Web Design Process
Although every website project is unique, we follow the same high-level processes each time to ensure that the project runs smoothly and that nothing is missed. This page outlines the process we use as well as what you can expect from a cost, scope, and schedule standpoint.
OUR WEBSITE DESIGN PROCESS
Our website design process is a tried and tested formula that serves to align the scope of the project and deliverables to the goals and needs of the business owner. We work as partners with our clients before, during, and after the projects to keep open lines of communication and feedback.
DISCOVERY PHASE:
Each website design project begins with a $1500 flat-fee discovery project. This includes several working sessions, plus off-line research and effort, to fully develop the scope, schedule, and budget of the project. At the conclusion of this discovery project, we will have a mutually agreeable project plan which will allow us to move forward with minimal “surprises.” This is the most critical phase of any project since, without it, we are moving forward without a clear direction. **Note: In some rare cases we perform this work in conjunction with the content and development phases, rolling the discovery fee into the larger project budget.
CONTENT PHASE:
In this phase, we write the content for the site, gather or create visual assets such as photographs and graphics, design page mockups, and essentially build the site “on paper.” This allows us to design and create without getting caught up in technical limitations or having to do costly re-work when changes are needed.
DEVELOPMENT PHASE:
This is where we translate the designs and content created previously into a working website in a development environment. Technical components such as lead generation forms, event calendars, eCommerce functionality, and SEO optimization are handled here. We used an interactive feedback system during this phase that allows you to quickly note “on-page” any issues or feedback you have. This allows for quick and accurate communication between us and the development team. Once all feedback has been received and implemented, a change freeze is put into effect so we can focus on launching a bug-free website without the distraction of continual change requests.
LAUNCH PREP:
Launching a website needs to be carefully planned and managed. In this phase, we thoroughly test the development website and make any last-minute corrections, double and triple-check that we have all credentials needed to take the new website live and that the server is configured properly, and thoroughly document the steps needed to launch the website which includes things like backing up the existing site, notifying users of website downtime, adequately staffing a website launch testing team, etc. The goal is to develop a pre-written script that can be followed on the launch day. Since this is a new website, the launch prep is very straightforward.
POST LAUNCH:
In the 24 hours post-launch, our team will be on-call to quickly address any issues that arise. After that, we provide 30 days of post-launch support to correct any errors or bugs that had not been caught during testing or that were introduced during the website launch. We also schedule and present two, 1-hour training sessions to your team to familiarize you with how to add and modify content.
Additionally, we offer and highly recommend our ongoing website care plans to maintain your website and ensure that everything continues to work properly. Here is more information about our care plan options and prices.
WEBSITE DESIGN PROJECT INVESTMENT:
In addition to the discovery consulting fee, our website projects start at $4,950 plus $250/month for the duration of the project. This includes all the things that a typical website needs to be effective.
Every website project includes:
- Up to 5 standard pages (Typically they are: Home, Service/Product, About, Contact, and Blog)
- Responsive and mobile-optimized page design
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1 Level A Compliance
- SEO Keyword research, competitor analysis, and recommendations
- Technical and On-Page SEO Best Practices
- Google Tag Manager or other tracking code installation
- Standard contact/lead capture forms
- Basic Integration with Infusionsoft, ActiveCampaign, MailChimp or other common emailers
- Selection and use of one stock image or graphic per page
- Social media feeds via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
- Site speed optimization
- Two 1-hour training sessions
- Post-launch support for 30 days
- Hosting, security, maintenance, backups, and software licenses during development (care plan standard)
The main factors that influence pricing are:
- Number and type of page designs ($300-$750 per additional page design)
- Number of pages that need copywriting ($550 per 600-word page)
- eCommerce Configuration & Number of Products (eCommerce starts at $1,500 additional)
- Additional software (plugins, etc.) to be purchased and configured
- Length of development time
- Scope of graphic design
- Scope of custom development or integration
WEBSITE PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Most projects are billed according to the following schedule:
- Discovery Consulting Fee: Fixed Fee $1,500
- Monthly Development Care Plan: $250/month
- Website Project Payment 1: 50% due upon project acceptance
- Website Project Payment 2: 30% due upon delivery of the initial mockups for the homepage and one internal page
- Website Project Payment 3: 20% due before the website launch
WEBSITE DESIGN PROJECT SCHEDULE:
Most basic website projects are completed within three to four months as long as there are no holdups in content creation or approvals. As a general rule of thumb, we estimate 2 pages per week for copywriting, mockup design, and webpage development.
A typical 5-page website project schedule looks like this:
- Month 1: Discovery Consulting Project
- Month 2: Copywriting and content creation (photos, videos, etc.)
- Month 3: Mockups and initial website page development
- Month 4: Finalize website page development, testing, and website launch