What questions should customers ask before designing their website?

Translation of the latest post “ Questions to ask clients before designing their website ” by Brian Hoff, the author of the blog “The Design Cubicle”.

In any project that you start, obtaining key information at the very beginning not only has a beneficial effect on its successful execution, but also saves you and your client from headaches in the process, and paves the way for a long and trusting relationship between you.

The more information you have, the smoother the project will go, which, in turn, will set the tone for further interaction between the designer and the client.
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Some of the questions below can be applied not only to web design , so I divided them into groups to make the client more understandable.

Questions regarding the company

1. Do you have a website now? What is the address?
2. Tell us about the products / services you sell.
3. Who are your main competitors? What makes you different?
4. What are the 3rd characteristics of your site that you are most dissatisfied with?
5. What do you like most about your current site?
6. What is on the sites of your competitors that you would like to see on yours?
7. What age group are your customers?

Questions about the project

1. What level of technological knowledge do your customers have? On a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is the lowest level of knowledge, and 10 is the highest.
2. Will your visitors need something special? Mobile version of the site? Multi-language support? Larger font size for easier readability? Anything else?
3. Submit your site in 5 years. Finish the sentence: “I know that my site is working (performs the tasks) because ...”
4. Name 3 things that are most important when designing your site.
5. Name 3 things that are least important when designing your site.
6. Do you have any color preferences, existing brand colors or colors that you would like or would not like to use?
7. Which of the existing sites are similar to what you want to see on your own? Provide links if possible.
8. What is the deadline, schedule or exact date for completing your site?

Additional questions

1. Do you need to be able to update the site yourself? (i.e. CMS )
2. Will it be an online store ? Will you sell any products or accept payments through your website?
3. Do you need a copywriter (writer)? If you are going to use existing text from your current site, do you need to make any amendments to it?
4. Is your logo and other graphic elements ready for use on the site?
5. Do you have images that you would like to include in your site or the designer should use graphics at its discretion?
6. How will you update the site in the future? (if not using CMS )
7. Will you need additional help with SEO (registration in search engines, adding business to directories, installing meters , etc. )?
8. Do you already have a domain and customized hosting for your new site? If so, can you provide access to FTP and control panels?
9. What other features would you like to see on your site? Ability to log in, calendars, forums, blog, subscriptions (via RSS, mail)?

As with my logos questionnaire , I leave my clients with empty space at the end so that they can write additional details and comments.

Also, next to each question that may seem to the customer is not so clear, I am writing additional explanations, examples and notes. For example, when I ask them whether it is necessary to build their website on the basis of a CMS , I specify how often they will update it: daily, weekly, or once every six months. Speaking in a language understood by the client also helps in building trust - there is nothing worse than spending your money on something that you have no idea about. In short, leave your “geekiness” outside the door.

It is always important to remember that being a graphic designer means solving problems. You cannot solve the problem without knowing what it is. So ask questions.

Feel free to add your own examples of what to ask customers in the comments below.