Our 10 step web design process is designed to create a positive experience for our clients getting a website. It is designed for efficiency, quality assurance, and to provide a clear roadmap for our clients. Our process includes all the steps from the moment we first meet with a client to the launch of their website, and beyond. It is a process that we have refined, and often revisit to improve. Here’s our 10 step process:
1. Initial Consultation & Web Design Quote
This is the first moment you come in contact with us. Sometimes we chat over the phone, zoom, in person for about 15-30 minutes regarding your web design project. We discuss and identify the goals and objectives you wish to achieve and have a productive conversation around how our web design service can accomplish those objectives.
Then we will provide you with a formal written web design quote. This quote includes the specifics we discussed as well as timeline, pricing, deliverables – all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Our goal here is not to pressure you into a sale. It’s to educate and provide a solid understanding about what your project looks like from a professional website design and development perspective.
2. Contract & Scope of Work
Once you’ve decided to hire Grandway Marketing for your website design project, we will prepare and send you a contract to sign, which includes a detailed scope of work that ensures we’re both on the same page. Our contract is three pages long and the scope of work is typically one to two pages, depending on the complexity of the project. Paperwork is not fun and fine prints are not cool – so we keep it simple and transparent.
At this point, we collect a 50% non-refundable deposit. We accept credit cards, cheques, cash – as long as it’s money, we accept it.
Once we receive both the signed contract and deposit, the fun parts of web development can start!
3. Brainstorm/Consultation
This is the step that lays out the rest of the project. It is a deep dive into details. From expanding on the objectives we previously discussed, to figuring out the wireframe, sitemap, structure, calls to action, content, etc. We also look at various examples of great websites that we can draw inspiration from, both from a functional and a design standpoint.
At the end of this meeting, which is typically done via zoom or in person, you will have a clear idea and direction of your website design project. You will be provided with the sitemap or wireframe of your website – basically a blueprint of what we will build, as well as a list of content and information we need.
4. Gathering Content
Not much to say here. This is the step where you and your team compile the content required for your website such as logo, brand style guide, images, videos, copy, business information, etc. Typically, these are stored and shared via a DropBox, OneDrive, or Google Drive folder.
Very often we create folders based on the sitemap of your website in DropBox which, combined with the list of content, makes it easy to add content in the proper folders – ensuring a stress-free, efficient, and well-organized experience for both of us.
5. Version 1.0 Build
Using the content, sitemap, and notes from our discussions, our web developers will build the first version of your website. Sometimes we build just the homepage and 1-2 other pages because your feedback could likely result in some major changes. So rather than spending time building all the pages, we build a couple, and once a design is approved, we build the rest. That’s one of the ways we can keep the cost of building a website low and still maintain high quality work.
We typically use WordPress for building websites, with WooCommerce for e-commerce website – rarely Shopify. WordPress is the most popular platform in the world, powering small mom-and-pop shop websites to large enterprise websites. Also, you can always add virtually any functionality to WordPress via plugins and code. Furthermore, since it’s the most popular platform, your internal IT or website department will likely have some knowledge or experience in using WordPress.
6. Revision Rounds
Once the version 1.0 of your website is complete, we will send you a link and a password that only you and your team can access for review. You and your team will have time to go over the website and discuss changes and compile a list of revisions. Sometimes, we can take that list and get to work. Other times, there’s some back-and-forth discussion as to what is possible, what is economical, and the best way to proceed with revisions. This is also where we typically invoice you another 25%, before proceeding with revisions.
Once we get this list of revisions, we are also usually able to build the remaining pages and functionalities of your website.
Once these revisions are completed, you and your team get another chance to review the website and provide us with another list of revisions.
Depending on the contract and scope of work – you may have two rounds of revisions, three, four, five – whatever we agreed upon at the beginning. If additional revisions are required, we typically charge hourly. However, you will know well in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. This is all about creating a happy, pleasant experience in addition to a great website!
7. Testing Website
After the final revision of the website, we test everything: mobile responsiveness, functionalities, contact forms, navigation, internal and external links, etc. No stone left unturned – we want your website to be as close to perfect as possible!
8. Final Approval
At this point you and your team get a chance to review the website one last time. Check for any errors or issues and approve it for launch. This is also where we invoice the remaining 25% and provide you the files, login access, basically full ownership of your new website.
9. Launch!
If we built the website on your server, we remove passwords and under construction page and officially launch your new website. If we built it on our server, we migrate it to your server, connect your domains and officially launch your new website.
10. Follow up
After a couple of days to a week of your website being live, we reach out to learn about any feedback you got from your audience. We will also offer edits based on that feedback, maintenance, training, and any other services that may help you get more results out of your new website.
Looking for a web design quote?
Grandway Marketing is a digital marketing agency and Halifax web design company, specializing in WordPress web development. We also provide logo design, graphic design, SEO, email marketing, and digital marketing consulting services.
For an accurate quote, let’s chat! We have live chat during regular business hours, but you can also reach us via email (fill out the form on the site) or by phone.