Many website projects run over time and budget not because of development problems, but because the business was not fully prepared when the project started. Development teams need content, decisions, and approvals to keep work moving.
This checklist helps you prepare properly so your website project runs smoothly from day one.
Before You Start
1. Define the Goal
Know what the website should achieve. The three most common goals are:
- Lead generation: Get enquiries from potential customers
- Sales: Sell products or services directly online
- Credibility: Build trust when prospects search for your business
A website optimized for lead generation is structured differently from one built for credibility. Know your primary goal before anything else.
2. Know Your Audience
- Who is your primary customer?
- What do they care about most?
- What questions do they have before making a decision?
- Are they primarily on mobile or desktop?
3. Decide on Pages
A typical small business website includes:
- Home
- About
- Services (one page per service)
- Contact
Additional pages based on your business:
- Portfolio or case studies
- Testimonials
- FAQ
- Blog or insights
- Pricing
Content Preparation
4. Write Your Core Content
Content is usually the biggest delay in website projects. Prepare the text for each page before development begins or alongside the design phase.
- Clear headline for the homepage explaining what you do
- Service descriptions — what each service is, who it is for, what is included
- About section — who you are, your background, your approach
- Contact information — phone, WhatsApp, email, address
5. Gather Your Assets
- Logo in high resolution (PNG with transparent background)
- Photos of your work, team, or premises
- Any specific colors or fonts from your brand
- Social media profile links
- Existing business documents (GST, MSME, certifications) if you want to display them
Technical Decisions
6. Choose Your Domain
If you do not have a domain name, decide on one now. Your domain should ideally include your business name and be short, memorable, and easy to spell. Register it separately from your hosting to keep control.
7. Decide on Hosting
Your website needs a server to run on. Your development partner can handle this, but make sure you know who controls the hosting account and that you have admin access.
8. Decide if You Need a CMS
If you want to update content, add blog posts, or manage products yourself, you need a content management system. Decide early — adding CMS capability after development is more expensive than including it from the start.
Launch Preparation
9. Set Up Google Analytics and Search Console
Create a Google Analytics account and a Google Search Console account before launch. Your development team can connect them to the website. These tools are essential for tracking traffic and monitoring search performance.
10. Plan Your Post-Launch SEO
- Verify the site on Google Search Console
- Submit your sitemap to Google
- Set up or update your Google Business Profile
- Check that all pages have proper titles and descriptions
11. Test Before You Launch
- Test on mobile, tablet, and desktop
- Test all forms — do submissions work?
- Test all links — are any broken?
- Check loading speed using Google PageSpeed Insights
- Confirm the site has an SSL certificate (HTTPS)
After Launch
- Monitor Google Analytics for traffic and user behavior
- Check Search Console for crawl errors
- Keep software, plugins, and hosting updated
- Review and improve content based on what is working
If you are ready to start your website project with a team that handles all of this systematically, Shriyan Technologies offers a structured process from scoping to launch and beyond.