A quick summary of the five core areas you need to plan before starting a new website.
Talking points ( click to jump to section)
Understand what type of website your business needs
Decide what pages your website should include
Plan how your services should be presented
Prepare your portfolio or project examples
Write your About and Team content
Full combined checklist
1. Understand what type of website your business needs
This section helps you define the purpose of your website so you can build something aligned with your goals. Before planning pages or content, it’s important to understand the role your website will play, what your audience needs, and which website style will best support your business.
- What is the main purpose of your website?
- Who is your ideal audience?
- What actions do you want visitors to take?
- Which website type fits best? (brochure, portfolio, booking, e-commerce)
- Which features are essential vs optional?
Read the full article on choosing your website type →
2. Decide what pages your website should include
Your website structure shapes how users navigate and understand your business. By choosing the right pages early on, you create a clear and intuitive journey for visitors. This step ensures your website is organised, easy to use, and focused on the most important information.
- Choose your core pages (Home, About, Contact, Services)
- Decide on optional pages (FAQ, Testimonials, Pricing, Blog)
- List each service and whether it needs its own page
- Add location or service-area pages if relevant
- Plan a simple and user-friendly navigation
Read the full article on website structure →
3. Plan how your services should be presented
Presenting your services clearly helps visitors understand exactly what you offer and why they should choose you. This section helps you organise your services into simple, helpful pages that explain benefits, process, pricing expectations, and next steps.
- List every service you offer
- Decide which services need their own dedicated page
- Write a short description for each service
- Explain the benefits, not just features
- Outline your process in simple steps
- Prepare answers to common questions
- Add calls to action for each service
Read the full article on structuring service pages →
4. Prepare your portfolio or project examples
Your portfolio builds trust by showing the quality of your work and the results you deliver. Preparing strong project examples helps potential clients understand your experience and visualise what you can achieve for them. A well-presented portfolio can significantly improve conversions.
- Select the strongest and most relevant projects
- Write a short overview for each project
- Explain the challenge the client faced
- Describe the solution you provided
- Break down the process into simple steps
- Highlight results or outcomes (numbers, improvement, feedback)
- Gather visuals: photos, screenshots, before-and-after images
- Add testimonials where possible
Read the full article on portfolio planning →
5. Write your About and Team content
Your About and Team pages tell the story of your business and introduce the people behind it. Strong, well-written content in these sections creates connection, builds trust, and helps potential clients feel confident choosing you over competitors.
- Write your brand story
- Explain who you help and why
- Share your mission or values
- Add team bios with clear roles
- Use friendly, consistent team photos
- Add small personality details where appropriate
- Explain what makes your business unique
Read the full article on About & Team pages →
6. Full combined checklist
This final section brings together every planning step into a single, easy-to-scan checklist. Use it to confirm your website is fully planned, organised, and ready to move into the design phase with confidence.
- Define your website’s purpose and goals
- Identify your ideal audience
- Choose your website type
- Decide on essential pages
- Choose optional or advanced pages
- Plan individual service pages
- Write short service descriptions
- Explain benefits and outcomes
- Create a step-by-step process
- Prepare FAQs
- Select your best portfolio projects
- Gather project visuals
- Write challenge, solution, process, results for each project
- Collect testimonials
- Write your brand story
- Outline your mission and values
- Prepare team bios and photos
- Explain what makes you different
Want a website effective and built around your goals?
If you’re ready to create a website that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and supports your long-term goals, we’d love to help. We’ll guide you through every step, from planning and content to design and launch.
Contact us to arrange a no obligation discussion around your business goals on 0161 672 7407, email info@digitalrefresh.uk or fill in our contact form and we’ll call you back.
