Building a professional website is not only the developer’s job. A developer can handle the design, coding, functionality, responsiveness, and technical setup, but they still need the right information from the client.
Many website projects get delayed simply because important business details, content, images, or approvals are not available on time.
So, if you are planning a new website, what should you actually provide to your web developer?
Here’s a practical checklist.
1. Basic Business Information
Start with the basic details of your company.
Your developer may need:
- Business name
- Short business introduction
- Business address
- Phone number
- WhatsApp number
- Email address
- Working hours
- Areas you serve
- Social media links
Make sure these details are correct before sharing them. Incorrect contact information on a website can result in missed enquiries.
2. Your Website Goal
Your developer needs to understand why you want the website.
For example, your main goal could be to:
- Generate enquiries
- Showcase services
- Sell products
- Accept bookings
- Build credibility
- Generate B2B leads
- Attract local customers
- Provide company information
This information helps the developer decide how the website should be structured.
A lead-generation website, for example, may need stronger calls to action than a simple informational website.
3. Your Services or Products
Provide a complete list of the services or products you want to display.
For each important service, try to provide:
- Service name
- Short description
- Key features
- Main benefits
- Target customer
- Relevant photographs
- Frequently asked questions
If you have many services, also tell your developer which ones are most important to your business.
This can help determine their priority on the website.
4. Your Target Audience
Who do you want to reach through your website?
For example:
Local customers?
Businesses?
Schools?
Manufacturers?
Homeowners?
International customers?
Understanding your audience helps the developer plan the website experience around the people who will actually use it.
5. Logo and Brand Details
If you already have an established brand, provide your branding assets.
These may include:
- Logo
- Brand colors
- Fonts
- Brand guidelines
- Business card
- Brochure
- Existing marketing material
Whenever possible, provide a high-quality version of your logo rather than a screenshot or low-resolution image.
If you don’t have established branding, tell your developer before the design process begins.
6. Website Content
One of the biggest causes of website delays is missing content.
Your website may need content for:
- Homepage
- About Us
- Services
- Products
- Why Choose Us
- Industries
- Portfolio
- FAQs
- Testimonials
- Contact page
Decide whether you will provide the final content or whether the development company will help create it.
Don’t wait until the website is almost finished to start preparing your content.
7. Images and Videos
Good visuals can make a major difference to how professional your website looks.
Provide relevant images such as:
- Office photographs
- Team photographs
- Product images
- Factory images
- Completed projects
- Equipment
- Service photographs
- Videos
Original business photographs can also help make your website feel more authentic.
Avoid sending hundreds of unorganized images. Create clearly named folders so the developer knows where each image should be used.
8. Testimonials and Reviews
If customers already trust your business, provide genuine proof.
This could include:
- Customer testimonials
- Google reviews
- Client feedback
- Case studies
- Client logos, where you have permission to use them
These elements can help strengthen trust with new website visitors.
9. Certifications and Company Documents
Depending on your industry, your website may need to display important business credentials.
For example:
- Certifications
- Awards
- Licenses
- Memberships
- Accreditations
- Company registrations
Only provide information that is appropriate and permitted to be displayed publicly.
10. Websites You Like
Developers often ask clients to share reference websites.
This doesn’t mean your developer should copy them.
Instead, references help communicate your preferences.
For example, you might say:
“I like this website’s homepage.”
“I like this navigation style.”
“I like how they display their services.”
“I like this type of clean design.”
Providing two or three relevant examples can make the design discussion much easier.
11. Pages You Think You Need
You don’t need to create a perfect sitemap yourself.
But provide a rough idea of the pages you expect.
For example:
- Home
- About Us
- Services
- Individual Service Pages
- Portfolio
- Testimonials
- Blog
- Contact Us
Your developer can then recommend whether additional pages are necessary.
12. Features You Need
Tell the developer about important functionality before development begins.
This might include:
- Contact forms
- WhatsApp button
- Call button
- Online booking
- Payment gateway
- E-commerce
- Customer login
- Product catalogue
- Live chat
- CRM integration
- Newsletter signup
- Google Maps
Adding major features halfway through development can affect both the cost and delivery timeline.
13. Your Preferred Call to Action
What should visitors do after visiting your website?
For example:
Call Now
WhatsApp Us
Request a Quote
Book an Appointment
Schedule a Consultation
Buy Now
Send an Enquiry
Your developer can use this information to place appropriate calls to action throughout the website.
14. Domain and Hosting Information
If you already have a domain or hosting account, tell your developer.
They may need information about:
- Domain registrar
- Hosting provider
- Existing website
- DNS management
- SSL
- Business email
Avoid sending important passwords through insecure channels. Where possible, provide appropriate account or delegated access instead.
15. Existing Website Information
If you’re redesigning an existing website, explain what you want to keep and what you want to change.
Tell the developer:
- What you like about the current website
- What isn’t working
- Which pages should remain
- Whether existing URLs need to be preserved
- Which content needs updating
- Which features are no longer required
This can help prevent useful existing content or functionality from being lost during redevelopment.
16. Competitor Information
Share a few competitors your customers may also consider.
This can help the development team understand:
- Your market
- Common industry expectations
- Competitor positioning
- Opportunities to differentiate your website
The objective should not be to copy competitors.
The objective is to understand how your business can communicate its own value more effectively.
17. Budget Range
You don’t always need to provide an exact budget immediately, but having a realistic range can help.
A developer may recommend different solutions depending on whether you need:
- A simple informational website
- A professional lead-generation website
- An e-commerce website
- A custom web application
Clear budget expectations can prevent both sides from planning a solution that isn’t financially practical.
18. Expected Timeline
Tell the developer if you have an important deadline.
For example:
- Business launch
- Exhibition
- Product launch
- Advertising campaign
- Event
- Rebranding
However, keep the timeline realistic.
Content preparation, feedback, revisions, testing, and approvals all require time.
19. One Person for Final Approval
If multiple people are involved in the project, decide who will provide the final approval.
Too many separate instructions can create confusion.
A better process is:
Team Feedback → One Decision-Maker → Consolidated Feedback → Developer
This can significantly reduce unnecessary revisions.
20. Future Plans
Tell your developer what you might need later.
For example:
- E-commerce
- Customer portal
- Multiple languages
- CRM integration
- Online payments
- New locations
- More service pages
- Landing pages
- Marketing automation
You may not need these features today, but knowing about them can help the developer plan a website that is easier to expand.
Website Information Checklist for Business Owners
Before starting your website project, prepare:
✓ Business details
✓ Website goals
✓ Services or products
✓ Target audience
✓ Logo and branding
✓ Website content
✓ Images and videos
✓ Reviews and testimonials
✓ Certifications
✓ Reference websites
✓ Required pages
✓ Required features
✓ Call to action
✓ Domain and hosting details
✓ Existing website information
✓ Competitors
✓ Budget range
✓ Expected timeline
✓ Final decision-maker
✓ Future requirements
What You Don’t Need to Prepare
You don’t need to understand coding.
You also don’t need to decide every technical detail yourself.
A professional developer should help determine things such as:
- Technology
- Website architecture
- Responsive implementation
- Technical setup
- Security configuration
- Performance considerations
Your job is to explain your business clearly.
The developer’s job is to translate those requirements into an appropriate website solution.
Final Thought
The quality of a website project depends heavily on the quality of information available at the beginning.
The more clearly you explain your:
Business + Customers + Services + Goals + Requirements
the easier it becomes for your developer to build the right website.
Don’t simply tell your developer:
“I need a good website.”
Tell them what your business does, who your customers are, and what you want the website to achieve.
That information is far more valuable.
Planning a New Business Website?
At Kirali Web Services, we help businesses turn their ideas and requirements into professional websites built around their customers and business goals.
Not sure what information you need before getting started?
Start with your business. We’ll help you plan the website.