How to prepare before building a new website

Most website projects that drag on don't get stuck because of the build itself. They get stuck because something wasn't decided beforehand. Good preparation is the cheapest thing you can do to get a faster, better result.

Agree on what the website is meant to achieve

Before you think about design or colours, answer one question: what should the website actually do for the business?

The answer is rarely "look nice". It's usually something more concrete:

• Get more enquiries from the right kind of customer
• Get people to book or order directly
• Build trust so the sales conversation is shorter
• Make it easier to find you in search

Once you know what matters most, a hundred later decisions get easier. A clear goal is the compass for the whole project.

Know your audience

A website that tries to speak to everyone usually reaches no one. Think about who actually visits the site, what they're wondering about, and what makes them trust you.

You don't need a sophisticated analysis. It's often enough to write down the three questions customers ask most often, and the three objections they have before they say yes. That list is worth its weight in gold when the content gets written.

Gather what you already have

Much of what a website project needs already exists, scattered around the business. Collecting it in one place early saves a lot of back-and-forth later:

• Logo and graphic elements in good quality, ideally as vector files
• Photos of your premises, products, team or work you've done
• Text from your current site, proposals or presentations
• Access to the domain, the current website and email
• Examples of websites you like, and what you like about them

That last point is underrated. Three or four examples often say more about your taste than a long description does.

Think through the structure

You don't need to design anything, but it helps to have a rough idea of which pages you actually need. For many businesses, a home page, a services page, an about page and a contact page is plenty.

A few well-made pages beat many half-finished ones. It's tempting to want everything, but a visitor who finds what they're looking for in three clicks is worth more than an impressive menu no one can be bothered to read.

Clarify who owns what

This part is boring but important. Make sure you are listed as the owner of the domain, not a former developer or an agency. Have control of the logins for the domain and email. It sounds obvious, but it's a surprisingly common source of trouble when something needs to be moved or renewed.

Set a realistic frame

Two things are worth deciding early: roughly how much the project can cost, and when you'd ideally like the site to go live. Both shape which choices make sense.

A tight deadline means you'll have to prioritise harder. A more generous budget allows for more bespoke work. Neither is wrong — but it's useful to know what you're actually working within, so expectations line up from the start.

A short checklist before you start

You're in good shape if you can answer yes to these:

• Do we know what the website is primarily meant to achieve?
• Do we know who it's speaking to?
• Have we gathered the logo, photos and text we want to use?
• Do we have control of the domain and access?
• Do we have a rough idea of structure, budget and timeline?

If you get more no's than yes's, that isn't a sign you aren't ready — just a sign of where to begin. A little groundwork here makes the rest of the project far easier for everyone involved.