Many startups get into this trap. They make quick decisions when selecting a design or host, yet those choices matter. Below, we discuss crucial details to consider.
What You Need to Get Right Before Launching Your First Site
A website gives a business a place to tell its story and for potential clients to find it. It is where people go when they want to understand what you do, what you stand for, and why they should trust you. Jeremy from Core Online Marketing recommends getting one because you get a platform that serves customers even after opening hours. In short, you need one to showcase your business online. To get it right,
Clarify its Purpose
A website works best when you know why you need it. You may focus on how it will look, but the first question to ask is what you want it to do. Will it help people understand your services? Will it help them book an appointment or make a purchase? Will it simply point them to your contact details?
Such a clear purpose ensures all the details added support that vision. As such, a website visitor knows what step to take next.
Get a Long-term Domain Name
The name you pick becomes the means for people to find and remember your business online. Shorter names stick, especially if you choose the ones visitors can spell easily. Further, pick a domain that suits your brand to give visitors a sense of what you do. It might take longer to find a suitable one, but getting it will save you trouble later.
Further, avoid long word strings that no one can recall. Remember, it’s a piece of your brand identity.
Get a Reliable Hosting Service
The hosting service can affect your website. You may get a cheaper host because of a tight budget, but doing so can affect your revenue if you end up with an unreliable host. For instance, if the hosting package is unsuitable for your site, your pages may load slowly. Visitors will leave before they can even understand your offers.
In contrast, a good host ensures your site is stable and loads fast, ensuring users can find you when it counts. Such a host also provides efficient customer support when things go wrong.
Don’t Overcomplicate the Design
Here’s the thing—sometimes, in the name of making something “pop,” people end up building a visual obstacle course. You’ve probably been on sites with floating banners, overlapping pop-ups, and carousels that spin like they’re trying to hypnotize you. And what do you usually do? Click away.
A clean layout wins. It lets users breathe. They know where to look. Their eyes aren’t doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out if the button is a button or just part of the background art.
Function shouldn’t play second fiddle to flair. Simple doesn’t mean boring—it means intuitive. Think of the design as a well-organized desk: you don’t need to dump everything on the table to prove you’ve got it all. Just place things where they make sense.
And let’s not forget accessibility. Good design also means considering users who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation. If you make your site a puzzle, you're shutting out a segment of your audience without even realising it.
Use Tools That Keep You Sane
You know what makes everything ten times harder? Doing it all manually. From resizing images to checking how your site looks on different browsers, the workload can sneak up on you. And frankly, no one has time to sweat over every pixel.
This is where smart tools come in—ones that help you manage the chaos without losing your mind. Tools like Figma for layout previews, Grammarly for quick copy edits, or even Google PageSpeed Insights to see if your site’s dragging its feet. These aren’t fancy extras; they’re sanity-savers.
Even content management systems like WordPress or Webflow offer built-in tweaks that do half the heavy lifting. They’re not magic wands, but they cut down on grunt work so you can focus on making stuff that matters.
And if you're working with a team, tools like Trello or Notion can help keep things from becoming a game of broken telephone. A simple shared checklist often does more than a dozen meetings.
Test It Like You're the Customer
This part? It’s non-negotiable. Before launch, act like your own worst critic. Pretend you're your least tech-savvy relative clicking through the site after a long day. Would they know where to go? Would they bounce at the first confusing sentence or glitchy button?
It’s not just about bugs. It’s about mood, pace, and expectations. You’re not just building a website—you’re creating an experience. Test the copy. Test the navigation. Heck, test the "Contact Us" form three times in a row. If it feels clunky or unclear, people won’t stick around.
Don’t just rely on your gut, either. Ask a few friends or colleagues to poke around and give honest feedback. The stuff they point out might surprise you—like a font that’s a little too faint or a checkout process that feels just a bit sketchy.
Because here’s the kicker: the goal isn’t to wow people. It’s to help them. And if they’re not getting that from their very first click, then what’s the point?
Plan Site Structure and Navigation
Approach the structure of your site from the point of view of a potential visitor. For instance, what do they want to find? As such, navigation comes before you worry about colors and layout. A vibrant design will not benefit you if you do not meet the need for information or answers.
Mobile-friendly Design
More users are accessing websites on their phones, so your site should suit such devices. Many structure issues arise when they access a traditional site designed for a desktop using a smartphone. For instance, the pages may display small font text when viewed from a smartphone, requiring users to zoom in.
Outline Your Content Early
Although the design process requires ample time, prioritize the content early, or you will experience delays in launching your site. Thus, select images and outline the information to share. For instance, will you use blogs, product descriptions, articles, or downloadable product manuals? An outline makes it easy to spot gaps and ensure each page you design serves a purpose. It also saves time because you fit words into a suitable layout.
Basic SEO is a Good Foundation
The search engines need to visit your website first for it to become discoverable when people search for it. It does not mean you should strategize how to show up for every trend or keyword. When you overdo it, you risk getting your site penalized. Instead, focus on building a site that search engines can read and recommend.
For instance, your page titles can describe what users find inside. You can also give a suitable description of the content. When you get that right from the start, you build a discoverable site, not one buried among the thousands of other websites. It also saves time and resources needed to fix such basic SEO later.
Consider Maintenance and Scalability
A website grows as your business expands. Therefore, what works when you receive a handful of users may struggle when double that number wants to scroll your pages when you increase your products or services. Considering scalability before you launch your site saves you from pain later.
For instance, you can select a scalable hosting package and establish a suitable website update routine. Such a maintenance routine ensures your site has no broken links when you add new pages to cater to an expanding product line. On top of that, update contact when you launch new branches or embrace new communication methods across branches.
Conclusion
Getting a website for your startup can be overwhelming. There are many decisions, from finding a team that understands your design concept to getting the design right. But in the end, it all comes down to a few basic ideas. First, know why you need a website. Having a clear goal ensures every page and content has a reason to be there.
