How to Speed Up Getting Content for a Website

I’ve worked on enough website projects in my time to know what tends to hold things up. 

Let me cut to the chase here: when a professional copywriter isn’t involved, it’s content. It’s almost ALWAYS content. 

And look, I totally get why. Creating content for a website can be quite the undertaking (especially for non-writers).

You’re trying to explain what you do, who you help, and how you’re different. Then, you have to decide what pages you need, what photos to use, how to sound like yourself without sounding weird…it’s a whole thing.

But don’t fret. I’m going to tell you exactly how to speed this part of the web design process right up. But first, I want you to understand why content can stall things.

Why Website Content is the Biggest Progress Killer

Without knowing what words or visuals you want on your site, your web designer is basically trying to decorate a house before anyone has decided how many rooms it needs or what goes in them. Not an easy ask!

That’s why I insist every client teams up with a copywriter prior to the design phase of the project. Before I made this a requirement, content was almost always the reason projects would stall.

Most clients started with the best intentions, then quickly realized that writing SEO-friendly website copy is not exactly a quick “knock it out after lunch” kind of task.

Without an experienced writer guiding that process, the same handful of content issues would crop up again and again.

What are those issues and how do they affect your project? Glad you asked! Keep reading for all the details…

Unfinished Copy

If your copy isn’t done, your designer is left waiting, guessing, or designing around placeholder text that may end up being way too short, way too long, or just plain wrong for the page.

That slows everything down. It can also make the final design feel less thoughtful, because the structure of a web page really depends on what needs to be said there.

This is why I love getting a copywriter involved early. The words are there, the structure makes sense, and I can get on with making everything look fabulous.

Too Much or Too Little Content

Yep, there is such a thing as too much.

When clients were writing their own website content, it could be really hard for them to know what each page needed. One page might come through with barely enough copy to fill a section. Another might arrive with enough words to qualify as a small novel. Both create problems for us designers.

Not giving us enough content leaves gaps. Too much content can make a page feel cluttered, confusing, or impossible to shape in a way that feels clean and strategic.

Good website content needs enough detail to be useful, but not so much that your site visitors need a snack break halfway through reading it!

Poorly Written, AI-Sounding Copy

Some clients want to turn to AI to write their website content vs. hiring a professional copywriter. Hey, I get the appeal! It feels fast, easy, and cheaper than hiring a copywriter.

The problem is that AI copy often sounds generic, lacks proper content strategy, and doesn’t give the designer strong enough copy to work with.

If the copy feels awkward or bland, the page won’t feel right no matter how pretty it is. A website needs high-quality content that sounds like your brand, not the weird AI version.

And guess what? Even with AI copy, you still need to go through proper strategic planning. You also need someone on your team who has the wherewithal to spend a significant amount of time feeding prompts to AI, reviewing what it spits out, and refining everything. That’s anything but fast, easy, and cheaper if you ask me.

Zero Content Strategy

Sometimes clients had lots of content. The problem was that it didn’t always have a plan yet.

Before I made professional copywriting part of the process, I’d sometimes get a mix of draft copy, old website text, team notes, and “oh, we should probably mention this too!” ideas.

That slows the design process down because a designer can’t build a strong page around copy that still feels undecided.

A professional copywriter helps pull everything together so every page has a purpose, speaks to the target audience, and gives the designer something solid to build around.

Content Isn’t Optimized for Search Engines

If no one has thought about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) while writing website copy, that’s another delay waiting to happen.

At some point, somebody has to go back and make sure the wording supports search engines, speaks to your target audience, and includes the right phrases naturally.

That work affects your chances of showing up in search engine rankings and bringing in leads. It also influences how your web content performs over time as part of your wider content marketing.

A professional copywriter can build that thinking in from the start, so your copy is written for real people and search engines instead of needing a big SEO revision later.

Missing Photos or Videos

Words aren’t the only things that cause holdups.

If you don’t have photos, videos, or other visuals ready, your designer can’t finish certain sections properly. And no, random screenshots from your camera roll taken in terrible lighting usually aren’t going to cut it (sorry).

Your site needs imagery that feels on-brand, visually appealing, and supportive of the message on each page.

Prepping Content Early Speeds Things Up for Your Designer

When content is ready early, your designer will absolutely love you. It means they can spend less time chasing you, and more time on the actual work.

(Bonus: Writing launch-ready social media posts, blog posts, and other marketing materials will be a heck of a lot easier when you already have your website copy as a base.)

Your Designer Can Design With Real Stuff

Finished or even almost-there copy and visuals help your designer make smarter choices from the start. They can design layouts around the content, build landing pages that flow well, and make sure other pages support the site as a whole.

The Feedback Process Gets Shorter

When content is sorted without delays, there’s less backtracking later. You avoid reworking pages because the copy changed (and paying for additional redesign rounds!).

You Have a Better Shot at Converting Potential Customers

A website can look lovely all day long, but if the content isn’t helping with user engagement, you’ll have a tough time building a successful online presence.

When you’ve put the time into crafting convincing copy, it will encourage visitors to stay on the site a little longer and explore what you offer.

Psst… if you want to get into this topic a bit more, go read my other blog post, “Why Content-First Design Makes Website Projects So. Much. Better.” 

How to Speed Up All the Content Bits

I’m sure you’ve gathered this by now, but I’m going to say it louder for the people in the back: working with a professional copywriter is the best way to stop content from becoming a bottleneck. 

I’ve worked with The Content Lab for years, and they’re fabulous. They’ll interview you, create brand messaging, write well-researched content (optimized for AI and search engines), and even wireframe it all out so your designer knows exactly what goes where.

But even the best copywriters need your help. Here’s how to give them what they need so they can complete the copy faster.

Gather Bios & Service Info Upfront

Your bio, team bios, service descriptions, product descriptions, pricing notes, customer testimonials, and FAQs shouldn’t be scattered across six Google Docs and an old Notes app entry from last summer.

Round it all up at the beginning, so your copywriter can get right to work. 

Set Calendar Reminders for Feedback

If you take three weeks to review a draft from your copywriter, the project slows down. Simple as that. Set reminders. Block out time. Treat giving feedback like a real deadline, not a “when I get to it” task.

Pick One Decision-Maker

If too many people are weighing in, content can get stuck in committee-land. Your copywriter can absolutely take feedback from different people, but someone needs to make the final call on what stays, what changes, and what direction the copy is going in. Pick one person to approve the content so things keep progressing. 

Schedule Brand Photos Early

Please don’t wait until the week before launch to book your photos. Get those on the calendar early so your designer has what they need when they need it.

Let’s Get the Content Side of this Figured Out, Shall We?

When the words are sorted, the visuals are lined up, and the message is clear, your designer can spend way less time waiting and way more time building something beautiful and useful for your business.

If you’re ready for that kind of website experience, I’d love to help! Reach out and let’s talk about what you’re dreaming up.