About this checklist
On this page, you’ll find all sorts of things to keep in mind when working on a new website. With many of these, I can help you as a professional. But some things you might prefer to do yourself. The items I list below don’t necessarily need to be done in this order. For example: some people create a branding package first and then write the texts, while others prefer to start with writing and only then move on to branding.
Checklist
- Accept the offer and terms & conditions
- Buy your domain name
- Decide on webhosting
- Create branding
- Writing your webcopy
- Collect images
- Optional: create or collect graphics
- Sharing files
1. Get a custom offer and terms & conditions accepteren
During our intake call I'll tell you what I need from you in order to make an offer for you. Most importantly is probably for me to estimate how much content will need to go into the website. Based on the content, I can determine whether it will fit on a landing page or if it’s necessary to build a more complete website with multiple pages, including internal links that connect the pages properly. A quote is nothing more than an email with my offer for the scope of the website, and the price. I'll always include a link to my terms & conditions. I recommend reading through these terms before we start working together. After that, I’ll need your agreement to the quote, including these terms. If you have a different idea than what I’ve included in my quote, don’t hesitate to discuss it with me — by phone or by email.
2. Buying a domain name
A domain name is one of the first things you’ll need for a new website. Of course, I can also build a website on a temporary domain, but it saves a website migration if we work directly on the right domain. I recommend buying your .nl domain name from Mijn.host, Hostnet.nl, or Strato.nl.
Pay close attention:…when buying a domain name, don’t automatically purchase the .online version as well. Domain companies often tend to add this to your cart for €0, and in the 2nde year they’ll send you a bill for anywhere between €40 and €70.
For a .com domain I recommend porkbun.com Here I have all my .com domains and pay around $10 per year for them.
3. Choosing webhosting
Arranging good webhosting is very important …for your website. A web host is a provider of a web server where your website is stored and from which it is “served” on the internet. You can also run email addresses on this server that are linked to your domain, such as ‘name@yourdomain.nl'.
Shared webhosting is the cheapest type of web hosting because your website is placed on a server together with many other websites (often hundreds, sometimes even thousands). Your website can function just fine on shared hosting, but chances are that sooner or later problems will arise with site speed, spam, or technical errors.
VPS webhosting is, on the other hand, more stable and secure because you only share the server with a few other websites. For WP Twan, I’ve purchased my own powerful VPS, which is technically managed by the people at Mijn.host. I’ve been working with this company for years, and together we’ve set up a VPS specifically for my needs. This VPS runs on the latest LiteSpeed technology, DirectAdmin control panel, and Jetbackups. Hosting at WP Twan VPS hosting costs €15 per month, and with this, you don’t just get a good server, but also good service. I often solve problems before they even arise. And if you happen to notice an issue first, a quick call or email is all it takes for me to fix it.
Always in control
On top of that, you’re always in control of your own website and all its files. If you ever want to move away from WP Twan as your web host, it’s quick and easy for any standard WordPress developer to migrate your site.
4. Branding creation
Branding is also something you should arrange right from the start, preferably before I start building the website. Why? Because branding determines in which way we will communicate. And that, in turn, decides how the website will be structured. gaat worden.
WP Twan branding package
I offer a branding package for small businesses or freelancers who need professional yet simple branding. I provide this for €750.
The advantage of leaving this to me is that I know exactly which branding elements I need when building a website, and I’ve tailored the branding package accordingly. A WP Twan branding package includes:
- Logo
- Colour scheme
- Shapes
- Fonts
- Button design
- Icons
5. Writing copy
Writing web copy is often one of the most time-consuming tasks when building a website. Most people underestimate how important good copy is.
Chat GPT yes or no?
These days, many people let ChatGPT do the writing for them. I completely understand how tempting that is. I too fell into the ChatGPT trap and had many texts written by the big friend — only to later realize that everything I write myself comes across as far more human and authentic, and much closer to the truth of what I actually want to say. I encourage you to explore this for yourself.
What copy is needed?
For a typical landing page I made an overview of what you need to write that you can download here. This list is also a good starting point for larger websites. Soon, you’ll also be able to download templates here for service pages, about us pages, expertise pages, and contact and CTA pages.
6. Images images
In addition to good copy, good images are also very important for a website. For larger websites, finding images is quite a task. I work closely with the client on this, but ultimately the responsibility for sourcing good images lies with the client — unless agreed otherwise.
How many images do you need?
There is no golden rule that specifies how many images are needed per number of words. There are websites with almost only text that work and convert very well, and there are websites with lots of images and very little text that also perform strongly. On average it's good to find 1 image per section on your website. So with 5 sections on a page, you’d look for 1 image per section. Removing photos afterward is always easier than having to add more later. Ideally, you select several, so we can test which ones work best on the website. An image always looks different on a web page than it does on your computer.
Where can I find good images?
The best images are personally made photos.
The best images are those taken of your own business or of yourself (or ones you take yourself). This makes a website much more personal compared to using so-called stock photos.
Stock photos
Good stock photos are a solid alternative if you don’t have the time or budget to create your own. I personally have a unsplash+ subscription that my clients can use to find photos, but for truly high-quality images, I still always recommend https://www.istockphoto.com/ . Investing in visuals is often a smart idea. It makes many websites significantly more appealing.
7. Graphics graphics
Why use graphics?
Graphics can make a website much clearer, more attractive, and more memorable. They come in all shapes and sizes — think of icons, gradient backgrounds, illustrations, or even animations. Graphics draw attention, can explain more complex topics more quickly, strengthen a brand, build trust, evoke emotion, and ultimately boost conversions. Sometimes even very simple graphics (like bullet points or green checkmarks) are enough to make content easier to digest.
Icon library
I have a WP Twan subscription on thenounproject.com to which I give free access to for all my clients. This site hosts millions of professionally designed icons.
Hiring a graphic designer
For many websites, hiring a graphic designer to create a few custom-made graphics for the site and online marketing can add significant value. I personally work with a number of trusted graphic designers for this, so if this need arises, I can help.
8. Sharing files via dropbox
Once the branding, texts, images, and graphic elements are ready (or at least in progress), they can all be shared in a Dropbox folder. I’ll create this folder right after the quote is confirmed. I’ll need an email address to share this folder with you. The folder will include the following subfolders:
Admin
Branding
Copy
Images
Graphics
My services
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