2026-10-24 · KING AI Studio · 6 min read
Before You Build a Website, Get Clear on These 5 Things
Most websites go over budget or need rework not because of who built them, but because no one pinned down the requirements before starting. Think through the 5 things below yourself first, then talk to any provider. The conversation will be completely different.
What job does this website need to do for you?
Start with one main goal: generating enquiries, selling online, taking bookings, or recruiting franchisees. Each goal needs a different page structure. A site that tries to do everything usually ends up bringing in nothing.
Write that goal as a sentence you can test, for example: 'A customer can complete a booking on their phone within 1 minute.' Use that sentence as the yardstick for every decision that follows.
Who will visit, and what are they looking for on their phone?
Are your customers searching by location and service — things like the service they need plus 'near me' — or by your brand name? When they land on the site, what do they want to confirm first: price, location, examples of your work, or whether they can reach you right away?
For local service businesses, most traffic is on mobile. Look at the mobile design first, then the desktop version. Do not reverse that order.
Who writes the content? Who takes the photos?
The most common reason projects run late is waiting on the client for copy and images. Before work starts, make a content list: company introduction, service descriptions, case studies, and team photos — who owns each item, and when it is due.
If no one on your side can write it, put copywriting in the contract. Do not assume the website builder will just write it as part of the job.
What should you actually compare in a quote?
Do not compare the total alone. Compare the scope list: how many pages, which features, whether copywriting and image editing are included, how long free fixes last after launch, and whether the source files and accounts belong to you.
If a quote looks unusually low, the missing items usually get added back one by one during the project. Two rules prevent most disputes: a fixed price written into the contract, and any work outside the agreed scope quoted first and done second.
Who looks after it after launch?
A website is not a one-off job: domain renewals, certificates, backups, security updates, and content changes all need an owner. Decide how maintenance will work before you start — managed hosting or looking after it yourself are both fine — just do not leave the site running with no cover at all.
And the data: is analytics installed, which inbox do enquiries go to, and who checks it every day? If a site has no enquiry record three months after launch, the problem is usually that no one is looking at the data, not that there is no traffic.
Read it? Now your situation
Once you have a rough answer to these 5 things, put them in our contact form. We will put together a plan with a quote based on your situation, at no charge.