How to Prepare Content for Your New Website
Content is the part of a website project that most often holds up the launch. Starting early makes everything else easier. Here's how to get it ready.
Start with a page list
Work from your site's planned structure (your sitemap). For each page, note:
- What the page is for and who it's for
- Who's writing or approving it
- What photos or files it needs
- Whether you're keeping, rewriting, or dropping old content
A simple spreadsheet works well for this.
Decide what to keep from your old site
- Keep: pages that are accurate and still get visits.
- Update: pages that are useful but out of date.
- Combine: several thin pages that cover the same thing.
- Drop: anything outdated or no longer relevant. Plan a redirect for any page that's dropped or moved.
Write for your visitors
- Lead with what the visitor needs to know, then the details.
- Use short paragraphs, clear headings, and lists.
- Use the words your customers use, not internal jargon.
- Give each page one clear next step, like calling, requesting a quote, or booking.
- Write naturally. You don't need to repeat a keyword over and over to be found.
Gather photos and media
- Use your own photos where you can: your team, your work, your location.
- If you use stock photos, make sure you have the rights to use them.
- Send the largest original files you have. They can be resized, but small images can't be made bigger without losing quality.
- Use descriptive file names, and note what each photo shows so alt text is easy to write.
Collect the details
Have these ready:
- Logo files (vector format if you have it)
- Brand colors and fonts
- Business name, address, phone, email, and hours
- Social media links
- Testimonials or reviews you have permission to use
- Documents, menus, or PDFs to link to
Set a schedule
Give each page a due date and an owner. Ask for content in batches instead of all at once at the end. If writing isn't your thing, plan for help early. Content is one of the biggest factors in what affects the cost and timeline of a website project.
Related
- How to Plan a Website Redesign: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Website Launch Checklist: Before and After Go-Live
How 3by400 can help
We can help you plan your content and organize your pages, and we offer copywriting if you'd rather have us write it for you. Learn about our website design work.
Start a project
Ready to talk about your website? Start a project or reach us at 678-379-9321 or