1) Starting at the end, not the beginning
Starting a website before defining your strategy and visual identity (in that order) is the most expensive way to get a website. It’s like building the walls of a house before laying the foundation. Why?
Because strategy is the thread that connects everything that follows. It defines who you’re speaking to, what you offer, the impression you want to create, and why someone should choose you. Only once that’s clear does it make sense to create a visual identity — colors, logo, typography, imagery — that brings your strategy to life.
These are the foundations that make the difference between a website that simply looks good and one that creates emotion and drives results.
Common signs you’re making this mistake:
- Your website isn’t converting (or it’s attracting the wrong clients),
- You’re getting inquiries from people who aren’t the right fit
- You keep tweaking your website, but it still doesn’t feel “right”
- People still ask you: “So… what exactly do you do?”
2) Starting without a clear goal
One of the most common reasons a website “doesn’t work” is a lack of a clear goal, or having too many that the focus gets lost entirely. Website design should always start with one question: “What do I want my audience to do when they visit my website?” You can have multiple goals, but there should always be one primary goal, the one that matters most to your business and that everything else supports. Other goals are there to support, not compete. The reason is simple: too many choices dilute focus. And when that happens, instead of taking action, your audience leaves.
Examples of goals:
- Signing up for a newsletter
- Purchasing a service, program, or course
- Booking a consultation
- Building brand credibility
Real-life example:
If your main goal is to book a consultation, everything should lead to that action: your headlines, buttons, and content flow. Newsletter sign-ups or lead magnets become secondary goals. They support the main one, but aren’t the focus and take up less space on the website.
Common signs you’re making this mistake:
- People leave your website quickly
- They read, but don’t take action
- You’re not sure if your website is actually bringing results
3) Going in unprepared
I know preparation might not be the most exciting part, but skipping it often leads to unnecessary stress during the process. That’s why, below, I’m sharing time and budget frameworks to help you approach your (re)design consciously and without unpleasant surprises.
Timeline
Website projects typically take between 2 and 6 months, depending on the project's complexity and the number of people involved. The higher your investment, the less operational work you’ll need to handle yourself. It’s important to understand that there’s no way to create a website truly tailored to you without your involvement. You are a key part of the process, so you should expect to dedicate at least 2–3 hours per week (in some phases, more; in others, less).
Real life project example (web, 10-12 pages)
- Photoshoot (preparation, shooting, editing): ≈ 3–4 weeks
- Website design: ≈ 6–8 weeks
- Development: ≈ 6–8 weeks
- Testing & launch: ≈ 2–3 weeks
- Copywriting: min. 2–4 weeks (depending on whether you write it yourself or work with a copywriter)
- SEO: 1–2 weeks
Some phases often run in parallel, and the timelines above are approximate and apply to less complex projects.
Budget guidelines
Once you understand everything that goes into the process, it becomes much easier to plan your budget. In addition to the core elements (design, development, hosting, and domain), there are also costs that are often overlooked:
- Integrations with email marketing tools (e.g. ActiveCampaign, MailerLite)
- Stripe integration — for accepting payments directly on your website
- Font licenses and stock photography
- Proofreading and translations for multilingual website
- Content upload or migration from your existing website
For a smaller website (up to 10 pages), the total investment typically ranges between €3,500 and €5,000, depending on the complexity, included services, and the level of support you expect.
Tip:
Always plan an additional 10–15% of your budget as a buffer, as new ideas or needs often emerge during the process.
Building a website is a marathon, not a sprint
A good website, one that truly works for your business, doesn’t happen by chance or overnight. The process isn’t always easy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be stress-free and fully under your control.
