Planning a business website: platform, structure and content

Start with the visitor’s task

For a service business, the task may be choosing a service and making an enquiry. For a shop, it may be comparing products and ordering. Define features afterwards: each integration adds cost, maintenance and potential friction.

1. Match the platform to the work

Assess WordPress, Joomla, Wix, Shopify or custom development against editing, catalogue, integration, language and maintenance needs. There is no universally best platform. Ask for a demonstration of editing copy, publishing content and restoring a backup.

2. Organise the pages

Home, services or products, evidence, business information and contact are a useful starting point. Add FAQs or a blog where they serve a purpose. Name core services clearly and connect them to relevant examples.

3. Prepare content and images

Collect actual service descriptions, terms, photographs, a logo and permitted references. Explain who the offer is for, what it includes and how to enquire. Missing materials can delay a project more than development itself.

4. Check mobile usability and SEO foundations

Test navigation, readability, controls, images and contact on a small screen. Main content should be available in HTML. Plan unique titles, descriptions, canonicals, internal links and preservation of useful existing URLs.

5. Choose a supplier and agree terms

Review working projects and the supplier’s specific role. Clarify domain ownership, access, licence costs, backups and maintenance. Compare quotations against the same scope, including content, verification and training.

If you build the website yourself

Retain control of the domain and hosting, start with a small set of necessary pages and verify the update workflow. Timing depends on content, integrations and approvals; a universal promise of one or six weeks is not a sound planning basis.

Official sources and further information

• Google: SEO starter guide ↗
• Google: site migration ↗