The Web Design Process: Proposal to Completion
Whatever plans you might have for your website, we can help you realise them. Whether you are starting from scratch, have an old website that needs making over or simply want another opinion on how you might improve your existing online presence, we can guide you through the process
Many design studios have a rigid pricing system, where they charge based on how many pages constitute the web site, or by the hour, but we find this to be a simplistic and inflexible approach. We offer several packages that cover most requirements, specifications of which can be found on the web design packages and prices page.
Highlight's Web Design Process
Every website we build, however complex, goes through the same, simple 6 step process from start to finish.
Stage 1: 9 Point Web Assessment
The Highlight 9 Point Web Assessment covers the whole spectrum of planning your web presence, from what you hope to achieve to how best to reach new and existing customers. This is a free service that we offer without obligation; we have no salespeople putting you under pressure to buy. By the end of it, you should have a much clearer idea about how you can highlight your best features online.
Stage 2: Putting together an easy to navigate site
After your 9 Point Web Assessment, we put together an outline of a website based on your specifications. This is the stage where we either create a brand for your business that will translate to your other types of marketing, or incorporate any branding you already have. In the vast majority of cases, our customers approve the outline after one or two revisions, but we are happy to do as many as are required. With prompt customer feedback, putting together the outline can take as little as 1 business day.
Stage 3: Constructing the website
Once the outline is complete, we get to work constructing the website, which typically takes around 5 business days. This is normally the stage where our customers begin to get excited, as they see their website taking shape in a web browser for the first time. Because of our thoroughness in Stage 2, any tweaks to the design required at this stage tend to be minor.
Stage 4: Creating or adding the content
The next stage is to create or add the content for the website. Typically, this is done with information gathered during Stage 1, and usually takes up to 5 business days.
Stage 5: Making it Beautiful
Obviously a lot of work is put into making the site look beautiful in Stage 2, but Stage 5 is where we add the finishing touches. Photo galleries are assembled, header images are completed and any animation is finalised. This stage usually takes up to 5 business days.
Stage 6: Getting people to look at it
This is where the SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) comes in to play. Site-maps are created, pages are indexed with search engines and directories, link building and ppc campaigns are initiated. This stage usually takes 1 business day.
Stage 7: Finishing touches
Once the website is completed and uploaded, the finishing touches are applied. This obviously varies widely from project to project, but usually is no more complicated than setting up email accounts on the clients computers.
Every website package includes 12 months of support, so you're not left high and dry after stage 7 is completed!
If there were any terms used on this page that you didn't understand, be sure to check the web design FAQ, which outlines the basics of web page construction.