Website content includes the words about your business and the photos you want featured on your site. One of the biggest bottlenecks in web design happens when a designer has to pause work because they’re waiting for content – or worse, trying to untangle a mess of files and unclear instructions.
To help you avoid delays and confusion, here’s a straightforward, step-by-step guide for bundling up your website content before sending it to your designer. We’ll use a small site as an example, but these steps work for any size project.
Step 1: Create Your Folder Structure
Start by creating a new folder on your computer. Name it after your business or website – whatever makes sense to you. Inside that folder, create a subfolder for each page your designer will build. For example:
Folder called “MyWebsiteContent”. Inside that folder, create a folder for each page on your site.
- Home
- About
- Services
- Contact
This structure keeps everything organized and makes it easy for your designer to find what they need.
Step 2: Add Content to Each Folder
Once you have your folders organized, it is time to start adding your content.
Services Page
We will start with your Services page.
- Open a new Word document (or Google Doc) and save it in the Services folder. Name it something clear, like services.docx.
- List your services and write a description for each. Each service should have a title and description. Aim for at least 300 words per page – 500 or more is even better. More content helps your site rank better on Google.
- If you have complex services that need more detail, consider splitting them into separate pages (e.g., service-one.docx, service-two.docx).
Tip: Clearly label each file and keep file names simple – avoid spaces or special characters.
Add Your Images (see Image Delivery and Preparation below for more details)
- Place original, high-quality images in the same folder. Do not embed them in your Word documents – this compresses the files and makes them unusable for your designer.
- Use descriptive file names, like service-landscaping.jpg or team-at-work.jpg.
About Page Tips
- Create an about.docx in the About folder.
- Share your business story, philosophy, experience, certifications, and any awards – anything that shows you’re an authority in your field.
- Include short bios for staff members if you’d like, and add their photos (with clear file names, e.g., jane-smith.jpg).
Image Ideas: Photos of your team, your building, or anything that gives a sense of who you are.
Contact Page Essentials
- In the Contact folder, add a contact.docx with all your contact info:
- Business name
- Physical and mailing address
- Phone numbers (main, cell, fax, toll-free)
- Email address (even if it won’t be displayed, your designer needs it for forms)
- Social media links (Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
- Add a photo of your building or storefront – this helps with Google Maps and adds trust.
Home Page Content
This is your most important page and should serve as a portal into the rest of your website.
- Create a home.docx in the Home folder.
- Write a short intro or welcome message (50-100 words).
- Include a banner image and any other images you want featured.
- Summarize each main page of your site (like Services, About, or Products) in a short 50–100 word intro for the home page. After each summary, your designer will add a link to the full page so visitors can easily learn more. This keeps your home page clear and helps guide people to the information they need.
Image Delivery and Preparation
Images are often the first thing visitors notice on your website – and for good reason. Quality images grab attention quickly, build trust, and help tell your brand’s story in a way words alone can’t. They make your site more engaging, easier to navigate, and can even boost your search engine ranking. Simply put, strong visuals are essential to creating a great first impression and keeping visitors interested.
Handling Product or Service Images
If you have many products or multiple services, you may want to have an image for each one. So be specific about which image goes with which description. At the end of each product or service description (in your word doc), add the image file name in brackets that goes with that product/service. For example:
Our high-efficiency turbine is perfect for small businesses. [turbine1.jpg]
This way, your designer knows exactly which image goes with each service or product.
Image Guidelines
- Size: Send full-size images – at least 1920 x 1280 pixels (or just remember: 2,000 pixels wide is great).
- Type: JPEG or PNG files are best.
- Quality: No thumbnails or low-res images.
- Delivery: Never embed the image into a Word document. They should be put in their corresponding folder as separate files.
Step 3: Final Steps & Delivery
- Double-check that each folder contains the right Word document and images.
- Make sure all file names are clear and consistent.
- Zip the main folder before sending it – this keeps everything together and makes transfer easy.
- Use a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox for large files.
Quick Checklist Before You Send
- Each page has its own folder and Word document
- Every page has at least 300 words (preferably more)
- Images are original, high-res, and not embedded in documents
- Image file names are clear and referenced in the content
- All contact and social info is included and up to date
- All files are zipped and ready for transfer
Your Designer Will Thank You
Following this guide makes your designer’s job easier and speeds up your project. You’ll get a better website – faster. Now, it’s time to pick the right website designer.