Having a web presence is essential in today’s digital world. Every day more and more people interact online, searching for better services and products. This makes your website the perfect place for your business to live, breathe and represent your company 24/7. Whether your company already has a website or plans to build one, it’s always important to know that the best results are achieved where there’s a focus on user experience. At Dooley PR & Marketing, we focus on the six main web development stages when building a website for our clients. Each of them plays a crucial role in developing that perfect website for you.
Planning & Analysis
Not surprisingly, the very first step is planning: business strategy, target audiences, branding, design, user interface and site functionality are only some of the many things to look at. A smooth development process flow is easier to create when the planning and analysis stage is done well and thoroughly; this means that, ultimately, the end result will be better and what you need in a website will be there.
Design Creation
Having a professional and visually appealing website helps to earn customer trust. Harmony between a conventional website structure and creative, individual elements gives customers an excellent user experience, which is key to success. While creating an eye-catching design it’s also important to follow the well-regarded design principles known as CRAP – contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity.
Coding Layout
As soon as a visual representation of a website (the wireframe) is planned, tested and approved, the web pages are recreated using code. At this stage, static web pages are created according to the developed layout and design. Professional code writing involves not only pixel-precise project output for the site but also knowledge in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This stage will affect how many people will see your website and how easy it is to find your business online.
At Dooley PR & Marketing, we primarily work with Webflow. Webflow is a design-oriented platform where precise code can used to increase user experience, program functionality and more. We’re also familiar with WordPress and help our clients make changes and fixes to their WordPress sites.
Programming Functionality
Website functionality is what erases any gaps between your customers and services. Database interaction, shopping cart, user authentication, content download, booking and other functionalities have to be programmed using the appropriate technologies and programming languages. Having a smooth and logical flow of these processes on a website increases customer’s confidence and leads to a successful transaction.
Testing & QA
The testing and quality assurance stage of web development means that the first version of a website has been released. This initial release is a development version, and the site is not live or available to the public yet. Next, various tests are performed – with the number and type of tests dependent on the complexity of the website, to make sure any links are dynamic, forms are working, scripts are correct, code is browser compatible, web pages are responsive, content is dynamic and so much more. In this iteration of the site, it’s likely that several flaws and bugs will be identified. This is absolutely normal and what the tests are for.
Launch & Maintenance
Once the website development is complete, the bugs have been ousted and the site is ready to be live, it’s time to launch it. Before we do that, a few more steps are needed: setting up and making sure that the domain name and host server are all connected properly; completing any required database migration; performing security procedures to protect against website vulnerabilities; and uploading website files. Now, the site is live and ready for the world to see!
Right after deployment, final tests are completed to root out any more bugs. These bugs are fixed as soon as possible.
It’s important to remember that a website is not a one and done product; make sure to continuously update the site with improved content and functionalities. Tests and site maintenance must be performed regularly so you can always have the best site possible.
If you’re looking for a new web build or are just curious about what your website could do for your company’s growth, drop us a line. We’d love to talk to you about it.
