Introduction:
Too often, clients jump into web development without a solid foundation. This leads to scope creep, budget overruns, and underwhelming results. Here are seven critical things you should have in place before writing a single line of code.
- Clear Business Goals
Define what your website needs to accomplish: lead generation, sales, bookings, education, etc.
- Brand Identity & Tone
Have your logo, brand colors, fonts, and content style defined. This ensures design and dev align.
- Sitemap & Navigation Structure
A clear page hierarchy with intentional CTAs (calls to action) makes content easier to plan and build.
- Content or Content Plan
Have actual content or detailed outlines in place for each page—not “Lorem Ipsum.”
- SEO Foundations
Know your target keywords, competitors, and basic SEO requirements. It’s cheaper to build SEO into the project than retrofit it later.
- Technical Specs
Will you need user logins, booking systems, e-commerce, or third-party APIs? Identify them early.
- Hosting & Platform Decisions
Choose a CMS (like WordPress) and understand your hosting needs: shared, VPS, managed, etc.
Conclusion:
The success of a website project is determined before development begins. Get your foundation right to avoid surprises and save time and money.
