Key Questions before developing a B2C website
By Patrick Bachler, RevenueGPS.com
1️⃣ Project Purpose & Goals
Key Objective: Define the foundation and measurable success of your web project.
Best Practice:
Start every project with a strategic discovery session to align all stakeholders. Clearly defined goals act as a compass for every design and development decision.
- What business goals should the website directly support (e.g., sales conversions, lead generation, brand awareness)?
- Who is your primary target audience?
- What problems does your website need to solve for the visitors?
- What emotional response are you hoping to elicit from visitors?
- What actions do you want visitors to take?
- How will you measure success (Key Performance Indicators)?
- What are the top three KPI goals?
2️⃣ Brand Identity & Messaging
Key Objective: Ensure consistency and emotional connection across all digital touchpoints.
Best Practice:
Use a Brand Voice Chart to define tone, values, and audience perception early. Maintain a cohesive brand narrative across visuals and content.
- Will you create user personas?
- Do you have brand colors and a style guide?
- What tone or personality should the site convey?
- Do you have taglines, mission statements, or core messages?
- Does the design reinforce the brand story visually and contextually?
- Any competitor sites you admire or dislike? Why?
3️⃣ Content & Structure
Key Objective: Organize and deliver content that is clear, relevant, and user-focused.
Best Practice:
Use a content audit and sitemap to plan hierarchy before design begins. Prioritize user experience (UX).
- What pages or sections will the site include?
- What types of content will the site include — text, video, audio, infographics, case studies, or testimonials?
- Who will create or supply content?
- Will you need forms, downloads, or a client portal?
- Should the site include a blog or news section?
- What is the ideal user journey from entry point to conversion?
- Will you include user-generated content? If so, how will you manage it?
4️⃣ Functionality & Features
Key Objective: Organize and deliver content that is clear, relevant, and user-focused.
Best Practice:
Prioritize features that directly contribute to business goals. Build a feature roadmap that distinguishes between launch essentials and future upgrades.
- What is the anticipated user flow through key features (e.g., from browsing to checkout)?
- Will the site include e-commerce?
- Any integrations desired (CRM, booking, email, payment gateways, etc.)?
- Do users need user accounts or logins?
- Should the site be multilingual?
- Any accessibility or compliance requirements?
- Will you need a dedicated mobile-oriented site?
5️⃣ Discoverability & Audience Building
Key Objective: Ensure users can find the site and are motivated to return or share.
Best Practice:
Combine SEO with authentic content marketing. Build authority through valuable insights.
- Who is your target audience online, and where do they spend time (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)?
- What are your top keywords or search terms your customers use?
- Would you like SEO optimization or a content plan for ranking in search engines?
- Do you have any content partners or affiliates?
- Do you plan to connect the site to social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X)?
- Will you want social sharing buttons, embedded feeds, or social proof (testimonials, reviews)?
- Would you like to set up email marketing tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo) for audience retention?
- Which analytics and tracking pixels (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insights) are to be installed?
- Do you want a blog or newsletter strategy for ongoing audience growth?
- How will user feedback be collected?
6️⃣ Design Preferences
Key Objective: Translate brand personality into a seamless visual and interactive experience.
Best Practice:
Design with empathy. Every visual decision should clarify, not complicate, the user’s experience.
- Which visual style best represents the brand (minimalist, bold, editorial, futuristic)?
- Which color palettes, fonts, or layouts do you like?
- Is this part of a rebrand or consistent with your current style?
- Example websites for inspiration?
7️⃣ Technical & Logistics
Key Objective: Build a robust, scalable, and secure digital foundation.
Best Practice:
Implement a version-controlled development environment (e.g., GitHub) and automate testing for reliable, collaborative development.
- Who is your hosting provider?
- Will you need email setup?
- Desired launch date?
- Need ongoing maintenance or SEO support?
- How will you manage content management?
- How will users visit your site- Desktop or mobile?
- How will you back up your site?
- What are your security measures?
8️⃣ Budget & Timeline
Key Objective: Balance scope, quality, and resources effectively.
Best Practice:
Adopt agile project management — iterate quickly, review regularly, and maintain transparent communication with stakeholders.
- What is your budget range?
- Ideal launch date or milestones?
- Any events or deadlines to align with?
9️⃣ Optional Enhancements
Key Objective: Future-proof and expand the site’s capabilities.
Best Practice:
Think of the website as a living product — capable of evolving with trends, technology, and user expectations. “Digital ink is never dry.”
- How to design analytics dashboards or reporting?
- Will you use advanced SEO, PPC, or ad campaigns?
- How to address AI discoverability?
- Integration with social ads or influencer tracking?
- Automation or AI-driven chatbots?
- What long-term scalability considerations should be planned for (traffic growth, content expansion)?
- Will you deploy A/B testing?
