By Mehdi HassanAsk a web designer what slows projects down and many will give the same answer: waiting for content. The design is ready, the build is ready, and the pages sit with lorem ipsum while the founder tries to find a free weekend to write the homepage. Deciding who writes the copy is one of the first decisions in a project, and one of the most consequential.
Who writes website content in a typical web design project?
In many web design projects, the client is expected to write the website content, while the agency designs and builds around it. Some agencies offer copywriting as an add-on, some partner with freelance copywriters, and a smaller number write the copy as part of the core project. Settle this during the website discovery phase, because it shapes the whole website design process.
The three realistic options are writing it yourself, hiring a separate copywriter, or having the agency that designs the site also write it. Each can work. The differences are in time, quality and how well the words and the design fit together.
Do web designers write content?
Most web designers don't write content, and many quotes assume you'll supply it. Designers are trained in layout, type and interaction, not persuasion and messaging. Some studios combine both skills in one team, and that combination is less common than it should be, because on a marketing site the words carry most of the message.
If a quote doesn't mention copy, assume it's not included and ask. Our guide to website copywriting cost explains what to look for in a quote and why copy should be priced openly rather than left as an assumption.
How do you, a copywriter and an agency compare?
Writing it yourself is cheapest in cash but expensive in time, a freelance copywriter gives strong words but adds a handoff, and an agency that writes and designs keeps everything in one team. The table summarizes the trade-offs.
Factor | You (the client) | Freelance copywriter | Agency writes and designs |
|---|---|---|---|
Knows the product | Best | Learns it in discovery | Learns it in discovery |
Writing skill | Varies | Usually strong | Strong if copy is a core skill |
Time cost to you | High | Medium (interviews and reviews) | Medium (interviews and reviews) |
Fit with design | Often poor; written separately | Depends on collaboration | Strong; written alongside layout |
Risk of delaying launch | High | Medium | Low |
Extra cash cost | None | Separate fee | Included or quoted together |
Why do content delays kill website timelines?
Content delays kill timelines because design and development both depend on the words, so late copy stalls every later stage. A section designed for a two-line headline breaks when the real headline is a paragraph. A pricing page designed for three plans needs rework when the business decides on four. Each late change sends work backwards.
There's a quieter cost too. When copy arrives late, teams under deadline pressure squeeze it into layouts designed for placeholder text. The result is a site where the design and the message don't quite fit, even though both were fine on their own. Writing the copy first, or at least alongside the wireframes, avoids that.
When should you write the website content yourself?
Write the website content yourself when you have a strong writer on the team, the site is small and you have real time set aside to do it. Founders know the product, the buyer and the objections better than anyone. If someone on the team writes clearly and has the hours, in-house copy can be excellent.
Pros
- No extra fee, and nobody needs to learn the product.
- Your voice and expertise come through directly.
- Easy to update after launch because the knowledge stays in-house.
Cons
- Founders rarely have uninterrupted time, so copy often arrives late.
- Insiders explain the technology instead of the outcome buyers want.
- Copy written separately from layout often fits the design poorly.
If you go this way, write in a structured format: one document per page, sections in order, with a word budget for each headline and paragraph agreed with the designer. Our guide on answer-first page structure also helps your pages work for both visitors and AI search.
What founders should supply even when someone else writes
Even when a copywriter or agency writes the words, founders are the source. Expect to supply: a recorded sales call or two, a list of the objections you hear most, the claims you can prove (with any approved numbers), customer names and quotes cleared for public use, and the competitors buyers compare you with.
This takes a few hours rather than a few weekends, and it produces better copy than a founder writing alone, because the writer can see what you say naturally and what buyers respond to. Your final job is approving the drafts for accuracy, not polishing every sentence.
When does a separate copywriter make sense?
A separate copywriter makes sense when your agency doesn't write copy, the site is large or technical, or you need a specialist in a specific industry. The key is timing. A copywriter who joins after design is finished is filling boxes. A copywriter who joins discovery shapes the structure of the pages.
If you hire one, put the copywriter and designer in the same kickoff, share one brief and agree who has the final say when words and layout conflict. The agency vs in-house comparison for copywriting and design covers how to organize this for ongoing work, too.
