Thinking about building a website and not sure where to start? This page walks through how a website project actually runs with us, from the first conversation to the day it goes live, so you know what to expect before you commit to anything.
Most sites built and hosted by us use our content management system which allows you to easily edit the content of each page of your web site. That matters from the outset: it means the site you launch with is one you can keep changing yourself, rather than one that freezes on launch day and slowly goes out of date.
What we need from you
Less than most people expect. A rough idea of the pages you need, whatever branding you already have, and the content itself, which can be text you send us, content we import from your existing site, or content you type in yourself once the site is built. If you do not have a logo, our designers can create one. If you do not have a domain name yet, we can register it, and if you already own one elsewhere we can point it at the new site or transfer it to us.
The honest answer on schedule is that the pace is usually set by how quickly content and feedback come back, not by how quickly we can build. Projects that stall almost always stall waiting on copy and photographs, so if you want it done quickly, that is the part to get a head start on.
The typical steps
The process to create a site with us is simple. Here is a list of the typical steps in the design process.
- Step 1 - Pages: Provide us with a list of pages you anticipate needing; i.e., Home, About, Contact Us, etc.
- Step 2 - Design: Show us your logo, or we can create a logo, and any marketing materials you use such as flyers, mailers and letterhead. Look through our portfolio, located at the top of this page, or show us sites you like. Also show us your competitor's sites. We want yours to look better! Our graphic designers are also available to design to your exact specifications.
- Step 3 - Slice and Code: Once a design is chosen and 50% of estimated design costs are paid, we build the site on our demo servers. We install slideshows, photo galleries and other special functions needed.
- Step 4 - Enter Content: We enter content provided by you, import it from an old site, or you may enter the content using the content management system. Each page can be optimized by us or you by entering specific title tags, H1 tags, meta keywords and meta description tags describing the content of the page.
- Step 5 - Go Live: Once the demo site is production ready and set up costs paid in full we publish it live. From then on you can continue using the content management system to edit content and publish changes live. We are also available to provide ongoing site maintenance. Also don't forget to take full advantage of the 30 minutes of free maintenance each month you receive along with hosting.
How the cost works
You get an estimate before any work begins, so there are no surprises. As set out in the steps above, half of the estimated design cost is paid before we start building, and the balance is due once the site is production ready and before it is published live. Hosting is billed separately and on an ongoing basis, because it is an ongoing service.
If you already have a website
Rebuilding is often easier than starting from nothing, because the content already exists. We can import content from your current site rather than asking you to retype it, and a website redesign can reuse what still works while replacing what does not. This is also the point at which most sites gain a great deal, since a site built more than a few years ago frequently predates the expectation that everything works properly on a phone. Every site we build now is a mobile friendly website as standard.
If your previous designer has gone quiet, gone out of business, or simply cannot be reached, that is a situation we deal with regularly and it is usually recoverable. Contact us and we will tell you honestly what can be salvaged and what is better rebuilt.
After you go live
Launch is the beginning of the site's life rather than the end of the project. You can edit and publish changes yourself through the content management system for as long as you have the site. Hosting includes 30 minutes of free updates each month for the changes you would rather hand to us, ongoing site maintenance is available when you want more than that, and our own server administrators look after the hosting itself, so the servers are not something you have to think about.
Each page can also carry its own title, headings and description, which is how search engines work out what a page is about. We can handle that as part of the build, or you can manage it yourself, and if you want to compete harder for the searches that matter to your business we offer search engine optimization as an ongoing service.
If you are ready to start, or you simply want to talk through whether a new site is the right spend right now, contact us using the support button at the top of any page. We have been building and hosting websites since 1999 and we will tell you plainly what we think.