Pre-Build Content Intake Gate (Onboarding)
A checklist with 7 steps: Collect the client's source-of-truth brand assets before any generation prompt is written.
By InnovaAI ResearchPublished
What are the steps?
Pre-Build Content Intake Gate (Onboarding)
- 01
Collect the client's source-of-truth brand assets before any generation prompt is written
Request logo files in vector format, a hex code sheet, two approved typefaces, and any regulated claim language. Generation tools will invent substitutes when these are missing, and the client will reject the invented version.
- 02
Inventory existing pages and mark each one keep, rewrite, or retire
A 40-page legacy site usually collapses to 12 to 15 pages that carry real traffic. Decide this before generation so the build does not reproduce dead pages at full cost.
- 03
Confirm who holds final copy approval and how many business days that review takes
If legal or a franchise board sits in the approval chain, add their turnaround to the delivery estimate. A single approver replying in 48 hours is a different project than a committee meeting fortnightly.
- 04
Extract the five questions the client's buyers actually ask before purchase
Pull these from sales call notes or the client's inbox, not from a brainstorming session. These become the page structure and the FAQ block, which is where AI-generated copy is weakest.
- 05
Set the accessibility and performance floor in writing
State the target explicitly, for example WCAG 2.2 AA contrast and a Largest Contentful Paint under 2.5 seconds on mobile. Platforms such as Duda and 10Web ship accessibility and speed tooling, but the threshold still has to be agreed before build.
- 06
Map every form, booking widget, and CRM endpoint the site must reach
List the destination for each submission and who owns that inbox. Sites built on Dorik or Kopage often connect to client billing and CMS layers, so a missed endpoint surfaces as a broken lead flow after launch.
- 07
Log platform cost, hosting tier, and seat count against the retainer before kickoff
Write the monthly platform line next to the retainer value. If hosting and seats consume more than roughly 8 percent of the monthly fee, the offer needs repricing or a narrower scope.