Q&A with website designer, Lani from Ethos & Bloom

As a website copywriter, giving you *my* answer for, “Should website copy come before design?” felt a little too one-sided. Of course, my answer is YES, but I don’t just want you to take my word for it, I want you to understand why. 

So I called up my friend, collaborator, and brilliant website designer Lani Sheldon from Ethos and Bloom to weigh in, balance out my perspective, and share her unfiltered thoughts on the topic. 

Because after working with Lani on websites for a florist, an island resort, a functional medicine coach, and more, we’ve seen it firsthand: when the words come first, the design doesn’t just look good—it works better.

If you’re planning on a rebrand or new website anytime soon, hop up from your desk chair and plop down on the couch, we’re giving you the answers to how the most out of your investment!

The Website Designer Weighing In → Who is Ethos and Bloom?

Before we dive into the juicy website wisdom, let me introduce you to the design genius behind this conversation.

Lani Sheldon is the founder and creative force behind Ethos and Bloom, where she creates ethos-driven branding and website design to help women-owned businesses carve out a reputation in the market that resonates and endures.

What makes Lani’s perspective so unique (and probably one of the reasons we jive so well) is her background. Like me, she started in STEM—biology, to be exact—before finding her way to the creative side of the web.

“I almost stumbled into a career in design,” she explains. “Growing up I was enamored with the arts, stacks of sketchbooks, journals (oh my endless pre-teen angst!), dance – art was very much a source of inner peace and finding my center in the chaos.”

Her path wound through academic research, fish biology, avian neurobiology, and even managing a wildlife hospital before burnout and motherhood led her to rediscover her creativity. This science-meets-creativity background gives her an analytical approach to design that speaks to my own nerdy soul.

What truly sets Lani apart, though, is her mission. As she puts it: “I promised myself that I would use what I know to help women have more agency, economic independence, and ability to pursue their professional and business dreams. It’s always been a quiet act of revolution for me.”

That revolutionary spirit shows up in how she approaches every project—with intention, strategy, and a genuine desire to see her clients succeed. It’s why our collaborations always feel like we’re creating something bigger than just pretty websites. And why I’m obsessed with everything she says and does, so grab a pen because you’ll wanna take some notes for this one!

A Q&A Tell All on “What Comes First, Copy or Design?” (And Why)  

Topic → Is website copy before design *actually* a spicy take?

In my convos with other designers, getting copy on board is the BIGGEST roadblock to website projects. It’s where timelines go awry, clients ghost, or you get pages of unusable copy if you don’t provide a really tight framework for how to support clients in this process.

Often reaching out to a web designer is one of those ‘first steps’ folks think about when they are going to start a business, even before they have a strong understanding of their product or service. This can mean designers can have folks knocking on their door that quite literally don’t have their shit together, or a budget to invest at the level (the trifecta of photographer + copywriter + web designer) that will give you a true ROI.”

Okay, so my theory has been backed-up! Most designers agree, it’s just not always easy or possible to make it happen. I’m curious, as someone who has over a decade of experience…

What advice do you have for other designers who have fear around this convo?

“MAKE NICE WITH COPYWRITERS AND PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS. No…for real!”

“Real advice though? Not every client will come through the door knowing f*ck all about copy. Just like they don’t know the difference between Shopify and Squarespace and Showit and WordPress – as much as clients come to us for our services they ALSO come to us for guidance, expertise and leadership. They want you to tell them no! Guide them in their options – whether that is hiring a copywriter or developing a Content planner or Copy Guide if writing is in their wheelhouse.”

How do you explain the copy-first approach to *clients* who don’t know much about the website process? 

“I think a lot of it comes into play right from that first discovery call – asking questions about what they’ve tried in their business so far. I often ask about copy at the same time as asking about photography for the website. Pairing those two together is often the best way to help clients think bigger picture; and I’m the first to tell them if I think they should put their money elsewhere first before coming back to me!”

We love a transparent queen! Okay, you know I am a bigger picture gal, too!

Topic → How does the copy-first approach make your work BETTER? 

I’m interested to know how having messaging and copy first impacts your creative process, if at all? 

I will unreservedly not start design until copy is on board! Lots of my web strategy process is around buyer personas, website goals, functionality, user experiences etc. I find that when clients see the care and attention going into this they are often convinced, ‘oh hey I see now that copy really matters now, can you recommend a copywriter?’. To which I do a little happy dance to 90s hip hop.”

Oh you dropped that “strategy” buzzword. It’s getting juicy!!

I know from our work together that we both geek out about user experience, website flow, readability, etc. How does having copy first help you make better strategic design choices?

“There’s so much support that copy gives to a whole strategic user experience. Even for example, where we place calls to action and buy buttons, there is a time and place where these will be effective for where your audience is at depending on the level of info and awareness they have at that point on the page.

Copy gives us that guide as to when and where these are most effective. It’s not about being pushy (looking at you clickfunnels with fake countdown timers and flashing buttons), it’s about an informed, thoughtful experience that is empathetic to the emotional landscape your customers are navigating.”

You’ve seen the behind-scenes-of my brand messaging and copy docs, how do they help shape your design decisions?

“THEY MAKE MY BRAIN HAPPY!!”

“Having a structured copy doc that includes everything from page metadata, urls and keywords alongside the actual copy that is structured for headings down to body copy allows my creativity to be unleashed in ways it can’t when it is trying to solve copy problems.

I always think of design without copy as a map with no street signs, you’re driving around kind of sort of knowing you’ll get there eventually and maybe there are some stop signs and green lights and add-to-cart buttons along the way. Copy is those directions, the street names on the map, the clear path of guidance that gets your people to their destination.”

Topic → What We Want You to Know Before You Invest in Your Website

What practical advice would you give to business owners planning to invest in a new website, specifically regarding content preparation?

“Really choose the time to invest. Sometimes, it is right out of the gate and you want to launch into the market with a really clear, dialed in approach → especially if you are looking at investors or getting your product onto retail shelves.

Often, after 2-3+ years in business is a sweet spot. You have a proven concept, understanding of who you serve, even better if you have site data and analytics to look at so your designer can take a really laser-focused approach to creating a more immersive experience that solves problems for you and your clients! Give yourself time. Find people who inspire you and feel right for your business.”

I know you offer different levels of custom design – are there times when you think clients don’t need to invest in custom copy? Are they coming in with it? Writing it themselves? AI-aided copy? 

“Some clients have an honest love of writing, and they find it not only enjoyable but brings them a deeper connection to their audience. However, writing for web (especially sales copy) is a very specific type of writing style that is often incredibly different than freeform journaling or even writing a blog!

To reign in and provide some guidance to that type of client and budget I have a Copy Planner/Content Guide with prompts for different website pages and specific sections — but it comes with lots of caveats around the limitations in terms of SEO, your buyer experience etc.

In an ideal world I want every client to invest in custom copy because it pays dividends not only on the business side, but also in how enjoyable you find the project. Projects are completed WAY faster (yes, even factoring in copywriter timelines it’s STILL faster than DIY copy). Early seasons in business or a start up? Absolutely you can DIY your copy, just know there are limitations and that is totally okay!”

If you knew someone teetering on the edge of whether to outsource copy, design, or both, what would you want them to know about the *real differences* of having them aligned from the start? 

“You can see it in the real-time analytics on your site. Time spent on the page, user scrolling behaviour, average order volumes, click through rates, traffic spikes → this is where my science and statistics brain really get to geek out because when design and copy come together, the data truly supports it, and so do your sales.”

NO NOTES on that one from me. But choosing copywriters or designers (or a team of both!) can feel hard.

How do they trust that they’ll deliver something worth the price? What questions should clients ask about their content processes? Guide them in the right direction! 

“So many factors at play and I’m a firm believer that there is no right answer for every business. Ask questions about what the biggest limiting factors to your own growth are, where your audience is and what matters to them and their buying process.

Is SEO important to you (hot take, sometimes it isn’t!), is your market crowded? Do you feel your services or products are being understood? Are you reaching the right audience with your messaging or are you attracting a bad-fit customer? Teasing apart what to prioritize to create the most momentum for your biz can be a challenge, but look both to the data, and someone who has a specific understanding of how to help solve problems.”

What’s the one thing you wish every client knew before starting a website project?

Give yourself time! Think in terms of your ideal launch date and work backwards.  Oh and start that email list like, yesterday 😉

TL;DR: Rebranding or launching a new site? Keep these in mind and you’re golden 

If you’re planning a website project soon, we want to leave you with some honest wisdom from our years of collaboration:

The data doesn’t lie. When copy and design align properly, the results show up in your analytics. As Lani noted, you’ll see it in “time spent on the page, user scrolling behaviour, average order volumes, click through rates, traffic spikes” — and ultimately, in your sales.

Without copy, design lacks direction and clarity. It’s like a map with no street signs. Your visitors might admire the view, but they’ll have no idea where to go—or what action to take next.

Copy creates the emotional foundation for design decisions. Strategic choices about user journey, element emphasis, and call-to-action placement all stem from understanding where your visitor is in their emotional landscape.

The copy-first approach saves months of back-and-forth. Even accounting for copywriter timelines, projects with finalized copy before design move more efficiently than the “design now, words later” approach that often leads to endless revisions.

Structured copy docs make designers happy. Properly formatted headings (H1-H3) and metadata aren’t just SEO best practices—they’re “dirty talk to web designers” that allow their creativity to flourish.

Sales pages demand special attention to copy. These high-converting pages are particularly impacted by having strong copy first, with enormous variation in what each business needs.

DIY copy has its time and place. In early business stages, it can be appropriate—but recognize that web copy is a specialized skill different from other forms of writing.Your website timeline should work backwards from launch. Give yourself breathing room, especially for the copy development phase.

The more you understand the why, the more confidence you’ll have in your decision! 

That’s what we believe! 

Your website is often the first significant investment you’ll make in your business, and we get it, it’s not a small decision! But it is a decision that impacts everything from first impression to your day-to-day operations. Getting it right means understanding the process, knowing when to DIY and when to bring in the professionals.

You don’t have to hire either of us to create a successful website, but we DO want you to make educated and empowered decisions with where you’re putting your time, energy, and hard-earned cash to actually create growth in your business.

Though, if you DO want us to create your website together… HELL YEAH! 

OUR COPY + DESIGN PORTFOLIO:

Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
Leah O’Neill – Functional Medicine Coach
Alpenflora 

Contact Lani at Ethos & Bloom for your branding and website design needs!
Contact me, Kait at Morph, for brand messaging and copy! 

And no, unlike the actual copy & design, it doesn’t matter which one of us you contact first! 😉