What is Lorem Ipsum?

“Lorem Ipsum” is a placeholder text that is often used in the printing and typesetting industry. It is used as filler text in documents and layouts to give an impression of how the final text will look without actually having meaningful content. The text itself is a scrambled and altered version of a work by the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero, with words and letters rearranged to create nonsensical and non-repetitive text. The use of Lorem Ipsum allows designers and developers to focus on the visual aspects of a document or webpage layout without being distracted by the actual content.

Differences of Lorem Ipsum vs Greeking

“Lorem Ipsum” is the most commonly used term for placeholder text in the printing and typesetting industry.

“Greeking” is a more general term that refers to the practice of using placeholder text or symbols to represent the appearance of text in a design.

While “Lorem Ipsum” is a specific type of greeking text, the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably to describe the general concept of using dummy text for design purposes. In essence, “Lorem Ipsum” is a form of greeking.

The Role of Placeholder Text

It helps designers and developers envision how a webpage or document will look once filled with real content. It’s a practical tool to assess layout, fonts, and spacing without being distracted by the actual message.

Should We Use Lorem Ipsum

This can be a double-sword! Lorem Ipsum is beneficial in the initial stages of design when you’re creating wireframes. It allows you to focus on the visual aspects of your design without being distracted by the actual content….but it can take an unexpected turn. Some designers casually insert ‘Lorem Ipsum’ into their designs, assuming it’s a harmless move. However, this may prove to be a less-than-ideal strategy as users might easily overlook or dismiss it.

“Lorem Ipsum” is the most commonly used term for placeholder text in the printing and typesetting industry.

“Greeking” is a more general term that refers to the practice of using placeholder text or symbols to represent the appearance of text in a design

Picture this…

the UX designer creates a wireframe or prototype, or the UI expert puts together a mockup for the web developer. Now, that developer, with all the best intentions, goes ahead and constructs the entire site using ‘Lorem Ipsum’.

And here’s one of the many reasons why, when I’m deep into design mode for clients, ‘Lorem Ipsum’ doesn’t make the cut – just in case something like this goes down. Here’s the kicker: we stumbled upon a legit business in North Vancouver, BC, and guess what? ‘Lorem Ipsum’ was all over the pastries page. Check it out for yourself: North Vancouver Bakery in British Columbia with ‘Lorem Ipsum’.

This is exactly why we shouldn’t be using Lorem Ipsum in our designs!

Kudos to Sally for uncovering a website adorned with Lorem Ipsum! 🌟 Much appreciated!
(a former student and recent graduate in the Front-End Web Developer Program at BCIT)