Plain-English guide
Website strategy, without the tech waffle
If you are planning a website for your small business, you have probably been told you need a "website strategy". It sounds grand, but it is really just deciding what your website is for before you start building it. Here is how to do that in plain English.
What a website strategy actually is
A website strategy is simply your answer to one question: what do I need my website to help me do?
That might be bringing in enquiries, taking bookings, selling your products or encouraging people to join your mailing list. Once you know your answer, every other decision — which pages you need, what goes on them and what to leave out — becomes much easier.
You do not need a spreadsheet, a marketing degree or a single line of code. A sentence on the back of an envelope counts.
How to plan your website, step by step
1. Finish this sentence
"The most important thing I need my website to help me do is ______." That one sentence is the beginning of your whole strategy — and it decides what deserves your attention first.
2. Think about who is visiting
Picture the person you most want to reach. What are they hoping to find when they land on your site? Write your pages for them, not for other business owners — and keep the language as friendly as you would use talking to them in person.
3. Plan the pages that matter
Most small businesses need surprisingly few pages: a home page, a page about what you do, a way for people to get in touch or buy, and — if you like — a little about you. Start with those. You can always add more later.
4. Give every page one job
Each page should gently point visitors towards your next step — get in touch, book a call, buy the thing. If a page has no clear purpose, it is a candidate for the "later" pile.
5. Keep it simple first
A clear website that does one thing well beats a clever website that tries to do everything. Plan your foundations now; the fancy touches can come once your website is actually working for you.
What you can happily ignore for now
When you are planning a website, it is easy to get stuck on the things that matter least. You do not need to choose the perfect colours, compare fifty fonts or add clever features before you have even started. A clear purpose will make a much bigger difference than decorating a website that has no direction yet.
How do you know if your plan is working?
Once your website is live, keep an eye on the simple things: are people getting in touch, booking or buying? If they are, your strategy is doing its job. If they are not, the problem is usually unclear wording or a hidden next step — both very fixable.
Want to know where your website stands right now?
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