The Two Most Important Steps to Building a Website That Actually Works
I was planning on writing a few blogs to fluff out the ‘More than a Template‘ post, and I’m going to continue with them. Even if I’m not going to be building websites for clients still, I do love the creative aspect of them and honestly the technology is so awesome, but overwhelming at the same time. It really pays to do your planning first.
Building a website is exciting. You pick the perfect domain name, choose a design that looks amazing, and start imagining all the ways it’s going to help your business grow.
Then… crickets.
No visitors, no leads, and no real direction. What happened?
The truth is, a successful website isn’t just about looking good—it needs a clear purpose and a solid plan for getting traffic. If you skip these two steps, you might end up with a site that’s beautiful but completely ineffective. So let’s dive into the two most important things you need to do before launching (or relaunching) your website.
Step One: What’s Your ‘Why’?
Before you do anything else, you need to figure out the purpose of your website. Without that, it’s just another page on the internet with no real impact.
Ask yourself:
✅ What am I trying to achieve with this site?
✅ Am I looking to generate leads, sell products, educate my audience, or build credibility?
When you have a clear ‘why’, everything else falls into place. Your website becomes more focused, your messaging is stronger, and your visitors instantly understand what they’re supposed to do next.
The Benefits of Defining Your ‘Why’
✔ Better User Experience – When your purpose is clear, visitors can quickly find what they need. That means fewer people leaving out of frustration and more people engaging with your content.
✔ Stronger Brand Identity – Your ‘why’ helps shape your messaging, visuals, and overall brand voice, making your website feel cohesive and professional.
✔ More Conversions – Whether you want people to buy a product, book a call, or sign up for your newsletter, having a clear purpose makes it easier to guide visitors toward that action.
✔ Easier Marketing – When you know your goal, you can create better content, ads, and social media posts that actually support your business. No more throwing random strategies at the wall and hoping something sticks.
What Happens If You Skip This Step?
A site without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—it just drifts. And when that happens, potential customers leave just as quickly as they arrived.
If your goal isn’t clear, you’ll struggle with everything else—design, content, even marketing. You might end up with a site that looks good but doesn’t actually do anything for your business. And worst of all? You won’t have any way to measure success or know if your site is actually working for you.
Step Two: How Are You Getting Found Online?
One of the biggest myths about websites is that if you build it, people will come. Spoiler alert: they won’t.
Your website is only useful if people can find it. And that doesn’t happen by accident—you need a plan.
Here are a few things to think about:
🔎 Are you focusing on SEO (search engine optimization for those who have been living under the bridge)? Do you understand the long-term effort it requires?
📢 Are you running ads, or relying on organic social media to drive traffic?
✍️ Do you need a blog or other content marketing strategies to keep the site fresh?
🎨 Is your branding and messaging consistent across all platforms?
If you don’t have a traffic strategy, your website is basically a billboard in the middle of nowhere—it doesn’t matter how impressive it is if no one sees it.
The Benefits of Defining Your Marketing Strategy
✔ More Website Traffic – A solid marketing strategy brings in a steady stream of visitors, so your site isn’t just sitting there unnoticed.
✔ Higher Quality Leads – When your marketing is intentional, you attract the right audience—people who are actually interested in what you offer.
✔ Better ROI on Marketing Efforts – Without a strategy, you might waste time and money on tactics that don’t work. A clear plan helps you focus on what actually drives results.
✔ Consistent Brand Presence – If your website, social media, ads, and content all align, your brand becomes more recognizable and trustworthy.
✔ Long-Term Growth – SEO and content marketing take time, but they build momentum. A well-structured marketing plan ensures your traffic (and business) keeps growing.
What Happens If You Skip This Step?
If you don’t think about how people will find your site, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. You could spend months building the perfect website, only to have it sit there collecting digital dust. Worse, if your marketing is inconsistent or disconnected, potential customers might see mixed messages, which can weaken your brand.
A website without traffic is like throwing a party and forgetting to send out the invitations.
The Bottom Line
Your website isn’t just an online brochure—it’s a tool that should be working for you. That only happens when you:
✅ Define your ‘why’ so your site has direction.
✅ Create a strategy to drive traffic so people actually go to your website and connect with you.
When you get these two steps right, everything else falls into place. You’ll have a website that doesn’t just exist—it grows your business, attracts the right people, and helps you reach your goals.
So, before you launch (or relaunch), take a step back. Ask yourself these questions. And make sure your website is built for success—not just to sit there looking pretty.
Ready to build a site that actually works?🚀
