Your design team can only build the site you describe. Clear website goals turn “I want something modern” into a brief the team can act on from day one. This worksheet walks you through six questions to answer before your kickoff call, so your answers are ready when InMotion Hosting sends your intake questionnaire.
You do not need polished answers. A rough sentence for each question is enough to start a useful conversation.
Step 1: Write Down What Your Website Is For
The purpose of the site shapes every later decision, from page count to features. A site that works as an online business card needs a different build than one that sells products or books appointments.
Finish this sentence in plain words: “My website exists so that <visitor type> can <main action>.” For example, “so that local homeowners can request a quote.” If you need two sentences, your project may have two purposes. Rank them and note which one comes first.
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Step 2: Choose One Primary Call to Action
A call to action (CTA) is the one thing you want a visitor to do after they land on your site. Designers place buttons, forms, and page layouts around it, so a vague CTA produces a vague page.
Pick one primary CTA, such as:
- Fill out a contact or quote form
- Book an appointment
- Buy a product
- Join an email list
You can list secondary actions too. Mark which one wins when they compete for space on the homepage. Then move on to the people who will take that action.
Step 3: Describe Your Audience
Designers make different choices for a law firm’s clients than for teenage gamers. Describe your typical visitor in two or three sentences: who they are, what they want, and what worries them before they contact you. If you are not sure yet, describe your best current customer.
Step 4: Collect Sites You Like and Dislike
Examples communicate taste faster than adjectives. Browse a few sites you admire, then follow these steps.
- Save the web addresses of three to five sites you like.
- Next to each one, write what you like: the colors, the layout, the photography, or how easy it is to find things.
- Save one or two sites you dislike and write why. Knowing what to avoid is as useful to the team as knowing what to copy.
The sites do not need to be in your industry. A restaurant owner might love the clean layout of a portfolio site. Say that, and the designer knows exactly what to borrow. Next, think about what your site has to do, not only how it looks.
Step 5: List Must-Have Features and Integrations
Features affect scope, so raise them early. Split your list into “must have at launch” and “nice to have later.” Think about a blog, an online store, event registration, or a members-only area.
Also list the tools your site needs to connect to. The InMotion Hosting custom website design guide names several categories:
- Customer relationship management (CRM) tools such as HubSpot and Salesforce
- Email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp
- Payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe
- Booking systems and live chat
Membership portals are also listed in the Custom Website Design FAQ, so mention a members-only area if you want one and ask Sales how it fits your plan. If your tool is not on the list, ask the InMotion Hosting Sales team when you discuss your project.
Note: Some extras, such as WooCommerce product upload, a custom logo, and plugin implementation, are optional upgrades, and unusual requests may need a custom quote. Listing them now lets Sales or your project manager tell you what is included before work begins.
Step 6: Decide How You Will Measure Success
A goal you cannot check is only a hope. Choose one or two numbers you will watch after launch, for example the number of form submissions per month, online orders, or booked appointments. Write down where you are today, if you know, and what result would make you happy.
This also keeps feedback objective. When you review the design, you can ask whether each page supports your main CTA instead of reacting only to personal taste. With all six answers written, you are ready for onboarding.
Bring Your Website Goals to the Questionnaire and Kickoff
After you buy, InMotion Hosting emails you an intake questionnaire during onboarding. It asks for your goals, brand assets, designs you like, and the content or features you have in mind. Your answers from Steps 1 to 6 map straight onto it, so you can copy them in.
Onboarding also includes a one-on-one call with your project manager, who stays your single point of contact. Use that call to talk through the answers, ask what fits your plan, and confirm how many revision rounds you get. Clear goals make each round count, because your feedback in Feedbucket (the WordPress plugin that lets you comment directly on your site) can focus on refinements rather than a change of direction.
Tip: Rank your goals before the call. When the team has to trade one feature against another, a ranked list tells them which one you would keep.
Conclusion
Your written website goals are now a one-page brief the team can work from. Next, gather the practical materials with How to Prepare for the Web Design Process, then label your files using How to Organize Website Content and Images for Your Project. To explore every service, visit the Professional Website Services Product Guide. If you are ready to start a project, contact the InMotion Hosting Sales team.