Before you kick off your next website project, take a beat—because there’s a lot you can do ahead of time to make the process smoother, more strategic, and ultimately more successful. To wrap up Season 4 of The Shortlist, Wendy Simmons is joined by Kyle Davis and Lauren Jane Peterson to break down the things you should tackle before your website project officially begins.

They walk through practical steps like confirming your Google Analytics setup, gathering project descriptions and photos, and doing a little web-stalking of sites you admire. Plus, they emphasize the importance of aligning your brand messaging and having up-to-date photography, bios, and team headshots on hand before you dive into the actual website build.

Whether you’re just dreaming about a new website or have your kick-off on the schedule, these tips will help you plan more effectively, streamline content collection, and get stakeholder buy-in. Trust us, your future self will thank you for the prep work.

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 2