Do I need to complete every item before starting a project?

No. It's a guide to what will come up, not a gate you must pass through first. Some items are naturally sorted out during the project itself.

Does ticking items save any personal data?

No account or personal information is collected. Ticked items are stored only as anonymous IDs in your own browser, so you can pick up where you left off.

What's covered in the launch phase?

Launch has its own detailed checklist — see the link below — since it involves a different set of technical steps close to go-live.

Who should be responsible for this checklist — us or the designer?

It works best as a shared document. Some items (brand assets, content) sit with you; others (technical, SEO setup) sit with the designer.

What if we're missing several items on the content phase?

That's common and rarely fatal to a timeline — see our separate content checklist for what's essential versus what can follow after launch.

Is this checklist specific to one type of website?

It's written generally enough to apply to most small business websites, though not every item will be relevant to every project.

Getting started

Website project checklist — everything to sort before the build starts.

Six phases, in order, from the business decisions that shape everything else through to the technical steps just before launch. Tick items off as you go — nothing is saved beyond your own browser.

Write your brief See pricing

The checklist

Five phases to work through, one to plan for.

Phase 1 — Business

0/6 done

Objective agreedEverything else on the site should serve one clear main job.
Target audience definedDesign and copy decisions are guesswork without a defined audience.
Priority services listedStops every service fighting equally for space and attention.
Conversion goal setEnquiry, booking or sale — the site needs to be built around one.
Budget confirmedKeeps proposals realistic and avoids wasted time on the wrong scope.
Timeline setFixed dates, if any exist, need to be known from day one.

Phase 2 — Brand

0/5 done

Logo file suppliedA proper vector or high-resolution file avoids blurry rebuilds later.
Brand colours confirmedKeeps the site consistent with existing signage, print and profiles.
Fonts identifiedMatters if there's an existing brand identity to stay consistent with.
Brand guidelines sharedSaves back-and-forth if formal guidelines already exist.
Tone of voice agreedDetermines whether copy should read as formal, friendly, technical or plain.

Phase 3 — Content

0/7 done

Page list agreedDefines the scope of the build before design or copy starts.
Copy drafted or briefedDesign around real content looks right; design around placeholder text doesn't.
Imagery gatheredGeneric stock photography is the fastest way to look like every competitor.
Video assets identifiedUseful to flag early since video often needs separate production time.
Testimonials collectedGenuine proof needs permission and collecting time, best started early.
Case studies outlinedStrongest form of proof for service businesses, but slow to write well.
Team information readyBios and photos help visitors trust who they'd actually be working with.

Phase 4 — Technical

0/7 done

Domain access confirmedNothing can go live without access to the domain's DNS settings.
Existing hosting identifiedNeeded to plan migration and avoid downtime during launch.
Email setup checkedDomain changes can break company email if not handled carefully.
Integrations listedBooking, payment or CRM tools need planning in from the start, not bolted on later.
Analytics access arrangedNeeded to measure the site's performance after launch.
Search Console access arrangedShows how the site already performs in search, and flags issues early.
Current CMS or platform notedAffects what can be exported or migrated cleanly.

Phase 5 — SEO

0/6 done

Existing ranking pages identifiedAvoids accidentally losing visibility a redesign didn't need to lose.
Keywords and search themes notedKeeps new page structure aligned with how customers actually search.
Existing URLs documentedNeeded as the basis for a redirect plan if the site is being rebuilt.
Redirect plan drafted (if redesigning)Prevents broken links and lost rankings when URLs change.
Metadata approach agreedTitles and descriptions affect how pages appear and perform in search.
Indexing checked post-launchConfirms the new site is actually being crawled and indexed correctly.

Phase 6 — Launch

Launch has its own checklist.

Going live involves a distinct set of technical steps — redirects, tracking, final checks — that deserve their own detailed page rather than a short summary here.

See the launch checklist

Still putting your brief together? Start with how to write a website brief. For content specifically, see our website content checklist. Wondering how long all this takes? See how long a website takes.

Before you ask

Website project checklist — everything to sort before the build starts.

Five phases to work through, one to plan for.

Phase 1 — Business

Phase 2 — Brand

Phase 3 — Content

Phase 4 — Technical

Phase 5 — SEO

Launch has its own checklist.

Project checklist questions, answered plainly.

Working through the list and still have questions?
We're happy to talk it through.

Website project checklist — everything to sort before the build starts.

Five phases to work through, one to plan for.

Phase 1 — Business

Phase 2 — Brand

Phase 3 — Content

Phase 4 — Technical

Phase 5 — SEO

Launch has its own checklist.

Project checklist questions, answered plainly.

Do I need to complete every item before starting a project?

Does ticking items save any personal data?

What's covered in the launch phase?

Who should be responsible for this checklist — us or the designer?

What if we're missing several items on the content phase?

Is this checklist specific to one type of website?

Working through the list and still have questions?We're happy to talk it through.

Working through the list and still have questions?
We're happy to talk it through.