Before your website project starts, prepare your business goals, information about your services and customers, available website copy, brand assets, images, domain and hosting details, required integrations, and a person responsible for approvals. You do not necessarily need every page written or every image finalized before kickoff, but you should tell your designer what is ready, what is missing, and who will make decisions.
The more clearly you communicate your needs at the beginning, the easier it is for your designer to plan the site, estimate the work, and identify potential obstacles.
You do not need to be a web design expert to prepare well. You need to understand your business, know what the website should accomplish, and gather the information your designer needs to turn that goal into a practical plan.
Use the checklist below to prepare for a new website or redesign.
1. Start With Your Business Goals
Before sending files or choosing colors, explain why you need the website. Your designer needs to understand what the business is trying to achieve, not just what you want the finished site to look like.
A website designed to generate quote requests may need a different structure from one designed to sell products, accept bookings, or establish professional credibility.
Explain what success looks like
Write down the main purpose of your website. For example, you may want to:
- Generate more qualified inquiries.
- Encourage customers to call your business.
- Get visitors to request estimates.
- Allow clients to schedule consultations.
- Explain a complex service more clearly.
- Support local search visibility.
- Replace an outdated website.
- Make it easier for your team to update pages.
Choose the most important goal first. You can have secondary goals, but knowing the main priority helps the designer decide which information, pages, and calls to action deserve the most attention.
Describe your ideal customer
Tell the designer who you want the website to attract.
Useful information includes:
- The types of customers you serve.
- The problems they want to solve.
- The services they usually need.
- The locations you serve, if relevant.
- Questions customers commonly ask before buying.
- Reasons customers choose your business.
- Concerns that prevent people from contacting you.
For example, a residential contractor may need to communicate service areas, project types, and how to request an estimate. A business consultant may need to explain areas of expertise, the consulting process, and how to schedule an initial discussion.
These details help the designer build a website around customer needs rather than making assumptions about your audience.
Share your main competitors or reference websites
Provide two or three examples of websites you like, if you have them. Explain what appeals to you about each one.
You might like the navigation on one site, the way another explains its services, or the photography used by a third.
Also share examples of what you dislike. A reference website is a source of direction, not necessarily a design to copy. Explain the qualities you want to achieve while keeping your own brand and business requirements distinct.
2. Prepare Your Business Information
Your designer needs accurate information about the business before they can write or organize the website content effectively.
Prepare a short document containing the essentials.
| Information | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Business name | The exact name to display on the website |
| Business overview | A concise description of what the company does |
| Services | A list of current services and a short description of each |
| Target customers | The audiences you primarily serve |
| Service areas | Cities, regions, or locations covered, where applicable |
| Contact details | Approved business phone number, email, and address if relevant |
| Business hours | Current operating hours, if customers need them |
| Differentiators | Genuine reasons customers might choose your business |
| Credentials | Relevant licenses, certifications, or memberships, where applicable |
| Policies | Relevant privacy, booking, cancellation, warranty, or other policies |
Not every business needs every item. A service-area business may not want to publish a home address, for example, while a business that relies on in-person visits may need its location and opening hours displayed prominently.
Explain what makes your business different
Avoid sending only a list of services. Tell the designer what customers should understand about your business.
Are you focused on a particular type of project? Do you serve a specific audience? Is your process different from the alternatives customers commonly consider?
Use factual, supportable information. If you claim to be licensed, insured, award-winning, or highly experienced, make sure the claim is accurate and that you can provide any necessary evidence.
Your designer can help present your strengths clearly, but they should not have to invent them.
3. Gather Your Website Content
One of the most useful things you can provide is the written content that explains your business and services.
However, you do not always need to finish every page before the project begins. The required level of readiness depends on the scope of the project and the agreement with your designer.
If you already have website copy, organize it. If you have only rough notes, share those too and clarify whether copywriting is part of the agreed scope.
List the pages you think you need
Start with a preliminary page list. A typical service business website might include:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Individual service pages
- Contact
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Testimonials or portfolio, if applicable
- Blog or resources, if part of your content strategy
- Privacy policy and other required legal pages
This is a starting point, not a requirement to create every page. The final sitemap should reflect your actual services, audience, and business goals.
If you offer several distinct services, separate service pages may help visitors find detailed information about the specific solution they need. If you offer only one service, a simpler structure may be sufficient.
Provide existing copy and documents
Gather any content that could help the designer understand your business:
- Current website text.
- Service descriptions.
- Brochures or capability statements.
- Company profiles.
- Product or service information.
- Frequently asked customer questions.
- Existing blog posts or educational resources.
- Approved testimonials and project descriptions.
Mark which content is current, which needs editing, and which should no longer be used. This helps prevent outdated details from being copied into the new website.
Identify content that is still missing
If you do not have finished copy, create a simple content list with three statuses:
- Ready: Content is complete and approved.
- Needs revision: A draft exists but requires updating.
- Not started: Content still needs to be written or collected.
This makes the work visible to everyone involved. It also helps your designer identify whether missing content could affect layouts, project timing, or launch readiness.
4. Provide Your Logo, Brand Guide, and Visual Assets
Your visual assets help the designer create a website that feels consistent with your business identity.
Send the original files when available, rather than screenshots or low-resolution images downloaded from social media.
Logo files
Useful formats may include:
- SVG, when available, for scalable vector artwork.
- PNG for transparent-background images.
- PDF or AI files for editable vector artwork, where appropriate.
- High-resolution JPG files for uses that do not require transparency.
The designer can advise which formats are suitable for the platform and project. If you only have a small image of your logo, let them know instead of trying to enlarge it yourself.
Brand guidelines
If your business has a brand guide, provide it. It may specify:
- Brand colors.
- Fonts and typography.
- Logo placement and spacing.
- Image style.
- Tone of voice.
- Rules for using the logo.
- Visual elements that should remain consistent.
If you do not have formal guidelines, share the colors, styles, and examples you currently use. You can also explain whether you want to preserve your existing identity or are open to changes.
Photography, illustrations, and other media
Collect relevant assets such as:
- Team and staff photographs.
- Images of completed projects.
- Office or business location photographs.
- Service-related images.
- Product images, if relevant.
- Approved videos or illustrations.
- Portfolio samples.
For each asset, explain what it shows and where it might be useful. If a photograph contains customers, employees, or other identifiable people, ensure you have appropriate permission for the intended use.
Also identify any stock images, supplier images, or other third-party assets and confirm that their licensing permits website use.
What if you do not have professional photography?
You can still begin planning the website. Tell your designer what images are available and ask what alternatives fit the project scope.
Depending on the business, suitable options may include arranging a photo session, using properly licensed stock photography, creating simple illustrations, or using existing project images that meet quality requirements.
Do not assume that a designer will automatically provide photography, a logo redesign, or all visual assets. Confirm what is included before work begins.
5. Share Your Website, Domain, and Hosting Details Securely
If you already have a website, the designer may need access to its content management system, hosting environment, domain settings, or other tools.
These permissions should be planned carefully. Do not send passwords in an ordinary email or place sensitive login details in an unsecured document.
Make a list of the relevant accounts
Depending on the project, you may need to identify:
- Your current website platform or content management system.
- Your domain registrar.
- Your hosting provider.
- Your website administrator account.
- Your DNS management provider.
- Your business email or related integrations.
- Analytics and search-performance tools.
- Your CRM, booking system, or other connected services.
DNS refers to the settings that direct your domain to the relevant website and services. Changes to these settings can affect website availability and email delivery, so they should be handled carefully.
Not every project requires access to every account. Ask the designer which permissions are necessary and why.
Use secure, appropriate access
Where possible, create a separate user account for the designer with only the permissions needed for the work. Use the agreed secure sharing process for credentials, and enable multifactor authentication when supported.
Keep ownership and administrative control of your business accounts. Avoid giving unnecessary access to unrelated financial, personal, or customer information.
If you are unsure who owns your domain or hosting account, clarify that before the project starts. Recovering access can take time and may delay the work.
Prepare analytics and search tools when relevant
If the project includes SEO, analytics, or a redesign of an existing website, the team may need access to tools such as Google Analytics or Google Search Console.
These tools can help establish a baseline and understand how people currently find or use the website. Access requirements depend on the scope of work.
Use Google’s official Search Central documentation as a starting point for understanding how website structure and content relate to search visibility. For account access, follow the relevant platform’s official permission-management instructions rather than sharing a personal login unnecessarily.
6. List the Features and Integrations You Need
A designer needs to know not only what the website should look like but also what it must do.
Create a list of required features and separate essential launch requirements from optional improvements.
Depending on your business, features might include:
- Contact or quote-request forms.
- Appointment scheduling.
- Online payments.
- Customer portals.
- Newsletter signup.
- Live chat.
- Maps and service-area information.
- CRM integrations.
- Email marketing integrations.
- Analytics and conversion tracking.
- Booking or inventory integrations.
For each feature, explain the business problem it solves.
For example, if customers frequently request estimates, describe what information you need to collect and how your team handles a request after submission. If you need a booking tool, explain whether customers should select a time, pay in advance, or receive a confirmation from your team.
This helps the designer determine whether the feature can be handled by an existing platform tool, a third-party service, or custom development.
Important: Do not assume that every requested integration is included in the original project scope. Confirm the functionality, subscription fees, implementation requirements, and ongoing maintenance responsibilities before approving the work.
7. Explain Your Design Preferences and Requirements
You do not need to know technical design terminology. You simply need to communicate what you want the website to feel like and how you expect visitors to use it.
Provide a few examples of preferred websites, colors, layouts, typography, or photography styles. Explain what you like about each example rather than asking your designer to copy it exactly.
It is also helpful to identify what you want to avoid, such as crowded layouts, excessive animation, difficult navigation, or overly formal language.
If you already have brand guidelines, share them before design begins. If your visual identity is still developing, tell the designer which elements are fixed and which can be explored.
Share accessibility and usability requirements
Mention any known requirements involving accessibility, readability, language, or the devices your customers commonly use.
For example, if many customers visit your website on mobile devices, emphasize the importance of readable text, clear navigation, and easy-to-use contact buttons.
If your business serves customers who speak multiple languages, discuss how the website should handle translated content and language selection.
Raising these needs early is generally easier than trying to retrofit the entire design later.
8. Assign One Person to Approve the Work
A website project needs someone who can answer questions and make decisions. Without a clear approval process, feedback may become contradictory or arrive too late.
Before kickoff, decide who will:
- Answer questions about the business.
- Provide or approve website content.
- Review design concepts.
- Confirm functionality.
- Consolidate feedback from other stakeholders.
- Approve the final website before launch.
If several people need to contribute, nominate one primary contact to collect their feedback and send a consolidated response.
Agree on review expectations
Ask your designer how reviews will work, how feedback should be submitted, and how many revision rounds are included in the agreed scope.
When reviewing a design, focus on whether it communicates the right message, supports the intended customer journey, and meets the project requirements.
Avoid sending disconnected feedback from multiple people without deciding which requests take priority. If a change affects the scope, ask the designer to clarify the implications before proceeding.
9. Prepare for a Website Redesign Differently
If you are replacing an existing website, there are additional items worth preparing.
Identify what must be preserved
List the current pages, content, forms, integrations, and features that must remain available. Identify anything that should be removed or rewritten.
Also flag pages that already attract search traffic, generate leads, or receive links from other websites. Their URLs and content may need special attention during the redesign.
Gather existing performance information
If available, collect analytics reports, search-performance data, and records of inquiries or bookings. This can help establish a baseline against which you can evaluate the new website.
You do not need to become an analytics expert. The important point is to avoid losing useful information simply because the website is being replaced.
Discuss URL changes and redirects
A redesign can change page addresses. If an old URL is replaced, the team should determine whether a redirect is needed to guide visitors and search engines to the appropriate new page.
Do not delete important pages or change URLs without discussing the implications with the person responsible for the site’s SEO and technical setup.
Your designer may handle this work if it is included in the project, but responsibilities should be confirmed before production begins.
10. What If You Do Not Have Everything Ready?
You do not necessarily need a complete brand guide, professional photography, final copy for every page, or a fully documented feature list to begin a conversation with a designer.
What matters is being transparent about what you have and what still needs to be done.
A practical way to prepare is to use three categories:
| Status | Examples | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Ready | Logo, business details, existing website copy | Share the files and confirm they are current |
| In progress | Service descriptions, photography, draft content | Explain who is responsible and when it may be ready |
| Needs guidance | Sitemap, technical integrations, design direction | Discuss the requirements during planning |
If you need copywriting, photography, branding, or technical setup, ask whether these services are included or can be added to the project.
Avoid creating rushed content simply to fill a page. It is better to identify a gap than to publish inaccurate service information or make claims the business cannot support.
11. A Pre-Project Checklist You Can Use
Before your website project starts, work through the following list.
Website project preparation
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Business and goals
Define the main purpose of the websiteDescribe your target customers and service areasList your current services and business detailsGather genuine credentials, testimonials, and project examples
Content and brand assets
List the required website pagesGather existing copy and service descriptionsProvide logo files, brand guidelines, and approved imagesIdentify missing content and assets
Technical requirements
Identify your website platform, domain, and hosting providersList required forms, booking tools, and integrationsIdentify relevant analytics and search toolsArrange necessary access using a secure method
Project management
Share design references and preferencesNominate one person to approve the workAgree on the feedback and revision processConfirm scope, responsibilities, and required deliverables
For a redesign
Identify pages and features that must be preservedGather available analytics and search-performance dataFlag important URLs and pages that generate leadsDiscuss redirects, testing, and launch responsibilities
Copy checklist
You can share this checklist with your team or use it to organize your files before the kickoff meeting. Not every item will apply to every website, so confirm the requirements with your designer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to write all my website content before hiring a web designer?
No. You should provide the business information and content you already have, along with a list of pages and topics that still need work. Whether the designer can help write the content depends on the agreed scope. Clarify who is responsible for writing, editing, and approving each page.
What files should I send a web designer?
Start with your logo, brand guidelines if available, approved images, existing website copy, service descriptions, and relevant business documents. Original, high-quality files are preferable to screenshots. Confirm which file formats and assets the designer needs for your specific project.
Should I give my web designer my domain and hosting passwords?
Provide the necessary access, but do not send passwords through unsecured messages. Ask which accounts need access and use a secure sharing method or separate user permissions where available. Retain ownership and administrative control of your business accounts unless there is a specific, documented reason otherwise.
What if I do not have a logo or brand guidelines?
Tell your designer at the beginning. You can share any existing colors, visual references, or examples of brands you like. Ask whether logo design or brand development is included in the project or needs to be scoped separately.
How many reference websites should I provide?
Two or three relevant examples are usually a practical starting point. Explain what you like about each one, such as its navigation, service descriptions, layout, or imagery. The goal is to communicate direction, not to require your designer to reproduce another company’s website.
If you are planning a new website or redesign and are unsure what to prepare, Underdog Solutions can help you discuss your goals, website requirements, and the next steps in the process.
Book a free strategy session with Underdog Solutions to talk through your project and understand what information, content, and access may be needed before work begins. The session is free and does not obligate you to purchase a service.
