{"id":200684,"date":"2023-01-19T16:15:19","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T16:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/?p=200684"},"modified":"2023-10-13T13:35:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T12:35:27","slug":"website-design-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A website has a direct impact on a business\u2019s bottom line. It helps brands establish credibility, acquire new leads, and share their values with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, website design is pivotal to a brand\u2019s image and identity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And due to the emphasis on a business\u2019s online presence, web design is about so much more than looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective web design captures users\u2019 wants and needs and fulfills them with leading-edge functionalities, attention-grabbing graphics, consistent branding, and stellar copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot goes into creating a site that\u2019s more than just colorful, eye-catching awe (although that\u2019s also part of the process).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know that it all adds to a lot of responsibility on designers\u2019 shoulders. Especially newbies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Y\u2019all are probably like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video aligncenter\"><video autoplay controls loop muted src=\"https:\/\/assets.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-the-dude.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GIF Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/Q09lToTa0H3Es\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Giphy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To ease the occasionally burdensome trust brands put in you as a designer, we created the ultimate website design checklist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It covers everything you need to do before submitting your designs for clients\u2019 approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s get into it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Table of contents<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#research\">Research \ud83d\udcd6<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#technical\">Technical \ud83d\udd27<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#sketches\">Sketches \ud83d\udd8c\ufe0f<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#design\">UX and UI design \ud83c\udfa8<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#content\">Content \u270d\ud83c\udffe<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#marketing\">Marketing \ud83d\udde3\ufe0f<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#compliance\">Compliance \u2696\ufe0f<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#faqs\">Frequently asked questions (FAQS)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"research\"><strong>Research \ud83d\udcd6<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before getting deep into the trenches of creativity, you need to establish the project\u2019s direction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Define your client\u2019s objectives, understand their audience, and lay the groundwork for an effective, data-backed design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After all, research is the easiest way to build knowledge. It helps you understand users\u2019 behaviors and needs and where businesses fall short in accommodating them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, before starting any new project, do your research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you\u2019re at it, here are two areas you should cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>User research<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To design a website that efficiently displays your client\u2019s message, you need to understand the target audience and what makes the users click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure out how to satisfy visitors\u2019 expectations by conducting user research. Your findings will help you <strong>shape your designs around users\u2019 interests and preferences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can start the research process by first determining what drives your audience\u2019s motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strategies that can help you get the <em>why<\/em> behind users\u2019 behavior include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Conducting interviews<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reading industry-specific studies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyzing relevant surveys or statistics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Competitor analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No user research is complete without having a glimpse at the products and services the target audience is currently using.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To figure out what makes your target audience happy, google the main keywords targeted by your client and learn about the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the highest-ranking websites and try to identify strengths and weaknesses in their designs. You can test different user flows by downloading a free resource, placing an order, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will give you an idea of what your user persona expects to get from visiting your client\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As soon as you have a good grasp of customers\u2019 expectations and competitors\u2019 offerings, it\u2019s time to get technical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"technical\"><strong>Technical \ud83d\udd27<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of the research foundation, you need to build a strong technical structure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will help you ensure a smooth user experience free from&nbsp; technical issues to deliver a seamless product experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, checking off the items below will help boost your site\u2019s visibility in search queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you need to choose a domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Domain name<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before getting your hands dirty, choose a domain name (if your client hasn\u2019t provided one).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What makes a domain name good is its memorability \u2014 aka how easily people can memorize and recall it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the domain should ideally tell users what they\u2019ll find on the website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a nutshell, a website\u2019s domain name should be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Catchy and short<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Descriptive (it includes one of the main targeted keywords)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Branded (it includes the name of your client\u2019s company)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy to spell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>CMS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your clients expect a live website at the end of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/design-collaboration-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design collaboration<\/a>, the next step of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">web design process<\/a> is choosing a reliable content management system (CMS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t already have a favorite, it\u2019s easy to choose one. You just have to weigh your budget, programming skills, and the business needs of your client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can skip this step altogether and hire a freelance developer to do this part for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you decide to do it yourself, you have two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choosing a low-code CMS that requires basic-level knowledge of CSS and HTML (e.g., Webflow, Squarespace, Wix, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Going for complex-code CMS that requires extensive website development expertise (e.g., WordPress, Umbraco, Drupal, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(7,146,227,0.22) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%)\"><strong>Pro Tip<\/strong>: <em>Read our blog post on the most popular CMS platforms in today\u2019s market, discussing the <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/webflow-vs-wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>features and pricing of Webflow and WordPress.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When looking at content management platforms, consider the plugins you may need to patch your customer&#8217;s business needs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Plugins<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Plugins are collections of ready-to-implement codes that enable you to add new features and functionalities to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CMS platforms have extensive plugin catalogs for a wide range of capabilities \u2014 from analytics to SEO, marketing, and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/webflow-plugins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Webflow you have access to tons of plugins<\/a> for multiple use cases, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Audience targeting and analytics<\/strong>: Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Hotjar, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>eCommerce<\/strong>: Shopify, SimpleFunnel, SendOwl, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content marketing<\/strong>: Event Calendar App, Calendly, AddEvent, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email marketing<\/strong>: Mailchimp, Buttondown, ActiveCampaign, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Payment processing<\/strong>: PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media integrations<\/strong>: Twitter share buttons, Pinterest widgets, embedded Instagram images and videos, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After choosing the right CMS and installing the necessary plugins for your client\u2019s needs, purchase an SSL certificate to offer users a secure connection to the website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>SSL certificate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HTTPS \u2014 you\u2019ve probably already seen this prefix at the beginning of website URLs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and it defines a secure protocol that encrypts data exchanged between a web page and a browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is important for websites that include sensitive data like personal or financial information, since encryption disguises data and makes it more difficult for your information to be viewed or manipulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sketches\"><strong>Sketches \ud83d\udd8c\ufe0f<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although you might be tempted to jump straight to designing the website, save yourself <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/feedback-loop-halloween\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the trouble of feedback back-and-forths<\/a> and start with some sketches (aka wireframes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Create wireframes and website mockups<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Wireframes are schematic representations of a website, usually consisting of placeholders that define the layout of the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Including wireframing as a step in your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/creative-workflow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">web design workflow<\/a> will help you showcase the site\u2019s information architecture. It\u2019s an easy way to establish the paths between web pages without all the distracting beauty of the design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use tools like Figma, MockFlow, and Adobe XD to create these preliminary sketches for the site.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the same tools, take each page\u2019s wireframe and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/how-to-mock-up-a-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">create mockups<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This step requires you to replace all the placeholders with the actual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/graphic-design-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">graphics, fonts, and color pallets<\/a> you\u2019ll use in the final design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once finished with these initial website illustrations, submit the deliverables for your client\u2019s review. This way, you\u2019ll be able to implement edits easily without having to go to your CMS to tweak things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Admit it: <strong>editing mockups and wireframes takes way less time than making changes to a live website<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mockup and wireframe review<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/visual-feedback-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">visual feedback tools<\/a> for all your reviews to save even more time and frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MarkUp.io<\/a> can help you streamline the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/worst-design-feedback\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">feedback loop<\/a> with pixel-perfect, contextual reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With MarkUp.io, you drag and drop your designs onto your Workspace, and the platform creates digital copies of your assets, called MarkUps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can share those MarkUps with your clients and collaborators via an email invite or by just sharing the link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reviewers can then pin feedback comments to the elements that need changing. They can even use MarkUp.io\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/more-loom-less-zoom-fix-feedback-loop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Loom integration<\/a> to record short videos with further clarifications to get their points across faster and easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can view every review session in real time! As you implement stakeholders\u2019 feedback, resolve the comments addressed to keep track of your progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feedback optimization at its finest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to design files, you can also use MarkUp.io to <a href=\"http:\/\/markup.io\/blog\/website-feedback-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">review live websites<\/a>, text documents, images, PDFs, and even videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pro Tip<\/strong>: <em>Head over to our blog on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/how-to-annotate-a-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>how to annotate a website<\/em><\/a><em> to learn the easiest way to provide contextual feedback on staged and live sites.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With your ideas approved, you can go on to the fun part: implementing your designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"design\"><strong>UX and UI design \ud83c\udfa8<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, you get to bring your ideas to life. Here are a few areas to cover for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/ux-audit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a smooth user experience (UX)<\/a> and a great user interface (UI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Information architecture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This involves organizing and structuring the information you\u2019ll add to the site.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sketch a diagram of all the pages to be created and illustrate the hierarchical relationships between them. It should look something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"469\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-info-architecture-1.png\" alt=\"Information architecture map used by Duke University's library website\" class=\"wp-image-200739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-info-architecture-1.png 880w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-info-architecture-1-300x160.png 300w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-info-architecture-1-768x409.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.toptal.com\/designers\/ia\/guide-to-information-architecture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Toptal<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This roadmap will help you identify any flaws in the logic of the site\u2019s structure and ensure an easy-to-follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/user-flow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">user flow<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Interface design<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have all the pages laid out in the diagram, you can start designing complete layouts for all of them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This step includes everything visual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, when designing the user interface you should also map out the looks of:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Buttons (e.g., calls to action) dropdown lists, and menus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Text fields and date fields&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Checkboxes and toggles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Error messages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigational elements (e.g., sliders, search bars, tags, icons, breadcrumbs)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To get as close as possible to the look and feel of the final product, you can populate the pages with placeholders for content and images that you\u2019ll add later in the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Interaction design<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once every visual element is in place, work on interactions (how each element behaves when users engage with it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this stage, define the way images, text, buttons, and all the other website elements act when users click, scroll, zoom in and out, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep things simple and intuitive for your users and don\u2019t forget to test everything out before moving on to the next item on the checklist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Test your site and create backups<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your creative ideas are only as good as their function. To determine how useful and easy to use your designs are, conduct a usability test with real users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Select a few representative users to participate in your testing program and provide them with different tasks to fulfill on different devices (e.g., sign up for the newsletter on mobile, complete a contact form on desktop).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Record users\u2019 actions to see how fast they can complete the tasks and which steps are more difficult to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This whole process will help you pinpoint any remaining user flow issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When your test results are satisfactory, replace the placeholders with actual content.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"content\"><strong>Content \u270d\ud83c\udffe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The next thing to check on your list is website content.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless of the type of website you&#8217;re creating, it will&nbsp; most certainly include text, images, and branding elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, as a designer, content writing might not be your strong point. Luckily, we have a few ideas. \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Copy and images<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re probably outsourcing this part of the process to a copywriting team. But if you want to give writing a go, it\u2019s better to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep sentences short and avoid fluff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid overly complicated structures (e.g., sentences with multiple commas)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use bullet points to make your text easily scannable<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leverage active voice for increased engagement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make use of heading hierarchy to pull focus on key details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use storytelling to harness relatability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use simple words to explain complex concepts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Insert high-quality images through the text to make the web pages more visually appealing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Write in your brand\u2019s voice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t forget about feedback! When writing content for a new website project by yourself, you should always ask for a second opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Send your copy to a team member or a friend for a quick proofread to ensure no errors slipped through undetected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FYI, MarkUp.io supports text document annotations as well. \ud83e\udd2d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Branding elements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as important as text and images, branding elements are not to be missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Place your client&#8217;s branding elements in high visibility places, such as the headers and footers of the homepage, pricing page, about us page, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When doing so, ensure you\u2019re staying consistent and aligned with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The formatting of the logo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preferred typography<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The brand\u2019s color palette<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Branding consistency matters! It can bring more customers to your client.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing that can pump leads into the sales pipeline is, of course, a marketing strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"marketing\"><strong>Marketing \ud83d\udde3\ufe0f<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though you\u2019re likely not in charge of creating a marketing plan yourself, you\u2019re responsible for providing your client with the marketing tools necessary for running a successful website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such tools include search engine optimization (SEO), digital marketing, and analytics plugins. Let\u2019s take a closer look at each of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>SEO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO plugins are helpful for non-tech-savvy website owners. These tools allow users to input metadata without code, making it easy for everyone to put an SEO strategy in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Popular third-party tools for SEO (for WordPress) include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>All in One SEO (AIO SEO)<\/strong>: Good for on-page SEO and SEO audits. It provides recommendations on how to improve page-level SEO to boost traffic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Yoast SEO<\/strong>: It rates the title tags and meta descriptions added to each page, offers SERP previews, helps target keywords better, analyzes a blog post\u2019s readability score, and more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyword Research Tool<\/strong>: Provides keyword suggestions related to a specific topic to improve on-page SEO.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some CMSs come with built-in SEO functionalities. For instance, Webflow comes with SEO tools like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Link redirects management to avoid broken links<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schema markup (lets search engines better understand a site\u2019s content through descriptive tags)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automatic meta titles and meta descriptions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sitemap controls (enables users to edit and publish page titles and descriptions)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Image alt tags editing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your client will also need tools to measure the efficiency of their SEO efforts, so learning about them puts you in a better position to offer advice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Analytics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Offer your clients the ability to gain insights into their site\u2019s performance with tools like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Google Analytics<\/strong>: Helps users analyze website traffic, bounce rates, and conversions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Parse.ly<\/strong>: Measures the performance of content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kissmetrics<\/strong>: Analyzes customer data, which makes it ideal for ecommerce businesses and software as a service (SaaS) companies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, your website is almost ready to be handed over to its rightful owner. There\u2019s only one more thing to do \u2014 ensuring the site is compliant with data protection regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"compliance\"><strong>Compliance \u2696\ufe0f<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the website launch, you need to ensure compliance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All sites need a privacy policy publicly available to inform users about how their personal data is collected, stored, processed, shared, and sold to third parties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This disclosure is required by laws under different names around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the most popular data protection laws you&#8217;ve probably already heard about include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CalOPPA (USA)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PIPEDA (Canada)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gdpr-info.eu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GDPR<\/a> (EU)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For this part of the process, you may need to seek legal advice to ensure everything conforms to the laws applicable to your client\u2019s location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While at it, make sure to add relevant site disclosures for ads, affiliate links, and other disclaimers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing so will help you ensure full transparency into the practices and processes affecting website visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">***<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a lot of work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you stay organized and follow the checklist step-by-step, you\u2019re more likely to complete the project faster.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"1659\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist.jpg\" alt=\"Website design checklist for 2023\" class=\"wp-image-200738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist.jpg 880w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-159x300.jpg 159w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-543x1024.jpg 543w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-768x1448.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-815x1536.jpg 815w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, there are fewer chances of you overlooking any important details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before getting started from the top of the list, we\u2019ve got one more thing to tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Now over to you<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This web design checklist is a lot to deal with, we know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily for you, there are ways to streamline some of the areas covered in this list.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, you can optimize your website reviews with MarkUp.io. \u263a\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our platform can help you approve your projects faster, with less confusion around client feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video aligncenter\"><video autoplay controls loop muted src=\"https:\/\/assets.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-purrfect.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GIF Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/arg-l2Sq5GffrCyUMEXjW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Giphy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give it a try! <a href=\"https:\/\/app.markup.io\/signup?trial=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sign up for a free 30-day trial with MarkUp.io<\/a> and make that dread of design feedback magically disappear! \u2728<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faqs\"><strong>Frequently asked questions (FAQs)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q1. What\u2019s a web design checklist?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A web design checklist is a to-do list that helps designers establish standardized workflows without overlooking important steps in the process. Such a list usually contains detailed steps for research, web development, design, marketing, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q2. What\u2019s the basic process for designing a website?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic processes for designing a website include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>User research and competitor analysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating wireframes, user flows, and prototypes&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>UX and UI design<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content creation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Testing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launching the website<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q3. What are the main elements of good website design?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The elements that make a website design good include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Functionality and usability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content and search engine optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visibility in search results<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aesthetically pleasing and brand-aligned visual elements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>User flows and interactions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A website has a direct impact on a business\u2019s bottom line. It helps brands establish credibility, acquire new leads, and share their values with the world. So, website design is pivotal to a brand\u2019s image and identity.&nbsp; And due to the emphasis on a business\u2019s online presence, web design is about so much more than &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":200737,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-200684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Web design can be quite messy if you don&#039;t follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Web design can be quite messy if you don&#039;t follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Markup.io\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-19T16:15:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-13T12:35:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mary\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\",\"name\":\"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-19T16:15:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-13T12:35:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#\/schema\/person\/617a46a460aa879c1898d69ee16e5864\"},\"description\":\"Web design can be quite messy if you don't follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/\",\"name\":\"Markup.io\",\"description\":\"Easiest Way to Leave Feedback on Digital Content\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#\/schema\/person\/617a46a460aa879c1898d69ee16e5864\",\"name\":\"Mary\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io","description":"Web design can be quite messy if you don't follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io","og_description":"Web design can be quite messy if you don't follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/","og_site_name":"Markup.io","article_published_time":"2023-01-19T16:15:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-10-13T12:35:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/assets.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mary","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mary","Estimated reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/","url":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/","name":"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized) - Markup.io","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg","datePublished":"2023-01-19T16:15:19+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-13T12:35:27+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#\/schema\/person\/617a46a460aa879c1898d69ee16e5864"},"description":"Web design can be quite messy if you don't follow the right steps. Our web design checklist includes the main steps categorized for easy navigation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/website-design-checklist-hero.jpg","width":1280,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/blog\/website-design-checklist\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The best web design checklist in 16 easy steps (categorized)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/","name":"Markup.io","description":"Easiest Way to Leave Feedback on Digital Content","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/#\/schema\/person\/617a46a460aa879c1898d69ee16e5864","name":"Mary"}]}},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200684"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":202605,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200684\/revisions\/202605"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/200737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markup.io\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}