Small-business website insights

What information should you give your web designer?

A content-and-file handoff list covering approved business copy, original images, proof permissions, account invitations, and organized feedback.

Start with approved public copy

Once the website goals and scope are settled, send the exact wording the designer may publish. Mark information that is still a draft and identify anything that must remain private so a placeholder is not mistaken for an approved fact.

  • Public business name, short description, phone, email, hours, and service area
  • Approved service descriptions, starting-price language, and customer responsibilities
  • Calls to action, form destinations, booking links, and contact preferences
  • Owner-approved policies, warranty wording, licenses, and required disclaimers

Send original, clearly named files

Send the highest-quality original logo, photograph, document, and product file available. Screenshots downloaded from social media are often too small for a polished website and may remove useful image information.

Use descriptive filenames or a short inventory so the designer knows what each file shows, which service or page it supports, and whether a caption or credit is required.

  • Vector or high-resolution logo files and any approved brand guide
  • Original project, product, team, vehicle, or location photographs
  • Document titles, photo captions, names, and context needed for accurate descriptions
  • Only the final version of menus, price lists, forms, and downloadable documents

Document permission for proof

Tell the designer which photographs, testimonials, logos, memberships, certifications, and project examples may be published. Keep the original approval or license with the business records.

Do not send an image from another website or social account merely because it is easy to download. Use material the business owns, created, licensed, or received permission to publish.

Use owner-controlled invitations for account access

List the provider for the domain, hosting, business email, analytics, booking tool, and payment system. Do not email passwords. Use provider invitations, delegated access, or a password manager when temporary access is genuinely required.

The business owner should remain the primary owner of customer-facing accounts and remove access that is no longer needed after the handoff.

Combine feedback and record final approval

Choose one person who can combine stakeholder feedback and approve the final content. A page-by-page document or marked preview is easier to apply accurately than separate text messages sent over several days.

Before launch, verify names, phone numbers, prices, service areas, links, legal or policy wording, and every customer destination. Save the approved version so later updates begin from a known source.

Plan before the handoff

Still deciding what the website needs to accomplish?

Use the broader planning checklist first to define the customer, services, proof, primary action, ownership, and measurement. Then return to this handoff list when the scope is ready.

Use the website planning checklist