Basic Website Requirements to Consider Before You Start Designing
Your website is more than just a digital business card. It is a key marketing tool that lets potential clients learn about your company and what you offer.
But simply having a website is not enough. To get real results, you need to get the basics right.
Designing and developing a website should be an exciting experience. It is your chance to showcase your brand, connect with customers, and put your company firmly on the map.
Here is a clear guide to the basic website requirements every business should consider before getting started.
Tech Requirements and Getting Set Up the Right Way
Domain Name
Your domain is your digital address. It is what people type in to find your website, like www.yourwebsite.com.
Choosing a clear, memorable domain name is essential for brand recognition and credibility.
Hosting
Your hosting is where your website lives online.
Types of hosting:
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Shared Hosting. You share a server with other websites. Think of it as renting a room in a shared house. Affordable and fine for small sites with low traffic.
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Dedicated Hosting. You have the whole server to yourself. Like owning the entire building. Best for large, high-traffic sites but usually unnecessary for most businesses.
Website Platform
We recommend using self-hosted WordPress.
It is free, flexible, and powers over 30 percent of the internet.
With thousands of themes and plugins available, you can create nearly any type of website while keeping full control over your content and functionality.
For businesses ready to build a serious online presence, consider our Website Design & Development.
Website Speed
Speed matters.
Slow sites frustrate users and hurt your rankings in search engines.
To keep your site fast:
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Optimise images
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Avoid unnecessary animations and video auto-plays
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Use clean, efficient code
Aim for your site to load in under three seconds.
SSL Security
Security is not optional.
Google gives a small ranking boost to sites using HTTPS. Even more importantly, users expect it.
Learn more about Google’s perspective on HTTPS as a ranking signal.
An SSL certificate encrypts data between your website and your visitors, giving them confidence their information is secure.
SEO Friendliness
Search engines are sophisticated, but they still need help understanding what your pages are about.
SEO ensures your content is accessible, well-structured, and designed around what your customers are searching for.
Making your website SEO friendly is crucial to bringing in organic traffic that converts.
Tracking and Analytics
If you are not tracking what visitors do on your website, you are guessing.
Tools like Google Analytics let you see:
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How many people visit your site
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Which pages they spend time on
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Where they leave
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What traffic sources perform best
This data is essential for improving your website and marketing.
Cross-browser Compatibility
Your site should work on all modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Test it regularly to ensure users have a consistent, professional experience no matter what browser they use.
Social Media Integration
Make it easy for visitors to share your content.
Social sharing buttons and feeds help extend your reach and let customers promote your business for you.
Define the Goal of Your Website
Before you design anything, ask yourself: What is the main goal of this website?
Examples of website goals:
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Increase brand awareness
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Capture email subscribers
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Generate more sales or leads
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Get more phone calls
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Sell products or services online
Your goal shapes everything about your design and messaging.
If you are not getting the leads you want now, come chat with us about a free lead generation assessment.
Know Your Target Audience
Who are you building this site for?
Your audience’s needs and preferences should influence every design and content choice.
Understanding your audience improves everything:
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Content Marketing. Know what blog posts, videos, or guides to create.
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Paid Advertising. Target the right people on the right platforms.
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Product Development. Build solutions your customers actually want.
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Copywriting. Speak their language in emails, ads, and web pages.
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Email Marketing. Send campaigns that resonate and convert.
Clarity on your audience is the foundation of successful marketing.
Achieving an Eye-Catching and Functional Design
Your website needs to be both beautiful and easy to use.
Key principles:
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Mobile Friendly. Your site must look and work great on phones and tablets.
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Navigation. Menus should be clear, simple, and consistent. Make sure visitors can find important pages like Home, About Us, and Contact easily.
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White Space. Avoid clutter. Space improves readability and focus.
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Branding. Include your logo and brand colours consistently on every page.
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Typography, Layout, and Colours. Keep fonts, styles, and colours consistent for a polished, professional feel.
Basic Must-Have Pages for Your Website
Content is what gives your website value. Even the best design cannot replace useful, relevant information.
Here are four essential pages every business website should have:
1. About Us
One of the most important but often overlooked pages.
Tell visitors:
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Who you are and your experience
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What you offer
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Why they should choose you
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How you work
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How to get started
Use this page to build trust and make your business relatable.
2. Contact Us
Do not make visitors hunt for your contact details.
Your Contact Us page should be:
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Easy to find from any page
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Simple and reliable to use
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Fully functional (test your forms often)
A broken contact page screams unprofessional and loses you business.
3. FAQs
Your Frequently Asked Questions page is one of the best sales tools you have.
It lets you:
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Overcome objections
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Explain complex products or services
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Build trust before someone even calls you
A well-thought-out FAQ page can save time for you and your customers.
4. Products or Services
Never assume visitors know what you do.
Your Products or Services page should clearly explain what you offer and how it helps.
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Provide an easy-to-scan overview
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Include details on key offerings
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Use clear calls to action
This page also helps with SEO by increasing keyword relevance.
Follow These Basic Website Requirements and Get Inspired
Ready to get started?
A good next step is to Google keywords related to your industry and review the top-ranking sites. Look for trends and best practices.
You will see common elements that work well and help inspire your own design.
Remember, while your content should be original, there is a proven formula to follow for effective websites.
If you want to see real-world examples of these principles in action, check out our Case Studies.
Final Thoughts
Building a great website is not about guessing or following trends blindly. It is about understanding what works and tailoring it to your business and audience.
Get the basics right, and your website will not just look good but also deliver real results.