had the client actually publish the humorous dummy content?

Well, me.

By: Jeffrey Zeldman

Jeffrey Zeldman — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:42:54 +0000

Awesome.

Come to think of it, I have, too.

By: amber simmons

amber simmons — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:14:27 +0000

Jeffrey, I’ve had clients go live with greeked text on the font page.

By: Jeffrey Zeldman

Jeffrey Zeldman — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:52:15 +0000

I often end up writing humorous dummy content just to get them going.

Who else has had the client actually publish the humorous dummy content?

By: Lisa Firke

Lisa Firke — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:34:50 +0000

Good articles and I’m kicking myself for not subbing you something similar.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:00:10 +0000

I had in an interview last week with an ad agency looking for freelance web designers. When they asked me about my “method” I spoke of designing around the content of the site, and not vice versa… that the content should drive the design.
I’m not sure if they heard me or not. Its been my experience that the ad agencies would love to get a bigger piece of the web pie, but that they don’t really understand it. They prefer to make it look flashy, and hope the design drives traffic.

By: Kev Mears

Kev Mears — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:13:52 +0000

It seems that the zeitgeist is a renewed enthusiasm for words. It is so hard and ultimately frustrating to design container sites with the words poured in at the last minute.

Let’s hear it for the writers, get them writing instead of mucking about with feature requests, site maps and all the other sundry site admin tasks – which ironically become easier when you have a body of good writing already to go.

By: Paolo Sordi

Paolo Sordi — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:26:13 +0000

Simply, without words (ASCII, someone remember?) computer, websites and people don’t exist: if you can’t use words wisely, you can’t think, you can’t write , you can’t code and sure you can’t sell. It seems a paradox, but the more multimedia arises the more important the words are, beacuse they make the connections that a single picture or video can’t (at least, not so explicit).