Thinking of a New Website?

Before starting a new website, decide what the site needs to accomplish (information, leads or e-commerce), who the audience is, what content already exists versus needs to be written, and how the site will be maintained after launch. Getting these decided upfront prevents scope changes mid-project and results in a site that actually serves the business's goals rather than looking good with no clear purpose.

Start with the goal, not the design

It's tempting to start a new website project by browsing design inspiration, but the more useful starting point is defining what the site actually needs to do. A site meant to generate phone calls for a service business looks and functions differently from one meant to sell products directly or one meant to establish credibility for a professional firm.

Once the goal is clear, design and content decisions become much easier to make, since every choice can be measured against whether it helps or hurts that specific goal.

Audit what you already have

Most businesses considering a new website already have some content: an old site, marketing materials, service descriptions or case studies. Reviewing what exists before starting fresh saves time, since some of it can likely be updated and reused rather than rewritten from scratch.

This audit also surfaces gaps, pages or topics the old site never covered that the new one should address, based on questions customers actually ask.

Decide how the site will be structured

• List every page the site needs, based on the business's services or products, not a generic template
• Decide whether the site needs e-commerce, a contact form, a booking system, or just static information
• Plan navigation around how a first-time visitor would look for information, not how the business is organized internally
• Identify which pages need to rank in search results and plan their content accordingly
• Decide who will own content updates once the site is live

Plan for maintenance from day one

A website is not finished at launch. Software dependencies need updates, content needs refreshing, and small changes come up regularly as the business evolves. Deciding upfront who handles this, whether that's an internal team member or an ongoing agreement with the development company, avoids the site slowly becoming outdated.

Businesses that skip this step often find themselves needing an expensive full rebuild a few years later, simply because minor updates were never made along the way.

Key takeaways

• Define what the site needs to accomplish before making any design decisions.
• Audit existing content to see what can be reused rather than rewritten from scratch.
• Plan site structure and navigation around how visitors actually search for information.
• Assign responsibility for post-launch maintenance before the project starts, not after.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it typically take to plan and build a new website?

Planning, including defining goals, content and structure, typically takes one to two weeks before design and development even start. The build itself varies with complexity, from a few weeks for a straightforward site to several months for one with custom features or e-commerce.

Should I reuse content from my old website?

Often, yes, at least partially. An audit of existing content usually finds material that can be updated and reused rather than rewritten entirely, which saves time. That said, an audit will also usually surface outdated information or gaps that need fresh content.

Who should be responsible for updating the website after launch?

This should be decided before the project starts, not after launch. Some businesses keep an internal team member responsible for content updates, while others maintain an ongoing agreement with their development company for both content and technical maintenance. Either approach works as long as it's clearly assigned.