The Role of Lorem Ipsum in Design: Why It Still Matters

In the world of design, there’s a lingering notion that using placeholder text like Lorem Ipsum is a shortcut, an artificial solution that makes you wonder if something’s missing. We generally prefer authenticity—wine without preservatives, real butter instead of margarine—and similarly, we want our designs to reflect real words, meaningful content, and valuable information.

However, while we aim for authenticity, sometimes placeholder text like Lorem Ipsum has its place in the design process. It serves a specific function that shouldn’t be dismissed so easily.

1. License

When you're building a website or a layout, choosing your "toppings"—the design elements—is personal and important. But when it comes to the core of your design, clients expect a polished and thoughtful approach. Can you really present your design comps, wireframes, or layouts using placeholder text and expect acceptance?

It’s vital to understand when Lorem Ipsum is appropriate, and when real content is required to finalize designs for presentation.

2. Ownership

The industry’s experts would argue that Lorem Ipsum is a major design faux pas. However, there are redeeming qualities to greeking text—it's merely the symptom of a deeper issue: a lack of real content. Lorem Ipsum serves as a temporary solution, not a substitute for content. But you need to recognize that its overuse could signal bigger problems with content creation, collaboration, or planning.

3. User Content

As a designer or content creator, you begin with raw text, shaping it, refining it, and focusing on what’s essential. Your goal is to add value, make the content clear, and give it purpose. Design is important, but it comes second to content. However, the reality of the workflow often leads to the use of Lorem Ipsum as a placeholder when real content is unavailable.

It may not be ideal, but Lorem Ipsum will always have its place in the toolkit when deadlines loom or when real text is still being finalized.

4. Fees and Purchase Terms

If you lean more towards content strategy, you may still find dummy copy useful in your design process. After all, you may have completed the layout, got approvals, and built the foundational code. But when the real content is missing, Lorem Ipsum is still the bridge to help you continue with your design work.

Eventually, content creation will catch up, but placeholder text can help push things forward in the meantime.

5. Updates to The Service

Here’s where the tension builds. What happens if the design doesn't quite match the content? Maybe the text doesn't fit the layout, the images are too large or too small, or the flow feels off, even though no one can quite pinpoint the reason. Lorem Ipsum is the temporary solution, but when the real content arrives, it’s important to revisit and adjust your layout for optimal user experience.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

Chances are, poor collaboration and lack of communication led to these design issues in the first place. Lorem Ipsum didn’t cause the problem, it just highlighted the symptom. The key to successful design is clear collaboration, defined processes, and understanding the real needs of the content. Lorem Ipsum won’t solve your problems, but it can act as a placeholder while you figure things out.

Conclusion

Using Lorem Ipsum isn’t inherently wrong, but it’s crucial to know when and why it should be used. It can’t replace real content or thoughtful design, but it can serve as a temporary solution when necessary. However, to truly deliver successful projects, it’s essential to address the underlying issues and focus on genuine collaboration, content strategy, and clear communication from the start.