November 22, 2024
How to Map Out a Website Design
Creating a website isn’t just about adding some content onto a few pages and calling it a day. For a website to perform well, attract the right visitors, and drive meaningful engagement, it’s crucial to start with a solid game plan. By mapping out your website structure and content, you’re not just making the design process easier—you’re building a site that works smarter for your business.
Here at Kōwhai Creative, we take a complex and tailored approach to every client website, but if you’re setting up your own site, here’s a straightforward breakdown of the steps to help you create a strategic, well-planned website.
1. Start with Your Audience
Every great website begins with a clear understanding of who it’s for. Defining your audience helps you focus on what they need and what they’re likely searching for when they land on your site.
Ask yourself:
- Who is my target audience?
- What are their top pain points?
- What questions are they trying to answer?
Knowing these basics will help shape the structure, language, and visual style of your site.
2. Do Your Keyword Research
This is where SEO starts to play a role. Keyword research means identifying the terms and phrases that your audience is using in search engines to find solutions to their problems. When you know which keywords your target audience is searching for, you can make sure your site content aligns with these terms.
Why it’s important:
Including these keywords in your website copy makes your site more discoverable, helping search engines understand what your pages are about and why they should be shown to potential visitors. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can help you find these keywords and evaluate their competitiveness.
