How To Plan a Website: Make or Break Steps for Building a New Website

Key takeaways:

• Planning your website is the best way to stay focused on what matters. When you’re clear on what it needs to do and who it’s for, every other decision becomes easier.
• Your brand’s tone, visuals and messaging should all feel like they belong together. A consistent style makes your site feel more polished and trustworthy.
• Choose a platform that feels easy to use and offers support when you need it. Having help along the way makes the whole process a lot smoother.

Planning a website is the best way to get it right. But let’s be honest—planning can feel a little overwhelming, right? Whether you’re starting from scratch or just giving your site a refresh, having a solid plan makes the whole process smoother and a lot less stressful.

Learn a simple, step-by-step method for planning your website so it’s clear, complete, and shows you exactly where to focus when it’s time to build.

So, let’s start with the basics: what your website needs to do.

Step 1. Define your website goals

Before you start designing or writing content, take a moment to figure out what your website is actually for. A clear goal gives your project direction and helps guide every decision—from how your homepage is laid out to the kind of content you create.

Your website goal is the main outcome you’re aiming for. That could be making sales, positioning yourself as an expert, sharing helpful information, building an audience, or creating a source of passive income. Whatever the goal, it shapes the kind of website you’re planning.

If you’re not quite sure yet, ask yourself:

• Why am I building this website? Am I sharing my work, promoting a service, or launching something new.
• Is this for a business, a personal project, or something you’re passionate about?
• What kind of connection do I want to create with visitors? Should it feel like they’re talking to an expert, exploring something exciting, or engaging with someone relatable?

You don’t need all the answers right away. Even a rough idea of your website’s purpose gives you a stronger sense of direction and makes each next step feel more intentional.

Step 2. Identify your target audience

Once you know what your website is for, think about who benefits from it. Your target audience doesn’t have to be “customers” or “buyers”—might be readers, collaborators, potential clients, or even just curious visitors.

Ask yourself:

• Who do I want to visit my site?
• What would be useful, interesting, or helpful to them?
• What would make them feel like they’re in the right place?

Having a clear picture of who your audience is helps you understand what to cover and how to shape your content. It keeps your planning focused and makes sure you’re building something with real people in mind, not just guessing as you go.

For example, if you’re building a portfolio, you might want to sound confident and professional. If it’s a blog, something more relaxed and friendly could feel more natural. Matching your tone to your audience helps your site feel like it was made just for them.

Step 3. Take inspiration from competitor websites

Competitor analysis is a strategic way to start planning your own site. It helps you make smarter choices about your site’s structure, content, and features.

As you browse through similar websites, focus on areas that will directly shape your own planning:

• Site structure. Look at how web pages are grouped and connected. Take note of how easy it is to move from one page to another, and how they organize their menus and navigation.
• Visual design. Pay attention to the visual representation of branding—things like layout, color, and font choices. Save design styles that match the direction you want to take.
• Content and messaging. Pay attention to how other websites communicate. If you share a similar audience, you’ll likely find ideas worth borrowing, like strong calls to action, clear headings and thoughtful content structure. Look at how they introduce their message, guide readers through each page and keep things easy to understand.
• Product pages and features. If you’re building an eCommerce site, spend extra time analyzing product page designs. Look at how product images are presented, how information is structured, and where calls to action are placed.

As you go through this, keep your own website in mind. What do you want to do differently? What do you offer that others don’t? That’s your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). It could be a simpler layout, a more personal brand voice, or just a better experience overall. Knowing that early on will help you build a site that feels intentional—and stands out for the right reasons.

Step 4. Create a visual identity and brand guidelines

By now, you probably have a good sense of how you want your website to look and feel. Locking in those ideas early will help your site stay consistent and save you time later when you’re building.

This vision forms your brand identity. It’s not just about what you say on your site, but how it comes across visually and emotionally. You can start by creating a mood board and a brand voice chart. These tools help you shape how your website communicates, both in how it looks and how it sounds.

How to create a mood board

A mood board is a collection of colors, fonts, images and textures that reflect how you want your website to look and feel. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s simply a space to experiment and gather ideas that match your brand’s personality.

You can start by playing around with:

• a few colors that feel like your brand
• one or two fonts that match the tone you’re going for
• images, patterns or design styles that capture the mood you want your site to convey

You can build your mood board using a tool like Canva, Milanote or even just a blank doc or folder where you collect visuals. It’s a creative snapshot of your brand and a helpful reference when it’s time to start designing.

Here’s an example of what a simple mood board might look like:

Create a brand voice chart

A brand voice chart helps you define how your website should sound. It’s not just about choosing tone words—it’s about understanding how to use them when you write.

To create one, start by choosing three to four tone words that describe your brand. These should reflect how you want to come across to your audience. Then, add short notes on what each word means in your context, and a few example phrases that match the tone.

Here’s a simple example:

Tone	What it means	Example phrases
Friendly	Casual and approachable, like a helpful peer	“Need help? Just let us know.”  “We’ve got you.”
Confident	Clear and assured, without sounding pushy	“Here’s exactly what to do next.”
Calm	Steady and relaxed, not salesy or high pressure	“Take your time. You’re in control.”
Helpful	Focused on being useful, not overly promotional	“Here’s a guide to walk you through each step.”

Step 5. Plan your layout with a website wireframe

Create a sitemap that outlines your main pages and how they’re connected. Make your site easy to navigate to ensure visitors can navigate from one section to another.

Plan the layout for each page, focusing on where key elements like text, images, and calls to action will go. Wireframes are helpful tools to visualize how everything fits together. Also, think about any functional features you might need, such as forms, booking calendars, or contact sections.

Make sure you plan where these will fit into your layout to provide a smooth user journey.

Step 6. Register a domain name that represents your brand

If you’re planning to build a website, it’s a good idea to grab your domain name early. Even if you’re not quite ready to start building yet. Owning your domain now gives you flexibility. You can park it for later or even sell it if your plans change. Plus, your domain is a key part of your site’s identity—it should match your brand and reflect your business goals.

If your first choice is already taken, there are plenty of alternatives, from adding a keyword to switching up the domain extension. You can also try using our AI domain generator to quickly come up with relevant name options.

With your domain in place, you’re now ready to turn your vision for web projects into something tangible.

Step 7. Choose your website builder

As you choose a platform, think about what you need for your website creation journey. Your decision will shape how your site looks, functions, and grows over time, so it’s worth taking a little time to consider the right fit. 

Technical requirements

How comfortable are you with tech? Website builders are a great starting point for beginners and small businesses. They don’t require any coding, and many include built-in AI tools that can simplify the development process. From layout suggestions to content creation, these user-friendly platforms make it easier to get started even without a technical background. 

Flexibility and scalability

Think about how customizable your website needs to be. Basic builders are great for simpler sites. If you’re planning to sell products, build eCommerce sites, or showcase specific branding elements, you may need a platform that offers more control and room to grow. 

Support

Support is key—especially when your website runs 24/7. Look for a platform that offers help whenever you need it, whether through live chat, phone support, or step-by-step guides. Reliable support helps you get quick answers when something unexpected comes up.

You can also choose a platform that offers access to a professional web designer if you need help.

Costs

Costs depend on the platform and the complexity of your site. Budget-friendly builders work well for small businesses or personal projects. More advanced websites with custom features typically require a bigger investment, especially if you plan to work with a designer or developer during the development process.

Here’s a breakdown of your options to help you decide what fits best for your site creation:

Option	Technical expertise required	Flexibility/scalability	Support	Cost
DIY website builders	None (drag-and-drop)	Limited flexibility for customization, but scalable for small websites	Basic support (mostly self-service)	Free to $$ (subscription)
Professional website designer	Medium (requires communication, design feedback)	High (customized designs, unique functionalities)	Full support, ongoing updates	$$$ (depends on the designer)
Freelancers or agencies	Medium to High (depends on the project)	High (can scale to complex eCommerce store or large websites)	Varies (can offer ongoing maintenance)	$$$ – $$$$ (depends on project complexity)
WordPress (Self-hosted)	Medium (requires basic technical skills for setup)	High (complete control over design and features)	Medium (you’ll need to manage or hire support)	$$ for hosting, free for CMS

Step 8. Plan your website content

Your content is what makes your website come to life. Now it’s time to think about what type of content will go on each page and how to organize it.

Consider the following:

Content for key pages

What does each page need to say? Think about your home page, product pages, and about sections. Make sure your web pages align with your overall goals, connect logically with the others, and maintain a consistent tone across the site.

Headlines and CTAs

Your headlines should grab attention, and your calls to action (CTAs) should tell visitors what to do next. For example, your homepage might have a bold headline, and your service pages should guide visitors with CTAs like “Get a Quote” or “Sign Up.”

Content organization

Decide how to arrange your website content. For example, how will your blog posts be organized, or where will product descriptions and images go? This helps create a clear, user-friendly layout.

Content updates

Think ahead about which pages will need regular updates. Blog posts, product listings and seasonal promotions should be easy to refresh as your site grows.

To help stay on track, you can put together a simple content calendar. It lets you plan what to write, when to publish and where it’ll live on your site. For example:

• Week 1: Write blog post on “How to Plan a Website”
• Week 2: Create product descriptions for top 5 items
• Week 3: Write your About page and FAQs

A basic schedule like this helps keep your content moving forward without feeling overwhelming.

Step 9. Start planning your SEO strategy

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your website show up in search engines like Google. It covers everything from the words you use to how your site is built. Thinking about it now will make things easier later when it’s time to launch.

Start with keyword research

Even if your content isn’t written yet, it helps to know what your audience is searching for. Keyword research can show you the terms and topics that matter most, and what similar websites are already ranking for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends are great places to start.

Know what else affects SEO

It’s not just about content. Things like mobile responsiveness, site speed, and even your hosting plan can make a difference. You don’t need to dig into the technical details just yet, but keeping these in mind now will help you make smarter choices as you plan.

Get familiar with SEO tools

It’s worth exploring a few tools now rather than figuring it all out later. Starting early means you’ll be able to monitor and improve your site as it grows, without needing to redo everything down the line. Here are a few to check out:

• SEOptimizer
• Squirrly SEO
• Google Keyword Planner
• Google Trends

Step 10. Plan your analytics strategy

Small business and websites often don’t need to set up analytics right away. However, planning your key metrics and KPIs early will help track your website’s performance effectively once it’s live. This preparation lets you monitor how well your site is doing, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your strategy to attract more visitors and boost conversions. You can also explore these tools in advance to get familiar with tracking visitor behavior and site performance:

• Google Analytics. Tracks website traffic and user behavior.
• Hotjar. Shows where visitors click and scroll on your site.
• Crazy Egg. Visualizes user interactions with your pages.

Ready to turn your ideas into a powerful website?

Planning your website ahead prepares you to create one that works well and connects with your audience.

When you’re ready to move forward, we’ll be with you. Our AI-powered website builder has everything you need to get started—from easy-to-use tools and templates to expert support. Start planning today and turn your ideas into a thriving online presence. You’ve got this!

Frequently asked questions