Website Requirements Checklist
Use this checklist to define your site's job, pages, and features before choosing a platform. Compare local lead gen, ecommerce.
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Website building requirements are the plain-English scope for what the site must do, what pages it needs, what features it needs, who will maintain it, and how everyone will know the build is finished.
Define the job of the site before choosing a platform or hiring a builder. A lead-generation site, portfolio, ecommerce store, content hub, and custom workflow do not need the same requirements. If you skip that distinction, every later decision turns into an argument about scope.
Website building requirements checklist
| Requirement area | What to define | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site job | The primary business outcome | Platform choice depends on the job | Local leads, portfolio, ecommerce, content/SEO, or custom workflow |
| Page list | Every required page and template | Prevents scope creep and missing content | Home, services, about, contact, pricing, blog, landing pages |
| Core features | What the site must let users do | Features drive builder fit and cost | Forms, booking, checkout, search, galleries, gated content |
| Integrations | Third-party systems that must connect | Integrations can decide the platform | Email marketing, CRM, analytics, payments, scheduling |
| CMS needs | Who edits what after launch | Maintenance tolerance matters | Owner edits pages, staff posts updates, agency manages templates |
| Responsive behavior | Mobile, tablet, and desktop expectations | Most visitors will not politely resize themselves | Mobile nav, tap targets, fast loading, readable service pages |
| SEO basics | Metadata, URLs, internal links, schema, content structure | Content-led sites need control, not just visual templates | Editable title tags, service pages, location pages, blog categories |
| Acceptance criteria | The definition of done | Keeps launch from becoming an open-ended process | Form submissions tested, pages approved, redirects checked |
| Timeline and milestones | Review points and launch date | Milestones make progress visible | Sitemap approval, design approval, staging review, launch |
| Change control | How new requests are handled | Protects budget and schedule | Written change request, estimate, approval before work |
| Maintenance plan | Who updates software, content, and integrations | A site without ownership decays fast | Monthly content owner, plugin updates, backup checks |
| Real cost | Plan, apps, plugins, domains, storage, bandwidth, and time | Entry pricing is not total cost | Builder plan plus domain, paid apps, booking features, and support |
Direct answer
A useful website requirements document should answer seven questions:
- What job does the site need to perform?
- Which pages and page types are required at launch?
- Which features are mandatory, optional, or explicitly out of scope?
- Which systems must connect to the site?
- Who will update content after launch?
- How will the client or owner accept the finished work?
- What ongoing costs and maintenance tasks are expected?
The builder-selection guide says to start with the site job: local lead generation, portfolio and brand presentation, ecommerce and checkout, content and SEO, or a custom workflow that may outgrow simple builders. The contract guide says to list pages, features, integrations, CMS, responsive behavior, third-party services, acceptance criteria, milestones, change control, IP/licensing, maintenance, and support. The real bill includes domains, storage, bandwidth, booking features, paid apps, plugins, transaction needs, and time.
Requirements by website type
| Website type | Must-have requirements | Platform implication |
|---|---|---|
| Local service site | Service pages, contact form, phone CTA, location page, testimonials, basic SEO | Hosted builders are often enough if editing is simple |
| Portfolio site | Project galleries, case studies, biography, inquiry path, image handling | Design control matters more than complex integrations |
| Ecommerce site | Products, payments, shipping, tax settings, inventory, order emails, policies | Choose a store-first platform if transactions are core |
| Content and SEO site | Blog structure, categories, metadata, internal links, author workflow | WordPress or another content-friendly CMS may fit better |
| Booking-led site | Calendar, appointment types, reminders, intake questions, payment rules | Scheduling support should be native or cleanly integrated |
| Custom workflow site | User accounts, dashboards, data flows, permissions, admin tools | A simple website builder may not be the right system |
Scope worksheet
Use this worksheet before you ask for quotes or pick a builder:
| Question | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Primary site job | |
| Secondary site job | |
| Required launch pages | |
| Nice-to-have pages | |
| Required forms or bookings | |
| Required payments or checkout | |
| Required integrations | |
| Who writes the copy | |
| Who supplies images | |
| Who edits after launch | |
| Deadline | |
| Budget range | |
| Acceptance criteria | |
| Maintenance owner |
What to put in the builder or agency brief
A strong brief does not need to be fancy. It needs to be specific.
Include:
- Business type and audience.
- Primary conversion goal.
- Required pages and page templates.
- Required features and integrations.
- Content owner and image owner.
- Examples of sites you like, with reasons.
- Accessibility and mobile expectations.
- SEO requirements for URLs, metadata, and internal links.
- Launch deadline and review milestones.
- Maintenance expectations after launch.
- Out-of-scope items.
The phrase “build me a website” is not a requirement. It is a trapdoor. A requirement says what should exist, how it should behave, and how it will be approved.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, Shopify, or Webflow before defining the site job.
- Listing pages but not features.
- Asking for “SEO” without specifying editable metadata, URLs, content structure, and internal links.
- Forgetting who owns copy, images, approvals, and post-launch updates.
- Treating apps, plugins, domains, storage, booking tools, and maintenance as invisible costs.
- Launching without acceptance criteria for forms, mobile pages, analytics, redirects, and content review.
- Leaving change requests informal, then acting surprised when the scope grows.
Related resources
Decision Matrix
| Scenario | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need local leads via phone or form | Choose a hosted builder like Wix, Squarespace, or GoHighLevel with native forms and click-to-call. | These platforms handle simple SEO and local map integration without custom code. |
| You need to sell products with shipping and tax calculations | Choose a dedicated ecommerce platform like Shopify or BigCommerce over a standard builder. | Standard builders often lack robust inventory management, automated tax rules, and secure payment processing. |
| You need to manage a blog with frequent staff updates | Choose WordPress or another open-source CMS where multiple user roles can edit content. | Hosted builders usually restrict editing to one admin, whereas a CMS allows you to train staff on posts and categories. |
| You need a custom dashboard or private client portal | Hire a developer to build a web app rather than forcing this into a website builder. | Website builders generally cannot support user logins, database connections, or complex data flows. |
| You need deep integration with a specific CRM or ERP | Evaluate if the builder has a native app for that system; if not, consider a headless CMS or custom build. | Relying on third-party integrations adds hidden maintenance costs and can break if the external service changes its API. |
Recommended Next Step
Copy the requirements checklist into a blank document and fill in the “Primary site job” and “Required launch pages” fields immediately. Once those are listed, compare your answers against the decision matrix to narrow down two potential platforms before requesting quotes.
Further Reading
Decision Pages
Tools and Calculators
FAQ
Do I really need a full requirements document for a simple one-page site?
Yes, because you risk building a page that looks good but fails to drive the specific action your business needs.
Should I define my website requirements before looking at specific builders?
Yes, you must define the scope first since builders are built for different jobs and you might pick one that cannot handle your core features.
What exactly should I list in the “Core features” section?
List only the functions users must perform, such as submitting a contact form, booking an appointment, or uploading images.
How do I know if a builder is good for my SEO needs?
Check if you can edit title tags, meta descriptions, and URL slugs for every page, because forced generic titles will make ranking difficult.
Does the price of the builder plan include all my costs?
No, the listed monthly fee usually does not include domain registration, premium apps, transaction fees, or the time spent managing updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in a website requirements document?
What features are required for an ecommerce website?
How do you handle new requests during a website build?
What factors make up the real cost of a website?
Sources & Citations
Next step
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