Everything You Need to Know About the Web Design Process

Look, there’s no two ways about it: Building a website can be a MAJOR undertaking.

There are so many moving parts, deadlines, decisions, and (yep) a lot of nerves. The good news? You can ease a lot of those jitters simply by getting informed about what’s involved in the web design process. 

The more you know, the more prepared you’ll feel! 

Let’s walk through all the steps we’ll tackle together, from that first “hello” to hitting “launch” and everything in between.

#1 Say Hello & Pick Your Perfect Package

How it starts: You fill out my short inquiry form, spill the beans on your business, and book a free Zoom chat. In that 20-minute call, we’ll:

1. Talk big-picture goals (book more clients, sell merch, rally donors, etc.)
2. Check out any existing website or branding you have
3. See if we’re a good fit for each other
4. Decide whether The Foundation Website (up to 5 core pages) or The Works Website (extra pages or fancy features) makes sense

Then you’ll get a recap email, my package recommendation, and a ballpark investment so you can green-light the next step with total confidence.

#2 Paperwork, Payments & Prep

Here’s where the process splits for a moment. If you’re a “Foundation” client, the project scope is clear, and we can lock things in immediately.

The “Works” projects involve extra pages or advanced features, so we start with a discovery agreement to nail down every requirement before moving on to the full build contract.

For “Foundation” websites, the process looks like this:

• Website Proposal: I email a no-surprises proposal that spells out scope, timeline, and investment. Love it? Hit reply with a big “YES!” and we’re officially on the calendar.
• Contract + First Invoice: Your e-contract lands in your inbox for you to sign, along with the first invoice. Most projects are broken up into three payments:

1. After signing the contract
2. Once copywriting and design are complete
3. Upon project completion

Once you sign and pay your first invoice, we’ll lock your project slot in and knock these two items off the list:

• Design Questionnaire: The fun brain-dump where you share must-have functionality and examples of other websites you love and why you love them
• 1-hour Strategy Session: We translate that questionnaire into a rock-solid plan in a 60-minute Zoom call

“Works” websites need more planning – here’s how it flows:

• Discovery Contract & Invoice: Before any big commitments, you sign an agreement and pay a flat fee so we can get into all the bells and whistles you want.  Think of the discovery process as a website planning workshop.
• Design Questionnaire: You complete my extended design questionnaire to specify all your wants, needs, and website dreams. I’ll ask you questions on everything from design inspiration to content needs, email marketing, and advanced features.
• Strategy Session: In a 75-minute Zoom session, we hash everything out. We’ll dissect website goals, tech needs, user paths, and more! By the end, we’ll both know exactly what your site needs to do and how it should look and feel.
• Project Roadmap: Over another Zoom call, I’ll present your project roadmap. This will cover every proposed page and feature on your site, the scope of your project, the timeline, and your investment. 
• Green-Light Stage: If you’re on board with everything in the roadmap and project quote, you sign the full Web Design & Development contract and pay the first project invoice.

No Branding? No Problem!

If you don’t already have professional branding (logo, color palette, typography, other necessary design elements), we’ll talk branding first.

The branding process looks like this: Branding proposal→ contract → brand questionnaire → 45-minute strategy chat → brand design begins and is delivered once approved by you. Once your visuals look the part, we swing back to the website.

From here on out, we follow the same steps for both Foundation and Works clients. 

#3 Get Your Website Content Sorted

Before the design magic starts, I need the content goods – your website text, photos, and any extra assets you want on the site.

I require all clients to work with a professional copywriter because your words matter a heck-of-a-lot more than you might think. Good copy answers your audience’s most burning questions, builds trust, and supports search engine optimization down the road.

Read “Why I Insist Every Client Teams Up with a Professional Copywriter” for more info on this!

#4 Marrying Words & Visuals: The Content Integration Stage

Now for the “fun” part (although, let’s be honest, it’s all pretty fun). I’ll begin designing the site around the lovely copy your writer came up with!

Initial Mockups

First up, I’ll craft a home page mockup bringing your brand design, a user-friendly layout, and awesome copywriting together. 

I incorporate everything from your color palettes and typography to spacing, icons, and imagery. And while I love a gorgeous aesthetic, I’m also big on function. I’ll make sure your site’s visual design guides people effortlessly from A to B.

Once the home page is ready, you’ll get a private link to share feedback and request the contract-covered tweaks until it feels perfect.

Key Inside Pages

Once your home page mockup earns a gold star, I roll that look and feel into the must-have interior pages – About, Services, Blog, Contact, whatever your sitemap calls for.

After we lock down the design for these core pages, I duplicate the approved styling for any remaining, similar pages (think product categories or staff bios).

With the designs for those pages approved by you, the site is almost there, but it’s not time for confetti cannons just yet.

#5 Digital Construction Zone: Where Your Site Comes Alive

Once you’re happy with the final design, it’s time for me to start building your site.

Choosing a Platform

All of the websites I build run on WordPress, which is a popular content management system that powers over one-third of the interwebs. It’s flexible, scalable, and lets you add new pages or features down the line without rebuilding the whole thing.

Web Development

Next, I’ll get to the nerdy development stuff. I won’t bore you with the tech details, but just know I’ll handle everything that makes your site run like a dream and function just as you need it to.

That includes things like advanced customizations, third-party integrations (like payment gateways), and plugins – possibly in collaboration with other web developers, depending on the complexity.

Something I’m passionate about is making sure the design stays consistent from mockups to the final site, so you never have to worry about the end result looking wildly different from the approved concept.

After I’ve developed the majority of your site, I’ll present it to you for your review and feedback. Once we implement any tweaks (you’ll get a certain amount of revisions in your contract), we’ll be ready to launch your new website! 

Creating Your Legal Disclaimers

Before launch, I’ll also connect you with the lovely folks over at Termageddon to get your legal policies squared away. You’ll meet with them briefly to generate your Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and any other policies you need.

As soon as I receive access to your Termageddon account , I’ll embed the policies in their appropriate place on your site so you’re covered and compliant. Not sure why you need those policies? This blog post breaks it all down.

#6 The Final Tune-Up: Making Sure It All Works

Before launch, I’ll go in and give everything a final once-over to make sure it’s all working as it should. 

• Check for Broken Links: Nothing frustrates folks more than clicking a button and landing on a 404 page, so I’ll hunt down and fix any dead ends.
• Speed & Performance Tests: I’ll optimize images, code, and caching to make sure your site loads as fast as possible.
• Mobile & Accessibility: I make sure everything looks (and works) just as well on a phone as on a giant desktop screen, following accessibility guidelines so your site is welcoming to all.
• User Interface Review: I’ll comb through every inch of your site, checking that forms send data correctly, web app functionality is operating as intended, your navigation feels good, and more!

#7 Lights, Camera, Website: It’s Go Time

It’s finally the moment you’ve been waiting for: your site goes live! But hold your horses – there’s a careful checklist before we flip the switch:

• Pre-Launch Review: We’ll double-check your domain settings (so your website shows up at the right web address), make sure it’s secure (SSL certificate = that little lock icon in the browser), and do a final walkthrough of the layout to catch anything that needs tweaking before going live.
• Hosting Setup: I collaborate with WordKeeper (my fave hosting partner) to make sure your site loads reliably, stays protected from hackers, and runs smoothly behind the scenes.
• Celebration Time: Seriously, launching a new website is a big deal. Give yourself a pat on the back – you’ve just completed an entire web design project from start to finish!

#8 Post Launch Support & Maintenance

Your site’s live, but guess what? Websites are living, breathing entities that need ongoing care. Otherwise, you risk security holes, random glitches, or that dreaded feeling when you realize your info is outdated.

• Maintenance & Updates: I offer monthly hosting and maintenance plans. This covers software updates, daily backups, security monitoring, and help if something goes poof.
• Future Tweaks: Not all changes fall under basic maintenance. Maybe you want to add more pages, tweak your services, or upgrade some features as your business evolves. You’ll get a discounted hourly rate for that if you’re on my plan.
• Analytics & SEO: If you want to climb those Google rankings, we can keep refining your search engine optimization strategies with fresh content and small site improvements.
• No Stress Guarantee: My aim is to keep you from panicking if something weird happens at 10 p.m. on a Friday. With my hosting and support, you get a line of defense for your site, so you can stay focused on your own zone of genius.

Ready to Kick Off Your Web Project?

I hope this walk-through of the steps makes the entire web development process feel more approachable – and maybe even a little more exciting!

Whether you’re eyeing The Foundation Website (hello, 5-page minimal magic!) or you need The Works Website with all the extras, I’ve got you. 

Reach out now to get the conversation started.