How to prepare your content before starting a website project

It may surprise you, but in most web projects what takes the longest isn’t the design or the development. It’s waiting for the copy, the photos and the business details. A website that could be ready in a few weeks drags on for months because “that team photo” or “the services text” is still missing.

The good news: if you prepare your content before you start, the project moves faster, turns out better and often costs less. Here’s a guide.

Why content comes first

Design is built around content. If the designer doesn’t know how many services you offer, whether there are testimonials or what photos exist, they design with placeholder text. Then, when the real content arrives, it doesn’t fit, there’s too much of it or it doesn’t make sense, and parts have to be redone.

With the content in hand from the start, every section is designed around what you’ll actually show.

1. Define who you’re talking to

Before writing a single line, answer:

• Who is your ideal client? Individuals, companies, a specific industry?
• What problem do they have when they look for you?
• What doubts or fears do they have before hiring?
• What do you want them to do when they land on your site? Call, send a message, request a quote?

These answers guide everything else.

2. List the pages

Write a simple outline of the sections you have in mind. For a service business, the usual set is:

• Home: a summary that leads to action. We cover what to include in what a homepage that converts needs.
• Services: ideally one page for each important service.
• About us: who you are, since when and why people should trust you.
• Work or case studies: real examples.
• Contact: every way to reach you.

That list also helps you request accurate quotes, as we explain in how much a website costs.

3. Write the copy (even if it’s not perfect)

You don’t need to write like a professional copywriter. You need the information to be correct and complete. Some tips:

• Write the way you talk to a client. If you’d say “we do electrical work in homes and shops”, write that, not “we provide comprehensive electrical solutions”.
• For each service, cover: what it is, who it’s for, what the process looks like, how long it takes and what makes your approach different.
• Use the words your clients use. If people search for “roof repair”, don’t call it “roof membrane waterproofing” everywhere.
• Collect the frequently asked questions. Look through your messages: the questions you get most are gold for your website.

The team building the site can then polish the copy, organize it and optimize it for Google. But the core information only you have.

4. Get real photos

Stock photos are recognizable at a glance and don’t build trust. What works best:

• Team photos, even if taken with a good phone in natural light.
• Photos of finished work, and before-and-after shots if you can.
• Your premises, your tools or your workplace.
• Your logo in high quality, ideally in a vector format (SVG, AI or PDF).

A practical tip: shoot photos horizontally and in daylight. Don’t worry about file size: optimizing images for the web is part of our job, and it’s key to a fast site, as we explain in website speed.

5. Gather your trust signals

• Client reviews, with permission to use them.
• Logos of companies you’ve worked with.
• Certifications, licenses or awards.
• Concrete numbers: years in business, projects completed.

6. Collect the details and logins

It sounds obvious, but it often causes delays:

• Exact business name, address, service area, hours, phone, WhatsApp and email.
• Links to your social media.
• Access to your domain, if you already have one, and to your Google Business Profile.
• If you have an old website, the hosting logins.

One shared folder, done

Put everything in a shared folder (Google Drive works perfectly), with a subfolder for each page. That way nobody loses a file in a chat thread.

What if I don’t have time for all this?

That’s normal. You can start with the minimum (your details, your list of services and a few photos) and fill in the rest with help. At Balboa Web we guide you through this step: we send you a guide with concrete questions and organize the information with you. Check out our services or get in touch to get started.