Web design in Ibiza: what content to prepare before your website project starts

Most website projects that run late do so for the same reason, and it isn't the coding. It's the content. The design is ready, the structure is signed off, and the site sits waiting for weeks for the "About us" text, decent photos of the premises or an up-to-date price list.

If you're planning a web design project in Ibiza, the easiest way to save time (and a few arguments) is to get your content together before the first meeting, or at least to know exactly what will be needed and who is going to provide it. This article is that list, written for businesses in Ibiza and across the Balearic Islands: restaurants, accommodation, shops, professional services and activity companies.

Why content shapes the design, not the other way round

Many people assume you design first and "fill it in" later. In practice the reverse works better. If you have four services that need a lot of explaining, each one deserves its own page. If your strongest asset is how the place looks, the design has to give photos room. If the site will be in three languages, menus and buttons need to cope with longer words in German or French.

When content arrives late, one of two things happens: the design gets redone, or the content gets cut down to fit a space that was meant for something else. Neither helps your business.

The checklist: what to prepare

1. What you do, in one sentence and one paragraph

Write one sentence that says what you do, for whom and where. For example: "Dive gear rental and small-group guided dives from Sant Antoni." Then a short paragraph that expands on it. It doesn't need to be polished; it's the raw material for your homepage copy.

2. Your services or products, one at a time

For each main service or product, note down:

• What it includes and what it doesn't.
• Who it's for.
• The questions customers ask most often about it.
• Whether it has a fixed price, a "from" price or is quoted case by case.

This information usually lives in your head or in WhatsApp chats with customers. Getting it into a document is the single most useful part of the preparation.

3. Your own photos, and the ones you're missing

Go through the photos you have and sort them into three piles: good to use, usable with editing, and not usable. Then list what's missing: the team, the interior, the product in use, the area around you.

Ibiza adds a practical twist. Summer light and atmosphere look nothing like winter. If what you sell is the season itself (a terrace, a cove, a water activity), your photos need to be summer photos. Starting the site in November may mean launching with what you have and booking a shoot for May or June. Better to know that on day one than to find out once the site is built.

4. Languages: which ones, and who translates

Choose languages based on who actually buys from you or books with you, not on what looks impressive. A business that mainly serves residents may only need Spanish and Catalan; one that lives on tourism may need English plus another language or two.

Then decide who translates: you or someone on your team, a professional translator, or machine translation checked by a fluent speaker. What you shouldn't do is publish unchecked machine translation. Visitors notice, and it comes across as careless.

5. The practical details customers look for

These get lots of visits and are often forgotten:

• Exact address and how to get there (parking, buses, whether a car is needed).
• Opening hours, including off-season hours if they change.
• Phone, WhatsApp and email, and which you'd rather people use.
• Booking, cancellation or returns policy.
• Accepted payment methods.

6. Proof that you can be trusted

Gather anything that shows you're reliable: reviews you already have on Google or other platforms, years in business, certifications, work with other local companies. Keep it all real and verifiable; a site that overstates loses more than it gains.

7. Logins and accounts

Not content as such, but it stalls a surprising number of projects. Before you start, find out:

• Who controls the domain and which provider it's with.
• Access to your Google Business Profile, social accounts and the old website, if there is one.
• Login details, or the person in charge, for any external booking or payment system.

Who provides what

To stop everyone waiting on everyone else, agree in writing at the first meeting who does what. A sensible split usually looks like this:

• Your business provides: service information, existing photos, practical details, account access and final approval of everything published.
• The agency provides: the site structure, copywriting or editing based on your information, search optimisation and image preparation.
• Agreed case by case: a new photo shoot, translations and legal pages.

What matters isn't who does each task but that it's clear. When you talk to an agency, ask straight out: "Do you write the copy, or do I?" The answer changes how much work lands on your desk.

A hypothetical example: a small rural hotel near Santa Gertrudis

Picture a small agroturismo in inland Ibiza that wants a new website to get more direct bookings. Before the project starts, the owner spends two afternoons getting material ready:

1. She writes one sentence about what she offers: rooms in a restored farmhouse, breakfast made with produce from the estate and a quiet setting away from the coast.
2. She makes a sheet for each room type, covering what's included, capacity and the questions guests ask most (are children welcome, do I need a hire car).
3. She reviews her photos. The outdoor summer shots are great, but the rooms are badly lit, so she decides to launch with what she has and reshoot the rooms in spring.
4. She picks Spanish, English and German, since those cover most of her guests, and arranges for someone to check the German version.
5. She collects arrival times, house rules and the cancellation policy, and tracks down the domain login, which was still under a former provider's name.

With that in hand, the first meeting is about deciding rather than asking. The structure almost writes itself, the design fits what actually exists, and the missing room photos are scheduled instead of holding up the launch.

Are you ready to start?

Before you ask for quotes or kick off the project, run through these questions:

• Can I explain what I do in one sentence?
• Have I written down my services, what they include and the common questions?
• Do I know which photos I have, which are missing and when they can be taken?
• Have I chosen languages and who will translate or check them?
• Do I know where the domain and accounts are?

If the answer to most is yes, your project starts with a head start. If not, that's fine: a good agency will help you fill the gaps, but it's worth knowing early which part of the work is yours.

Start your Ibiza website with your content in order

At Derek Solutions we work with businesses in Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and across the Balearics, and we help sort out content before design so your site launches on time and starts selling from day one. See how we work on our web design page or, if you're unsure what to prepare, get in touch. You can also reach us at derek@dereksolutions.com or on +34 680 283 973.