How to plan for your upcoming website project (& free website planner workbook!)
You finally have your big business idea and it’s time to build out your website to make your dream into a reality — but where do you start? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath: you’re in the right place. The first step to creating your virtual storefront is planning. The planning process will help you answer important questions that will set you up with the right foundation to achieve your business goals.
If you plan to DIY your website, make sure to check out our designer-made Squarespace templates that are easy-to-use and built to convert!
Step 01: outline your website goals
What actions do you want your viewers to take when browsing your website? The very first step is outlining the overarching purpose of your website and what it should achieve.
EG. selling products, service inquiries, growing your email list, event signups, etc.
Your overarching goals will help you better understand the purpose of your content and how the viewer should effectively navigate your website. It will give you a better understanding of what pages should be included, where to place calls to action, and what information should be at the forefront.
The planning process is about deciding what you need and what you DON’T need. Remember: less is often more!
Step 02: understand your audience
When planning for your new website, it’s important to know your ideal client inside and out.
Take some time to outline your audience:
Who are they?
Where do they hang out?
What do they wear?
What brands do they like?
What’s their pain point?
What guides their decisions?
What do they struggle with?
Understanding your audience will help you determine what information will speak to them, like imagery, copy, brand colors, etc. The goal is to go as deep as possible so you feel like you truly know this person and can predict their buying decisions.
Step 03: determine what pages your website needs
Outline the specific pages on your website and break them down into two categories:
Pages on your main navigation (include drop down menu items if applicable)
Unliked pages (pages that don’t live in your navigation but can be accessed through buttons/links on your website)
Your main navigation should include a maximum of 9 items. We recommend less than 9 items — usually 6 is the sweet spot. If you have a lot of navigation items, consider creating a drop down folder menu to group certain pages under one menu item.
Step 04: plan your website content
Moving into the website design process, you should have a good idea of what kind of content your website will need — and we mean this in the broadest sense. It’s isn’t necessary to have all the details figured out, but you should have an idea so you can create a design that compliments your specific content.
Important questions to ask yourself:
Are you writing your own website copy or are you planning to hire a professional?
Will you hire a photographer for your brand photos?
Will you include a blog? What is the purpose of your blog? What kind of categories will you include?
Are you writing your own website copy or are you planning to hire a professional?
What third-party website integrations do you need to run your business?
Step 05: get a feel for your brand & create a style guide
To help you determine your design style, create a Pinterest board with general inspiration for the design with your ideal client in mind. Evaluate your pins based on what would appeal to your target customers and remove all the pins that don’t fit the bill. Continue refining your board until you have a selection of cohesive photo inspiration, colors, fonts and imagery.
If you’re working with a brand designer, this step may already be done for you. But if you’re doing it yourself — it’s time to get creative!
Here’s an outline of what your brand style guide should include:
Logo
Browser icon
Heading fonts
Paragraph fonts
Color palette (HEX codes EG. #000000 for black)
Imagery
In conclusion:
Taking on a website design project can be overwhelming, however an organized plan will help you get started on the right foot. If you’re planning to DIY your website, make sure to check out our Squarespace templates to skip the overwhelm with a pre-made professional website.
