Philosophy & Expertise

Hi! I’m Bailey Lewis, communications advisor for individuals and organizations who want to use the power of their words to their best possible advantage.

(That’s me having a little press room fun during my content workshop at the United States Senate.)

I’m known for my human-focused approach to communications, which is rooted in putting the words and people first in planning, strategy, creation, and beyond.

Words First founder, international speaker, and your communications advisor.

 

What you should know about me:

  • 15+ years in digital content strategy and content design education and leadership

  • Taught 2000+ learners (and counting) my approach to digital content strategy

  • More than a decade leading end-to-end user experience projects for complex digital products and online experiences

  • Thousands of case studies banked from my high-impact content leadership projects, including for Fortune 500 companies and well-known brands

  • Keynote speaker and workshop leader seen on stages all over the world

  • Featured by Adobe, Progress, The CMO and other highly regarded publications

  • Writer turned UX content strategist turned digital content advisor, thought leader, and Words First founder

My approach puts people and the words that serve them first in digital and content creation processes, where they’re usually reserved for last. Making this shift is the main difference between the digital content that flies versus the digital stuff that flops.

The approach works so well I named my whole business after it. Words are, after all, the foundation of all human interaction.

When you work with me, you drive business and make your corner of the digital world a better place for all the humans involved—on both sides of the screen.

Services

Happy humanoid brain walking with confidence from one side of a high cliff to the other on a tightrope

Schedule an in-house class or workshop to upskill digital content prowess for your team or group.

Attendees learn to create digital content practices and products that resonate at a human level, leading your organization to new success online.

A humanoid heart steps from behind a curtain to take the stage.

My keynotes and sessions aren’t like the usual dry conference talks. They’re the most “un-presentation” presentations you’ve ever attended.

Help your audience understand content best practices and get inspired to tap into the full power of their words to resonate on a human level online.

A humanoid eraser plays hopscotch outside.

Half learning, half community. A one-of-a-kind membership.

Learn skills that make you the best digital content professional on the block. Connect with like-minded communicators and creatives. Have a heck ton of fun doing it.

Thought partnership and decision-making guidance for your hairiest, scariest, most exciting, must-succeed digital content projects.

Choose from action planning advisory sessions for stakeholders or teams to address visions and challenges big or small.

High Praise from Clients

  • Head shot of Melissa S

    "If you're seeking a digital and team communications expert who will inspire and educate beyond expectation, look no further than Bailey."

    “Bailey is an exceptional expert, educator, and speaker who has been instrumental in moving the needle on many mission-critical projects for the University of South Carolina. Not only that, her ability to train teams on her mindset and approach has been invaluable for us to keep progressing as a leader in the higher education field. We couldn’t have done what we did without her.

    If you’re seeking a digital and team communications expert who will inspire and educate beyond expectation, look no further than Bailey. Not only is she deeply knowledgeable, but she’s also a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend her for any project you have in mind.”

    —Melissa S, Director of Strategic Projects, University of South Carolina

  • Headshot of Nick H

    "I would highly recommend Bailey to anyone in need of a skilled content strategist who can help take their business to the next level."

    “Bailey has demonstrated a deep understanding of our values and goals over the years. Her approach to content strategy is not only effective but also creative, ensuring that your message is communicated in a clear and engaging way.

    One of the things that impressed us most about working with Bailey was the level of dedication and professionalism that was consistently shown throughout our projects. Bailey is an excellent communicator, always responsive to any questions or concerns that arose.

    Overall, Bailey's work has been nothing short of exceptional. I would highly recommend her to anyone in need of a skilled and experienced content strategist who can help take their business to the next level.”

    —Nick H, Senior Web Producer, Lexington Medical Center

  • “I sincerely cringe when I think about the content choices I made before meeting Bailey Lewis. For me, as a developer and designer, words were almost always an afterthought. I learned so much from Bailey and you will too!”

    —Bekah R, Senior UX Developer & Designer, truematter

  • “Bailey, I ❤️ your teaching style. I'm sure you've already heard that a bunch, but you are clear, concise, entertaining... I laughed a lot during Lesson 1 of the Words First Course & Community—totally enjoyable. I got to the end of the lesson and thought, ‘Wow, that was WAY better than any webinar or podcast I've been on in years... and I actually felt like I learned something!’”

    — Amanda C, Marketing Director, Reinvestment Partners

  • “The Words First approach to digital content and process is revolutionary. Why isn’t everybody doing it this way? And having a roadmap in the form of content strategy makes design and development phases so much easier. It brings the fun back!"

    Bryce B, Design + Development Lead, The Bigger Design

  • “We LOVED the feedback from our Words First Content Strategy expert review.”

    —Davis L, Vice President, CADMore

  • “How did I learn content strategy? Enter Bailey Lewis. Bailey is an amazing content strategist and taught me so many invaluable lessons about how to talk clearly, concisely, and like a HUMAN online.”

    —Isabelle C, Social Media Manager, ConstructConnect

  • “Bailey is making a real difference for us.”

    — Anne M, CEO, Carroll Emmott Foundation

  • “Bailey and the Words First Team are world class content strategists. We try to integrate their talents into every client project we can.”

    — Greg H, Founder & Project Lead, Period Three

  • “Working with Bailey at Words First was a great experience. We partnered up on a large content heavy project that required a level of project leadership as well as eye for detail when it came to execution. She (and her team) delivered flawlessly on the proposed approach and stuck with it all the way through (even when things got tricky on the project). You can trust her and her team to deliver when and how you need it.”

    — Gene C, Principal, Period Three

  • “Part of being a creator is communicating your ideas and stories to your readers. When you come to the realization that you need to learn how to grow as a communicator, Bailey Lewis is the best. I can’t recommend her enough.”

    —Kris B, Senior UX Product Designer, truematter

  • “Not only was Bailey a pleasure to work with, she taught me so much about effective digital content in just a few weeks. As a writer, her words first approach is refreshing. And it helps me have more confidence in my work. I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned from Bailey and apply it to other projects.”

    —Ben Culbreth, Founder, Culbreth Copywriting

  • "The first thing I thought when I met Bailey was, ‘Dang, this lady knows her stuff." While I believe in specialization, so much of what I do as a copywriter/content creator is informed by and works best with a solid content strategy. The more I know about tangential processes in marketing, the better I can serve my clients and eventually take over the world, reducing my competitors to dust."

    —Sara R, Founder, Lessons in Concrete

  • “Content strategy is essential for effective communication, engagement, and relationship building. Bailey and her Words First Course & Community are bringing together real world experiences and like-minded professionals to support each other in this critical work every day.”

    —Amanda C, Marketing Director, Reinvestment Partners

  • “After being an accomplished writer, editor and designer in newspapers for many years, I am looking to expand my skill set. My hope with joining Words First is to benefit from the knowledge of experienced industry experts and become a more well-rounded content provider.”

    —Jared M, Editor & Designer, McClatchy

  • “Bailey truly is the content QUEEN!”

    —Event Organizer Team, International Association of Business Communicators

  • Digital content strategy is something that is so essential, yet not deeply and broadly understood by product teams (even at a company as progressive as we are at Google!) I appreciate the efforts Bailey puts forward to educate and elevate the level of stakeholder understanding and appreciation for the field.”

    —Google Attendee, UXPA International

  • “Walking away from Bailey’s workshop set everyone up for success. She was able to do that for our team and for that we are greatly appreciative. I hope we make her proud!!”

    Kim C, Administrative Executive Assistant, United States Senate Staff

  • “The feedback from the attendees was amazing—we all loved Bailey’s presentations! On the top of it all, she was a real delight to work with.”

    —Event Organizer, Booking Manager Summit

  • Head shot of Laurie B

    "I always love working with Bailey, and I recommend her to anyone who is seeking a digital communications speaker, educator, and partner to work with her as well."

    “Bailey’s expertise in digital and team communications has helped the university so much through the many projects we’ve worked on together. She’s taught teams across the university her approach to consistent, effective user experience content strategy and digital communications, which has been indispensable to projects like our multi-year website redesign, self-service communications training creation, and the development of our systemwide digital accessibility program.

    I always love working with Bailey, and I recommend anyone who is seeking a digital communications speaker, educator, and partner to work with her as well.”

    —Laurie B, Associate Director of Digital Strategy, University of South Carolina

Words First Services Guide cover page showing a humanoid brain dancing across a tightrope between two mountains. Text says, Harness the full potential of your words to do business on a human level in a world of robots. Services $ Pricing for Q1 2024

Ready to become the best digital content professional on the block?