Alright, I know that not everyone has built out a website before, so I’m here to help you know the basics of what you need for your next Showit website update.

I created a short checklist of items that I send to my clients as we are preparing for their upcoming project.

You might be wondering, Maggie, what all goes into a website project, don’t you do it all? Why would a client need a checklist? That’s a great question.

What I Don’t Do On Web Projects

While I do take care of all the web design aspects, there are several things I don’t offer. One of the largest being, copywriting—the text on the website.

I have all my clients work on writing their own copy—either alone, with the help of a template, or hiring a copywriter.

Another thing I don’t do is gather images. It falls to my client to provide the images they want for their website. I then take them, resize them, rename them and upload them to Showit.

The reason I don’t choose images or write copy, is because I am not an expert in my client’s industry. They are. I want them to put their best foot forward by selling themselves—through copy and images. I am always here for guidance, but I leave the writing up to them.

What I Do Offer on Web Projects

Before you think I only design, there are several other things I do with my clients to help with their websites. One of the biggest is ensuring the functionality for the visitor is my top priority.

I also work on backend SEO—through updating metadata, page titles, headers, and alt-tags. I want to help set my clients up for success with their new websites.

And I can’t do that without some help from the client. That is why I created this checklist, so we can work together on making sure their website runs smoothly as well as the project as a whole.

So without delay, here is my checklist along with my reasoning behind why I put these items on here.

Website Checklist

Website Copy Written

I ask that all copy be written by the time the project starts so I can design around what they’ve written and not have to alter my designs to fit in their copy.

Brand Photos + Videography

The importance of images and video is increasing significantly. I encourage all my clients to have professional photos of them, their work, and their business to help display them well.

Branding

I cannot build a website without knowing my client’s brand colours or fonts. I need that all sorted before I can design their website.

Business Email + Contact Information

This seems a little counterintuitive, but I want to make sure that they are set up in the back end of their business so when we launch the website they have been using their email for a little while, and if we have to move their domain, we can tell if any bugs arise.

Purchase Domain

This one isn’t as important to have at the beginning of the project, but it is something that I do need. I recommend that my clients have the domain purchased prior so we don’t lose the domain they want if we’ve waited too long.

A Frequently Asked Questions Section

I think having this section is vital to running your business. A lot of the time, potential clients won’t send an email if they can’t find the answer to their question. They will exit the website. But if you have a FAQ page/section, you have a better chance at answering the client’s questions and hopefully booking a discovery call.

CRM/ Customer Relations Management Software

This is important to have set up prior to the website development so we know how people will contact you on your website. We can also work on creating custom contact forms we can embed into the website.

Quizzes or Questionnaire Completed

If you plan on having some quizzes or a questionnaire included on your website I recommend having that all written and created before I start the design. It’s easy for me to embed the code into the website.

Privacy Policy + Terms & Conditions Policy

These are very important pieces that websites tend to forget to include. If you are using Google Analytics on your website or collecting emails on your website you need a privacy policy. You can purchase one from some lawyers who have eCommerce shops, like The Legal Paige, or speak to your business lawyer directly to have them write you one.

Google Analytics + HotJar

If you wish to track your visitors and gather information on how many page views you have, you can create a free Google Analytics Account or purchase a HotJar account. Both of these are great tools to help you understand how people use your website and navigate it. You will need to create an account and provide the tracking code to me. I like this completed before so we can just put the code into Showit as I design.

Google My Business Account

This is also a free service I recommend to all my clients. It’s a great tool where you can collect reviews online. Setting up an account is great, and I think very professional to have one. It doesn’t need to be created before we start the project. But definitely, before we launch, as Google My Business sends you a verification postcard.

Ready to Start Your Website?

While this list isn’t exhaustive, I believe it helps get my website clients and me on the same page, and ready to design their site when the project begins.

If you want to start your website project, hop on a call with me. I’d love to bring your vision to life.