The web design process
Designing your new website
Embarking on a new website design need not be a daunting task. While the reason for needing a new website will vary, the process is pretty much the same:
Define the functionality of the website
Define the appearance of the website
A new website - understand why
Understanding why you need to embark on a new website design will help you choose the correct web design partner. While cost is often important, the ability of the web designer to produce the platform that your business requires for the next few years should be paramount. A website like any other form of marketing and advertising should be seen as an investment if it is done correctly, giving you a measurable return on that investment.
A new business venture
Change in business focus
Re branding
Current website provider not contactable / unresponsive
Existing website maintenance charges too high
Unable to add or modify web content
Poor performance in searches
Meeting with your web designer
Discuss your website requirements in person
Discuss your website requirements remotely via an online video platform
converse by phone and email
Defining your website will take time, and how you engage with your web designer will be a choice made depending on business and personal circumstances. Many companies appreciate a local web design company that offer in person meetings when required, particularly at an early stage in the website design cycle.
It is important at this stage to define the functionality of the website, it's structure and appearance. If you need your website to handle large database applications or interface automatically with a 3rd party software suite, then this will have to be made clear before the design process moves to the next phase.
Website content provision
A website without content is just a header (the top part of the website with the menu bar in) and a footer (the bottom section of the website). Not only very dull to look at, but also ineffective both in attracting new customers, but also in providing the search engines (primarily Google, and Bing) with sufficient website content to crawl and index. Without content, your website will not appear in the search results presented in response to any search made.
While it is possible to populate a website with dummy Latin usually in the form "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum in lorem justo. Maecenas ... " it really is better to provide real content, either from your existing website, or generated by your company or copywriter. One thing to remember, if you do not include your search phrases in your text, then the search engine algorithms are unlikely to present your website in response to a search for those search terms.
While you may wish to get your website content 100% correct, the Itseeze design flow allow for incomplete website text content, as every website allows website content to be edited at any time, so the dummy text described above can be used during the website design phase, and the real content created in parallel, thereby reducing the time to go live.
Sourcing images for your website
Paid Royalty Free Image Sites
These websites provide images for inclusion on your own website, however they levy a charge for each download
Website images should be provided that reflect your business, professionally shot and of high resolution so that they can be used on today's modern screens. The resolution of an image can always be reduced for inclusion on a website, low resolution images look awful when blown up and used on the website.
Free Royalty Free Image Sites
These websites provide free images for inclusion on your own website.
Video Content for your website
Any videos to be included in your website should be uploaded to your company Youtube or Vimeo account. The links to these videos are then placed in the appropriate video component, and the video streamed through your website. This reduces the bandwidth on the website server, helping to reduce cost.
The website design brief and content uploading
From previous discussions and correspondence, the design brief is created using the Itseeze content up loader.
The website menu structure is defined, ten of the initial web page structures specified and the content associated with each page uploaded.
Additional pages (for the max and shop websites) can be added at a later date using the intuitive Itseeze editing suite.
Creating your website
The Itseeze website design team is located in Torquay, consisting of website developers (code writing for enhanced functionality) website and graphic designers (page creation and content placement).
The current website production lead time is 17 working days from submission of the design brief.
Post website design approval and editing
At this stage further editing of the website can be performed, and additional content added to a Max or Shop website if required prior to the website being set live.
Whether adding this additional website content is website design or website editing (either before the website is set live or after it is made available on your chosen domain name) is a matter of opinion, as the Itseeze website platform is not only intuitive to use and flexible in its approach allowing pages to be created and content (text, images, video etc) to be added and edited at any time. Whatever you chose to call it, Itseeze Camberley is here to assist throughout the lifetime of your business, providing training where required, and advice and support, ensuring that your website remains as flexible and up to date you are.
Going "live" with your website
Setting the website live is as simple as clicking a button in the admin system, of course behind the scene the domains management team get to work, ensuring that your new website is love on your chosen domain and that the SSL certificate is applied correctly.
In terms of the website, it's new address needs to ripple through every server in the world, and that's it !
Continue to add content to your website
You can add content to your website at any time, add pages, change the menu structure blog to your hearts content. The 10 minute video on the right show a page being constructed in real time.
Adding content regularly is important to maintain and increase your visibility in search. If you would like further information, please complete the form below.
Web design, content generation and SEO from Itseeze Camberley
If you need advice, a cost effective means of monitoring the performance of your It'seeze website or tailored SEO packages please use the contact form below, call us on 01276 501285 or click on the "book an appointment" button to schedule an in person meeting or zoom call via our calendar management system.
or please fill out the form
The it'seeze customer support website provides a wealth of information and "how to" videos to help you maintain your website and utilize the features available to you. It can be accessed by clicking the logo below:
It'seeze Camberley - website design for companies in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire
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