Steps involved in website design

A common thread I have noticed with regard to web design is that every business knows they NEED a website, but it is a hard thing to prioritise when faced with all the other things involved in the day to day running of that business. In short - getting a website often finds its way into the “too hard basket”!

Website design shouldn’t be hard and it shouldn’t be a mission! Like anything else, when you break it down into a few main steps, you can see it’s actually not hard at all! This is borne out by client comments to us when we build a website for them. So let’s take a look at the steps Swish Design use when building a website for you:

1. Think about the domain name you would like to register. Every website requires a domain name (ie www.yourbusines.com) and hosting (where your web files are kept on a server allowing them to be accessed by those accessing the Internet). Your domain name normally incorporates your organisation’s name, and it is best to keep it as short and simple as possible. Swish Design can source both domain name registration and hosting for you but if you wish to do this yourself, we recommend xmanhosting whose excellent prices and service present great value.
2. Surf the internet and have a look at the websites of organisations similar to yours. Take note of the information they have on their site. Also note down the addresses of sites that you like the look of.
3. Make a list of the pages that you want on your website – this is one of the more important pieces information Swish Design needs to know as the main page headings usually correspond to the links that will be on each page … and this in turn affects how the site can look.
4. Have a think about the colours you want and any graphics you might like incorporated into the design. If you have corporate colours (such as a company logo) it is a good idea from a branding point of view to stick to these for your website. In some situations, your colour scheme can also match the type of organisation you are.
5. This is usually all the information we will require from you in order to come up with the initial design for your site. Content is not important at this stage. Once we have this information, we will create the initial site design for you. It is important to note that if you have some nice images relevant to your business or organisation, these will assist immensely in creating a great looking site.
6. Once we have a site design that you’re are happy with, it is time to build the site. It is at this point that we require the site content from you. Depending on your own deadline, you can filter the site content through to us gradually, but it is best practice never to make a website live unless the majority of information is there. Too many pages saying “Coming soon” looks unprofessional.
7. Possibly the most important aspect of your website is its content. And the content stage is often where a website gets held up. Keep in mind that search engines catalogue your site text and site content is the main “attribute” they use when it comes to ranking your website. It is a good idea to start working on your site content as early as possible in the development process so that by the time the site skeleton is built, your content is solid and ready to go!

When all the content has been dropped into the newly built site and it all meets your approval – the site can then be uploaded to the web and made live!