Most websites aren’t late because of the code. They’re late because the photos never arrive.

I’ve had projects where the design was ready in a week and then we waited two months for a logo. Nobody’s fault, really. Running a business is a lot, and “write the About page” always ends up at the bottom of the list.

So here’s what you need to build a website, in plain words. Think of it like packing for a trip: if you pack the night before, you leave on time. If you pack at the airport, you forget your charger.

You don’t need everything perfect. You need the basics, in one place.

1. The technical basics

These three are the “address” of your business online.

• A domain. Your name on the internet, like yourbusiness.com. Easy to spell, easy to say out loud. And register it in your name, with your own account. I’ve seen too many owners lose their domain because the nephew who bought it moved to Texas.
• A business email. Something like hello@yourbusiness.com. It looks more serious than a free Gmail, and it costs very little.
• Hosting. The place where your site lives. You don’t need to pick it alone. Whoever builds your site should recommend one, and explain why.

2. One clear goal

Before the text, before the photos, answer this: what’s the one thing you want visitors to do?

• A barbershop: book a chair.
• A bakery: see the menu and order.
• A church: find the service times.
• An auto shop: call for a quote.

If your site tries to do five things, it does none of them well. Pick one. Everything else supports it.

3. Simple text that answers four questions

You don’t have to write a book. You have to answer what your customers already ask you every day:

1. Who are you? Two or three honest lines. How long you’ve been doing this, where you are.
2. What do you do? Your main services, clearly listed. A few lines for each one.
3. Why trust you? Reviews, years of experience, photos of your work, licenses.
4. How do I reach you? Address, phone, WhatsApp, hours.

My favorite trick: don’t write. Talk. Open the voice recorder on your phone and answer those four questions like you’re explaining it to a customer at the counter. Then transcribe it, or send it to me. Nine times out of ten, that’s better than anything you’d write sitting in front of a blank page.

And if you want a bilingual site, decide who checks the Spanish (or the English). A machine translation alone sounds weird, and your customers notice.

4. Real photos and a good logo

• Your logo in the best file you have. Ideally an SVG or a PNG with a transparent background. If all you have is a photo of your business card, tell me. We’ll figure it out.
• Real photos of your place, your team and your work. Real beats stock every time. A photo of your actual tacos sells more than a perfect photo of someone else’s tacos. A recent phone does a good job if there’s good light.
• Three to five reviews from happy customers, with their first name. Screenshots of Google or Facebook reviews work.
• Your colors and fonts, if you already use them on your sign, your cards or your truck.

5. One folder for everything

Files scattered across email, WhatsApp and text messages get lost. Always. Make one shared folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, whatever you use) with four folders inside:

• 01 Logo and colors
• 02 Text (one document per page)
• 03 Photos (the original files, not the WhatsApp versions, which lose quality)
• 04 Reviews

Share the link once and you’re done. It saves more time than you’d think.

6. One person who decides

This one isn’t a file, but it matters just as much. Your partner, your cousin and your accountant can all give opinions. One person makes the final call. Otherwise you end up redoing the homepage four times and nobody’s happy.

Don’t do it all at once

If this feels like a lot, split it into small weeks:

Week	What to gather
1	Logo, colors, contact info, hours, address
2	Text for the homepage and your main services
3	About page, photos and reviews
4	Extras: FAQ, policies, anything else

By the time the design is ready, you’ll have almost everything. That’s how a site gets done in a couple of weeks instead of a couple of months. I explain the timing here: How long does it take to build a website?

Your checklist

What	Ready?
Domain registered in your name	[ ]
Business email	[ ]
The one goal of the site	[ ]
Text: who you are, what you do, why trust you, how to reach you	[ ]
Logo file	[ ]
Real photos	[ ]
3 to 5 reviews	[ ]
One shared folder	[ ]
One person who decides	[ ]

What I’d do if I were you

Don’t wait to have everything perfect to talk to someone. Gather what you can this week, put it in the folder and start there. A good designer helps you fill the gaps.

If you’re at the very beginning, read the full guide first: How to plan a small business website. And if you’d like to see what’s possible with a small budget, check my Starter plan or ask me for a free quote.

Frequently asked questions