Key takeaways
- Start with goals and audience, not design: what should the site achieve, for whom?
- Plan content, sitemap and user journeys before choosing templates or colours.
- Decide platform, budget, timeline and responsibilities up front — it prevents most project problems.
Most website projects that go over budget or fail to bring leads skipped the planning stage. A few hours of planning saves weeks of rework. This is the process I use with clients before building WordPress sites, web apps and dashboards.
Step 1: define goals#
| Goal | Measurable as |
|---|---|
| Generate enquiries | Form submissions, WhatsApp clicks, calls per month |
| Sell online | Orders, revenue, conversion rate |
| Build authority | Organic traffic, newsletter subscribers |
| Support customers | Fewer support calls, help-centre usage |
| Recruit | Job applications |
Step 2: understand your audience#
- Who are the main visitor types (customers, partners, job seekers)?
- What do they need to know before contacting you?
- What devices do they use? (Usually mostly mobile.)
- What are their common questions and objections?
Step 3: plan content and the sitemap#
Home
├── Services
│ ├── Service A
│ └── Service B
├── Work / Case studies
├── About
├── Blog / Resources
├── Contact
└── Legal: Privacy, Terms- One page per main service (better for SEO than one page listing everything).
- Do keyword research to name pages the way people search — see keyword research.
- Assign who writes each page and gathers photos, testimonials and case studies.
Structure principles: website architecture.
Step 4: map user journeys#
For each visitor type, sketch the path: e.g. Google search → service page → case study → contact form. Make sure every page has a clear next step.
Need a hand with this?
Get a quick, honest review of your website’s SEO.
Step 5: choose the platform#
| Need | Typical choice |
|---|---|
| Content-driven business site or blog | WordPress — see what is WordPress |
| Online store | WooCommerce or Shopify |
| Web app, SaaS, dashboard, portal | Custom build (React/Next.js, Laravel, etc.) — see building a SaaS |
| Simple landing page | WordPress, a static site or a landing page builder |
Step 6: design and features#
- Brand assets: logo, colours, fonts, photography style.
- Must-have features: forms, booking, payments, multilingual, search, chat.
- Nice-to-haves for later phases.
- Accessibility and performance targets from the start.
Step 7: budget, timeline and ownership#
- Budget for build and ongoing costs (hosting, maintenance, content) — see website cost factors.
- Realistic timeline with content deadlines (content is the most common delay).
- Who owns the domain, hosting and accounts (always the business).
- Who will update the site after launch.
Step 8: launch plan#
SEO setup, analytics, testing, redirects (if replacing a site) and a post-launch check — see website redesign checklist.
Website planning FAQ#
How long does a business website take?#
Typically 3–8 weeks for a WordPress business site, depending on content readiness and features.
Should I write content before design?#
At least draft it. Designing around real content produces better layouts and avoids delays.
Can you help plan my website or app?#
Yes — bring your idea and I’ll help shape it into a plan. Get in touch.