How to Prepare for Your Website Design Project

Hiring a designer for your first website project is exciting, but it can also come with a lot of questions:

What pages should your site include? Who writes the content? How many revisions are normal? What happens after the site launches?

One of my recent clients came to our kickoff call with a thoughtful list that covered everything from design scope to SEO to ongoing costs. If you’re preparing for your own website design project, here are a few things that will help make the process smoother for everyone involved.

1. Choosing the Right Website Platform

Before design even begins, one of the first decisions to make is which website platform your site will be built on.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer here. The right platform depends on your business model, how much flexibility you want, and what type of functionality your website needs.

For most projects, the conversation usually comes down to platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix. Each has its strengths, but two of the most common platforms we work with are WordPress and Shopify.

WordPress for Service-Based Businesses

WordPress is often the best choice for service-based businesses that need a flexible, highly customizable website. This includes businesses like:

• architects and interior designers
• contractors and home service companies
• consultants and creative studios
• agencies and freelancers

With WordPress, we can create a fully custom website design that’s built specifically for your brand and the way your business works. Instead of relying heavily on templates, we design layouts that are tailored to your content, services, and user experience.

WordPress also allows us to add extra functionality using plugins. These can help with things like:

• SEO optimization
• contact forms and lead capture
• image galleries and portfolios
• blog functionality
• performance and security

This level of customization is one reason WordPress powers such a large percentage of the web.

Shopify for E-Commerce Businesses

If your primary goal is selling products online, Shopify is often the better platform. Shopify is built specifically for e-commerce, which means it handles things like:

• product listings
• inventory tracking
• checkout and payment processing
• shipping integrations

With Shopify projects, we typically start with a well-built theme or template, then customize it to match your brand, layout needs, and aesthetic. This approach keeps the store stable and optimized while still giving your site a unique look and feel.

Like WordPress, Shopify also offers apps that can expand functionality, from advanced product filters to marketing tools and subscription services.

2. Understand the Scope of Your Website

One of the first things your designer will help determine is which pages your site needs. Every business is different, but most websites include a structure similar to:

• Home
• About or Team
• Services
• Portfolio or Work Gallery
• Process
• Blog (and individual posts)
• Contact

Your designer can help guide how these pages should be organized in the main navigation menu. Sometimes pages are combined, sometimes they’re split into sub-pages depending on how much information you want to include.

The goal is always the same: create a website structure that feels clear, intuitive, and easy for visitors to navigate.

3. Plan for Content and Photography

One of the most common questions clients ask is: Who writes the website content?

In most cases, clients provide the copy and photography since they know their business, services, and voice best. That said, a good designer will absolutely help refine things along the way.

During the design process, we often:

• Pull from existing website copy
• Suggest edits for clarity and flow
• Identify places where messaging could be stronger

If deeper messaging work is needed, bringing in a professional copywriter can also be a great option.

4. Expect Revisions (But Not Endless Ones)

Website design is collaborative. Revisions are a normal and important part of the process.

Typically, our process begins with designing the homepage first. This page becomes the visual foundation for the rest of the site, establishing things like:

• Navigation and layout structure
• Button styles and colors
• Typography
• Content flow
• Image treatments
• Important CTAs

From there, we usually go through two to three rounds of revisions on the homepage before moving on to the remaining pages.

Most projects stay well within that range. If revisions start to exceed four or five rounds across the entire site, additional fees may apply, but this rarely happens when everyone is aligned on the initial direction.

5. Your Website Should Be Strategic, Not Just Pretty

A good website isn’t just about visuals. It should guide visitors toward action.

During the design process, your designer should help shape key elements like:

• Calls-to-action (contact forms, estimate requests, etc.)
• The flow of information across pages
• How visitors move through the site

The goal is to make sure your website supports your business goals, whether that’s generating leads, showcasing work, or educating potential clients.

6. Basic SEO Should Be Part of the Setup

Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a huge topic, but every website should at least have a solid foundation.

At a basic level, this typically includes:

• Choosing relevant keywords for each page
• Proper page heading structure
• Image alt tags
• Clear site organization

For WordPress sites, tools like the Yoast SEO plugin help ensure these elements are set up correctly.

If you want to go deeper into ongoing SEO strategy, a specialized SEO expert can help with long-term optimization.

7. You Should Always Own Your Website

One of the most important questions clients ask is about ownership.

When your website is complete, you should have full control over:

• The design and content
• Your WordPress dashboard
• Hosting and domain accounts
• Any plugins or tools used to build the site

This ensures that if you ever decide to work with a different developer or agency in the future, the transition is simple.

A new developer would just need login access to your site and hosting provider.

8. Understand Ongoing Website Costs

Websites do come with a few ongoing expenses, but most are predictable and relatively manageable. Typical costs include:

• Hosting and SSL (if you’re using WordPress) or your monthly / yearly website plan (if you’re using Shopify or Squarespace)
• Domain registration
• Other apps and integrations (ex. for inventory management, shipping, pickup and delivery, product variant / customization apps, etc.)

SSL certificates are especially important because they protect user data and help your site meet Google’s security standards.

Outside of that, additional costs usually only come into play if you’re adding new functionality or investing in ongoing SEO or maintenance services.

Final Thoughts

The best website projects happen when designers and clients start with clear expectations.

When you understand the scope, content needs, revision process, and long-term ownership of your website, everything runs smoother — and the end result is a site that truly supports your business.

If you’re preparing for your first website design project, asking thoughtful questions upfront is one of the best things you can do. And any good designer will be happy to walk you through the process.