Preparing for a Web Design Project: 5 Essentials
Designing and building a new website often entails a bit more than people anticipate — but it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. When you approach the process with clarity and the right ingredients, your project can run smoothly and achieve the results you want.
From my experience working with businesses across industries, the most successful websites are those that act as the epicenter of an online marketing ecosystem — a hub that’s active, engaging, and inspiring to your audience. Here’s what you need to have in place before you begin:
1. A Brand Strategy & Identity
Your brand strategy and identity form the foundation of everything that follows. Without them, your website risks being generic or inconsistent.
Brand strategy defines your mission, values, positioning, and audience.
Brand identity translates that strategy into visuals — your logo, color palette, typography, and overall look and feel.
If you’re struggling to make design decisions or communicate clearly with a designer, it’s often because this piece is missing. Get this right first, and your website will naturally fall into alignment with your larger business vision.
2. Audience & Messaging Clarity
Before we get into copywriting or visuals, it’s essential to know who you’re speaking to and what you want them to understand about your brand.
Ask yourself:
Who are my primary customers?
What do they value most?
How is my offering different from competitors?
Clear messaging creates the bridge between your brand and your audience. It’s what turns casual browsers into loyal customers.
3. A Cohesive Visibility Plan
Your website is one piece of a larger visibility system. Social media, PR, email newsletters, SEO, and partnerships all work together to drive traffic and build awareness.
Without a plan, even the best-designed site won’t generate the results you want. You don’t need to be everywhere — but you do need to choose the right channels for your business and commit to showing up consistently.
Think of your website as your home base: everything else should point back to it.
4. Conversion-Oriented Copy
Copy is often the most underestimated element of a website — and yet, it’s the one that drives action.
“Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it's decoration.” — Jeffrey Zeldman
Strong, conversion-oriented copy gives your brand a voice, infuses personality, and motivates people to act. If writing isn’t your strength, consider hiring a professional copywriter. The return on investment is worth it — especially for businesses selling premium products or experiences.
5. Professional Visual Assets
High-quality visuals communicate more than words ever could. Whether it’s product photography, headshots, images of your space, or even video, your visual assets tell your story in an immediate and visceral way.
Professional photography: Builds trust and credibility.
Lifestyle and brand imagery: Helps customers picture themselves engaging with your product or service.
Video (optional but powerful): Creates movement and connection, especially for events, wineries, and destination-based businesses.
Stock photography can supplement, but it should never replace the unique imagery that represents your brand.
Bringing It All Together
With these essentials in place, you set your website project up for success. A good designer will be able to:
Translate your brand identity across your site for a cohesive look and feel
Structure content with smart information architecture that guides visitors intuitively
Use graphics and visuals strategically to support your message
Highlight calls to action and remove friction from the customer journey
Design isn’t decoration. It’s a creative and strategic process with a very specific aim: helping your business grow.
When you’re ready, my role is to guide you through that process — ensuring your website doesn’t just look beautiful, but works powerfully to attract the right customers, build trust, and inspire action.
Onwards & Upwards,