What to Do BEFORE You Build Your Website: 4 Questions to Answer First

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If you’re planning to build a website or wondering why the one you have isn’t working, the problem usually isn’t your design or your platform. It’s that you skipped the strategic planning piece.

Most people jump straight into picking a website builder, choosing colors, and writing content about themselves. But the website builder actually comes later. The strategy comes first.

After building hundreds of websites, I’ve found that strategy comes down to four questions. Answer these before you touch a single tool, and every decision after that gets easier.

Click play on the video below to be guided through all four questions (it’s loaded with examples for all different types of businesses), or keep reading for the full breakdown.

But before I get into it, I do have an essential website toolkit that shows you exactly what tools to use and when whenever you’re ready to start building. Click the button below and sign up to get instant access.

Question 1: Who Are You Trying to Reach and What Problem Are You Solving?

Here’s the first question you need to answer: Who exactly are you trying to reach and what problem are you trying to help them solve?

I know that’s really two questions in one, but they go together.

A lot of people get way too vague here. I’ll ask someone this question and they’ll say something generic like “I want to reach women from the ages of 20 to 50.”

I always push back when someone answers like that because that’s not specific enough. The 20-year-old and the 50-year-old are not losing sleep over the same things.

Why Specificity Matters

A 20-year-old might be figuring out her career, when she wants a family, or what she’s even doing with her life. A 50-year-old is going to be navigating menopause, empty nesting, or dealing with aging parents.

These are not the same person. They’re not struggling with the same thing. And if you try to talk to both of them, you’re going to end up connecting with neither.

But when you get really specific, you can actually speak to what they’re going through. You’re going to know their pain points. You know what words they use to talk about their problem. And that’s when people really feel like you get them.

Example: The Nutrition Coach

Let’s say you’re a nutrition coach. Instead of saying you help all women lose weight, you could zero in on helping breastfeeding mothers get back to their pre-pregnancy weight while increasing their milk supply. Or maybe you want to help women who have over 100 pounds to lose.

Do you see how specific those problems are?

You’ll know exactly who you’re talking to and the unique problems and challenges those people are struggling with. And that clarity will shape everything else on your website — your messaging, your content, your offers, all of it.

Question 2: How Are You Going to Make Money on Your Website?

Once you know who you’re helping and what problem you’re solving, now you’ve got to figure out the best way to actually get paid for it.

Some of you may be thinking, “I don’t care. I just want to make money online.” And others are thinking, “I’m not even in it for the money. I just feel called to help people.”

But the honest truth is that neither of those are a strategy. The strategy is knowing exactly how you’re going to get paid for the help you provide.

Types of Website Monetization

So what are people going to buy from you?

• Content monetization — Where you’re relying on ads, affiliate links, and sponsorships as you educate and entertain others on a topic
• One-on-one services — Like coaching, consulting, or freelance work you can do from anywhere
• Local services — Where people in your area need to find you, like a photographer, contractor, or salon
• Digital products — Like courses, templates, or ebooks
• Memberships or subscriptions — Where people pay you on a recurring basis
• Physical products — Like handmade goods or an online shop
• Speaking and events — Where you get paid to book gigs
• Donations — Like buy me a coffee, or receiving non-profit giving

Most of you will have more than one of these. That’s totally normal. But you need to know what your primary revenue driver is because that’s what’s going to shape your entire website.

How Monetization Shapes Your Site

Let’s go back to that nutrition coach helping breastfeeding moms. She could monetize through one-on-one coaching. She could create an ebook. She could build a membership. All of those are valid, but each changes the structure of your website.

Just look at how a nutrition coach’s homepage is completely different than a travel blogger’s homepage. Both can be strategically crafted to meet their unique monetization goals, but they don’t look alike.

The biggest thing to remember: the problem always comes first, then the monetization follows. That’s the order that actually works.

Question 3: What Is the Primary Action You Want Visitors to Take?

This isn’t just about your homepage. This is about your entire website strategy.

Every page on your site — your blog posts, your about page, your services page, even your menu navigation — should be guiding people toward one primary action. That’s the entry point for getting started working with you.

Primary Actions by Business Type

• For most service providers: Book a call
• For content creators: Join your email list through a lead magnet
• For local businesses: Call us or request a quote

The Airport Analogy

Imagine walking into a huge airport with gates everywhere and people rushing past. You would feel lost.

But what if a friend met you at the entrance and said, “I know exactly where you need to go. Just follow me.”

That’s what your website should do. When someone lands on your site with a problem, your job is to be that friend who says, “I’ve got you. Start here.”

Once you know what your primary action is, building your website becomes so much easier. Every page has a purpose, every button has a job, and you’re not guessing anymore.

Question 4: What Pages Does Your Website Actually Need?

Every website typically needs a homepage, an about page, and a contact page. But the content on those pages — along with additional pages you may need — will be unique to your audience, your offers, and your primary call to action.

Let me share some examples.

Example: Service Provider (Nutrition Coach)

A nutrition coach who’s booking discovery calls needs:

• Homepage focused on the transformation she provides, getting people to book a free discovery call
• Services page that explains her coaching package
• Booking page where visitors can schedule a consultation
• Thank you page so they know what to expect before their consultation

Example: Content Creator (Travel Blogger)

A travel blogger’s homepage looks completely different because her content IS the product. She wants her best posts front and center to maximize ad and affiliate revenue.

She’ll need:

• Category pages so readers can easily find what they’re looking for — not just standard WordPress categories, but strategically designed silos that guide users toward the best content
• Lead magnet landing page since building her email list is a top priority
• Thank you page for new subscribers
• Callouts within content to get people onto her email list without leaving the post

Example: Author or Speaker

An author or speaker’s homepage probably features their book or signature talk — that’s what builds their credibility.

They’ll need:

• About page that positions them as an expert
• Speaking or media page for event planners to learn more and inquire
• Email capture — maybe offering a free chapter of their book

Example: Local Business

A local business homepage focuses on what they do, where they serve, and how to get in touch.

They’ll need:

• Services page (or multiple service pages)
• Contact page with phone number and request-a-quote form
• Portfolio or gallery to show off their work
• Location-specific pages if trying to rank in multiple cities
• Testimonials — because when someone is hiring local, they want to know you’re legit

Start with an MVP Website

If you’re brand new to building a website and feeling overwhelmed by all the pages you could add, remember this: You can create an MVP website.

MVP stands for “minimum viable product” — a term we used all the time when I worked at Kadence. Whenever we launched a new block or feature, we’d ask, “What do we actually need to get this out the door?”

That’s the strategy I want you to use for your website, too.

You might go through a sitemap planning activity and end up with a 20-page website on paper. But that could take months to build.

Meanwhile, you could launch a four-page website right now and actually get going. Next month, add a fifth page. The month after that, the sixth. You can build on it over time.

The moral of the story: done is better than perfect. You can tweak forever, but you cannot get clients from a website that doesn’t exist.

Bringing It All Together

Most people start with the website builder and hope the strategy just works itself out. You just did it the other way around.

Now when you sit down to pick your tools, choose your colors, and write your copy, you’re not guessing. You actually have a plan.

You now know:

• Exactly who you’re helping and what problem you’re solving
• Exactly how you’re going to get paid
• The one action you want every visitor to take
• What pages your site actually needs

That’s the strategy. And now that you have it, you can pick your builder, choose your colors, and write your copy. Every decision will be easier because you’re not guessing anymore — you’re building with intention.

At the end of the day, this doesn’t need to be complicated. Answer these four questions and you’ll have done more strategic planning than most small business website owners ever do.

Ready to Start Building?

So, if you are ready to actually start building, don’t forget to grab my free essential website toolkit, just click the button below. It’s got all of my recommended tools for hosting, themes, plugins, etc.

And if you want to go even deeper, like knowing exactly what to write on each page and how to set everything up in WordPress, that’s what I teach inside Site Success Academy.

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