It is quite hard for business owners to be objective on the design and information to include in their websites. Sometimes getting a second opinion can simplify the process. At some point during your website design process, you can lose focus on your main goal. Thus, it is always good to make a few notes when you are starting and refer to the notes as you progress with your website design process.

Here are 10 ways in which you can simplify your website design process

1. Use the 80-20 rule

The 80/20 rule can be applied to mean that 20% of what is in your website result in 80% value (which should be why people visit your website). 20% could be the testimonials, call to action, copy or social media proof. You should concentrate on 20% of the elements in your site which deliver 80% of why the website is useful. Instead of spending so much time on all elements, find out which ones bring more value and focus your efforts in them.

2. Reduce the number of pages

Simplify your website design process by having fewer places to click and explore. Merge related pages and get rid of irrelevant ones. For example, you could merge, “about me” and “about this site” pages to a single “about us” page. Keeping the number of pages low not only makes your work easy but also makes navigation easy for your visitors.

3. Plan first

Draw a picture of what you would like your website to look like and make a list of topics to be covered and on which pages. If you hire a designer, hold a meeting to discuss the planning phase of your website.

4. Start with the homepage

The first step in designing a website is to create a homepage. The homepage portrays the overall layout of your website and provides the background for all other pages. Create a sample page or graphic image to start with.

5. Coding process

After planning and creating the homepage, the rest is simple. You can now add the other pages, images, content, links, videos, etc. You must test all this components as you design to make sure that they are linked and working properly.

6. Launching the site

As soon as you launch the website, spend the following days or weeks making corrections and revisions on anything you may have missed during the creation process.

7.  Follow a web development process

Following a simple but detailed website design process will make your work easier. Unlike doing things at random, following a plan on the basic design, coding and launching will organize your thoughts and speed up the project.

8. Get content developers

If you cannot or are unable to develop content for the website, hire experienced content developers. This will help you concentrate on the design and layout of the pages.

9. Seek client approval

If you are working for a client, always seek the client’s approval at all stages to avoid repetition or doing what the client does not want. Seek the client’s approval right from when you create a sample homepage to when you launch the site.

10. Hire a web designer

All the above processes can be done by a professional web designer without any difficulty. Do not assume that you can design a website if you don’t have the knowledge or skills.

Whether you are building the website yourself or hiring a professional, it is important to plan. This will help you to cover all aspects in your plan and simplify the website design process.