Most delays on a website project have nothing to do with design. They happen because the words and images are not ready. If you gather your website content before design begins, the build is faster, the result is stronger and the site looks like it was made for your business rather than filled in afterwards. It is something we ask about at the start of every web design project.
Decide what the site has to do
Before writing a word, answer three questions. Who is the site for? What do those visitors need to find? And what should they do next: call, email, request a quote or buy? Everything on the site should serve those answers, and anything that does not can wait.
This is the same thinking behind our Double Diamond process. We ask these questions before opening any design files, because structure and content drive the layout, not the other way round. Our post on starting a website with your brand explains why identity comes first.
The content checklist
- A list of pages, in the order a visitor would want them: home, services, about, contact and any case studies.
- Draft text for each page, written for your customer rather than for yourself.
- Your logo files, colours and fonts, ideally in a set of brand guidelines.
- Photography of your work, your premises and your team. Images should be sharp and sized properly, as they affect how quickly pages load.
- Testimonials, awards and client names you have permission to show.
- Contact details, opening hours and any legal text, such as your privacy policy.
Write it so people and search engines can use it
Good structure helps both. Give each page one clear heading, break the text up with sensible subheadings, and write a short description of what the page offers. Page titles, descriptions, headings and image sizes are all part of how a site is found, which is why we build SEO in rather than adding it later.
Accessibility starts with content too. Write descriptive alt text for images, keep headings in a logical order, and make sure links say where they go. These small habits make the site easier for everyone to use.
Finally, plan who will look after the content once the site is live. We build on WordPress with a custom theme, and set up content areas so your team can edit text, swap images and add pages without touching code. We can also train your team, or do the updates for you.
Starting a new site and not sure what you need? Get in touch or email info@designminds.ie and we will help you plan it.
