/prose

Content Strategy for Design

Purpose: Use this reference when writing content that will be integrated into visual design — particularly landing pages, marketing sites, and product pages where copy and layout are inseparable.

Contents

• Product Language Principle
• The 30% Cut Rule
• Copy-First Design Process
• Hero Copy Contract
• Section Copy Patterns
• Content and Composition Alignment
• Content Strategy Checklist

Product Language Principle

Write about the product, not about the design.

Why This Matters

Design commentary ("beautiful", "elegant", "modern", "sleek") is:

• Empty — it describes the surface, not the value
• Unverifiable — the user decides if it's beautiful, not the copy
• Generic — every product claims to be beautiful
• Self-serving — it's about the maker, not the user

Product language:

• Specific — names the actual benefit or capability
• Verifiable — the user can confirm the claim
• Differentiating — unique to what this product actually does
• User-centered — frames value from the user's perspective

The 30% Cut Rule

After writing any piece of copy, cut 30% of the words. Then check if meaning is preserved. If yes, the cut version ships.

Process

1. Write the first draft naturally
2. Count the words
3. Remove 30% of the word count
4. Verify the core message survives
5. If meaning is lost, restore only the minimum words needed

Examples

Where the Cut Hits Hardest

Copy-First Design Process

Write headlines before choosing layouts. Copy determines composition, not the other way around.

Why Copy-First

Process

1. Write all headlines first (H1, H2, H3 for the page)
2. Test the headline story — read only headlines top-to-bottom. Does it tell a coherent story?
3. Write supporting copy for each headline
4. Apply the 30% cut to all supporting copy
5. Now design the layout around the finalized copy

Headline Story Test

## Headline Story Test: [Page Name]

Read these headlines in order. They should form a coherent narrative:

1. H1: [Hero headline]
2. H2: [First section headline]
3. H2: [Second section headline]
4. H2: [Third section headline]
5. H2: [Final CTA headline]

Coherent narrative? [Yes / No — if No, revise headlines]

Hero Copy Contract

The hero section requires exactly this copy:

Headline Formula Options

CTA Label Rules

Section Copy Patterns

Support Section (Trust & Context)

Detail Section (Features)

Final CTA Section

Content and Composition Alignment

Copy and layout decisions are interdependent. Use this mapping:

Content Strategy Checklist

## Content Strategy Review

### Product Language
- [ ] No design commentary (beautiful, elegant, modern, sleek)
- [ ] Copy describes what the product does, not how it looks
- [ ] Benefits are specific and verifiable

### 30% Cut
- [ ] All copy has been through the 30% cut
- [ ] No adverbs (easily, quickly, simply)
- [ ] No filler phrases or hedging
- [ ] Adjectives are specific and earned

### Copy-First
- [ ] Headlines written before layout decisions
- [ ] Headline story test passes (coherent narrative)
- [ ] Layout serves the copy, not the reverse

### Hero
- [ ] 1 headline (≤ 60 characters)
- [ ] 1 subline (≤ 120 characters)
- [ ] 1 primary CTA (verb-first, specific)
- [ ] Optional secondary CTA (lower commitment)

### Page Flow
- [ ] Each section headline advances the narrative
- [ ] Final CTA reinforces core value
- [ ] No filler sections (every section serves a named purpose)

Content Design 2025

Content as a First-Class Design System Citizen

Content decisions belong in the design system alongside color, spacing, and typography:

## Integration Principles
1. Content patterns live in the design system, not individual docs
2. Copy decisions are versioned alongside component changes
3. Content tokens propagate changes across all instances
4. Copy reviews happen at the design-system level, not page-by-page

Pattern Library Evolution — Principles-Based System

Move from example libraries to principles that generate examples:

## Old approach (example library)
"Here are 50 approved button labels."

## New approach (principles-based)
Principle: "Button labels name the outcome, not the action."
→ Generates: "Save changes", "Create project", "Delete account"
→ Excludes: "Submit", "OK", "Click here"

## Why This Matters
- Examples go stale; principles stay current
- Teams can generate new copy without asking for approval
- Inconsistencies are visible: does this copy follow the principle?

Content Tokenization

Manage copy as variables alongside design tokens:

## What to Tokenize
- Button labels for repeated actions (save, cancel, delete, confirm)
- Error messages for common error types
- Empty state copy for recurring states (no results, first use, loading)
- Status labels (active, inactive, pending, archived)
- Navigation labels

## Tokenization Format
content.button.save = "Save changes"
content.button.cancel = "Cancel"
content.error.network = "Couldn't connect. Check your internet and try again."
content.empty.search.noResults = "No results for '{query}'. Try different keywords."
content.state.loading.default = "Loading..."

## Benefits
- Single update propagates across the product
- Localization teams work from tokens, not files
- A/B testing changes one token value across all instances

UX Writing Effectiveness Metrics

Measure copy performance with specific metrics:

## Measurement Framework
For each copy change:
1. Define the metric it should affect
2. Set a baseline before change
3. Run for minimum 2 weeks (statistical significance)
4. Document result in the pattern library

## Quick Wins (High impact, easy to measure)
- CTA label → conversion rate
- Error message → support contacts / retry rate
- Onboarding copy → day-1 activation rate
- Empty state copy → feature adoption rate

A/B Testing Copy — Mandatory Protocol

Copy decisions that affect conversion or retention require testing:

## When A/B Testing is Required
- Primary CTA on any landing page or signup flow
- Error messages on high-traffic forms
- Onboarding step copy (affects activation)
- Pricing page copy (directly affects conversion)

## Test Design
Hypothesis: "Changing the CTA from 'Get started' to 'Start your free trial' will
increase signup conversions because it sets clearer expectations."

Variants:
- Control: "Get started"
- Variant A: "Start your free trial"
- Variant B: "Try it free for 14 days"

Success metric: Signup conversion rate
Minimum sample: [Calculate based on current traffic and desired significance]
Duration: 2 weeks minimum

## Rules
1. One variable at a time (copy only, or layout only — not both)
2. Document the hypothesis before running
3. Record results in the pattern library whether positive or negative
4. Failed tests are as valuable as successful ones — they prevent future repeats