How to Plan Your Website Before You Hire a Web Designer

Set yourself up for success from the very first step

Hiring a web designer is a smart move for any small business — but even the best designer can’t build a great website without your input. The most successful projects start with clear goals, strong planning, and a shared vision.

At RQA Solutions, we work closely with clients to ensure their websites reflect their brand and meet their business needs. In this post, we’ll show you how to prepare for a web design project, so you save time, stay on budget, and get a site that delivers real results.

1. Know Your Purpose

Before anything else, get clear on what your website is for. Is it a simple online presence? A way to collect leads? A place to sell products or book appointments?

Knowing your primary goal will shape everything else — from layout to functionality.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What is the main action I want visitors to take?

• Do I need people to contact me, book a service, or buy something?

• Should I include a blog, FAQs, portfolio, or reviews?

2. Define Your Audience

Your website isn’t for you — it’s for your audience. The more you understand your ideal customer, the better you can speak their language and solve their problems.

Think about:

• Who are your typical clients or customers?

• What are they looking for when they land on your site?

• What tone of voice and design style will appeal to them?

3. List the Pages You’ll Need

Start with a simple sitemap — a list of the main pages your website should include. This helps your designer plan structure and navigation from the start.

Most small business sites include:

• Home

• About

• Services / Products

• Contact

• Testimonials or Reviews

• Blog (optional, but great for SEO)

You can always grow your site later — but starting with a strong core is key.

4. Gather Your Content

Web design and content go hand-in-hand. Whether you write it yourself or get help, having your content ready before design starts makes everything smoother.

What to prepare:

• Your business description or bio

• Service descriptions or pricing

• Any images or branding (logo, colours, fonts)

• Testimonials or case studies

• Contact details and social links

Don’t worry if it’s not perfect — your designer can help fine-tune things. But having a draft of your content upfront prevents delays and budget creep.

5. Look for Inspiration

It’s helpful to share examples of websites you like — and don’t like. This gives your designer insight into your style preferences, layout ideas, and functionality needs.

Create a quick shortlist of:

• 2–3 websites you admire

• What you like (colours, layout, tone, navigation)

• What you want to avoid

This is not about copying — it’s about finding direction.

6. Set a Budget and Timeline

Web design isn’t one-size-fits-all. The cost and time required depends on your needs, complexity, and whether you’re providing all content and assets.

Ask yourself:

• What is my realistic budget for this project?

• When do I want the website live — and why that date?

Be upfront with your designer. A clear scope helps us deliver on time and avoid scope creep.

Final Thoughts

Planning your website before you hire a designer can save you time, money, and stress — and it gives your project the focus it needs to succeed.

At RQA Solutions, we guide you through this process step by step. Whether you already have a plan or need help developing one, we’re here to turn your ideas into a professional, effective online presence.

Ready to Bring Your Vision to Life?

Let’s talk about how we can help you build a website that works for your business. Contact us today to get started.