You hired us for a reason. We understand that developing a website can be… complicated. Even talking to a front-end designer or a back-end developer can be confusing. From concepts to terminology, it’s like trying to learn a different language. We have made an outline on how we build a website to help ease you into the process. Are you looking to get started? Check out our Website Design services.
What is website registration? What is website hosting?
Website registration is how you get a domain. You buy a domain at a domain name registrar which is where it’s registered. Your domain is the only one that exists in the world with your specific tail end. However, the domain still exists with .com, .uk, and even .shop tail ends. It’s important to register any domains that could be confused as your domain so that a competitor doesn’t buy the domain, or worse, so the domain doesn’t host a website that you don’t want your customers to accidentally see.
Website hosting is where your website lives. It’s the website server. There are servers all over the world and some of the biggest website hosting companies like Green Geeks and Big Scoot are located in the United States. Depending on your website needs, there are many different types of servers. Small-scale websites that don’t have eCommerce set up can be hosted on shared servers where there are multiple websites on one server. This is because the website load time is fast without the bulk of eCommerce and the website doesn’t need high levels of security. However, a website that accepts credit card information and has a payment gateway set up will need a Virtually Private Server (VPS) which means there are dedicated resources for your website on that server. While a VPS is typically more expensive, it provides faster load times and more security.
How to design a website?
Sitemap
First, we see if there is any previous branding done and ask our clients if they want to keep that branding or have something else. We then discuss how we are going to acquire content. We offer content strategy services for website design or we can support you in writing content by copyediting and proofreading, letting you know what we need, and letting you know how to optimize your content. We then decide on your sitemap, which are what pages and how many pages your website will have. We consider this a sign-off point – once we agree on the site map the client “signs off” so we can move forward with the next stages of design. If the number and type of pages change after the sign-off point, this exceeds the initial quote. While we accommodate for your needs, it will take time for designers to change the concept and design of a page and we charge for that additional time.
Wireframe / Mock-up
Designers then make a wire frame which is the layout and design of the site. We use Adobe CC software like Photoshop and XD to design the website with images, filler text (if you’re writing your own content), colour schema, and the type kit. This is another sign-off point – once you approve the design we can proceed to the next step which is building the site in WordPress. If you already have a website that is live, we build on a staging site which is basically an extension of your URL. This means your old website can stay up until your new one is ready.
Marketing platform integration
There are standard platforms that are integrated into a website to ensure it functions optimally. This includes Google Business, Google Console, Google Analytics, and Cloudflare. We see if you already have these tools set up and gain access or we set them up for you. We also integrate MailChimp, Google Ads, and other marketing platforms for social media marketing like Facebook Business Manager. However, this depends on your marketing goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).
How to make a website go live
Once we have gone through the steps of creating a sitemap, wireframe, building the site, adding content, and integrating platforms, your site is ready to go live! We transfer the site from the staging site to the root domain and wait for your website’s organic traffic to increase. If you would like to create a campaign around your website launch, we can do this before the launch on your social media platforms. If you have an eCommerce store, we can help you announce your store opening so you can build anticipation and get sales right away!
