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Website Strategy & Planning

Clarity before design. Business logic before pixels.

Most business websites fail not because of bad design, but because no one documented what the site needed to accomplish before production started. Website Strategy & Planning is a standalone engagement that defines your business goals, buyer profiles, page hierarchy, trust architecture, and conversion priorities — before a single wireframe is drawn. The output is a strategy brief your team can hand to any designer or developer with confidence that the site will reflect how your business actually works.

What's Covered

Scope of Assessment

Business Goal Alignment

We document what the website must accomplish — lead generation, service clarity, trust-building, recruiting, or all of the above — and tie each goal to measurable page-level outcomes.

Buyer & Audience Analysis

Who visits your site, what they need to see, what objections they carry, and what path converts them. Mapped by segment, not assumed.

Page Hierarchy & Sitemap

Every page justified by business purpose. No orphan pages, no dead ends, no category sprawl. Clear navigation logic that matches how buyers think.

Trust Architecture

Where proof, credentials, case studies, testimonials, and certifications appear — and why. Trust signals placed where skepticism is highest.

Conversion Priorities

CTA strategy by page type. What action each page drives, what friction exists, and how to reduce it without resorting to aggressive tactics.

SEO & Content Foundation

Primary keyword targets, meta structure, heading hierarchy, and internal link logic planned before content production begins.

Our Process

How It Works

01

Discovery & Stakeholder Interviews

We interview leadership, sales, and operations to understand how the business works, who it serves, and where the current website falls short. This is not a creative brief — it is a business requirements session.

  • 60–90 minute structured interviews with key stakeholders
  • Review of current website analytics, lead flow, and conversion data
  • Competitive website audit across 3–5 direct competitors
  • Documentation of brand positioning, service hierarchy, and proof assets
02

Buyer Journey Mapping

We map how each buyer segment discovers, evaluates, and decides — then align the website structure to that journey instead of to an internal org chart.

  • Buyer persona development with objection and motivation analysis
  • Entry-point analysis: where do visitors land and what do they need next
  • Decision-stage content mapping: awareness, consideration, decision
  • Trust-gap identification by buyer type
03

Architecture & Hierarchy Design

Page structure, navigation logic, and content hierarchy designed around business outcomes. Every page has a documented purpose, a target audience, and a next action.

  • Full sitemap with page-level purpose statements
  • Navigation structure with max 2-click depth to any service page
  • Internal linking strategy for SEO and user flow
  • Content requirements per page: copy, proof, media, CTAs
04

Strategy Brief Delivery

A standalone document your team owns. Use it to brief a designer, evaluate an agency, or execute internally. It is not a proposal for more work — it is a decision-ready asset.

  • Executive summary with key strategic recommendations
  • Full sitemap and page hierarchy with annotations
  • Buyer journey maps with content alignment
  • SEO keyword strategy and metadata framework
Deliverables

What You Receive

Website Strategy Brief

A 15–30 page document covering business goals, buyer analysis, page hierarchy, trust architecture, conversion strategy, and SEO foundations. Your single source of truth for website production.

Annotated Sitemap

Every page mapped with its purpose, target audience, primary CTA, and content requirements. Designed for handoff to designers and developers.

Buyer Journey Maps

Visual maps showing how each buyer segment moves through awareness, consideration, and decision — with website touchpoints aligned to each stage.

Competitive Website Audit

3–5 competitor websites analyzed for positioning, trust signals, content structure, and conversion strategy. Opportunities and gaps documented.

SEO & Metadata Framework

Primary keyword targets, title tags, meta descriptions, heading hierarchy, and internal link strategy for every planned page.

Content Requirements Matrix

Page-by-page specification of copy needs, proof assets, media, testimonials, and CTAs required for production.

Who It's For

Is This Right for You?

New Business or Location Launch

Standing up a new brand, division, or location? Strategy-first ensures your website reflects real capabilities from day one instead of being revised six months later.

Major Repositioning

Your business has evolved but your website still describes who you were two years ago. Strategy planning aligns the site to current operations and market position.

Low Conversion or Weak Lead Flow

Traffic exists but leads do not. Strategy work identifies where trust breaks, where CTAs fail, and where the buyer journey has gaps.

Multi-Service or Multi-Location Firms

Complex organizations with multiple service lines, locations, or audiences need deliberate page architecture — not a flat list of everything you do.

Pre-Agency or Pre-Designer Preparation

Hiring a web agency? Hand them a strategy brief instead of a blank creative brief. You will get better work, fewer revisions, and a site that actually performs.

SEO Foundation Before Content Investment

Before writing 50 blog posts, ensure your site architecture, keyword strategy, and page hierarchy support the content investment.

Common Questions

FAQ

Is this just a creative brief?

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No. A creative brief describes what a site should look and feel like. A website strategy brief documents what the site must accomplish, who it serves, how buyers navigate it, and what content and trust signals are required. It is a business document, not a design document.

Do we need this if we already have a website?

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Often, yes. Most existing websites were built without a documented strategy, and the business has changed since launch. If your site does not reflect what you currently do, who you serve, or how you differentiate — strategy work will fix that before you spend money on design.

Can we use the strategy brief with our own designer or agency?

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Absolutely — that is the point. The strategy brief is a standalone deliverable you own. Use it to brief any designer, agency, or internal team. It eliminates the guesswork that causes expensive redesigns.

How long does the strategy engagement take?

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Typically 2–3 weeks from kickoff to final strategy brief delivery. Discovery interviews happen in week one, analysis and architecture in week two, and the deliverable package is presented in week three.

What does this cost?

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Website strategy engagements start at $3,500 for single-brand, single-audience organizations. Multi-brand, multi-location, or complex service architectures are scoped individually after a discovery call.

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Case Study
High-Revenue Regional Services Firm
Website rebuilt around business logic and trust architecture. 3x inbound leads. 42% foot traffic increase.
Read Case Study

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