What Should I Know Before Designing a Website? A Beginner’s Checklist
What Should I Know Before Designing My Website?
Before jumping into web design, it’s essential to understand why you’re building the site in the first place . Whether it’s an e-commerce store , a corporate site , or a real estate platform , your website must serve a clear purpose and reflect your brand identity.
At ITUNIFY , we guide entrepreneurs through this pre-design phase using a powerful tool: the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) . This helps you define your unique value, identify gaps, and build a website that not only looks good but also drives real results .
Let’s explore what you need to know before designing your website .
1. What Is Your Core Value Proposition?
Ask yourself:
- What makes my product or service stand out?
- Why should someone choose me over others?
Your answer will help shape your website’s messaging and user experience. Consider factors like:
- High-quality products
- Competitive pricing
- Authenticity (e.g., organic honey, original car parts)
- Free shipping or exclusive discounts
- Expertise and trustworthiness
- Unique customer support methods (e.g., Telegram bots, SMS notifications)
These are your strengths —and they’ll form the foundation of your site’s branding and content strategy.
2. Why Build a Website at All?
This is the most important question to answer before investing time and money. Ask:
- Does your business need a digital storefront ?
- Will a website improve your brand visibility or customer retention ?
- Can it reduce reliance on expensive marketing channels (e.g., Instagram ads)?
- Do you want 24/7 sales potential?
A website is more than just an online brochure—it’s a conversion engine , a trust builder , and a marketing hub .
3. Conduct a SWOT Analysis Before Web Design
Use SWOT analysis to evaluate your market position and inform your website development strategy.
✅ Strengths:
- What do you do better than competitors?
- Examples:
- “We offer free delivery within Sabzevar”
- “Our brake pads are 100% original with e-Namad certification”
- “We provide expert guides like ‘How to Spot Fake Car Parts'”
⚠️ Weaknesses :
- What challenges do you currently face?
- Examples:
- Limited budget for digital marketing
- Low technical knowledge of team members
- Slow order fulfillment process
- No mobile-responsive design
- Lack of payment gateway integration
💡 Tip : A great website won’t fix weak operations—but it can highlight strengths and compensate for weaknesses via smart UX and communication.
🎯 Opportunities:
- How can you turn weaknesses into opportunities?
- Examples:
- Use SEO strategies to rank for “buy genuine car parts Iran” and reach new audiences.
- Offer free blog content to build trust and attract users searching for solutions.
- Launch a mobile-first design to capture 70% of Iranian smartphone users.
🔍 Threats:
- Who are your main competitors?
- Are there legal or technological barriers to entry?
- Example threats in the Iranian market:
- Instagram filter disruptions
- Rising hosting costs
- Copycat stores mimicking your model
- Google algorithm changes affecting SEO
4. Realistic Expectations About Website Impact
You might be thinking:
“If I build a website, customers will flood in.”
But reality is different.
- A website alone won’t save a poor product.
- It won’t fix bad customer service.
- It won’t automatically beat competitors unless strategically designed.
Think of your website as a megaphone for your strengths , not a magic wand for your weaknesses.
5. Practical Examples of Weakness-to-Opportunity Mapping
6. Build a “Golden Map” – The SWOT Matrix
After identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses , move on to Opportunities and Threats . Arrange them in a matrix:
This matrix becomes your roadmap for digital success —especially when planning your website’s structure, content, and features.
7. Key Questions to Answer Before Web Design
Before handing off to a designer, make sure you’ve answered these questions:
Who is my target audience?
- Are you selling to locals in Sabzevar or globally?
What are my business goals?
- Brand awareness, lead generation, direct sales, or customer education?
What’s my competitive edge?
- Price, quality, speed, or storytelling?
Do I have the resources to manage the site post-launch?
- Hosting, domain, CMS access, and support tools?
Will I use the website as part of a broader marketing plan?
- Content marketing, Google Ads, SMS retargeting, or CRM integration?
Am I ready to invest in long-term maintenance?
- SSL certificates, plugin updates, security patches, and performance monitoring.
8. Strategic Value of Pre-Design Planning
9. Example Workflow: Automotive Parts Store in Sabzevar
Scenario : You run a brake pad store and want to launch an e-commerce site.
Steps Before Design :
Define your strengths:
- Original parts
- Fast delivery in Khorasan
- Technical expertise in Peugeot 206 systems
Identify weaknesses:
- No website
- No digital marketing strategy
- High manual order processing
Explore opportunities:
- Target keywords like “genuine brake pads Iran”
- Partner with automotive influencers for reviews
Address threats:
- Competitors using Instagram heavily
- Platform filtering risks
Result : Your website now serves as a conversion-focused asset , not just a digital placeholder.
Why ITUNIFY Stands Out in Strategic Web Design
With 5 years of experience and 400+ successful projects , ITUNIFY ensures your website:
- Reflects your unique value proposition .
- Turns weaknesses into opportunities .
- Builds trust signals (SSL, e-Namad, ZarinPal).
- Is fully responsive , fast-loading, and SEO-ready .
We don’t just build websites—we help you build business strategies around them.
Get Started with ITUNIFY Today
Ready to build a website that reflects your true business potential?
✅ Request a free consultation
✅ Explore our portfolio
✅ Get a custom quote
Contact Us :
📧 info@itunify.ir
📱 WhatsApp: +98 912 4905798
📍 Asman Building, Mottahari St., Sabzevar, Iran
