What Information Do I Need Before Building a Website?

Building a new website is an exciting opportunity for your business, but before the design and development can begin, it helps to have a clear idea of what the website needs to achieve. You don’t need to have every detail worked out in advance, and you certainly don’t need to understand the technical side of web development. However, gathering some key information early on can make the whole process smoother and help ensure the finished website is built around your business rather than the other way around.

Start with your business

The first step is understanding the business behind the website. What do you do? What products or services do you provide? Who are your customers? What makes your business different from your competitors?

These might sound like simple questions, but the answers have a significant influence on the structure and content of your website. A website for a local café will have very different requirements from one for a professional consultancy, an online retailer or a tradesperson. Understanding your business helps establish the right tone, content, functionality and user journey from the beginning.

It’s also useful to think about what you want the website to achieve. Is the main goal to generate enquiries, sell products, encourage people to visit your premises, showcase your work or simply provide information? A website can do several of these things, but identifying the primary objectives helps keep the project focused.

Know who your website is for

One of the most important pieces of information you can provide is an understanding of your customers. A website shouldn’t simply reflect what a business wants to say about itself; it needs to communicate in a way that makes sense to the people visiting it.

Think about who your typical customers are, what they are looking for and what questions they are likely to have. Consider what might persuade them to choose your business and what information they need before they feel comfortable making an enquiry or purchase.

It can also help to consider how people currently find you. Do most customers come through Google searches, social media, referrals, advertising or existing relationships? Understanding how visitors arrive at your website can help shape the pages they need to see and the journeys they should be able to take.

Gather your existing content and assets

Before a website is built, it’s worth gathering any content you already have. This could include your logo, brand guidelines, photographs, videos, brochures, service descriptions, product information, testimonials, case studies and existing marketing materials.

Don’t worry if some of this content is old or needs improving. Part of the website development process can involve reviewing what you already have and identifying gaps. Knowing what content exists, however, makes it much easier to plan the website and work out what needs to be created.

Photography is particularly important. Good-quality images can make a huge difference to how professional and engaging a website feels. If you don’t have suitable photography, it’s worth considering whether you need new photographs, stock imagery or another visual approach.

Think about the pages you need

A website doesn’t have to contain dozens of pages to be effective, but it does need to provide the right information. Before development starts, consider which pages your visitors will need.

For many businesses, this might include a homepage, about page, services or products, contact page and blog. Other businesses may need portfolios, case studies, FAQs, team profiles, location pages, booking functionality or an online shop.

Creating a rough list of pages at the start is useful because it gives everyone a clearer picture of the size and structure of the project. It can also highlight areas where more content is needed.

The exact structure doesn’t have to be set in stone. Having the planning meeting(s) with PenTor Media, we’ll be able to help you refine your sitemap and suggest ways of organising information so that visitors can find what they need quickly.

Consider the features and functionality

It’s also important to think about what you need your website to do, rather than simply what you want it to look like.

Perhaps you need a contact form, appointment booking, newsletter sign-up, customer login, online payments, an events calendar or an ecommerce shop. You might need your website to connect with another system you already use, such as accounting software, a CRM, email marketing platform or stock management system.

Identifying these requirements early is particularly important because functionality can affect both the website structure and the development process. Adding something later isn’t always impossible, but planning for it from the outset can often save time and expense.

What about your competitors?

Looking at other businesses in your industry can provide useful information before building a website. This doesn’t mean copying another company’s website. Instead, consider what competitors are doing well and where there may be opportunities to do something differently.

Look at the types of information they provide, how they structure their services, how easy their websites are to navigate and what makes their businesses stand out. You may also discover things that you don’t like, which can be equally useful when deciding what you want from your own website.

Your website should ultimately reflect your own business and customers, but competitor research can help identify expectations within your industry and opportunities to differentiate yourself.

Think about your brand

If you already have an established brand, provide as much information about it as possible. Your logo, colours, fonts, photography style and existing marketing materials can all help establish a consistent visual identity.

If your branding is limited or you’re considering a refresh, that’s useful information too. A website project can sometimes be the catalyst for bringing a business’s visual identity up to date.

The most important thing is to avoid treating the website as something completely separate from the rest of your business. Ideally, it should feel like a natural extension of your brand, whether someone discovers you through Google, social media, printed marketing or a recommendation.

What if I don't have all the information?

This is one of the most important things to remember: you don’t need to have everything worked out before talking to us at PenTor Media.

A website project is a collaborative process, and part of the journey you’ll undertake with PenTor Media is to help you work through the questions you haven’t considered yet. You might know that your existing website isn’t working for your business without knowing exactly why. You might know you need a new website but have no idea how many pages it should have. Or perhaps you have plenty of ideas but aren’t sure which ones are worth pursuing.

These are all perfectly normal starting points.

Our initial planning meeting is an opportunity to discuss your business, your customers and what you want to achieve. From there, the website structure, functionality, content and design can be developed into a clear plan.

A little preparation can make a big difference

The more information you can provide at the beginning, the easier it is to create a website that genuinely works for your business. Understanding your objectives, customers, content, branding and functionality gives the project a strong foundation and helps avoid surprises further down the line.

At the same time, don’t let the lack of a complete brief stop you from getting started. We will help you identify what information is needed, ask the right questions and guide you through the process.

Ultimately, building a website isn’t just about deciding what pages you need or choosing how they should look. It’s about creating an online presence that supports your business, communicates clearly with your customers and gives people a reason to take the next step. The earlier those goals are understood, the more useful the finished website is likely to be. Exciting!!