To Let Your Words Shine, Learn the Basics of Copy Design

Copy tends to be an afterthought for a lot of artists, but even the most stunning piece of work can be destroyed by a few poor copy design choices. A study referenced by Canva found that 94% of the reasons participants distrusted a website were design-related, while only 6% were related to the content. This goes to show that no matter how compelling the copy itself is, bad design can entirely negate its effect.

However, trust isn’t the only reason we should be focusing on copy design. Copy is one of the few places where we can speak to the viewer directly, whether it be describing the benefits of a product, sharing information on a subject, or encouraging them to take action. Poor design stands in the way of what the words are attempting to accomplish; it muddles the message. And when people have to strain their eyes to read the text or can’t figure out where to look next, they don’t tend to continue interacting with a page.

In contrast, strong copy design allows for a smooth transition from one place to the next; it creates a natural and enjoyable flow. Well-designed copy is just good UX.

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Copy Design: Best Practices

Consistency

Strong design is consistent design. While a little variety never hurts, no one wants to look at forty fonts in seventeen different sizes while trying to buy a pair of shoes. In general, it’s best to employ just two or three typefaces: one main font, perhaps a supporting one, and one for the body copy.

On a similar note, it’s also important to keep sizing consistent. Typically, all headings should be the same size, as should all subheadings and paragraph text.

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Spacing

Spacing is crucial to strong copy design; the wrong spacing can severely diminish the copy’s legibility, unity, and consequently, effectiveness. Unfortunately, there are no set rules for spacing—it comes down to judgment. That’s why it’s important to look for design software that allows you to manually adjust the leading, tracking, and kerning.

Leading

Leading is the vertical spacing between two lines. Too little leading makes the text difficult to read, looking like one big, illegible block. Too much leading makes the text feel disconnected.

Most professionals recommend a leading of one to three points above the text size, but the best number depends on the typeface and use case. Headings and pull quotes often call for slightly tighter line spacing, while harder-to-read fonts or those with a higher x-height may need a little more breathing room.

Tracking

Tracking is the spacing between letters applied evenly across the text. It determines how compact or airy the text feels. The typeface matters here—script fonts need to be wide enough for legibility but close enough for connection, while all-caps text tends to look best with a little extra spacing, especially in heavier weights.

Kerning

Kerning is often confused with tracking, but it adjusts the space between individual letters rather than all letters uniformly. In order for copy to look even, some letters may need more space than others due to differences in perceived versus actual space.

99designs recommends thinking of letter pair spacing in units:

• Two straight letters = 1 unit of space
• Straight + round = slightly less than 1 unit
• Two round letters = even less

Letters with diagonal sides need extra attention, as they create more white space. Always adjust kerning last—changes to tracking or leading can affect it.

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Layout

Layout is how elements are arranged on the page. A strong layout makes the text flow naturally, feel balanced, and guide the eye through the content.

Hierarchy

Hierarchy shows viewers the importance of elements. In copy design, hierarchy can be influenced by size, weight, color, whitespace, and alignment.

Highlighting key elements like headings, quotes, and subtitles helps guide the reader’s attention. Considering the Nielsen Norman Group found that people only read 20% of the words on a page, you want them to know exactly where to start.

Columns

Columns can either improve or harm readability depending on usage. Avoid small columns with large text, columns too close together, or ones too narrow that overuse hyphens. But when used correctly, columns can improve legibility, fit more copy, and visually indicate the type of content (such as in newspapers).

Orphans, Widows, & Runts

• Widow: Last line of a paragraph appearing alone at the top of a new page or column.
• Orphan: First line of a paragraph separated from the rest at the bottom of a page or column.
• Runt: Paragraph ending with a single word on the last line.

These create awkward white space. They can be avoided by adjusting spacing, adding manual line breaks, or inserting other design elements—but do so carefully, as fixing one may create others further down.

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Perfect Your Copy Design With Ashore

Regardless of the type of collateral you’re creating, copy design plays a huge role in effectiveness. Layout, spacing, and consistency are just the tip of the iceberg.

When it’s time to review your work, Ashore can help. With fully customizable checklists, automated workflows, and contextual commenting, Ashore ensures nothing slips through the cracks.

Sign up for free today to perfect your copy design.