Get the most from the one-day website session
A collaborative work session to get your business online in a day
Updated: July 12, 2023
When your not sure where to start
Building a website for a business can be intimidating if you are not sure where to begin. That’s where the one day website session can be helpful. The session helps guide you through the early stages of building a website for a startup business, entrepreneur, freelancer or small business owner who is new to the process or unfamiliar regarding the processes of building a website. Understanding the process can be especially important to receive the most from hiring a full-service company, attending a course, training session, or workshop. Before you get started building a website consider the four items in this article so you will be prepared for what a website requires and to get the most from a website service like the one-day website session.
This blog article is a guide to understanding how to plan the essentials required to
Begin designing a website for your business while maximizing your budget and time
If it is the first time hiring a freelancer, web designer, or web development agency to build a website (or perhaps you are building the site independently) this article breaks down the details of the required website essentials
It also includes how to know what you need for the website in advance to get the most for a business website.
Get the most for your website
How to prepare for your website Design
There are four important and required items to prepare for a website meeting or to start building your website.
The four required items required are:
Content
Photography
Logo
List of required website features
The reason why you need these items to start Designing
It is difficult to paint a picture when you don’t have all the required tools or know what to paint. Additionally, painting can be a spontaneous process of creative expression. Although painting does have planned creative aspects, but always before painting starts the tools and materials to paint must be organized and prepared.
Designing a website and developing content requires the same thoughtful and strategic preparation as painting does. For example, what type of paint will you use (e.g., watercolour, acrylic, oil) or what paint colours will you use? What paint brushes will you paint with?
Planning with efficiency in mind will make the process feel easier and will help to get the most out of the resources available such as the time available with the instructor to maximize a budget. It is important to identify the necessary website tools required such as software applications and their features that will be required to begin designing the website.
Website content
Websites are easier to design and build if you have an idea of the content for the business site. Start off by making a list web page titles for the site. Not knowing the content for the website will make it difficult to plan out a marketing strategy and design the website pages later. It is extremely helpful to know what the website content is so the look and feel of how the content can be designed and how it will appear on the site.
A solution to understand the content needs for your website is to prepare a list of the website pages. In fact, working on defining the website pages will help spark ideas on how to advertise and market the benefits of your products or services on the site itself.
For example, if you want website visitors to follow you on Instagram, how will you write the content to encourage that behaviour?
Preparing content
At the one-day website session we will collaboratively work on developing the content structure for your website using an information architecture and page hierarchy that supports your business goals. The information architecture is the structure of pages and the hierarchy is in what sequence of appear. For example, what pages do you want to appear in the main navigation? Do you want the newsletter sign up to appear before the Instagram feed?
Deciding on the Navigation
To have a better understanding of the required information to get started building a website, begin by organizing the website needs by content category by identifying the names of the pages for the top-level navigation of the website. If you have other pages consider a second level navigation (e.g., drop down list) and third level navigation (if there are any) plus footer(s).
Some example pages of a top level navigation are: Home, About, Services, Products, Blog, Contact.
Once you have the navigation decided upon that will be the list of content to prepare for the website.
Below is an example of a navigation list structure for a (fictitious) photographer. Please note, the bullet is the first level, circle bullet is the second level, and square bullet is the third level.
Home (first level)
About
Mission and Vision
Team
Services
Lifestyle Photography
Pricing
Commercial Photography
Pricing
Flat lay Photography
Pricing
Products
Frames
Prints
Blog
Multiple pages of blog articles)
Contact
All navigations are essentially lists of pages on your website, that are placed in a strategic order of information that is determined by you. Although it is helpful to use a similar order of web content as other businesses do on their websites because it is easier for people to find information when systems of how to navigate information are ordered similarly. With that said, complete this section by organizing the required website pages using lists in Word or Google Docs. They are both lists because, in the HTML code, they will be programmed as an unordered list. The way the list looks will be styled using cascading style sheets otherwise known as CSS.
Page Hierarchy
Now with the list of web pages, begin to identify the order of appearance it will have on a page. Specifically, determine how a section of content will appear on an individual page such as the home page or the about page. Page hierarchy is the order in which an object appears first, second, next, last, etc.
For example, where on the website will the about the team section be placed in relation to the email subscribe feature or an Instagram feed?
Choosing website software to build your website
Next, deciding on a website content management system (CMS) to build your website is an important step in designing a website. This is because every content management system has options in website features and they are often designed differently from their competition. Many content management systems are great options, it is important to know several can require more technical knowledge regarding web development and maintenance (e.g. coding knowledge or website hosting knowledge).
This article explains why Squarespace is perfect for small business owners for building a professional website. Squarespace is super easy to understand independently through intuitive learning (learn as you go) using the Squarespace interface. Or if you prefer online instructions Squarespace support documents are easy to follow or watch free tutorials from experts and content creators on YouTube.
What to expect at the one-day website session
Understanding what to prepare for the one-day website session
At the one-day website session, we work collaboratively to build your business website in the afternoon. In the morning session, we will create a plan to advertise the business and integrate that plan into the design of the website to support the marketing goals of the business. Of course, the marketing plan will support reasonable and realistic goals for a business owner to achieve.
If the idea of building a business website is intimidating, the one-day website session might be the perfect solution for you. Below is a list of factors that can offer insight regarding the expectations for building a website either independently or during the one-day session.
The Content expectations for the one-day website session
Be prepared to learn how to:
Create new pages for your website (and add content to any page on your list of required web pages)
Add or update content to any web pages such as text, links, images, videos, PDFs, and audio files
Identify keywords to describe your business to generate page titles and descriptions for SEO
Create a Google Analytics account for the website (or connect an existing one)
Use website analytics to understand traffic visiting the website
Incorporate long-tail keywords to attract visitors who are closer to a point of purchase
How to prepare content for the one-day website session
Here are a few tips to help prepare content for your website:
List all of the pages to be seen on the top level of the website navigation (e.g., Home, About, Services, Store, Blog, Contact, etc.) to a maximum of 5-7 pages
Write copy for each page (it can be a draft or in bullet point form)
Prepare and write down important information for the website such as email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, physical addresses, etc.
Write down a biography, mission statement, or vision statement or make a video of your elevator pitch
Write blog articles (ideally 3-5 articles to start) if the website will require a blog, article or news section
Prepare content for the privacy policy, terms and conditions, refund, return and exchange pages
Identify anything else you would like to add to the website (e.g., chat feature, custom form, email subscription, etc)
Once the list of content requirements has been prepared, begin to add it to a Word document or Google Drive document. Later on, it will be easier to copy and paste from the document to the website pages. An easy tip to get the content writing process started is to create the pages in Word or Google Docs by adding a new page for every required website page title. So it’s as easy as writing a list of the pages required, adding a header, then writing content for that web page.
How to prepare for a website meeting
different types of websites: content vs e-commerce
Generally, there are two different types of websites:
Content website
E-commerce website
There are differences in content requirements between a content website and an e-commerce website. This article explains in detail how the one-day website session accomplishes so much.
Content websites
Content websites do not sell products online in the sense that there is a financial transaction that happens on the website between a customer (or client). Specifically, content websites do not accept credit card information from a customer or client. A content website is created so a business has an online presence. A content-based website describes the details of products or services which the company sells. The customer does not purchase or make an order on the website for the products or services. In order for someone to purchase a product or service from the business, they must contact the business directly either by email, phone or through an online contact form.
Examples of typical pages for a content-based website:
Homepage
About
Services
Products
Contact
Terms and conditions
Blog and blog articles
If the website doesn’t need to accept credit cards online then work on developing content for a content-based website.
E-commerce website
E-commerce websites sell products or services online directly from the website by accepting a credit card. This type of website normally requires additional pages that a content website does not have. Some examples are product descriptions, return, refund and exchange policy information, frequently asked questions, shipping information, and order confirmation pages.
Examples of content requirements for an e-commerce-based website are:
Homepage
Services descriptions
Product descriptions
Online store with product or service categories
Blog and blog articles
FAQ
Shipping information
Terms and conditions
Refund, exchange and return policy
Contact Information
If the website accepts credit cards in order for customers to purchase products from your website, then prepare content for an e-commerce website. If you don’t ship a physical product but offer a digital download product, shipping information may not be required.
Generally, shipping information and refund policies are unique to specific products. Take time to surf through various pages on the website, and not just those that are of interest. If you are unsure how to write the content for policy pages, visit popular e-commerce websites for suggestions. Read the terms and conditions or refund policy pages to give insight on how to structure the format of the terms and conditions or refund policy pages. There are also affordable templated legal services available online to help prepare terms and conditions, privacy policies and other policies for an e-commerce website.
Finally, there is another type of information required for an e-commerce website. The website will require sales tax information (e.g., provincial sales tax, state sales tax, or HST/GST). Keep in mind that tax amounts are not immediately visible to visitors since the tax amount is unique to the address of the customer.
In Canada, depending on the province or territory in which the business is located and the type of provincial sales tax (e.g., GST, PST or HST) it is not always required to collect (and remit) sales tax to another province. Although, to be certain the business will require an accountant to advise what provincial sales tax amount to charge out-of-province customers who purchase products or services from the website. Always consult with a certified accountant for your sales tax obligations.
Preparing content for the one-day website service
It’s best to attend a discovery or introductory meeting with a potential outline of content to be added to the website pages. The one-day website session does not include full copywriting services during the session. Although, recommendations on how to structure website content for a website will be discussed at the session.
When booking the one-day website session be mindful that it will be challenging to write all required content by the end of the session. That is why the ideal situation is content is prepared before the website session starts. Once the session is booked, a preparation document containing several questions will be shared to help identify how to get the most from the session.
The recommended list of what to prepare before the session:
A list of keywords which describes your business activities
Example websites which identify the look and feel of the website and the site features (i.e., 3-5 website links)
Research and document the links of websites liked and why (i.e., 3-5 website list)
Complete the session documents before the scheduled session date. Please return the document a couple of days in advance of the next class for review
No worries if you are not sure how to answer the recommended four items. The preparation questionnaire will ask the questions and help define how to document and write down the answer.
Photography
Websites need photos to visually communicate and visually advertise services or products. A website page in the absence of photos can feel overwhelmingly copy heavy because there is only copy to read—visual information is needed to create balance.
The best way to prepare photography for a website is to hire a professional photographer before the session date or find photos you would like to use from a stock photography website. It is not always necessary to have photographs at the first initial web design meeting. Instead, waiting until the design meeting is finished can be beneficial to make choices for the direction of photography. That’s because it will allow us to plan the photography shoot so it aligns (or matches) the plans for the look and feel of the website.
Not sure how to hire a photographer? Actually will offer guidance on what to look for when hiring a professional photographer if requested.
Photography In advance
It can be helpful to have photos in advance when you start working on the plans for website content. Visual images such as photography will be helpful and generate ideas to write the copy. Photography can help spark creative ideas for copywriting by identifying the synergy between images and words. Stock photography websites are also helpful for general image research to brainstorm ideas when writing about the business.
Having photography prepared in advance (e.g., either saving links to photographs you like or hiring a photographer) can align the visual messages on a website and become the beginning ideas of a marketing campaign.
Sometimes photography isn’t the correct application of a visual. In that case, you may want to add an illustration, a chart, a video, or some other graphic like a gif to a website. Either way, the visual element can be included in the category of photography since they are all visual forms of content.
Photography and stock Photography Budget
If a photoshoot isn’t in the budget then it is recommended to purchase stock photography. There are stock image websites that are both free and paid options.
Unsplash has a variety of great-looking professional photographs for personal and commercial use and without copyright. Although, consider when you use photography from Unsplash it means other companies (e.g., competitors) can use the images or already have.
The preferred paid stock photography options are Stocksy, Masterfile, and iStockphoto. These stock photography companies require payment to use the photos although they offer more affordable solutions than hiring a professional photographer.
Please note, if you are purchasing a photograph from one of the stock photography websites, and plan on using the photo for printed graphic design materials, it’s best to purchase the higher resolution options (e.g., 150 dpi or 300 dpi). If you only plan to use the images for digital purposes like social media or to upload them to a website then the lowest resolution option will be sufficient (e.g., 72 dpi).
Logo
A logo is not always necessary at the very early stages of building a website. In fact, a logo is not even required to build a website with Squarespace. That’s because Squarespace allows the name of your business to be typed with a typographic display option (i.e., wordmark or text-based) using an open-source library like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts.
Website features
List the site functionality requirements
The last item to prepare is a simple list of features describing how the website will work and function. For example, what technology features do you want the site to have? Don’t let the task of itemizing the features of your website scare you off or evoke excuses for procrastination! It is an easy task to complete. Of course, the one-day website session will help clarify the required features and build them into the website by the end of the day.
Features include actions that a visitor can perform when they visit, navigate or browse the website. Some examples of types of features to include on a website are:
member login area
newsletter sign up
photo gallery
contact or sales forms
chat window
pop-up window
announcement bar
It’s important to understand the functional needs of the website platform chosen (e.g., Squarespace, Shopify, or WordPress) because building the website with the best website platform for your business needs (and budget) is essential.
Did you know?
Writing down a list of website feature requirements can help brainstorm ideas and influence the way a website design will look or what pages require content. For example, when visitors are encouraged to sign up for a newsletter in a pop-up window, what wording will be used to encourage email subscription? If a newsletter popup feature is required be sure to add it to the list of features required.
Here’s a list of website features to consider:
Accept credit card information for customers to make purchases directly from the website
Get in touch with a contact form
Social media icons that link to social media pages
Sales forms or price lists
Email newsletter signup
Chat feature or social proof marketing tools
Subscription service or membership login page
Wish lists or abandoned cart recovery
Product waitlists or shop-related items
Final thoughts
Recommendations to get the most from the one-day session
There are a lot of little things to prepare in order to build a website, but with the one-day website session, you be prepared to get the most from a session. It’s not required to have all the website content or website functionality features prepared for the session, although it is recommended to attend with a general idea of what your business requires from a website.
One-day website session