Incredibly Useful Web Design Checklist
Website design is complex these days. This web design checklist will help you plan and execute a stellar website.
From creative design to the site launch, it is important to work from a plan so that you don’t miss any essential keys to website design that could negatively impact user experience, search engine optimization or conversions.
This website design checklist features important questions that will help you to organize your web design and content development process to ensure that the goals for the website are met.
This is not an exhaustive list because there are many technical website checklists out there. This is a guide with questions to help you make sure you design the best website possible.
So, let’s jump in and explore these essential web design questions:
1. Industry and client requirements
Audit the current website design, content, user experience, online footprint, social media and messaging.
Then meet with the client to learn:
- What is the purpose of the website? Lead generation, branding, education, etc
- Who does the website serve? Prospects, customers, stakeholders
- What do they need to know to achieve the website goals?
- How should the website position the company and its products/services?
- What content is currently available and what content will need to be created?
- How do competitors position their content?
- What are your clients’ differentiators?
2. Planning for your Design
Journey mapping and creating use cases are an important part of the planning process.
Talk with sales and customer service teams to learn how prospects and customers engage with the company and its products and services. Then map out:
- What is the most important information for each target audience at each stage of the journey?
- What are the common questions at each stage?
- How can the process enable the user to educate themselves and position the company as an expert/advisor?
- How can the content engage the user interactively to cause them to learn, grow and solve problems on their own and then engage the company at a higher level when they need help?
3. Homepage Design
Remember that the home page is important but because of search engines and other marketing campaigns, much of the traffic to the site will come in initially through interior pages. Make the home page a hub for orienting the user to the appropriate content.
- What is the most important message to convey to make the best first impression?
- How can the homepage help a user self-identify that they are in the right place and can find the right content?
- How can the home page present the most valuable content on any device?
4. Structure & Navigation
Architecture and navigation are an important parts of website design. The site should be organized to allow visitors to self-identify that the content is meant for them and find what they need quickly. Persistent top and bottom navigation make it easy for users and search engines to find content. Ask yourself these questions:
- How can you keep the most important content within two