Guide: what to prepare before creating a website

A well-built website starts with correct planning. Before programming or design, website objectives, presented services or products, target audience, page structure, available materials, domain, hosting, contact methods and SEO direction must be established.

The better prepared the information is before development, the easier it is to obtain a coherent, fast, user-friendly website ready for promotion in search engines.

1. Set the website objective

The first step is to establish what the website needs to do for your business.

A website can have different objectives:

• Presenting a company.
• Presenting services.
• Generating quote requests.
• Receiving phone calls.
• Receiving messages via WhatsApp.
• Generating appointments.
• Selling products online.
• Presenting a portfolio.
• Publishing articles and guides.

The main objective must be established before choosing the structure and design.

2. Define the target audience

A website must be built for the people who will use the company's services or products.

Identify who the customers are, what problems they have, what they search for online and what information helps them make a decision.

For example, a website for IT services may need different information compared to a website for an online shop or a professional services firm.

3. Set the services or products

Make a clear list of all services or products that need to be presented.

For each service it is useful to establish:

• the name;
• the description;
• the benefits;
• the problem it solves;
• the audience it addresses;
• the area where it is available;
• the request method;
• the potential price or price calculation method.

4. Create the website structure

Before design, the website structure must be established.

Example of structure for a service company

• Home
• About us
• Services
• Portfolio
• Blog / Guides
• Frequently asked questions
• Contact

Important services can have individual pages to be able to present detailed information and answer specific searches.

5. Prepare the texts

Content is one of the important components of a website. It is not recommended to start development without knowing at least what information must be presented on each main page.

For the main page

• What does the company do?
• What services does it offer?
• In what area does it work?
• Who is it addressed to?
• What are the main advantages?
• How can it be contacted?

For service pages

• Service description.
• The problems it solves.
• What the service includes.
• Who it is intended for.
• The work process.
• Frequently asked questions.
• Contact method.

6. Prepare the images

Images can contribute to the appearance and credibility of a site, but they must be properly prepared for the web.

Before uploading, check:

• resolution;
• file size;
• format;
• quality;
• usage rights.

Very large images can increase page loading times. It is recommended to optimise them before or during the publishing process.

7. Use images that you have the right to use

Not every image found on the internet can be used commercially.

Use your own photographs, images for which you have rights or material distributed with a licence that permits the desired use.

Keep licence information when required.

8. Choose the domain

The domain is the address through which users access the site.

A good domain must be easy to remember, easy to type and relevant to the company or brand.

Before registration, check domain availability and avoid names that may create confusion with other companies or brands.

9. Choose the right hosting

Hosting is the infrastructure where the site files and database are stored.

Choosing hosting must be done according to the type of site, estimated traffic, technologies used, available resources, backup, security and support.

Check before purchase

• storage space;
• available memory;
• CPU resources;
• available PHP version;
• database;
• SSL;
• backup;
• technical support;
• DNS servers;
• upgrade options.

10. Enable HTTPS

The site must be configured with HTTPS to protect communication between the browser and the server.

An SSL/TLS certificate validates the encrypted connection and is important for site security, especially when users enter data into forms.

11. Prepare the professional email address

For a company it is recommended to use an email address associated with the domain, for example contact@domeniu.ro, when the infrastructure allows it.

The email address must be correctly configured for sending and receiving messages, and relevant DNS records must be checked.

12. Plan your contact methods

A presentation website must allow the user to quickly contact the company.

Depending on the activity, the following can be used:

• telephone;
• email;
• contact form;
• WhatsApp;
• online booking;
• physical address;
• Google Maps.

It is not necessary to use all methods. Choose the channels that you can manage efficiently.

13. Set your call-to-actions

A call-to-action tells the user what the next step is.

Examples:

• Request a quote.
• Call now.
• Send a message.
• Book a consultation.
• Request an assessment.
• View services.
• Contact us.

The call-to-action must be clear and match the page's objective.

14. Plan SEO before development

SEO should not be added only after the website is finished. The structure and content must be designed from the start for search engines and users.

Important SEO elements

• relevant keywords;
• search intent;
• SEO titles;
• meta descriptions;
• H1, H2, and H3 structure;
• clear URLs;
• original content;
• internal links;
• optimised images;
• structured data, when relevant;
• performance;
• mobile device compatibility.

15. Do not engage in keyword stuffing

The repeated and artificial use of the same keyword does not automatically turn a page into a well-optimised one.

Keywords must be naturally integrated into titles, texts, URLs, and relevant page elements.

Content must be written primarily for the user.

16. Research keywords

Before drafting pages, it is useful to identify the terms used by potential customers.

Do not chase search volume alone. Also analyse the intent behind the search.

Example

Someone searching for "laptop repairs Timisoara" has a different intent than someone searching for "how to fix a slow laptop".

The first search may indicate a local commercial need, whereas the second is primarily informational.

17. Create pages for different intents

The website can combine commercial pages with informative materials.

• Commercial pages: present services and facilitate contact.
• Informational pages: answer users' questions.
• Local pages: present services in a certain area, when there is actual activity there.

These types of pages can be connected through relevant internal links.

18. Plan the mobile version

The website must be designed for phones, tablets and desktops right from the structuring phase.

Check:

• text size;
• menu;
• buttons;
• forms;
• images;
• spacing;
• loading speed;
• interactive elements.

A design that only works on desktop can produce a poor experience for mobile users.

19. Plan website speed

Performance must be taken into account before publication.

Large images, unnecessary scripts, excessive fonts and unoptimized plugins can increase loading time.

Elements to track

• server response time;
• page size;
• images;
• CSS;
• JavaScript;
• cache;
• Core Web Vitals.

20. Plan URL structure

URLs must be clear and descriptive.

For example, an address like /servicii/reparatii-laptop/ is easier to understand than an address formed of characters and parameters with no meaning for the user.

Establish the URL structure before the website accumulates many pages to reduce the need for subsequent modifications.

21. Set up Google Search Console

Google Search Console allows monitoring of indexing and website performance in Google results.

After launch, check:

• page indexing;
• indexing errors;
• search queries;
• impressions;
• clicks;
• CTR;
• average positions;
• page experience issues.

22. Create the XML sitemap

An XML sitemap can help search engines discover important site URLs.

After configuration, the sitemap must be checked and submitted to Google Search Console when necessary.

23. Do not forget about robots.txt

The robots.txt file can control crawler access to certain areas of the site.

It must be configured carefully. A rule that is too restrictive may prevent search engines from accessing resources or pages that need to be indexed.

24. Prepare the privacy policy and cookies

Before launch, the documents and mechanisms needed for data protection and cookies must be analysed, depending on the site's activity and the data collected.

If there are contact forms, newsletters, analytics, advertising or other third-party services, you need to identify what data is processed and how it is used.

For specific legal aspects, checking with a specialist is recommended when the situation requires it.

25. Prepare the content for contact forms

A form should only request the information necessary for its purpose.

Example

• Name.
• E-mail.
• Phone, if necessary.
• Subject.
• Message.

The form must be tested after installation to check if messages actually reach their destination.

26. Test the site before launch

A complete check must be performed before the official publication.

Functional checks

• Links work.
• Buttons work.
• Forms send messages.
• The phone can be called from mobile.
• The WhatsApp link works, if used.
• The menu works.
• Images load.
• Important pages do not return errors.

SEO checks

• Page titles are correct.
• Meta descriptions are configured.
• There is a single main H1.
• The H2/H3 structure is logical.
• URLs are correct.
• The sitemap is available.
• Robots.txt is correctly configured.
• Important pages can be indexed.

27. Check the site on multiple devices

It is not enough to test the site only on the computer it was developed on.

Test at least one phone, a desktop or laptop and, if relevant, a tablet.

Check both the visual layout and the operation of menus, forms and buttons.

28. Prepare the site backup

Before and after launch, it is important to have backups of the files and database.

The backup should be kept separate from the live site when possible and must be checked periodically.

A backup you haven't tested does not offer the same security as one verified through a restoration.

29. Prepare the website for further development

A website should not be considered a project that ends the moment it is published.

Over time, new services, products, articles, customer queries and optimization needs may arise.

The initial structure must allow the website to be expanded without major modifications wherever possible.

30. Checklist before launching a website

• The objective of the website is clear.
• The target audience is defined.
• The services or products are established.
• The page structure is established.
• The texts are prepared.
• The images are optimized and can be used legally.
• The domain is configured.
• The hosting is configured.
• HTTPS is active.
• Professional email is configured, if necessary.
• Contact methods are functional.
• Call-to-actions are clear.
• Titles and meta descriptions are configured.
• URLs are clear.
• Internal links are checked.
• The website is responsive.
• Performance has been tested.
• The sitemap is configured.
• Robots.txt is checked.
• Search Console is configured.
• Forms have been tested.
• Backup is configured.
• The website has been checked before launch.

31. Frequently asked questions about creating a website

What do I need to prepare before creating a website?

Prepare the website objectives, services or products, company information, texts, images, contact details, domain and functionality requirements.

Do I need a domain before starting the website?

It is not mandatory in all situations, but it is useful to set up the domain early on in order to plan the identity and structure of the website.

Do I need hosting?

To publish a website accessible on the internet you need hosting infrastructure. The type of hosting depends on the technology and requirements of the project.

Should I think about SEO before creating the website?

Yes. The structure, URLs, content, internal architecture and performance can be influenced by SEO requirements. Planning ahead reduces the need for subsequent modifications.

How important is the mobile version?

It is very important. The website must offer a good experience on phones and allow users to quickly find information and contact methods.

Do I need professional photographs?

Not in all cases, but quality images can improve the presentation and user trust. Photographs must be relevant and optimized for the web.

What needs to be done after launching the website?

Monitor indexing, performance, forms, security, updates, traffic and user behavior. The website must be maintained and optimized over time.

Conclusion

A well-prepared website starts with clear objectives, a logical structure, relevant content and proper planning of the domain, hosting, functionalities and SEO.

Before development, establish what you want to achieve through the website, who you are addressing and what information the user needs to find. Prepare the services, texts, images and contact methods before the project enters the final development stage.

A high-performing website means more than just an attractive design. It must be fast, responsive, easy to use, secure, optimized for search engines and oriented towards the real business objective.

Good planning before development reduces subsequent modifications and creates a more solid foundation for the promotion and long-term development of the website.

Do you need help?

If you don't know what type of website you need, what functionalities need to be prepared, or how to structure your online project, iTechServiceTM can analyse your requirements and propose a suitable solution for your business.

See the professional website.

Web services are available online throughout Romania.