Website planning
What to prepare before hiring a web designer
You do not need a finished brief to get started. A clear goal, a few useful details, and examples of your work give the project a practical starting point.
Start with what your customers need to know and what you want them to do next. Your designer can help organize the details. You do not need to arrive with every page written or every design decision made.
Choose the main job of the website
Think about the next step a visitor should take. For a landscaping company, that may be requesting an estimate. For a nonprofit, it might be finding an event, volunteering, or donating. Tell your designer which action matters most and which questions customers ask before taking it.
- Who is the website for?
- What should a visitor understand about your organization?
- What should they do after reading?
Gather the details people ask for
Make a simple list of your services, service area, contact information, and hours if you publish them. Include the name you use publicly and a short explanation of what you do. Rough notes are enough for an initial conversation.
If you have several services, note which ones need their own explanation. This helps you and your designer decide whether one page is enough or whether separate pages would make the information easier to find.
Collect photos and examples of your work
Gather your logo, project photos, and any descriptions that help explain the work. Add a sentence about what each photo shows. Use material you have permission to publish, and check before sharing identifiable customers, private details, or testimonials.
You can also share two or three websites you find useful. Explain what you like: clear service information, readable text, an easy contact form, or a simple project gallery. That is more useful than asking for an exact copy.
Know who controls the existing website
If you already have a site, find out where your domain is registered, who manages the hosting, and whether the domain also supports business email. You can begin by sharing the provider names and who has access. Arrange access securely when the work requires it.
Also note the pages, forms, and links that must keep working. A redesign should account for the useful parts of the current site and the services connected to it.
Agree on scope and updates
Talk through the pages, features, content responsibilities, timing, and price before work begins. Be specific about anything beyond a standard informational website, such as online payments, bookings, or member access.
Decide who will make future changes. A site with frequent event updates needs a different routine from a small business whose information changes a few times a year. Agree on that routine while planning the project.
Bring what you have
Missing a few photos or a polished description does not have to stop the first conversation. Bring your questions and the details you know. The next step is to identify what the site needs and make a manageable plan for the rest.