The evolution of content roles

From copywriting to content design and beyond, how content roles have changed.

Jas Deogan
UX Planet
Published in
6 min readJan 26, 2025
Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

Content plays a vital role in the user experience (UX). Believe it or not, 90% of design is content, which helps us communicate in many, many ways.

Many job titles have come and gone, to describe a master of words. Today, most content professionals call themselves content designers. But that hasn’t always been the case. Like in other professions, our job titles have evolved as technology advances.

One thing remains the same from copywriters to content designers: We use words to shape UX. We strive to make things more accessible and easy to understand. We go beyond simple copywriting. We are an integral part of the design process because good content is woven into every stage of the user journey.

However, the impact of good content is often forgotten. We forget that words have been tools for shaping UX from the beginning. So, I thought I’d write a blog to remind ourselves where it all began…

1900s-1990s, the dawn of copywriting

It all started in the 20th century with the advertising boom. Copyrights were central to all great advertising, crafting powerful yet persuasive messaging from print, radio, and TV ads.

Copywriters were well established in advertising agencies, as advertisers saw the power of words — words that evoke emotions, told stories, and persuade audiences. Icon brands, such as Coca-Cola, cashed in, creating memorable campaigns such as “It’s the Real Thing” (1971) and Nike’s “Just Do It” (1988), which show the creativity behind copywriting.

Source: fontsinuse.com

Copywriters’ goal was simple: sell products by creating memorable slogans and headlines that connected with consumers. Copywriting was about selling through written content that focused on persuasive language. Words were the main tools in a copywriter’s toolkit, and brands recognised the value of storytelling.

Late 1990s-2000s, the Internet revolution

In the late 1990s, technological advancements shifted the landscape. Businesses started moving online, and so the demand for digital content grew. With this shift, we saw a rise in “web writers” and “content writers” tasked with creating content specifically for websites.

Our content was often dense at this time, mirroring traditional media styles. We were still discovering how to communicate effectively online. But as search engines like Google rose to dominance, with the mission “to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful” (Google, 1998), a new skill, search engine optimisation (SEO), became essential.

Source: google.com

Web and content writers now had to learn how to craft engaging and search-friendly content. This era was full of trial and error, and we were still finding our way, but our learnings shaped the industry and set the foundations for content strategy.

2010s, the content strategist

As the digital world became more complex, content spread across various platforms, from blogs to social media and mobile apps, creating the need for a content strategist.

While copywriters, web writers, and content writers have always been strategic thinkers, digital content’s increased scope and volume require a more organised and strategic approach.

Content strategists looked at the bigger picture, working closer with marketing, UX, and product teams to ensure that content was aligned with business goals and user needs.

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

They conducted content audits, planned editorial calendars, and helped create the content’s tone, style, and timing, helping brands establish a better, more focused online presence. Content could no longer be a one-size-fits-all solution. It needed to be tailored to different platforms and audiences.

2010s, the rise of UX writers

Smartphones changed the landscape again, and as more users access the web from smart devices, UX design has become a focus.

Users expected easy-to-access and easy-to-understand digital experiences. And so, the need for concise, user-friendly content within apps and websites brought forth the role of the “UX writer.”

UX writers specialise in creating microcopy, the text that guides users through interfaces, such as button labels, error messages, and form instructions. They aim to make the experience feel intuitive and frictionless, with every word serving a clear purpose.

UX writers’ work is essential for creating seamless digital experiences, helping users navigate complex tasks with minimal confusion. As design thinking and user-centred approaches became more widespread, the specialised term “UX writer” reflected the importance of this role in creating user-friendly content.

2015-present, hello content designer

We saw the rise of content designers around 2015. While content strategists and UX writers played important roles in the design process, content design marked a shift towards integrating content as an element of the process.

Content designers are becoming part of the design team, working closely with UX, UI, and developers to ensure that content supports the overall user journey and is presented at the right time.

The focus is no longer on what the content says but how it functions within the user experience. Content is now an integral part of creating accessible, easy-to-use digital products.

So what next?

Honestly, it’s hard to say what title content professionals will take on next. However, we’re seeing more UX designers call themselves Product designers, so something is happening.

One thing remains: content will continue to evolve as digital experiences become more complex and immersive. The emergence of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), is reshaping how we interact with content.

Perhaps these are some of the roles we might see in the future:

  1. Content architects
    Content architects could design information frameworks that make complex experiences easy to navigate, especially as the digital ecosystem grows. They would be responsible for organising content across devices and platforms, ensuring a consistent and intuitive user experience. This role could combine content strategy and UX aspects to accommodate digital systems’ more interactive and interconnected parts.
  2. Narrative engineers
    With the rise of AI-driven interfaces, content professionals could focus on creating dynamic, adaptive narratives for conversational AI or developing content that adapts in real time to user behaviour. Companies like Netflix and Amazon have already personalised recommendations based on user data, but future content roles could take this personalisation even further.
  3. Experience shapers
    This might involve overseeing the entire digital journey, blending content design, UX, and marketing to create more cohesive experiences. For example, a digital banking app might use experience shapers to ensure users feel informed, reassured, and engaged at every stage of their interaction, from account setup to financial planning tools. We are seeing more of these roles, without the name, in fintech companies like Monzo.
Source: jasdeogan.com

Content roles will keep changing

From traditional advertising copy to content design, content professionals have moved to become central players in the digital design process. Content design has established itself as a field focused on creating clear, accessible, and engaging user experiences, yet the evolution doesn’t end here.

Today, content roles require creativity, empathy, technical skills, and strategic thinking. The shift from “copywriter” to “content designer” symbolises a transformation from simply writing words to shaping experiences.

As we continue to move forward, content professionals must stay adaptable, embrace new technologies, and, as always, keep the user’s needs at the forefront of their work.

As digital interactions grow more complex, the importance of content in shaping those experiences will only increase.

After all, content is a user experience.

Enjoyed this?

Check out my other articles on design.

I hope you enjoyed this article, and if it helped you, don’t forget to leave a clap or two or drop a comment. You can connect with me on LinkedIn, Medium and BlueSky.

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Published in UX Planet

UX Planet is a one-stop resource for everything related to user experience.

Written by Jas Deogan

I solve user problems through UX & Content Design practices. https://www.jasdeogan.com/

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