Metadrop: The content first module: a tool to support ongoing content workflows
What “content first” means and why it matters
The Content First approach comes from content strategy and UX design. It means building websites around the content they need to deliver, not around a visual design.
Instead of starting with wireframes or templates, teams begin by identifying what content users need—then create structure, layout, and code that supports it.
This approach helps avoid misalignment between content and design. It also improves usability, because content is what users come for. The design exists to support that content, not to shape it in isolation.
But in practice, applying Content First often gets blocked by basic issues—like accessing and working with the actual content on a live page. That’s where the Content First module comes in.
Where Content First comes from
Content First developed as a response to design-led processes that treated content as filler.
In traditional workflows, designers would build full layouts using placeholder text (like Lorem Ipsum). Content creators would then write copy to fit those templates. This created problems:
- The content didn’t always match the layout
- Messages were shaped by design, not user needs
- Teams had to go through multiple revisions when the content didn’t fit
Content First flips this. The key…
