What to prepare before you get a website built: a checklist for local business owners
The biggest delay in most website projects isn’t design or code. It’s waiting for content: the right photos, a few lines about your services, a decision on which page matters most. If you gather a handful of things before the build starts, your site goes live faster and works harder from the first day.
Here’s the checklist we give every client before their free website call. You don’t need all of it, but the more you have, the smoother things go.
1. Decide what the website needs to do
Start with the job, not the look. Most local business websites have one main goal, and every page should point towards it. Pick the one that fits you best:
- Get phone calls from people ready to book
- Get quote or inquiry form submissions
- Take bookings or appointments online
- Promote a specific offer or seasonal campaign
- Show credibility to people who heard about you elsewhere
Knowing this upfront changes what goes on the homepage, where the buttons go and which pages you actually need.
2. List your services, in your customers’ words
Write down each service you want people to find, with a sentence or two on what it includes. Use the words your customers use when they call you, not industry jargon. If people ask for “AC repair”, don’t call it “HVAC system remediation”.
Note which services make you the most money or that you want more of. Those deserve their own page, because a page focused on one service is easier for both visitors and Google to understand.
3. Gather your photos
Real photos of you, your team, your premises and your work build far more trust than stock images. Phone photos are fine if they’re well lit and in focus. Aim for:
- A friendly photo of you or your team
- Examples of finished work, or before-and-after shots
- Your shopfront, office or vehicles, if customers will recognize them
- Your logo, ideally in the highest resolution you have
If you don’t have photos yet, we can use good stock images to start and swap in your own later.
4. Collect proof
People want to know others have trusted you. Gather anything that shows it: Google reviews, testimonials from emails or texts (with permission), accreditations, years in business and any notable clients. Even two or three genuine reviews make a difference.
5. Sort out the practical details
- Your domain name, or the name you’d like to buy
- Your business phone number, email and address
- Opening hours and the areas you serve
- Login details for any existing website or hosting, if you’re replacing a site
- Where inquiries should go (email, phone, or both)
6. Find two or three websites you like
They don’t need to be in your industry. Note what you like about each: the colours, the layout, how easy it is to contact them. This saves a lot of back-and-forth when we start designing.
What happens next
Once you have these, the build itself moves quickly. Our five-page websites are delivered in two weeks, with unlimited revisions until you approve them. If you’re unsure about anything on this list, that’s exactly what the free website call is for. We’ll work through it with you.
Wondering about cost? Read how much it costs to build a website, or see how long a website takes to build.
Need a website that brings in inquiries?
Get a professional website, live in two weeks
We build fast, mobile-friendly websites for local businesses, planned around what you need your website to do. Five pages from $750, with unlimited revisions until you approve.
You’ll talk directly with Govind,
founder of Crazy Media Design.
$750
Five-page website · starting price
- Delivered in two weeks
- Unlimited revisions
- Mobile-friendly and fast
- You own your website
