NEW WEBSITE LAYOUT
Use this website planning checklist to gather the decisions and material needed for a new website or redesign. Work through the questions, mark anything you are unsure about and bring the answers to your initial discussion with a designer.
Updated 2 October 2026.
Goals, pages and navigation
- What is the main action visitors should take: enquire, book, buy or find information?
- Who is the website for, and which services or locations matter most?
- Which pages are essential at launch? List the main pages and any individual service or project pages.
- Would one focused page cover the content clearly, or do different services need their own pages?
- Can a first-time visitor find the service, supporting evidence and contact route easily?
Features and updates
- Do you need bookings, product sales, a blog, search, an artist roster or another specific feature?
- Which existing systems must connect to the website?
- Who will update the text, images, products or events after launch?
- Which features can wait for a later phase?
YOUR CURRENT COMPANY WEBSITE
- What is your current website address, and who manages it?
- Which pages, enquiries or search visits are already valuable?
- What do customers struggle to find or do?
- Which content and page addresses should be retained in a redesign?
- Are any pages moving? Record the old and proposed addresses so suitable redirects can be planned.
- Which competitors or example websites are useful references, and what specifically do you like about them?
COLOUR SCHEME AND TYPOGRAPHY
- Gather the existing logo files, colours, typefaces and any brand guidelines you want the website to use.
- Identify any colours or design approaches you want to avoid.
- Choose examples that show the visual direction you prefer and explain why.
- Flag accessibility needs early. Text needs to remain readable, links recognisable and navigation usable across devices.
IMAGES AND COPY
- List the text, photographs and videos needed for each page.
- Mark what is ready, what needs updating and what needs creating.
- Confirm permission to use supplied images, music, videos and client material.
- Decide who writes and approves the copy, including service details and project examples.
- Gather genuine testimonials or case-study evidence you have permission to publish.
- For a music site, prepare biographies, release links, press material and the correct booking contact.
BUSINESS INTERNET SERVICES
- Confirm who owns and renews the domain name, and which email accounts must keep working.
- Decide whether to retain your hosting provider or discuss website hosting and support.
- Agree responsibility for backups, software updates and routine maintenance.
- List any subscriptions or third-party services the website depends on.
- Arrange necessary access securely once the project is agreed; keep passwords out of the brief.
If you are starting with a new domain, see the guide to choosing a domain name.
PROJECT SPECIFICS
Before the project starts
- Set a budget range and separate launch essentials from later additions.
- Identify a required launch date and any fixed event or business deadline.
- Choose the person who supplies content, combines feedback and approves the work.
- Agree which deliverables, revisions and support are included in the quote.
Before the website launches
- Check the navigation, text and page layouts on a phone and a desktop screen.
- Test contact forms, confirmation messages and enquiry delivery.
- Test any booking or checkout journey included in the project.
- Check internal links, moved-page redirects and important downloads.
- Review page titles, headings and image descriptions.
- Confirm which pages should be available to search engines.
- Check agreed analytics and enquiry tracking, then confirm who monitors the site after launch.
Turn your answers into a concise brief using the web design brief template. For accessibility considerations, W3C’s web design tips provide a useful starting point.
I’m Lee, a freelance web designer in Berkshire. When you are ready, send your website brief so we can discuss the right scope for your project.