Good planning is the foundation of a great website. Taking time to plan before you start building will save you hours of rework and result in a more professional, cohesive site.
Planning Overview
Step 1 — What Type of Website Will You Be Making?
Start by defining your website's primary purpose. Are you building a business site to showcase services? A portfolio to display work? An online store? A blog? Your site type determines the pages you'll need, the content structure, and which Limecube features to focus on.
Step 2 — Research
Look at competitor websites and design inspiration sites to understand current trends. Take note of layouts, colour schemes, and navigation patterns you like — but don't copy directly. Sites like Awwwards, Dribbble, and Behance are great for design inspiration.
Screenshot 3–5 websites you admire and note what specifically you like about each one (layout, colours, typography, imagery style). This gives you a clear brief to work from.
Step 3 — Create a Sitemap
A sitemap is a list of all your web pages and their hierarchy. Map out your top-level pages (Home, About, Services, Contact) and any sub-pages underneath. Use a simple spreadsheet or even pen and paper. This becomes your navigation structure.
Example Sitemap Structure
- 1Home — your landing page with key messaging
- 2About — your story, team, and values
- 3Services — what you offer (with sub-pages for each service)
- 4Portfolio/Gallery — showcase your work
- 5Blog — articles and updates
- 6Contact — form, map, phone, and address
Step 4 — Content
Write your content before you start designing. Having your text, headings, and calls-to-action ready means you can build pages that fit the actual content rather than filling in placeholder text later. Focus on clear, concise copy that speaks directly to your audience.
Step 5 — Your Site Imagery and Style
Choose a colour palette that reflects your brand. Tools like Adobe Colour (color.adobe.com) help you create harmonious colour combinations. Decide on a consistent image style — whether that's photography, illustrations, or icons. Gather 3–4 reference images that represent your brand aesthetic.
Limecube's Colour Palette Tool lets you apply a consistent colour set across your entire site. Set it up early to maintain visual cohesion as you build.
Step 6 — Organise Your Assets
Create a dedicated folder on your computer for all website assets: logo files, photos, brand guidelines, colour codes, and written content. Having everything in one place makes the build process much smoother.
Step 7 — Choose Your Theme
Browse Limecube's theme library and choose one that closely matches your planned structure and style. Remember — every theme is fully customisable, so pick one with a layout you like rather than worrying about exact colours or images.
Starting Over
If you want to start fresh, you can create a new website at any time. Go to your Dashboard, click 'Create new site', and the AI will generate a completely new design. You can have multiple websites using the same email address, each with a 14-day free trial.
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