What you need to get your website started

You don’t need everything ready to get started, but preparing a few things up front saves weeks of back-and-forth. This is the checklist I share with my clients.

1. A clear goal

Before colors, decide what you want the website to do. For example:

• Get people to message you on WhatsApp for a quote.
• Let them book a table or an appointment.
• Show your work so they get in touch.
• Sell a product.

With one main goal, every page is designed to lead people there.

2. Who you’re talking to

Think about your ideal customer: what are they looking for? What doubts do they have before hiring you? Where do they find you? Those answers shape the tone of the copy and what information comes first.

3. Draft copy

It doesn’t need to be perfect — a draft is enough. At a minimum:

• What you do and who it’s for, in one or two sentences.
• Your main services or products.
• Why choose you (no hype: what genuinely sets you apart).
• Contact details, hours and service area.
• The questions you get asked most, with answers.

If writing isn’t your thing, copywriting can be added to the quote.

4. Photos and logo

• Logo: ideally in a vector format (SVG, PDF or AI). If you only have an image, that works to get started.
• Your own photos: of your work, your place or your products. They beat any stock photo because they show the real thing.
• If you don’t have photos yet, illustrations or licensed stock images can fill in for now.

5. References

Find two or three websites you like (even from other industries) and note what you like about each: the colors, how simple it is, how it shows prices. It helps a lot during design.

6. Domain and access

• Domain: choose the name and register it in your name.
• Social media: links to the profiles you want to show.
• Existing access: if you already have a website, access to the current domain and hosting.

7. Budget and timeline

Having a budget range and a target date helps propose the right scope. To get your bearings, try the website cost calculator.

Quick checklist

• Main goal for the website
• Description of your ideal customer
• Draft copy
• Logo and photos
• Two or three reference websites
• Domain registered in your name (or the chosen name)
• Links to social profiles and current access
• Budget range and target date

Have some of these and not others? No problem — send me a message and we’ll sort it out together on our first call.