How to plan a website before you build it
A good website does not begin with colours, fonts or an AI prompt. It begins with decisions: who the site is for, what they need, what you need them to do and what must be true for the website to earn its keep.
Start with the job, not the design
Write one sentence that describes the website’s main job. A service business may need qualified enquiries; a shop may need purchases; a membership may need sign-ups. Choose one primary outcome, then list the supporting actions that make it possible. This stops every page trying to do everything.
Define the people and their questions
Describe the customer situation rather than inventing a vague persona. What has just happened that makes them look for you? What are they worried about? What would make them trust you? Their real questions become your page structure and content plan.
Choose the pages and journeys
Create the smallest useful sitemap. Give every page one role, then trace the route from arrival to action. A visitor should know where they are, what matters and what to do next without decoding your navigation. Use the free page-planning tool for a tailored starting point.
Plan content and proof before layout
For each page, note the promise, the questions it answers, the proof it needs and its next step. Gather testimonials, photographs, prices, policies and examples early. Missing content is one of the most common reasons a build stalls.
Specify functionality and constraints
List forms, payments, bookings, member access, integrations, analytics, accessibility and legal requirements. Separate what launch genuinely needs from what can wait. Then choose the platform that fits the plan, not the other way around.
Finish with a brief and staged build plan
Turn the decisions into one source of truth: sitemap, page briefs, content list, functional requirements, measurement plan and launch checklist. Build and test in stages so navigation, forms and key journeys are checked before polish.
Quick check
- One clear primary goal
- Defined visitor needs and objections
- A focused sitemap
- A brief for every key page
- Content and proof inventory
- Functional and technical requirements
- SEO and measurement plan
- Staged build, test and launch plan
Turn the advice into your finished website plan.
The £14.99 Website Planning Kit gives you a printable planner, editable workbook, visual planning board, completed example and your own planning SuperAgent.
See the Website Planning Kit