Ask any web designer what delays projects and you’ll hear the same answer: content. The design gets signed off, the build is ready, and then everyone waits weeks for words and photos that nobody had time to produce. Planning website content early is the fix.
It’s not that business owners are lazy. Writing about your own business is genuinely hard, and it always feels less urgent than serving customers. The fix is to treat content as a proper workstream with a plan, owners and deadlines, rather than something that gets done “when we get a minute”.
This guide covers how to plan website content from a blank page to a finished set of copy, images and supporting material, ready for the build.
Start with an inventory
If you already have a website, list every page on it, along with any PDFs, blog posts and downloads. For each one, decide whether to keep it as it is, update it, merge it with something else or remove it.
Be ruthless. Old news posts from years ago, duplicate service pages and thin pages that exist only because someone thought they should rarely add anything. That said, check before deleting pages that bring in search traffic. Your analytics and Google Search Console will show you which pages people actually land on. Those need careful handling and, if their address changes, a redirect.
If you’re starting from scratch, your inventory is simply your planned sitemap.
Give every page a purpose
Before writing a word, fill in three things for each page:
- Who it’s for: which visitor group is most likely to land here.
- What they need to know: the questions they arrive with.
- What you want them to do next: call, fill in a form, book, buy, read a case study.
This takes a few minutes per page and makes writing much quicker. It also exposes pages that don’t have a clear purpose, which are usually the pages that end up as a wall of vague text.
Build a content matrix
A content matrix is a spreadsheet with one row per page and columns for everything that page needs. Typical columns include:
- Page name and planned URL.
- Purpose and main call to action.
- Main search term the page should target, if any.
- Copy status: not started, drafted, reviewed, approved.
- Images needed and where they’re coming from.
- Other assets: reviews, logos, downloads, videos, FAQs.
- Who’s responsible and the due date.
It isn’t glamorous, but it’s the single most useful document in a website project. Everyone can see what’s done, what’s missing and who’s holding things up. Share it with whoever’s building the site.
Decide who writes what
There are three common approaches, and many projects mix them.
You write it
Cheapest in cash, most expensive in time. It works if someone in the business writes well and has protected time to do it. The risk is that it slips behind day-to-day work.
You provide the knowledge, a writer shapes it
Often the best balance. A copywriter interviews you or your team, then writes pages that sound like you but read more clearly. You review for accuracy.
A writer does it all
Quickest route, but a writer still needs access to you for facts, details and approval. Nobody can write convincingly about your business without talking to the people who run it.
Whichever you choose, one person should have final say on the website content. Copy approved by committee tends to end up long, cautious and bland.
Write for people first, search second
Good website copy answers visitors’ questions quickly and in plain English. A few principles that help:
- Lead with what the reader cares about, not your company history.
- Use the words customers use. If they say “boiler repair”, don’t write “heating system remediation”.
- Be specific. Areas covered, typical timescales, what’s included, what happens next.
- Break it up with clear subheadings so people can scan.
- Put the call to action where people are ready to act, not just at the bottom.
For search, make sure each important page focuses on one main topic and uses the relevant terms naturally in the title, headings and body. Don’t stuff keywords in. Search engines are good at spotting it, and readers find it off-putting.
Plan images alongside the words
Images are part of your website content, not decoration added at the end. They carry as much weight as the copy, especially on service and about pages. For each page, note what you’d ideally show: your team, your premises, work in progress, finished projects, products in use.
Real photos are usually more convincing than stock, particularly for local and service businesses. If a photo shoot is needed, schedule it early and plan a shot list around the content matrix. Make sure you have the rights to use every image, including anything supplied by third parties.
Don’t forget the small stuff
The pages that get forgotten are often the ones that cause the most delay late in the project:
- Privacy policy and cookie information, which should reflect what the site actually does. Take proper advice if you’re unsure.
- Terms and conditions, if you sell online.
- Form confirmation messages and emails.
- Error page copy.
- Team bios and headshots.
- Alt text for images, which helps visitors using screen readers.
- Page titles and meta descriptions for search results.
Set the content deadline a few weeks before the build needs it. Content always takes longer than planned, and the buffer is cheaper than a delayed launch.
Set up a review process
Decide in advance how website content drafts will be reviewed and how many rounds you’ll allow. A simple process works best: the writer drafts, one person checks facts, one person approves. Collect feedback in one place, whether that’s a shared document with comments or the content matrix itself, rather than across emails, texts and hallway conversations.
Website content planning checklist
- Existing pages audited, with a keep, update, merge or remove decision for each.
- Pages that currently bring search traffic identified and protected.
- Every planned page has a stated audience, purpose and next step.
- A content matrix is set up and shared with the web team.
- Writers are assigned and one person has final approval.
- Each key page has a main search term chosen.
- Image needs are listed page by page, with a shoot booked if needed.
- Legal and policy pages are on the list.
- Small items such as form messages, bios and alt text are included.
- Content deadlines are set ahead of when the build needs them.
- A simple review and approval process is agreed.
Getting help with content
If the thought of writing twenty pages fills you with dread, you’re in good company. Our website content service handles the writing, working from interviews with you, and our photography team can capture the images to go with it.
