3 Key Steps to Plan and Create a Professional Website

Building a professional website can be overwhelming, especially when you are starting out and have no experience in this area.

There are many easy-to-use tools and platforms that make it actually pretty easy to build a website, from a template. Which can be absolutely fine to start.

But there are some important steps in the web design process that people usually skip, that can really help you plan and build a website that not only looks great, but it’s also designed strategically.

So, let’s dive into the 3 key steps I recommend for planning and designing a great website for your business.

1. Planning & Strategy

Before we begin designing anything, let’s start with some essential planning.

When it comes to planning your website, it’s essential to start with a clear vision of what you want to achieve and who your target audience is. This clarity will serve as the foundation for all your design choices and content decisions.

We need to start with Your Website’s Goals.

Ask yourself, what is the primary purpose of your website?
Are you aiming to sell products or services directly online?
Are you looking to establish your brand’s credibility and provide information?
Do you want to generate leads and make people book a consultation?

Understanding your goals will help shape your website’s structure and features.

Then you need to Identify Your Target Audience:

Knowing your target audience is crucial for designing a website that effectively caters to their needs and preferences. Consider who your ideal customers are, their demographics, interests, and pain points.

You can conduct market research, analyze your competitors ‘ websites, and gather feedback from your existing customers to gain valuable insights about what they actually need from you.

This knowledge will help you tailor your website’s content, language, and design elements that resonate with them.

Now that you have a clear understanding of your goals and target audience, it’s time to align your design choices accordingly.

For example, if your target audience consists of young, tech-savvy individuals, you might consider a modern and trendy design aesthetic with bold colours and sleek typography.

On the other hand, if your target audience is more professional and conservative, a clean and minimalistic design with a more subtle colour palette might be more appropriate.

Remember, your website is an extension of your brand’s identity. By aligning your design choices with your goals and target audience, you’ll create a visually cohesive and engaging experience that resonates with your customers.

2. Define Your Brand Identity

Ideally, when you start working on your website you already have a brand identity in place. But if you haven’t done this yet this is the perfect time to do it.

In this point I’m referring to your Visual Branding elements, having a clear visual guideline will make it so much easier to design your website look, style and layouts.

By following the same design style you can have a website that builds brand awareness, connect with your audience and deliver your message effectively.

A Visual Brand Guideline should be a concise and easy-to-read document that covers everything someone needs to know to create on-brand content for your business. I am talking about elements like:

• Brand colour palette
• Typography
• Logo design and how to use it
• Imagery style

This document can be as small as a one-page document, doesn’t need to be anything fancier than that. But it’s really important to define these elements early on so you keep your branding consistent across the board (including your website).

Remember that your website is part of your whole branding system, it has to be consistent so your audience recognises it where ever they see it.

3. Plan Your Website Structure

This part is so important but usually overlooked by people without experience.

Planning the structure of your website is a crucial step in creating a professional and user-friendly online presence. By mapping out your website’s structure and organizing its content effectively, you can provide a seamless navigation experience for your visitors.

This planning phase will help you organize your content effectively and ensure a user-friendly navigation experience for your visitors.

Start by identifying the core pages that every business website should have.

We are usually talking about your Homepage, About Us, Our Services, and Contact Page.

Depending on your business and industry, there may be other pages that are relevant to include, these can be:

• Testimonials
• Portfolio/Gallery
• Booking page
• Resources/Downloads
• Events/Calendar

Once you have identified the pages your website needs, map out your website’s structure by creating a sitemap.

A sitemap is a visual representation of your website’s structure, illustrating the relationships between pages. You can create a simple diagram using pen and paper, use digital tools or a simple Google Docs or Google Slides. This visual guide will serve as a roadmap for building your website.

By planning your website’s structure and creating a well-organized sitemap, you can ensure that your content is easily accessible, your navigation is intuitive, and your visitors have a great experience.

Building a professional website for your business empowers you to establish a strong online presence and connect with a wider audience.

If you are building your website yourself, try following these key steps before you start, and you will create a website that reflects your brand identity, engages your target audience, and helps you drive business growth.