Getting a Business Website Built: What to Prepare First

Getting a business website built? Prepare its purpose, pages, content, data, privacy and pre-launch review before it goes live.

Written by Christian and Michel.

Published: 2026-11-01

Getting a website built does not start with a colour, a template or a list of separate ideas. It starts with a clear view of what your business needs to communicate and what a visitor should be able to do next. Once that foundation is clear, it becomes easier to make good decisions together about pages, content and technology.

This checklist helps you prepare a new business website in a considered way. The steps are useful whether you build it yourself or work with someone who builds the site for you.

Start with the website's purpose

First, write down in one or two sentences why the website is being made. You may want someone to understand a service, get in touch, arrange an introduction or find information. A website can have more than one purpose, but choose which one matters most for visitors.

Then think about the people the site is for. What question do they have before they get in touch? What words do they use themselves? And what information gives them enough confidence to continue? KVK advises business owners to determine the purpose, audience and visitor action before building. That helps prevent the content from becoming a collection of disconnected pages.

Set out for yourself:

• Who you want to reach.
• Which service, question or situation is central for that person.
• Which next step you want to offer.
• Which questions a visitor needs answered first.

Create an overview of your pages

A good page overview does not have to be complicated. Start with the pages a visitor needs to understand who you are, what you do and how contact works. For many business websites, these include a homepage, service pages, an about page, contact information and a privacy statement.

Also consider the route between those pages. Someone who arrives on a service page from a search result should be able to find the essentials there and see a clear next step. Someone who already knows your business may instead be looking for contact information or confirmation that you are the right fit.

The information on a business website should also make clear which business a person is dealing with. Ondernemersplein notes that company details should be easy to find. Prepare one current document with your business name, contact details, visitor address and any other details that belong on your site.

Gather accurate content that you may use

A new website is easier to prepare when its content is collected in one place. Bring together your current copy, logo, colours, photographs, project examples, frequently asked questions and contact details. For each item, note what is still missing and who can provide it.

Use only photographs, videos, copy and other material you created yourself or have permission to use. When working with another party, also agree who owns the domain, accounts and material created for the website. This avoids uncertainty if you want to make a change later.

You do not need to supply every sentence in finished form. It does help if you can explain what you offer, who it is for and which questions customers ask most often. That information makes it possible to write copy that reflects how your business actually works.

Map forms, data and privacy

A contact form may be small, but it is a moment when someone shares information with you. Decide in advance which details you genuinely need to handle an enquiry well. Do not automatically ask for information you will not use.

If you process personal data through the website, you need to explain clearly what you do with that data and why. Dutch government guidance explains that a privacy statement should be easy to find and understand. Before launch, check that the statement matches the forms, analytics tools and other data flows on the site.

Review cookies as well. The Dutch Data Protection Authority advises organisations to explain which cookies they use, their purpose and which data is processed. Cookies outside the necessary or limited analytical categories may require consent in advance. Make sure a visitor can make a choice without unnecessary barriers.

Keep the domain and technical access together

A domain is the internet address of your website. Ondernemersplein advises checking that a name is available in advance and considering trade-name and trademark rights. The person or organisation registered as the domain holder is an important part of that choice.

Keep a clear record of who can access your domain, hosting, website administration, analytics and forms. This is not just a technical detail. It means you can decide about changes yourself and a new colleague or supplier does not have to search for scattered login details.

Review the website before it goes live

Before launch, take time to use the website as if you were a new visitor. Open it on a phone and a desktop. Send a test message through a form. Use the menu, buttons and footer links. Read the key pages aloud once more to see whether they are clear.

At minimum, check:

• Do the contact form, email addresses and other contact routes work?
• Are services, opening hours and business details current?
• Are text, images and buttons easy to use on a small screen too?
• Do internal links lead to the right page and external links open as expected?
• Does the privacy statement match what the website actually does?

After launch, you can continue to improve the site using questions customers ask and information that changes. A good start is not a one-time event, but it is a foundation you can keep building on.

Would you like to prepare a website that clearly shows what your business does? See how NordX works on websites or get in touch.

Sources

• KVK, nine tips for creating a business website
• Business.gov.nl, creating a business website
• Business.gov.nl, drafting a privacy statement
• Dutch Data Protection Authority, cookies and your organisation

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