What should you plan before building a website? Clarify its purpose before deciding on features, budget, and working arrangements

Before building a website, clarify its purpose, intended audience, essential features, and budget, then decide on its structure, how it will be built, and maintenance arrangements. If you plan to outsource, also agree in advance on pricing, the scope of revisions, and who will own the website when the working relationship ends. The priority is not to choose an attractive template first, but to turn “what the website needs to do and who will build and manage it” into concrete requirements that guide platform selection and design.

Define the purpose and audience first—do not just say “we need a website”

Business showcase websites, e-commerce sites, and blogs serve different purposes, so suitable platforms and features will differ too. Start by stating the website’s purpose in one sentence, then list its intended audience and the content it will provide:

• Business showcase website: Communicate the company’s identity and provide the brand or service information visitors want to know.
• E-commerce website: Sell products online, with plans for transaction features such as a shopping cart and payment processing.
• Blog: Share articles and knowledge to build a personal or brand identity.

A 2019 article by Tenten recommends identifying the audience and strategic keywords before building a website, along with understanding the industry, users, and competitors. This can guide content planning, but it is not a guarantee of rankings or conversions. For a brand-new website, there is also no need to force in a step intended for analyzing existing website data.

List features and map page relationships, then check platform limitations

Feature planning needs to go beyond choosing a website type. For an e-commerce site, for example, list requirements such as a shopping cart and payment processing, then work out page layouts and links between pages. You can first map the structure with a mind map, then illustrate the interface using wireframes and prototypes.

When using a template-based platform, first check how much the interface can be customized. Otherwise, you may finish the design only to discover that the platform cannot support it. Web design is also about more than appearance; it includes the browsing experience. If you want to attract search traffic, consider SEO and technical architecture during planning rather than addressing them only after launch.

Choose a building approach that fits both your budget and your ability to manage the site

A domain name, hosting for the website’s data, and web design all need to be arranged. Beyond the initial build cost, the budget should include ongoing expenses such as domain renewals and hosting. Do not compare only the initial quotes.

• Custom development: Requires a professional team for development and maintenance, and generally takes longer and costs more.
• Website-building software: Can save development time, but environment setup, configuration, and security management still require technical skills.
• Online website builder: Allows you to build visually, but you still need to check whether its features and customization options meet your needs.

Before outsourcing, put pricing and handover terms in writing

Before engaging a design company, provide a clear budget, scope of work, project goals, and expected timeline rather than simply asking the company to “be creative.” Check the quote against each required feature, and confirm the contract’s termination clauses, file ownership, number of revisions at each stage, review timeframes, and fees.

Also ask directly: Who owns the website when the working relationship ends, and can you take the website with you? The promise in the PTT material that a client could take the website with them applied to a specific working arrangement; it should not be assumed that other providers offer the same terms.