What You Actually Need (and Don’t Need) Before Starting a Website Project

Thinking about a new website but feeling like you’re wildly underprepared? Totally normal. And honestly? You’re probably closer than you think.

Before you spiral into “I need branding, SEO, copy, photos, strategy, a new personality” territory - let’s clear a few things up.

Here’s what you do need before starting a website project… and what you very much don’t.

What You Do Need

1. A Business (or at least the seed of one)

A fully formed five-year plan? Not required.

A spark of an idea, a service you want to sell, a product you believe in, or an ambition you’re ready to back? Yes please.

Your website’s job is to support your business - not magically invent it. As long as you can tell me what you’re doing and why, we’ve got plenty to work with.

2. Some Brand Tools (they can be basic, don’t panic)

In a dream world, you’d arrive with a glossy brand guideline PDF. In the real world? A logo and a couple of colours is honestly fine.

If that’s all you’ve got, I can help you flesh this out into a micro-brand that works beautifully for a website. Typically, I’ll suggest:

• A colour palette (minimum four colours so we’re not trapped)

• Two typefaces

• A clear idea of your tone of voice and brand personality

To give you a peek behind the curtain; I’ve recently worked with two wildly opposite clients.

One came in with a stunning brand already in place - every detail considered. I was able to use it almost exactly as-is, even turning something as simple as a pink-and-white stripe (previously just used on socials) into full-width website section backgrounds.

The other came to me with… literally nothing. No logo, no colours, no fonts. So before we even touched the website, we created a palette, typography, logo and overall look and feel. That branding work was a project in itself — and then we built the website on top of it.

Both ended up with completely bespoke websites. Different starting points, same polished finish.

3. A Clear Target Audience

You don’t need to appeal to everyone. In fact, please don’t.

Knowing who your ideal client or customer is makes everything better - design decisions, copy, and especially SEO.

We’ll want to know things like:

• Who are they?

• What are their pain points?

• What are they struggling with that you can help solve?

• Why should they choose you?

This info feeds directly into SEO research and content development — which matters a lot if, say, you’re a UK-based Squarespace website designer (hi 👋) wanting to attract small businesses who care about brand personality, not beige templates.

4. Professional Photography (Not Mandatory, But Wow)

Is professional photography a must? Technically, no.

Does it make a huge difference? Absolutely yes.

I always recommend that clients book a photographer for:

• Headshots (people buy from people)

• Product imagery, if you’re selling physical things

Professional photos elevate your website instantly - they make everything feel more intentional, more credible, more real. And yes, I can recommend some absolute gems if you need them.

What You Don’t Need

1. Marketing or Website Design Experience

That’s… literally my job.

You don’t need to know what looks “good” in a technical sense. You just need opinions - even if they sound like:

• “I like this but I don’t know why”

• “This feels too corporate”

• “I hate that font with my whole soul”

I’ll show you examples of websites I think are top-notch, and you can tell me what you like or don’t like. Follow your instincts. And if your honest answer is “I don’t really know” — that’s fine too. We’ll figure it out together.

2. A Fully Formed Page Structure

You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what pages your website should have.

If you’ve got ideas - great, we’ll talk them through.
If you’ve got no clue - also great, I can map this out for you.

Page structure is basically just what pages you need and why. Home, About, Services, Contact, maybe a Blog - it doesn’t need to be complicated, and it definitely shouldn’t be overwhelming.

A Gentle Word on SEO

SEO isn’t something you bolt on at the end like an afterthought. It works best when it’s considered early - from page structure to content to how your site is written.

If you’re a UK small business using Squarespace, thoughtful SEO combined with strong brand personality is such a powerful combo. You don’t need to sound like a robot to rank well. You just need clarity, consistency, and a website that actually reflects you.

In summary

You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting a website project. You just need enough to begin - and a willingness to collaborate.

The rest? That’s what I’m here for. ✨