Planning Your Web Site Content and Design

Whether you’re launching your first site, improving an existing one, or planning a full redesign, strategic planning is the key to success. Careful planning at the start of your project not only ensures your website performs the purpose you intend but also helps reduce unnecessary costs and design revisions down the road.

No matter who builds your website, here’s what you should consider before you get started planning your site.

Define the site’s purpose

What is the purpose or main objective of your site?

Define the most important action(s). What do you want your visitors to do when they come to your site?

Clearly define what you want visitors to do when they land on your site. Common goals include:

• Contact you via phone or email
• Request a quote or demo
• Make a purchase
• Book an appointment
• Subscribe to your newsletter
• Find information they need

Tip: The more focused your objective, the easier it is to design a site that delivers results.

Understand Your Target Audience

Your knowledge of your target audience can help give direction to not only the look and feel of the site but what kind of content to include on the site. The type of content you provide will help determine what visitors will be drawn to your site.

Ask yourself:

• Who are your customers?
• What are their demographics (age, location, interests)?
• What problems are they trying to solve?
• What do you want site visitors to be able to do?
• What kind of content would they find helpful? (e.g. blog posts, videos, tutorials, FAQs)

Your website should be designed for your users, not just for you. Speak their language and give them what they’re looking for.

Define the Project Scope

Before speaking with a web designer, ask yourself the following questions to get an idea of the size and requirements of your Web site project.

• What pages or sections will your site include? (e.g. Home, About, Services, Blog, Contact)
• Will you be selling products or services online?
• Do you need special features? (e.g. photo galleries, appointment booking, newsletter signup)
• Will the site need regular updates?
• Do you want to be able to make content changes yourself?
• What’s your timeline? When do you need the job done?
• What’s your budget range?

Having answers to these questions will make conversations with your designer much more effective and productive.

Visual Direction: Look and Feel

Do you have an idea of what you want your site to look like? You don’t need to be a designer to have a vision.

Consider what would appeal to your visitor and the message you want to convey.

Then browse websites you like and make a note of what you find appealing:

• Color schemes
• Layout – the way items are arranged on the page
• Navigation, ease of use
• Font and use of text
• Use of imagery 0- graphics or video
• Overall tone (professional, playful, minimal, artistic, etc.)

Create a list of websites you admire and note what works (and what doesn’t) for each one. This will help your designer understand your aesthetic preferences and brand vibe.

Content is King – Start Gathering Early

Strong content is what makes a website valuable to visitors and effective for SEO. Start organizing your materials early:

What to collect:

• Company logo (in high resolution)
• Your value proposition: what do you offer? Why should someone choose you?
• Business descriptions, history, values
• Details about your products/services
• Testimonials and case studies
• Business contact info: address, email, phone, social links
• Relevant high-quality images, graphics, or videos
• Frequently asked questions

Use a physical folder to collect photos, brochures, hard copy written material, notes, etc.

Make a folder on your computer to collect digital images, Word or text files, logos, etc.

Bonus tip: Avoid stock content as much as possible. Unique, authentic content builds trust.

Start a Keyword List (SEO Basics)

Keywords help your site get found in search engines. Think about what someone might type into Google to find a business like yours.

• Ask friends or clients what search terms they’d use
• Use free tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest
• Create a list of 5–10 target keywords or phrases for each page concept

When writing content, try to naturally weave these keywords into headlines, descriptions, and page titles to improve the chance that the customers you are looking for will find your site.

See article: How to make a Keyword List for SEO)

Website Essentials Checklist

For ideas of other information you may want for your site, ask yourself, “What questions do my customers most frequently ask me?” This is the type of information that will be of interest to your visitors and should be on your Web site.

What makes you stand out? Do you offer services that are unique, different or better than your competition has to offer? If so, what are they and how will they benefit your visitor? Let your customers know what is special about your business by putting it on your Web site.

Make sure your site includes these must-have elements:

• Your company name and logo
• Clear value proposition (what you offer and why it matters)
• Product/service details with prices and pictures or photos (if applicable)
• Your credentials: experience in your field, accomplishments, experiences, projects
• Contact information: phone, email, mailing address, physical location.
• Photos and/or drawings that enhance or illustrate the text
• Testimonials: a compelling way to inform future customers of your great reputation – highly recommended
• Call-to-action buttons (Book Now, Contact Us, Buy, Subscribe)

Optional additions:

• FAQ section
• Blog or news section
• Portfolio or gallery
• Social Media Contacts

Additional Planning Considerations

• Domain Name: Do you already have one? Is your desired domain available?
  See article: How to Choose, Register, and Use Your Own Domain Name
• Hosting: Where will your website be hosted?
  Consider performance, security, and support.
• Updates & Maintenance:
  How often and what kinds of updates will your site require?
  Will you update it yourself or hire someone?

You’ll want to be sure that you budget for your annual domain name registration fee plus the cost of at least one year of hosting and one year of website maintenance. A good web developer can help you determine the cost of all of these issues.

Ready to find a Web site designer?

Your planning should result in some clear ideas about your Web site project. When talking with your future designer you’ll want to have ready:

• Your site’s main goal or purpose including the most important action
• A rough idea of project size, timeline, and budget for your project
• A clear definition of your target audience – whom you wish to reach
• Notes on the look and feel you prefer
• A list of example websites you like
• A draft content outline (text, images, features)
• A list of relevant keywords for SEO

Preparing these materials will not only speed up the web design process but will also result in targeted, more effective website for your business.

Final Thoughts

Planning your website thoughtfully from the beginning is the single best investment you can make in your online presence. Whether you’re working with a professional or building it yourself, your website should be built around your goals, audience, and content—not just pretty graphics.

Put in the time now, and you’ll save money, avoid delays, and end up with a website that actually works for your business.

Have questions about planning your Web site?

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