Our website design and build process
All of our website projects follow a detailed process in which there are different stages.
It’s best to have set processes in place to ensure nothing is missed when creating your new project.
Here’s how we do it:
1. Your Brief and Quotation
We can meet up over a tea or coffee, or use telephone, email, Zoom, Skype or live chat (on our website), and take the time to understand your requirements and suggest ideas to help create a personalised and unique online presence with your website at the centre of it. We will provide a quotation and a timescale. As our client, you become part of the team for the duration of the project and beyond.
2. Keyword Research for On-Page SEO
If the quotation and timescales are agreeable, we will be looking at your existing website (if you have one) and your competitors and doing some keyword research for search engine optimisation. These keywords can be included in your content.
3. Wireframe Designs
We will create and send you wireframes, which are essentially a digital sketch, to establish the layout and design of your website. This helps us find a starting place to make sure your website will give the visitor the right message. We consider this stage to be the most important because it sets the structure of the website in stone and gives you a clear idea of what you can expect the outcome to be. The design is worked on until you are completely satisfied with how it looks!
4. Content and On-Page SEO
Content is the key to a successful website. We will require all of the text and images for your website from you. We can offer advice if you need help choosing images and creating content. Search engines prefer pages that contain at least 300 to 500 words, so you should use that as a starting point.
5. Website Design and Build
Here we will focus on the design, such as the content, colour and fonts, while at the same time ensuring that it looks fantastic across all screen sizes. When we are happy with the design, we start to build your website based on the wireframe that you have chosen, and we normally start with the home page first.
6. Website Preview and Snagging
Now you get to have your first look at the new website home page so you can provide feedback. Tweaks and changes can be made, and when it has been approved, we design and build the inner pages. When the website is complete, we will invite you again to view and navigate it and make sure it meets your expectations. This ensures no small details have been left out.
7. Testing
Here we will pick up any bugs or issues on the website prior to launch. This includes cross-browser testing to make sure that it is consistently responsive and looks great on all major devices, such as desktops, tablets and phones.
8. Launch
When the website has passed our tests and you are satisfied, it’s time to pop open a bottle of Champagne and launch the website. Spread the word about your new website. Social media is a good starting point. Over the next few weeks, we will keep a watchful eye on your new website and make sure it is working as it should. We will also be on hand should you need us.
9. WordPress Training and Technical Support
Once your website is live, you will need to learn how to use the WordPress CMS so you can edit your website content and maintain your website. We’ll schedule an online training session using Zoom or Skype. We will guide you through the fundamentals of WordPress and how to use your website. To give you peace of mind, a two-week free technical support period starts from the day you launch your website.
