The process that I follow to create a customer’s website will always vary slightly, simply because every customer has individual desires and requirements.  That said, the website design process will always broadly adhere to the following model:

1. Meeting and consultation with customer

My initial meeting with a customer is an important opportunity for us to get to know each other as people; to ensure that you end up with the best possible website design, we both need to be sure that we understand each other, can communicate with each other, and are capable of working together.  During our meeting, I will also be looking to get to know your business/organisation; something which I feel is essential if your website design is to correctly convey your business image and ethos.

The next step will be for us to discuss the objectives of your website, ensuring that I can meet your requirements in a way that you are happy with. I will also be looking to identify the time-scale you have in mind for getting your website online.

Finally, we can discuss your desires in relation to the structure, style, colour-scheme, etc of your website. To help you to make some decisions in this respect, we can look at other websites and discuss what you like/dislike about them, helping to significantly reduce the risk of you being unhappy with the website that I create for you.

Once we have established all of the above, I can provide you with a summary of the preferences and requirements you have expressed, together with no-obligation estimate which I hope will be well-within your budget constraints.

2. Content gathering

Once you have decided you would like Penwith Web Design to create/develop your organisation’s online-presence, we can proceed with gathering the content for your website.

Content will typically include text, your organisation’s logo, photographs, etc.

Almost uniquely amongst website designers, I can offer a logo design/overhaul service for organisations whose image requires a make-over for the digital age.  I can also visit your organisation to take high-quality digital photographs for inclusion on your website.

3. Draft-design and provisional development

I will next proceed with creating a draft website design, a copy of which will be demonstrated to you for your approval. If you are not happy with the draft website design, I can either make modifications to take into account your comments, or even entirely re-design the website if required.

4. Design and layout finalising

Once you are happy with the draft design, I will proceed with finalising your website in terms of website design, layout and content. Upon completion, I will again demonstrate the website to you, for any final revisions to be identified and completed.  Once the website meets with your complete approval, we can proceed to the next stage.

5. Domain name registration/website hosting

At this stage, we will discuss suitable domain names through which your website can be accessed.  A domain name is merely an “address” that people can type directly into their browser (internet viewing software) to access your website.  For example, the domain name for this website is “www.penwithwebdesign.co.uk”.

Domain names have to be registered for use through a domain name regsitrar, for which a small fee is payable to the registrar. I can advise you on the best registrars to use, both in terms of customer service and value-for-money.  I can also register a domain name on your behalf.

In order for your website to be available to people with access to the internet, it needs to be “hosted” (stored) on a computer which is permanently connected to the internet (a “server”).  A small - usually monthly - fee is generally payable for quality website hosting. Again, I can advise you on the best hosting companies to use, both in terms of customer service and value-for-money.  I can also arrange website hosting on your behalf.

6. Website uploading

With your domain name(s) finalised, and website hosting arranged, I will upload your website to the server so that it can be accessed by anybody who knows your domain name.  You can bring your website’s domain name to the attention of your customers through its inclusion on your business stationary (e.g. letterheads, business cards, etc), advertising, etc.

7. Search engine/directory submission

It is not sufficient for your organisation merely to have a website - people need to be able to find it !  Having a website which people can find if they know your domain name is one thing, but you will ideally want it to be found by people who have never heard of your organisation but who might be interested in your product or service.

This can be achieved by submitting your website to the many “search engines” and “website directories” that exist online.

I will optimise the chances of your website being found through search engines and website directories, by ensuring that your website:

Optimisation in this way will be partly achieved through the inclusion of “meta-tags” into your website.  Meta-tags are lines of invisible coding which are contained in your website and used by search engines/website directories to catalogue and index websites.  The use of meta-tags to increase your website’s position in the search engine rankings (and to increase the likelihood of your website being found, based upon common search terms for your product or service) is something of an art-form, best left to people like myself who have the experience, time and commitment to make a good job of it.

8. Maintenance

If required, I will happily update the content, structure, style, etc of your website on a schedule appropriate with your needs and desires.

To see some examples of websites that Penwith Web Design have created for our customers, click here.