What to Prepare Before Starting Your Website Project

The difference between a smooth web project and a frustrating one often comes down to preparation. Here's what to gather before your developer writes a single line of code.

When clients come to us with a clear vision and their key materials organized, projects run smoother and turn out better. This guide will help you think through what you want — so we can build exactly that.

This guide will help you show up to your web project prepared. Think of it as a pre-flight checklist for your website.

Photography & Images

Great photos are the single biggest factor in whether a website looks professional or amateur. Stock photos can fill gaps, but nothing beats real images of your business, your team, and your work.

Photo Checklist

Your storefront or office: Exterior and interior shots
Team photos: Professional headshots or casual team shots
Products or services: What you sell or the work you do
Work in action: Your team doing what they do best
Before/after examples: If applicable to your business

Photo Tips

Higher resolution is better. We can always scale down, but we can't make a blurry photo sharp.
Natural lighting wins. Harsh flash or dim indoor lighting makes everything look worse.
Horizontal orientation. Most website layouts work better with landscape photos.
Clean backgrounds. Remove clutter before shooting.
Consider hiring a photographer. A few hundred dollars for professional photos is worth it for years of use.

Brand Colors & Style

Your website should feel like an extension of your existing brand, not a completely different company. Help your developer understand your visual identity.

Logo Files

Share your logo in the highest quality format you have. Ideally: SVG (vector), PNG with transparent background, or the original design file. Avoid low-resolution JPEGs if possible.

Brand Colors

If you have specific brand colors, share the hex codes (like #FF5733) or Pantone numbers. No codes? Share your business card, brochure, or signage and we'll match it.

Style Preferences

Modern and minimal? Warm and welcoming? Bold and energetic? Classic and professional? Even simple descriptions help us understand the vibe you're going for.

Website Inspiration

Showing is easier than telling. Gather 3-5 websites you like and be ready to explain what you like about each one.

What to Look For

Layout: How is the content organized? What's above the fold?
Navigation: Is it simple and clear, or more elaborate?
Color usage: Bold and colorful, or muted and minimal?
Typography: Modern sans-serif or traditional serif fonts?
Imagery: Full-bleed photos, illustrations, or clean white space?
Animations: Subtle movement or static pages?

These don't have to be competitors. A restaurant owner might love how a law firm's website is organized, or admire a tech company's clean aesthetic. We're looking for patterns in what appeals to you.

Your Story & Key Information

Don't worry about writing polished paragraphs — we handle the copywriting. What we need from you is the raw material: the facts, details, and personality that make your business unique.

What to Think About

Your story: How did you start? What drives you? Any interesting background?
What makes you different: Why should someone choose you over competitors?
Your ideal customer: Who are you trying to reach?
Services or products: What do you offer? Any specialties?
Testimonials: Any quotes from happy customers you'd like to feature?
Tone preferences: Casual and friendly? Professional and formal? Somewhere in between?

Just Give Us the Bullet Points

Seriously — rough notes are perfect. "Been in business 15 years. Family owned. Specialize in custom kitchens. Won 3 local awards." That's exactly what we need. We'll turn your notes into polished, professional copy that sounds like you.

Existing Assets to Gather

You might already have materials that will help the project go smoother:

Domain & Hosting Info

Do you already own a domain name? Where is it registered (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)? Do you have login credentials? We'll need this to point your domain to your new site.

Current Website Access

If you have an existing site we're replacing, admin access helps us migrate content, preserve SEO value, and set up proper redirects.

Marketing Materials

Brochures, menus, catalogs, presentations — anything with content or design elements we might be able to use or reference.

Social Media Accounts

Your Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn URLs so we can link them properly and potentially pull in feeds or reviews.

Google Business Profile

Access to your Google Business Profile helps us ensure NAP (name, address, phone) consistency for local SEO.

Key Decisions to Make

Beyond materials, certain decisions will come up during the project. Thinking about these ahead of time keeps things moving:

Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves

What features absolutely must be there at launch? What can wait for version 2?

Contact Preferences

Phone calls, emails, contact form, scheduling tool? How do you want customers to reach you?

Who Makes Decisions?

If multiple stakeholders are involved, establish who has final say to avoid delays.

Timeline Constraints

Grand opening? Busy season coming? Let us know if there's a hard deadline.

The Preparation Payoff

Taking time to think through these things before your project starts makes everything go smoother:

Faster launch: Clear direction means we can move quickly

Better results: More time for design and polish when the vision is clear

Fewer revisions: We get it right the first time when we understand what you want

Less stress: A clear path forward for everyone involved

You don't need everything perfect before starting — we're here to help fill in the gaps. But the more prepared you are, the smoother the journey to your new website.

Ready to Get Started?

Don't worry if you don't have everything on this list. Let's talk about your project and we'll help you figure out what you need.

Start Your Project

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't have professional photos?

Start with what you have — even smartphone photos can work if they're well-lit and in focus. We can also recommend local photographers or use carefully selected stock photos as needed.

Do I need to write the content myself?

Nope! We handle all the copywriting. Just give us the key facts and details about your business — even rough bullet points work great. We'll craft professional copy that sounds authentic to you.

What if I don't know what I want?

That's okay! Many clients come to us knowing they need a website but not exactly what it should look like. That's what the discovery process is for. We'll ask questions and show you options.

Can I add things after the site launches?

Absolutely. Websites should evolve with your business. It's often smarter to launch with a solid foundation and add features over time rather than waiting for everything to be perfect.