Web Marketing Guide: 9 Things to Decide before Designing a Website

In today’s digital-first world, your website is more than just a pretty interface, it’s the central hub of your marketing strategy.

Too often, businesses dive straight into web design, choosing colours, layouts, and fonts, without considering the strategic decisions that drive real results. A website that looks good but fails to convert visitors or communicate your brand effectively is a missed opportunity.

Before opening a design program or scrolling through templates, it’s crucial to approach your website as a core marketing tool. A strong website marketing strategy ensures your site not only looks professional but also drives traffic, nurtures leads, and supports your business objectives. In this guide, we’ll break down the nine key decisions you need to make before designing your website.

Why Website Marketing Strategy Comes First

Design is often the most visible part of a website, but it’s only effective when it aligns with your marketing goals. A website marketing strategy helps you:

• Increase conversions: Strategic placement of calls-to-action (CTAs), clear messaging, and intuitive navigation guide visitors to take the actions you want.

• Improve SEO performance: A marketing-first approach ensures content and site structure are optimised for search engines from the start.

• Maintain brand consistency: From colour palettes to tone of voice, your website should consistently reflect your brand identity across every page.

• Maximise ROI: A well-planned website reduces costly redesigns and ensures each element serves a purpose in your business growth.

Thinking marketing-first keeps your business website marketing focused on outcomes, rather than just aesthetics. It also lays the groundwork for integrating other online website marketing strategies, such as email marketing, social media, and paid advertising.

9 Things to Decide Before Designing your Website

Before moving into visuals, consider these nine strategic decisions that will shape your website marketing plan and future-proof your online presence:

1. Define Your Business Goals

What is your website meant to achieve? Are you looking to generate leads, sell products, showcase your portfolio, or educate your audience? Clearly defining your objectives will influence every element of your website marketing design, from CTAs to page layout.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience allows you to craft content, visuals, and functionality that resonate with them. Consider demographics, behaviours, pain points, and motivations. Tailoring your website marketing content to your audience increases engagement and conversions.

3. Clarify Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A unique selling point differentiates your business from competitors. What makes your offering unique? This statement should be central to your website messaging, reinforcing why visitors should choose your business over others. Effective website marketing companies will highlight your USP in every key section of your site.

4. Plan Your Website Marketing Strategy

A robust strategy integrates your website with all other marketing efforts. Determine how your site will support email campaigns, social media, paid ads, and content marketing. Think of your website as the core hub in a broader website as a marketing tool approach.

5. Choose the Right Website Structure

Site structure affects both usability and SEO. Decide on main navigation, page hierarchy, and content flow. A clear structure improves user experience and ensures search engines can crawl your pages efficiently. Marketing websites for business often prioritise simple, intuitive navigation to help visitors find information quickly.

6. Decide on Your Core Content Types

Content drives engagement and conversions. Will you use blogs, case studies, videos, infographics, or product guides? Determine the types of content that align with your audience’s needs and support your website online marketing efforts.

7. Determine Required Integrations

Modern websites often need integrations with CRM systems, email marketing platforms, e-commerce tools, analytics, and marketing automation. Defining these requirements early ensures your website marketing agency can select compatible solutions during design and development.

8. Select Your Measurement KPIs

Remember, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Decide which KPIs matter most, whether that’s traffic, bounce rate, conversions, lead quality, or sales. Aligning your metrics with your website marketing strategy allows you to track performance and optimise over time.

9. Choose the Right Website Platform

The platform your website is built on affects its flexibility, scalability, and SEO. Whether you choose WordPress, Shopify, or a custom solution, ensure it supports your goals, integrates with your tools, and allows for ongoing website marketing content updates without heavy technical dependence.

How Website Design and Marketing Work Together

Marketing strategy and design are inseparable. Every design choice should support your marketing goals. Examples include:

• CTA Placement: Strategic button placement encourages conversions and leads users through the buying journey.

• Visual Hierarchy: Design guides attention to key messages, offers, or products.

• Responsive Design: Ensures accessibility across devices, improving SEO and user experience.

• Content Layout: Supports storytelling and educates visitors while keeping them engaged.

A strong partnership between strategy and design means your site is not only visually appealing but also a functional website marketing tool.

When to Hire a Website Marketing Agency 

Sometimes, the best decision is to bring in experts. A website marketing agency can offer:

• Strategy development tailored to your business objectives
• Professional design that aligns with your brand and marketing goals
• SEO optimisation and technical support
• Content creation, including copy, visuals, and media
• Integration of analytics, CRM, and marketing automation tools

For businesses without internal resources or digital marketing expertise, working with one of the best website marketing companies can accelerate results and ensure a return on investment.

Conclusion

Your website is more than a digital brochure, it’s a powerful business website marketing tool. By making these nine strategic decisions before starting the design, you can create a site that drives traffic, engages visitors, and supports long-term business growth.

Take the time to define goals, understand your audience, plan your marketing, and select the right platforms. With a thoughtful website marketing plan, your website can do more than look good, it can become a central hub for your marketing success.

Is your website due for a redesign? Our in-house team of skilled web developers can transform your outdated website into a modern, visually striking platform that achieves your business goals.

Talk to us today.