Building a business website: 10 things to have ready before you start
Planning a website for your business? With this checklist the work goes faster, the price is clearer and the website is better from day one.
What makes a website expensive and slow to build is rarely the design itself. It is everything that is missing once the work has started: copy that isn't written, photos that don't exist and decisions nobody has made. If you have these ten things ready before you build your website, it will be faster, cheaper and better.
1. A clear goal
What should the website do for your business? More calls, more bookings, more sales – or customers finding your opening hours and address without having to call? Pick one main goal. It decides what goes first on the home page and which button matters most.
2. Who your customers are
Write down two or three typical customers: who they are, what they are looking for and what makes them choose you. A website that speaks to a clear audience sells more than one that tries to suit everyone.
3. A domain
The domain is your address online, for example yourcompany.se. Check which names are free and choose something short and easy to spell. If you already have a domain, find out where it is registered and who has the login.
4. Logo and colours
Do you have a logo, ideally as an SVG or PDF file? Do you know the colours and fonts the business uses? Then the website becomes a natural part of your brand. If not, we can create a logo and visual identity at the same time.
5. The pages you need
Make a simple list: home, services, about, contact – and maybe prices, a blog or case studies. The number of pages is one of the things that affects the price most, so it helps to know early. Read more in How much does a website cost for a small business in Sweden?
6. Copy for every page
The copy is what makes visitors understand what you do and why they should choose you – and it is what Google reads. Write a few lines about each service, using the words your customers use. We are happy to polish it, but the foundation is your knowledge of your business.
7. Real photos
Photos of you, your team, your premises and your work do more for trust than stock images. Gather the best photos you have. If you have few, it can be worth booking a photographer for half a day – those are photos you will use for years.
8. Features from day one
Do customers need to book, pay, fill in a form or choose a language? Write down what the website must do from the start and what can wait. Features cost more than ordinary pages, so it pays to prioritise.
9. Inspiration – and competitors
Save links to two or three websites you like and note what you like about them: the colours, the feel, how easy it is to book? Look at your competitors too. It helps us understand what you want – and how you can stand out.
10. Contact details and channels
Collect your phone number, email, address, opening hours, company registration number and links to social media. If you have a Google Business Profile, make sure the same details appear everywhere. It makes it easier for both customers and Google to trust you.
Ready? Then it goes fast
Once these ten things are in place, a simple website can be ready in a few days. If something is missing, that's fine – we go through the list together and help you with what's left. Book a meeting and we'll look at your website together, or see our website packages.
