Design and content are the two main things that cross most people’s minds when they begin crafting a new website, whether for themselves or for a paying client. But even in the design phase, it’s crucial to consider search engine optimization (SEO), accessibility, and how you’re going to make updates and improvements after the site goes live.

Is the client going to be making updates themselves? Can they do it without destroying the layout or other features? What about when a new page is added, or one is deleted?? Is there a mechanism in place to detect and remove/fix broken links? It’s also good to think about the next redesign. As the web evolves and changes it’s necessary to update the look and feel of a site to keep up with the changing times. Can this be done easily without breaking the existing content?

All of these are valid questions to begin asking early on in the construction of a good website. But even beyond that, Smiley Cat has 12 Essential Site Building Blocks that I’ve found, well, essential to jumpstart good website development. Check them out before starting your next project (or even finishing your current one!)