Business
A practical website checklist for small businesses
Erick Octavian · 3 July 2026
What actually matters before you brief a designer or start a build, from assets to the one outcome your website must deliver.
Before you commission a new website, spend an afternoon on the fundamentals. Most delays and budget blowouts come from a vague brief, not from design.
Step 1: Write the basics down
- The three things you sell.
- The three questions customers ask most.
- The one action you want visitors to take.
Step 2: Gather your assets
Your logo files, a handful of real photos, three testimonials, and any credentials or licences that build trust. These are worth more than a lengthy brief document.
Step 3: Define success
Decide what success looks like: more enquiries, higher quality leads, easier bookings. A good designer builds backwards from that outcome, and you get a website that earns its keep instead of one that simply looks tidy.
Ready to start?
Octa Creatives builds fast, trustworthy websites for small businesses, self employed owners and local services across Sydney, Australia and New Zealand. Pricing starts from $599 AUD depending on your brief, with a 50% deposit to begin and 12 months of support included.