The 6 key pieces you should pull together before you design your website (or have it designed)

Let’s start with why it’s important to get organized before starting your website project.

To kick it off with the obvious, it saves time to have everything together from the start of the project. But probably more importantly, if you’ve taken some time to gather up all the elements I’m going to share with you today, you’ll have a much easier time creating a cohesive website design. 

This website is the one and only place on the internet that you have full control over what people see and how they interact with your expertise. So you definitely need to think through what you share through your website pretty carefully.

Most website designers worth their salt will help guide you through each of these steps. However, whether you’re doing a DIY design or investing in a professional you’ll want to pull together your thoughts, words and images in these 6 key areas before you get started.

1. Branding (logos, colors, & fonts)

Before starting your website design, one of the very first things you’ll need to have is an idea of what you want it to look like and how it will tie into other areas of your brand (like social media). 

There are a few ways to do this if you don’t already have established branding elements: 

• You can DIY it, there are tools like Canva that can help get you started. I sometimes recommend this to newer brands that are still settling into their work (and therefore will likely need a rebrand in a year or two).

•  You can hire a graphic or brand designer to help you get the look and feel you’re going for with your brand.

• Some website design agencies include brand and logo design in their higher-end packages.

2. Good photos (stock & of you)

Good photography is a must! You’ll want clear, high quality images of both you and things that symbolize your work to help tell the story of who you are and how you can help your ideal customers. 

I usually recommend that you work with a photographer that makes you feel at ease and that you feel comfortable directing (and having them direct you). The photographer I work with knows that I want photos of me being human and messy and real, which means that my photos are packed with personality. Being able to communicate my vision with her through Pinterest boards made a huge difference!

As restrictions ease there are a lot of photographers getting back to work, however, if you’re still being extra cautious or are in a part of the world that is in lockdown there are now loads of photographers that do virtual photography sessions where they will help you get the best photos through direction and advice over a video call with your own equipment.

Or if you feel confident in your photography skills, you can definitely do a shoot yourself, just be mindful of the lighting, environment and editing to ensure they match the website feel that you are after! 

3. A clear list of your offerings

Often when designing (or redesigning) a website people use the opportunity to update or refine the products and services they offer. However, I often find people aren’t 100% clear on the changes they’d like to make in this area.

Spending some time journaling, planning or speaking with a coach or mentor can really help in providing clarity in which offerings are going to serve your life while still being in demand by your clients and customers.

I usually suggest having a couple of really clear ways people can work with you, learn from you or buy your thing and to keep it really simple - don’t make people use precious brain power to buy! Which brings us to my next point...

4. One clear action you want people to take 

Across your website it’s likely that you’ll have multiple Calls to Action (CTA). It might be that you’re inviting people to read your blog, book a call, see your shop and sign up for your mailing list. And that’s great, you want people to be able to plug-in with your work in a place that feels right for them. 

However, there should be one action that shows up on your website over and over again. And that action should be geared toward what’s going to bring in money, but it doesn’t have to be a hard sell if you don’t want it to be. 

For me the CTA that I have on every page of my website (sometimes in more than one place) is to book a free call with me. It means that we can determine if I’m the right person to build their website and I can share a little about my process with them!

5. Copy that tells a story (and converts)

The human brain is literally wired for stories. So using storytelling on your website to share why people should work with you or buy your amazing products is not only really effective, but really human and natural. 

It can be a way to really connect with your people and to help them to become paying customers.

Good copy really has an impact and is specific to you, your values, your mission and what your audience needs to hear before taking the next step.

You might have questions about hiring a copywriter. If you're considering outsourcing both, you'll need to make sure the briefs align.

Read the other half of this two-part series now for more information about the copywriting process: Do I need a website copywriter? What is copywriting and how does it work?

6. Policies

Something that often goes overlooked, is the importance of having policies on your website! 

It’s important to cover your legal liability. You definitely don’t want something to go wrong and to not have a legal notice to support you when the time comes.

If you’re in the EU or have website visitors that are, you’ll need to have  GDPR compliant Privacy and Cookie notices. If you ship products, you’ll want delivery and return policies. 

I also encourage all of my clients to have a values statement or a diversity & inclusion policy on their website. This really sets my clients apart by showing their audience exactly what they stand for. And remember, humans love buying from real humans who care about the things that they also care about. 

So once you have all these pieces together how does working with a website designer go?

Well every designer is different, but for me it goes like this:

1. We hop onto a free consultation call (and then I send you a follow-up with a quote and next steps). 

2. You let me know to hold your chosen design start date & pay the deposit. (I currently book out about 4-6 weeks in advance, giving you plenty of time and resources to help you prepare all the things we chatted about above)

3. I design your website with my streamlined & collaborative process (this only takes 2-3 weeks)

4. We launch your gorgeous and functional website for all the world to love!

Now go and put your story and offerings out there into your own little corner of the internet and let me know how it goes over on Instagram!