Why Prepare Content Before Building a Website?
Many businesses focus heavily on design and technology during website development, only to rush filling in content after the template is complete. This often leads to issues like unreasonable column settings, repetitive copy, incorrect image sizes, or missing key pages—resulting in rework that wastes time and increases costs. Therefore, preparing content in advance before officially building the website can make the process smoother and ensure a more professional final result.
Step 1: Define Website Goals and Column Structure
Before preparing content, clarify what goals the website aims to achieve, such as showcasing brand image, attracting customer inquiries, or publishing industry news. Then, plan the column structure based on these goals. Typically, a corporate website should include at least the following core columns:
- Homepage: Highlight core advantages, service highlights, and latest updates, with strong visual appeal and clear calls to action.
- About Us: Company profile, development history, certifications and honors, team introductions, etc.
- Products/Services: Detailed introductions, specifications, pricing (optional), and case studies for each product or service.
- News Center: Corporate news, industry insights, technical articles, etc., updated regularly.
- Contact Us: Address, phone number, email, online form, map, etc.
- Optional Columns: FAQ, download center, partnership cases, recruitment information, etc., tailored to the business's needs.
Step 2: Prepare Core Copy Materials
Copy is the soul of website content. Here is a list of written materials to prepare in advance:
- Company Profile: 200-500 words, highlighting positioning, core advantages, development history, and corporate culture.
- Product or Service Descriptions: A brief introduction (50-100 words), detailed explanation (200-500 words), feature list, and applicable scenarios for each product/service.
- Brand Story/Team Introduction: If needed, prepare founder stories, team photos, and briefs to build trust.
- Press Releases/Articles: Prepare 3-5 industry-related or corporate news articles as initial content to avoid an empty website.
- FAQ: Compile common customer questions and answers, placed at the bottom of the site or on a separate page.
- Contact Call-to-Action: Phrases like "Feel free to call for inquiries"—avoid including phone numbers (can be left blank or added during design).
Step 3: Organize Image and Video Assets
Visual content is key to attracting attention on a website. It is recommended to collect or create the following assets in advance:
- Logo: High-resolution AI or PNG format, preferably with a transparent background.
- Corporate Images: Office environment, team photos, factory/store real shots, etc.
- Product Images: White-background images, usage scenario images, and detail shots for each product, ideally from multiple angles.
- Banner/Slider Images: 3-5 large images for the homepage, highlighting core business or promotions, typically around 1920x600 pixels.
- Video Assets: Corporate promotional videos, product demos, customer testimonials, etc., edited in advance and uploaded to video platforms (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo) for embed codes.
- Icons/Decor Elements: Company-specific icons or industry-standard icons to avoid copyright issues.
Step 4: Prepare Other Supporting Content
In addition to the core content above, the following materials are also recommended to prepare in advance:
- Partners/Customer Cases: List partner logos, customer testimonials, and project case descriptions (anonymized, without specific amounts or sensitive data).
- Certifications: Scans of business licenses, honor certificates, patent certificates, etc., to enhance credibility.
- Social Media Links: QR codes or links to WeChat, Weibo, Douyin (TikTok), etc.
- Legal Notices/Privacy Policy: If the website involves user data collection, prepare the relevant text.
Step 5: Format and Review Content
After all content is prepared, follow these steps to organize it:
- Unify Format: Save copy as Word or TXT files with clear headings, body text, and list structures; organize images into folders named by column.
- Proofread and Review: Check for typos, data accuracy, and compliance with advertising laws (avoid absolute terms like "best" or "first").
- Preview Layout: Place content into a simple page layout to simulate the effect, adjusting length as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do I need to finalize the website template before preparing content?
A: It is advisable to choose a general template style (e.g., minimalist, corporate, tech) first, then adjust content detail and image style accordingly. However, most copy and images can be prepared without waiting for the template to be fully customized.
Q: Can I launch the website with insufficient content and add more later?
A: Yes, but ensure the homepage and core product/service pages have complete content to avoid giving users the impression of an empty site. News and case study sections can start with a few entries and be updated regularly.
Q: What are the image pixel requirements?
A: Requirements vary by template, but banner images typically need a width of 1920-2560 pixels, and product images should be at least 800 pixels wide. Consult with your website service provider for specifics.
Conclusion
Preparing content before building a website is a crucial step to ensure efficiency and quality. By following the sequence of "goals → columns → copy → images → review," you can effectively avoid rework. It is recommended to print this checklist and tick off each item before handing it over to the technical team. If you encounter specific issues during preparation, refer to our other articles on website development or consult professionals for advice.
