What this stage settles
This is the ingredients stage. It happens before design, components or code, and its only job is to remove guessing from the build.
You are not preparing the perfect website. You are preparing enough for a rough first version, with the gaps marked as gaps. Missing inputs are normal; invented ones are not.
Each guide below settles one decision. Open the one you are missing, then fill in the handoff checklist at the end of this page.
Steps
Guide
Pick the website type
A landing page, product site, portfolio, campaign page, SEO blog and subdomain page need different content, pages and integrations. This is the decision every later one depends on.
Name the one audience
A site that speaks to everyone gets rewritten twice. Pick the reader whose decision matters most for the first version, and let the secondary ones be secondary.
Write the goal in one sentence
What is the site for, who is it for, and what should the visitor do next? Three answers, one line each. If the goal is vague, the build fills the gap with sections nobody asked for.
Decide the smallest version that works
Every function is a door: it needs a destination, an owner, and someone to fix it. Decide which doors the first version actually needs, and mark the rest as later.
Collect the content and the assets
Key messages, existing copy, languages, logos, colours, fonts, images and reference sites. What you do not have, write down as missing - the builder must not invent a brand.
→ Brand Asset Pack · Create thumbnails like the ones on this site
Prepare what the site should be found for
Keywords, the questions people ask, and what a search engine or an AI assistant needs to understand the page. Prepare it now; it changes the page structure, not just the metadata.
→ Generate Keyword Ideas With AI · SEO, AEO, GEO: What To Prepare
Decide whether it gets measured
If the site should produce data from day one, say so now: which tools, and whether they need consent. The setup itself belongs to the Publish stage.
Fill the handoff checklist
The checklist below is the output of this stage. Fill what you know, mark what you do not, and hand it to the builder or the agent. It is the difference between a brief and a conversation.
Be Aware
The pack is delayed until it is complete.
Hand over what exists. A brief with marked gaps beats a perfect brief that arrives three weeks later.
Every idea becomes a must-have.
Ask whether the first useful version fails without it. If not, it is later scope.
The inputs are spread across chats, mails and screenshots.
Put them in one file the builder and the agent can both open. A decision only you can find is not an input.
Return to the Main Guide?
Main guide
Start Your Website Factory
Final checklist
Handoff checklist
Use this checklist as the final handoff before building the website.
#### Website Basics
* Website type:
* Example: landing page / product site / portfolio / campaign page / subdomain page
* Website goal:
* Example: explain the service and get demo requests
* Target audience:
* Example: startup founders, HR managers, job candidates, local customers
* Primary action:
* Example: book a call, submit a form, download a file, apply for a job
#### Content
* Key messages:
* Example: "We help companies automate reporting with AI"
* Languages:
* Example: English only / English + Dutch / multilingual
* Existing content:
* Example: Google Docs, Notion pages, old website copy, pitch deck
* Keywords:
* Example: AI automation consultant, website MVP, marketing analytics setup
#### Branding
* Logo:
* Example: SVG logo file or PNG logo
* Colors:
* Example: black, white, orange accent
* Fonts:
* Example: Inter, Roboto, system font
* Images:
* Example: founder photo, product screenshots, AI-generated thumbnails
* Icons:
* Example: simple line icons, product feature icons
* Reference websites:
* Example: websites with layout, style or section ideas you like
#### Functionality
* Forms:
* Example: contact form, signup form, CV upload form
* Login:
* Example: no login for MVP / login required for dashboard
* CRM automations:
* Example: send form submissions to HubSpot or Airtable
* Email sending:
* Example: send confirmation email from branded email domain
* Booking tools:
* Example: Calendly, Google Calendar booking, custom booking form
* Payments:
* Example: Stripe checkout, subscription, one-time payment
* Widgets:
* Example: chatbot, Google Maps, calendar widget, embedded video
* Protected content:
* Example: only logged-in users can access paid materials
#### Integrations
* GTM:
* Example: add Google Tag Manager container
* GA4:
* Example: track page views and conversions
* Clarity:
* Example: add Microsoft Clarity for session recordings
* Search Console:
* Example: connect Google Search Console after launch
* Bing Webmaster Tools:
* Example: add Bing verification
* Consent mode:
* Example: cookie banner required before analytics loads
#### SEO / AEO / GEO
* Target keywords:
* Example: website preparation checklist, AI website builder input, landing page brief
* Search intent:
* Example: users want to prepare a website before hiring a builder
* Competitor references:
* Example: 3-5 websites ranking for similar topics
* Content opportunities:
* Example: add FAQ section, comparison table, step-by-step guide
* AI assistant questions:
* Example: "What should I prepare before asking AI to build my website?"
#### Website Structure
* Navigation:
* Example: Home, Services, Cases, Blog, Contact
* Footer links:
* Example: Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Terms & Conditions, Contact
* Metadata:
* Example: title tag, meta description, social sharing image
#### UX & Quality
* Responsive layout:
* Example: desktop, tablet and mobile layout must work
* Accessibility basics:
* Example: readable contrast, alt text, keyboard-friendly forms
* Form behaviour:
* Example: success message, error message, email notification
* Performance:
* Example: fast loading, compressed images, no unnecessary scripts
#### Legal
* Privacy Policy:
* Example: needed if forms, analytics or tracking are used
* Cookie Policy:
* Example: needed if cookies or analytics tools are used
* Terms & Conditions:
* Example: needed for paid services, subscriptions or platform access
#### Edge Cases
* Empty states:
* Example: what appears if no content is available
* Error states:
* Example: what appears if a form submission fails
* 404 page:
* Example: helpful message and link back to homepage
* Broken form handling:
* Example: validation message and fallback contact email
If you do not have all answers, that is fine. Mark missing items as unknown. The website builder or AI coding agent should not invent critical business, legal or technical decisions.