Website Content Planner

Most failed websites fail at the planning stage, not the design stage. The site looks fine, but the pages don't say the right things, the calls to action don't fire, the keywords don't match what customers search for, and the navigation pulls the visitor in the wrong direction. Better planning at the start is cheaper than rework after launch.

This guide walks you through what a working website plan actually contains. Use it as a checklist before you brief any agency — including us.

1. Know your business in one paragraph

Before you write a single page of website copy, write a clean elevator pitch in two sentences. What you do, who for, and what makes you different. If you can't write it cleanly, the website won't write cleanly either. Add three top services, a one-line description of your ideal customer, and the three problems you solve for them. Everything you write later refers back to this paragraph.

2. Plan the essential pages

Most small business websites need four core pages plus a few supporting ones.

Homepage. A clear hero headline (problem + solution + benefit), a one-line subhead, a primary call to action (Get a Quote, Book a Call, Visit the Shop), three key benefits with one sentence each, and one trust signal — a real testimonial, a real number ("over 500 clients"), or a real client logo. No more.

About page. Your story in five blocks: how you started, what drives you, why this work, what your team looks like, what to do next. People buy from people. The About page is where credibility lives.

Services or Products page. One section per service. For each: the problem it solves, the solution, three to five clear benefits, the pricing or pricing logic, and a specific call to action. Avoid jargon unless it's industry-standard.

Contact page. Phone, email, address (if customers visit you), opening hours, a working contact form with the right fields, a map, and any other contact methods you offer (WhatsApp, social, booking link). Make it impossible to miss.

Supporting pages worth considering: portfolio or case studies, FAQ, testimonials, privacy policy, terms and conditions, location pages, blog.

3. Content inventory

List what you already have: logo files, professional photography, product images, team photos, video, written service descriptions, customer testimonials, case studies, certifications, awards. Then list what you need to create. Realistic content creation is the single biggest cause of website launch delays — knowing what's missing before the build starts saves weeks.

4. Calls to action

Every page needs a primary call to action and ideally a secondary one for visitors who aren't ready to commit. Decide the button text in advance — "Get a Quote" outperforms "Submit" by a margin that's been measured for two decades. Decide where the button appears: header, hero, mid-page, end of page, footer, sticky on mobile. Don't bury it.

5. SEO keywords

Three to five primary keywords describing your core business. Five to ten long-tail keywords that combine your service with a location or a specific use case ("emergency plumber Newton Abbot", "wedding photographer Dartmoor"). A list of the towns you genuinely serve. A primary keyword and a secondary keyword for every page, written into the page title, headings and meta description.

6. Technical requirements

Tick what your site needs: mobile-responsive design (always), contact form (always), Google Maps embed, newsletter signup, blog, e-commerce, online booking, photo gallery, video, member login, multi-language. Then list integrations — Google Analytics, Mailchimp, a CRM, Stripe or PayPal, Xero or QuickBooks, Calendly, social feeds. Every integration adds development time and ongoing maintenance, so be deliberate.

7. Visual planning

Three websites you like, with one sentence on what you like about each. Your brand colours and fonts if you have them. Your photography style. Don't over-prescribe — leave room for the designer to design — but pin down the things you genuinely care about.

8. Sitemap and navigation

Five to seven items in the main menu, no more. A footer menu for legal pages and secondary links. A simple visual sitemap showing parent and child pages.

Want help with any of this?

We use a version of this planner with every Shout Websites client before a build starts. If you'd like a copy of the working document, or want us to walk through it with you, call or WhatsApp 07887 988780. Starter websites begin at £250; ongoing work runs at £300 per month.