Client Website Content Checklist: What to Collect Before You Build
Before you build, collect the business details, contact information, logo and look, photos, written text and proof, account access, and the client's goals and features. Ask early, in one simple list, and make it easy to answer. Decide ahead of time what you will do when the client cannot or will not send something.
The most common reason a small website runs late is not the design. It is waiting for the client to send things. Photos never arrive, the text is half written, nobody can find the domain login. Weeks pass.
I ran a marketing agency for 15 years. In my experience, projects went more smoothly when I asked for everything early, in a simple list, and made it easy to answer.
This guide gives you a checklist of what to collect, how to ask for it, and what to do when the owner cannot or will not send something.
Why ask early
Owners are busy. They run the business first and the website last. If you wait until you are stuck to ask for something, the project stalls. If you send one clear list at the start, the owner can answer in short bursts between jobs.
Asking early also protects you. If you have written down what you need and when, a late launch is not a mystery. You can point to the list. A short contract that says the schedule moves when materials are late helps too. The proposal guide shows how to set this out.
The checklist
About the business
- Business name exactly as it should appear.
- A one or two sentence description of what they do, in their own words.
- The services they want shown, in order of importance.
- The town or area they serve.
- Years in business, only if the owner confirms it.
- Licenses, insurance or memberships they want mentioned, if any.
Ask the owner to write like they would talk to a customer. You can polish it later. Their own words often sound more real than anything you invent.
Contact details
- Phone number to show, and whether it should be a tap to call button.
- Email address for enquiries.
- Street address, or "service area only" if they do not want a public address.
- Opening hours, including holidays or seasonal changes.
- Social media pages they want linked.
Compare these with the business's Google listing. If they differ, ask which is right.
Logo and look
- Logo file, ideally a clear image with a transparent background.
- Brand colors, if they have them.
- Any websites they like, and any they do not.
- Words or styles to avoid.
If they have no logo, say what you can and cannot do for them, and whether it costs extra. A photo of a sign on a truck is not a logo file.
Photos
- Real photos of the team, the shop, the vehicles and recent work.
- Original files, sent by email or a shared folder, not screenshots or images saved from a chat app, which often shrink them.
- Permission to use photos of customers or their homes, if people or private property are visible.
Real photos build more trust than stock images. Stock is fine as a backup, but check the license. Never use photos of other businesses' work and call it theirs.
Words and proof
- Short descriptions for each service.
- A few customer reviews they are happy to show, with permission to quote them.
- Awards or certifications that can be verified.
- The questions customers ask them most often, with their answers.
- Prices, only if they want them shown. Many local trades prefer "call for a quote."
Do not write fake reviews or invent claims. If the owner has no reviews to show, leave the section out.
Accounts and access
- Who owns the domain, and where it is registered.
- Login for the domain account, or a way for the owner to add you as a helper.
- Current hosting details, if they have a site.
- Access to their Google Business Profile, if they want help with it.
Sharing passwords by plain email is a poor habit. Ask the owner to add you as a user, or use a trusted way to share logins. For the details of who should own what, see how to hand over a website to a client.
Features and goals
- The one thing a visitor should do: call, request a quote, or book.
- Any form, map or booking tool they want.
- Pages they already have that must not disappear.
- A rough idea of how often they expect to change the site.
A clear goal helps you decide what belongs on the page and what can wait.
Owners reply faster when they know why you need each item.
| Ask for | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | So customers do not call when the business is closed |
| Real photos | They build more trust than stock images |
| Customer reviews | Only with permission to quote them; leave the section out if there are none |
| Domain login or helper access | So you can point the web address at the site |
| The one thing a visitor should do | It decides what belongs on the page and what can wait |
How to ask so they reply
A long form can scare an owner off. These habits help:
- Send one list, not ten emails. Number the items so they can reply "1 to 5 done."
- Split it in two. First the must haves, such as name, phone, services and photos. Then the nice to haves.
- Say why. "I need your hours so customers do not call when you are closed" is better than "send hours."
- Give a date. "By Friday if you can" gives a clear target.
- Offer easy ways to answer. Reply to the email, send a voice note, or give a ten minute call where you type as they talk.
- Accept imperfect answers. A rough paragraph is enough to start.
When the client does not send things
It will happen. A calm routine works better than frustration:
- Remind them kindly after a few days, with the short list of what is still missing.
- Offer to fill gaps with placeholder text that is clearly marked as a draft.
- If you have to leave something out, tell them what is missing and that it can be added later.
- If the delay is long, remind them of the schedule you agreed on.
Do not invent facts to fill holes. A blank is better than a wrong claim.
Organize what you receive
Make one folder per client with subfolders for photos, text, logo and notes. Rename files so you can tell them apart. Keep a short note of what was received, on what date and what is still open. This saves hours when you come back to the project after a week.
Keep client files private. Do not share their photos, logins or customer details with anyone who does not need them, and delete what you no longer need when the job is done.
Starting before you have everything
You do not always need every item to begin. A preview or first draft can use what is publicly available: the business name, trade, town, contact details and a few photos from their own site. The guide on building websites with Claude for clients shows how a draft can be made from limited information and improved as content arrives.
If you start early, be clear with the owner that the first version is a draft and that real photos and text will make it better.
Where SiteRevive fits
SiteRevive helps you start with less. You pick a trade and a U.S. state. SiteRevive finds local businesses with old or missing websites, checks each site, and takes the owner's email from the business's own website. With Run with your AI, you paste one prompt into your AI. It builds a one-page preview site for each business from what is publicly available and drafts or sends a short first note from your own inbox. You can choose "drafts only."
After an owner says yes, collecting their real photos, text and logins is your job, and this checklist is for that stage. SiteRevive plans start at $97 a month, plus your own AI plan. There is a 7-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. It does not promise replies or sales. SiteRevive's servers never send email; your own AI sends from your own account, or saves drafts. See the SiteRevive home page or try the free website check.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need from a client to build a small business website?
Business details, contact information, a logo, real photos, service descriptions, proof such as reviews, domain and hosting access, and the main action they want visitors to take.
How do I get clients to send their content on time?
Send one numbered list at the start, explain why each item matters, give a date and make answering easy. Follow up kindly and adjust the schedule if materials are late.
What if the client has no photos or logo?
Offer clearly labeled options, such as taking photos together, using licensed stock images or a simple text logo, and say whether any of it costs extra.
Should clients write their own website text?
A rough draft in their own words is a good start. You can tidy it. Owners know their business best, and their own wording often sounds more real.
How should clients share passwords?
Ask them to add you as a user on the account where possible, or share logins through a trusted method. Avoid sending passwords in plain email.
Can I start before I have all the content?
Yes, as a draft built from public details. Tell the owner it is a draft and that real content will improve it.