Our Website Development Process

Our 7-Step Process

We know that a professional business website is an important investment, so we work closely with you to create the custom website that’s exactly right for you. From start to finish, we communicate with you, ask for your feedback and make sure that you’re satisfied before we move to the next phase.

Although no two projects are the same, the seven distinct steps outlined below are typical of most of our website development projects and should give you an idea of what to expect. The process may vary depending on the technical requirements and complexity of your website.

 

1

Planning and Research

Taking time to lay the foundation for your website is key to a successful outcome. During this phase, we work with you to:

  • Learn more about your company and your customers.
  • Review your current and future business and marketing goals.
  • Discuss your desired user experience.
  • Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors’ websites and determine how to make your site stand out from the competition.
  • Determine your new website’s technical and design requirements and recommend appropriate features and functionality.

2

Content Strategy

Your website content and how it’s organized can make or break your website. Structuring your content properly plays a huge role in providing a quality user experience. Working with you, we:

  • Identify and prioritize your new site’s main content areas.
  • Assess your current website’s content and determine which content can be moved to your new site.
  • Develop a content structure which allows your customers to quickly and easily navigate through your site.
  • Create a site map for your review which lays out your main navigation, major pathways and all pages on your site.

3

Design

This is where you start to see your website coming to life. Using what we learn in steps 1 and 2 to guide the process, we create the look and feel of your website. During the design phase, we:

  • Create easy-to-understand wireframes that show you basic layout options for key website pages.
  • Create your site’s color palette, select fonts and determine style attributes.
  • Design and submit for your review full-color mock-ups of your home page, interior pages and mobile phone views.

4

Development and Testing

Here’s where the actual building of your website begins. Using the approved designs, we develop and program your site as we:

  • Convert designs into HTML and build all web pages.
  • Implement all features and functionality.
  • Perform any required custom programming.
  • Install your website’s CMS (content management system).
  • Integrate all modules or plug-ins into your site.
  • Test your website on all major browsers to make sure all pages display and function properly.
  • Place your website on a staging server for your review and feedback.

5

Training

We won’t leave you in the dark. We provide you and/or your staff with personalized training on how to work with your new content management system (CMS). You’ll learn how to:

  • Update and format your web content.
  • Create, publish and delete pages.
  • Upload and place photos.

6

Launch

As we prepare to launch your site, we:

  • Complete final testing, resolve any remaining issues and determine that your website is ready to go “live.”
  • Get final approval from you and launch your new website.
  • Submit an XML site map to major search engines so your new site can be found.
  • Monitor and test your site over the next several days to make sure your site is performing properly.

7

Post-Launch Technical Support

We stand behind our work, and we include 30 days of free post-launch website support. During this time, we:

  • Regularly monitor your site to make sure all functions are operating properly.
  • Correct any newly discovered issues.
  • Address any questions you have about working with your new website’s content management system.