Website Development Process
How does it all work? Here are all the steps for designing and developing your website – from initial discussion and design, to launch and beyond.
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Step 1: Discussion
Phone, email or cup of coffee – we will go through your business in detail and discuss what the website needs to do. You’ll be encouraged to ask questions, jot down notes and send over design inspiration – be that a competitor’s website, a flyer or a beer mat.
You’ll be asked to prepare some information about each page. We’ll also discuss any SEO strategies, and whether you or I will provide the site content and images.
Once we’ve chatted, you’ll be sent a detailed quote explaining the project costs, timeframe, payment milestones and terms of work. With your blessing, the deposit will be made and I’ll begin work.
Step 2: Design
With the brief set out, a mockup of your website will be made in Photoshop. This would normally be your homepage, plus a number of other design elements or subpages.
As the name suggests, a mockup is not your final website. It will likely use Lorem Ipsum text and placeholder images. The idea is to put forward the general atmosphere of your design. At this early stage, it’s important that we both have something to point at and critique.
Step 3: Feedback
You’ll be invited to critique the mockup and give feedback so that everything is just how you like it. If needs be, we can sit at the computer together and make changes live so that you can point to specific bits, ask questions and test what does or doesn’t work.
During this phase, it’s likely that we will populate the site with proper content and images. Whether you or I provide these will be agreed before we begin the project.
Once I’ve got your feedback on board, it’s time for me to rev up the engine and convert everything we’ve created into code…
Step 4: Development
The site will be built in SEO-friendly HTML5 code. If you’ve chosen content management software, your website will be developed as a bespoke WordPress theme.
When the website has been developed, it will be hosted on a special, password-protected staging area for your inspection. Once again, you’ll be invited to give feedback – this time from a more detailed perspective. The website will be accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop, so you’ll be able to browse it thoroughly and from every angle.
Step 5: Launch
Once all your pages have been populated and your feedback delivered, the site will be ready for launch. If you’ve got web hosting elsewhere, I will migrate it from our staging area to your server.
When we’ve triple-checked that everything is working, you will be sent your website logins and settings for safekeeping. WordPress users will have the opportunity to access their dashboard, edit content and begin drafting blogs. With a flashy new website, I’m sure you’ll have plenty to write about!
Step 6: Aftercare
A website is not simply handed over like a parcel. Pages may change, new ideas might surface or you’ll need advice on ranking up the search engines. It’s important that clients know their designer is available so that when the time comes to expand, you feel safe in the knowledge that things are being taken care of.
Whatever your plans after launch, I’ll be an email away for advice and tech support. In the meantime, enjoy! No doubt you’ll have lots of showing off to do.
