As a copywriter, this pains me to say…
But design is more important than copy.
This is the ultimate copywriting blasphemy to other copywriters, but it is true.
You could have the most brilliant, high-converting, world-class copy ever written.
Having each word serving its purpose and pushing the readers to act, but if a website looks terrible, nobody’s going to read it.
And it’s not because they don’t care, or your words aren’t good enough.
But because of how the internet has rewired our brains.
Here’s how:
It wasn’t always like this.
Years ago, people would settle into long-form articles, savouring each word like a slow meal.
Books, newspapers, even those massive instruction manuals—you’d read them start to finish.
But the internet has changed the game.
Today, we don’t read online. We skim. We jump. We scroll. We look for anchors—images, bold headings, short sentences—that act as mental signposts, guiding us to the exact piece of information we’re looking for.
Nicholas Carr puts it brilliantly in The Shallows.
The internet has conditioned us to look for speed and simplicity.
Our attention span has shrivelled, and massive walls of text now look less like an invitation and more like a punishment.
And that is why design is more important than copy.
Before someone reads even a single word of your copy, they’re already judging your page:
If the answer to any of those is “no,” they’re gone. Back button. Poof.
To really drive this point home, let’s look at some examples.
Here are some of the most studied old-school sales letters of all time.
At first glance, these old-school sales letters look exhausting.
In fact, I dreaded studying them a lot purely because it looks like a chore to read.
There are walls of text. Few visuals. And it takes a whole lot of focus to read paragraph after paragraph.
But here’s the interesting part: when you slow down—when you take the time to absorb every word—these letters are masterclasses in persuasion.
I could go on forever about why they’re super effective and how the principles of copywriting are at play with them, but that’s far beyond the scope of this blog.
But one thing’s clear.
And it’s that they’re a completely different experience compared to what we’re used to, where we skim and scroll at lightning speed.
Here’s the funny thing about modern sales pages…
At first glance, they look nothing like those old-school letters we just talked about.
Pics below 📸
But if you look closer… you’ll see the exact same copywriting principles working beneath the surface.
The headline hooks your attention—same way those classic sales letters do.
They build curiosity, create desire, and guides you down the page step by step.
The difference is that design makes it easier for impatient readers to engage with the copy.
They combine strong copy with smart design to guide the reader down the funnel all the way until they convert.
So, why do I say design is more important than copy?
It’s not because design is inherently more important. It’s not.
Bad copy, no matter how beautiful the page looks, will fail every single time.
Design gets people in the door. Copy gets them to stay.
Think of it like a restaurant. The design of the page is the storefront—the clean windows, the inviting smell of food, the “We’re Open” sign that makes you stop and take notice.
Without it, nobody’s stepping inside.
But once they’re in? That’s where the copy takes over. It’s the menu, the service, the promise of something good.
It’s what keeps them in the seat and gets them to order.
In today’s world, where attention is a rare commodity, design is your first impression.
It’s what gives your copy the chance to do its job.
Because if no one stops to read your words, it doesn’t matter how brilliant they are.
And when you get both right? That’s when the magic happens.
Do You Need a Design Agency That Can Nail Copywriting?
If you’re looking for a team that knows how to get both your design and copy working together like bread and butter, you’re in the right place.
At Purple Bunny Marketing, we don’t just make things look good. We make sure they convert.
Whether it’s a website, a sales page, or your entire online presence, we’ll create designs that grab attention and copy that drives action—because you need both to win in today’s market.
Ready to get started?
Let’s chat about how we can take your brand to the next level.
