I always define the goals of what the site should do and how it should work. Research the subject matter and what your users need to be achieve. Who is your target audience and how do you represent them during your research?
I sketch out a version of what I think that the site should look like. I consider this a crucial step in the process. Spend the time to plan at this phase then each step after will go smoother.
I rough out the wire frame with notes. From this I can get to the high-fidelity layout using equal parts Photoshop and Figma. Follow a clean and simple layout to direct users to where they need to go and help them to perform the tasks they need to do.