The Ultimate Website Prep Checklist: What to Provide Your Web Designer Before We Begin
So, you’ve decided to invest in a brand-new website—exciting! To ensure a smooth process, there are a few key things I’ll need from you before we can get started. Here’s a practical checklist to help you gather everything:
1. Business Basics
– Your business name, tagline, and logo (preferably in PNG, SVG, or high-res JPG format)
– Brand colors and fonts (if applicable)
– A brief description of your business and its mission
– Contact details: phone number, email, and physical address (if needed)
2. Website Goals & Structure
– What is the main purpose of your website? (e.g., informational, e-commerce, portfolio, booking services)
– List of pages you need (e.g., Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog, Shop)
– Any reference websites you like for inspiration
– Your preferred domain name (if you don’t already have one)
– Hosting details (if already purchased; otherwise, I can help with recommendations)
3. Website Content
– Written content for each page (or let me know if you need copywriting assistance)
– High-quality images (or stock photo preferences)
– Team member bios and headshots (if applicable)
– Testimonials or reviews (if you want to showcase client feedback)
– Case studies, portfolio items, or past work examples (if relevant)
4. Wireframe & Layout Preferences
– A simple sketch or bullet-point layout of how you’d like each page to be structured
– Notes on any special sections you want, like testimonials, call-to-action buttons, or FAQs
– Preferred navigation menu structure
5. Forms & Functional Elements
– Contact form details (what fields do you need? e.g., name, email, message, phone number)
– Newsletter sign-up integration (Mailchimp, Active Campaign, etc.)
– Booking system details (if you offer appointments or reservations)
– Payment processing setup (for e-commerce sites – PayPal, PayFast, etc.)
6. SEO & Social Media Integration
– List of keywords you want to rank for (if known)
– Meta descriptions for each page (or I can help create them)
– Links to your social media profiles for integration
– Blog post categories (if you plan to have a blog)
7. Additional Functionality
– Do you need a membership area or gated content?
– Will you need multi-language support?
– Any specific plugins or features you want (chatbots, event calendars, etc.)
By providing these essentials upfront, we can streamline the web design process and get your site launched speedily! If you have any questions, I’m here to help. Let’s build something amazing together!