Building a website is not just about lines of code or a beautiful design. It’s about bringing the story of your business into the digital world, where every word, colour or button matters. And, as with any good start, success begins with preparation.
Where does it all start? A clear goal
The first step is to work out why you need a website. Do you want to increase the number of enquiries? Are you looking to strengthen your online presence? Perhaps your aim is e-commerce or more convenient communication with customers?
Without a clear purpose, even the most beautiful site will be a colourful billboard without direction.
Read more: How to clarify your website goals
Understand your activities, as this is the essence that helps you communicate
For a website to really work, it needs to clearly reflect who you are, what you do and why this matters to your customers.
That's why, at the start of a project, we help clients answer a few key questions:
- What makes you special?
- What problems are you solving?
- What do your customers value most?
These answers help to create an authentic, clear and compelling message that forms the backbone of the website.
Content is your digital voice
The text, photos and layout – all of these create an impression even before a visitor clicks "Contact Us". Don’t have everything ready yet? No problem – we’ll provide a clear content planning form and questionnaire; once you’ve filled these in, we can create professional, targeted content that’s tailored to your audience.
You provide knowledge about your activities and care will be taken to ensure that it is conveyed professionally.
Structure so no one gets lost
Website pages are like rooms in a digital home. Every visitor should understand where they have arrived and where to go next.
The most commonly used structure:
- Home page
- About us
- Services
- Prices
- Frequently asked questions
- A clear query path
- Projects / Reviews
Communication is as important as design
Website development is a collaborative process. Prompt replies to queries, timely approvals and open feedback save not only days but also spare you a lot of stress.
Tip: Know in advance when you can spare time. This will keep the project moving smoothly.
Good preparation, like the foundations on which everything is built
A website isn’t just any old project. It’s a bridge between you and your customers. The stronger the foundations, the more stable the bridge will be.
If you want your website to run smoothly, start by planning your content, or contact us for a consultation. And if you're wondering how much it might cost, see price list.
What to do to make the process easier
The more clarity you have before you start, the fewer corrections you’ll need to make later. You don’t need to have perfect copy, but you do need to know what services the website will offer, what photos will be used, what colours or styles are appropriate, and who is to make the final decision.
If, whilst preparing, you realise that some texts are missing, it is worth reading how to prepare content for a website. The preparation of the text is often the key factor in determining whether the website development process will run smoothly.
- list of services
- brief description of activities
- photos and logo
- examples of what you like and what you don’t like
- decision-maker
If this topic is relevant, it is worth moving on to How much does a website cost?. If you’re organising the whole process, it’ll also come in handy and How long does it take to build a website?.
If you run into problems with the texts whilst preparing, it is worth reviewing the topic separately How to prepare content for a website. And before sending an enquiry, it’s worth checking that What you need to know before commissioning a website.
What you should prepare before your first interview
Before starting a discussion about a new website, it’s useful to have not a perfect document, but a few simple answers. Which services are most important? What sort of client suits you best? What questions come up most often before a client places an order? What examples from other websites would you prefer not to replicate? These points really help to speed up the start of the process.
If you’re still not sure which pages you’ll need, this article will help What pages are essential for every website?. And if you already have an old website, it’s worth taking a separate look at what works on it and what raises concerns. Sometimes the best preparation isn’t a list of new ideas, but a clear understanding of what you no longer want to repeat.
- list of essential services
- frequently asked questions
- photographs or a plan setting out the need for them
- a few examples I like and don’t like
- the person who will make the final decisions
If you’d like to assess which direction would be best for your website in your particular situation, please get in touch. We can take a relaxed look at your requirements, the scope of the project and the first practical step.