Website Design & Support
The process of designing an attractive and engaging website can seem baffling at times with so much terminology and jargon. We aim to keep things simple, explaining each step of the process so our clients feel comfortable and are fully involved through the development of the site.
The basic procedure is shown below.
Let’s Talk
The first stage is to find out why you want a website in the first place. We will discuss your business, your goals for an online web presence and try to get a clear idea of who your web audience is likely to be. We also get a feel for the current branding and marketing strategy of your company to develop a concise brief for the website project.
Domain Name
This is the web address used to find your website [www.yourbusinessname.com for example]. If you do not already own a domain name [web address] for the project, we can arrange to purchase one for you. Domain names are normally required to be renewed each year.
Web Hosting
Your web content needs to be stored on a web server so that other people on the internet can see it. If you do not already have a web hosting account with an Internet Provider, we can recommend the best options to suit your needs. Web hosting is normally required to be renewed each year.
Emails
We will also discuss which email addresses you would like to use for the website. We can create these for you.
Concept Design
Once the brief is agreed, we then work through the concept design stage. This normally involves producing a selection of design ideas, in JPG format, that illustrate graphically the layout for the proposed website. Typically, designs for home page and inner page layouts are included. We then discuss these ideas with you to factor in any changes, where required, and adapt the concept designs to produce the finalised layout design solutions.
The Site Build
With the concept designs in place, we proceed with the site build [coding]. We normally build the website on a development server which allows you to view the site as we build it. The build is moved to the main web server once you are happy that it should go live on the internet.
Website Content
If you provide the site content [text and imagery] we can populate the pages for you. Once the site is live you will have the facility to manage the content yourself, via the Content Management System. We build the site using the wordpress framework, which is a powerful content management tool and includes an ADMIN PANEL where you can log in and edit content as required.
Training
Full training is provided for the content management system.
Optimisation for Search Engines
Making sure the website performs well on search engines [like Google] is important, so that people can easily find you on the web. We will carry out Search Engine Optimisation to help your site work effectively.
Timeframe
In most cases the website will be completed from start to finish in 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how long it takes to produce the actual site content.
Ongoing Support
Once the site is live on the web, we continue to offer technical support and advice for the lifespan of the website. We feel this offers the best service to our clients and means you can feel confident that you can continue to develop the site, with our assistance, on an ongoing basis.
