Thinking about getting a new website for your business?
You’re spot on. Whether your current site looks like it’s from 2015 or you don’t have one at all, you’re missing out on customers who are searching for your services right now.
But here’s the thing – you probably want to know what you’re getting into before you start a web design project.
What’s the process like? How long will it take? And what will it actually cost?
At Digital Drive, we have helped businesses across Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland build their websites. One reason why so many businesses trust us with their web design projects is that we keep the process transparent and honest.
If you plan to work with us, here is what you can expect.
1. Discovery Call
All good web design projects start with a first conversation. At this stage, our job is to listen to your ideas and know as much about your business as we can. We want to know who you are, what you do, and who you want to reach.
So, this discussion focuses on factors like:
- Your business goals and target audience.
- What you like or don’t like about your current website.
- Do you want to sell products or services?
- Which areas do you want to serve?
This discussion lays the foundation of the entire web design process. Our team looks at your timeline, budget, and any special requirements.
Sometimes people bring lots of ideas. Other times, they may not know what they want. Either way, you get the best recommendations from a team of expert web designers.
Before the call, list at least three things: your top competitors, websites you like, and your business goals. That makes the call more productive and saves you time.
2. Planning Your Project
The next step is planning your web design project. It typically involves figuring out what pages your site needs, what it should say, and how it should look. Our team creates sitemaps and wireframes to show you what your website will look like.
What Is a Sitemap
After thoroughly researching your industry and analysing your competitors, we build a basic sitemap. It lists all the webpages that’ll go on your website.
A typical sitemap includes:
- Home
- About
- Services (one for each service)
- Contact
- Blog or insights
You can review the sitemap and suggest any changes if required. At Digital Drive, the entire web design process is customer-centric. Your feedback matters and is taken into account at every stage.
What Is a Wireframe
Think of a wireframe as a blueprint of your website. It focuses on where and how different elements will go on each web page.
You’ll see:
- Where images will appear.
- How text blocks will flow.
- Where buttons and menus sit.
At this stage, you can show your team these plans and give feedback. We review things together, so everyone is on the same page. With the sitemap and wireframe, you get a more accurate timeline for your web design project.
Each page on your website should serve one clear goal. Don’t crowd a service page with unrelated content. Keep it tight and focused.
3. Web Design Stage
With your feedback, we move into the web design stage of the process. This is when you start to see your new website coming to life. Our designers create full-colour mock-ups of the key pages of your site based on those wireframes.
You get to see each page as it will look on mobile and desktop. This typically includes:
- Your logo in action.
- Brand colours and fonts.
- Real or sample text.
- Images that fit your vibe.
With weekly check-ins and proactive reporting, you always know what is happening. Once you say it’s ready, we move to the building phase.
4. Development Stage
Using the approved mock-ups, we build your actual site. What sets us apart is that we are focused on building a scalable, secure, and fully customised website.
- Clean Code: Your website is built with lightweight code instead of using bloated themes. This keeps your site fast, secure, and easier to update in the future.
- Mobile-First Design: Nearly two-thirds of web traffic (64.35%) in the UK comes from mobile phones. That’s why our web design process focuses on mobiles first, then scales up for tablets and desktops. This means your site works smoothly across all screen sizes, which matters as most users visit on phones.
- SEO-Optimised: Your website needs to be SEO-optimised from the get-go. Our team takes care of proper headings, metadata, alt text, and clean internal linking during the development stage.
- Performance-Driven: We also compress images, streamline scripts, and avoid unnecessary features. This speeds up your website, which is one of the critical search ranking factors. A lightning-fast website keeps your target audience engaged and reduces bounce rate.
- Secured and Compliant: Your website will be built with security and compliance in mind. We follow GDPR rules for user data protection and use SSL certificates to encrypt all site traffic. If your site handles payments, we can guide you on PCI DSS compliance to keep customer data safe.
- Accessibility-Focused: Your website should work for everyone. We follow WCAG 2.1 guidelines and keep your website compliant with the Equality Act 2010 of the UK.
This means your website can be used by people with visual, motor, or cognitive impairments. It includes readable fonts, good contrast, keyboard navigation, and proper screen reader support.
We test as we go. Your team will get regular progress reports as we complete each stage in the design and development phase.
Your customer is most likely using a phone to browse your website. That means your design should work best on mobiles, not just desktops. Google also ranks mobile-friendly sites higher. So, always think of mobile first.
5. Content Integration
Our web page design process also includes content integration. You can write the content, or we can do it for you. If you’re writing it, we will send you a checklist:
- Keep it short and to the point.
- Use headings and subheadings.
- Make sure it fits your voice.
If we’re writing it, we will make it SEO-friendly and easy to read. We work together until every page reads right. By this stage, your web design project is nearly complete.
Write like you speak to your customers. Use short sentences and simple words. Talk to your customer like they’re right in front of you. That’s what works best online.
6. Testing Everything
Before going live, we test your website in a staging environment. It will be tested on different devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. We test it on all the leading web browsers, too.
Other checks include:
- Accessibility
- Payment gateways
- Loading speed
- Forms and CTAs
7. Launch
Once you are happy with the final review and give us a go-ahead, we will launch your website. If you have a particular date in mind, let us know. We will take care of the technical setup, including:
- Hosting setup
- Domain pointing
- SSL (secure connection)
8. Post-Launch Support
Our web design process doesn’t end once your website goes live. Every website requires proactive maintenance, regular upgrades, and testing. If you want ongoing support, we can work out a customised solution based on your requirements.
Every website needs updates. Plus, Google loves fresh content, and so does your audience. So, book in monthly checks or ask your web development agency for a care plan.
The overall process can take anywhere from 4 to 10 weeks, depending on the requirements. It could take longer if you need specialised solutions or want to build a complex website with payment solutions. We will provide you with a clear web design project timeline beforehand.
Contact The Digital Drive Team Now
A good website isn’t built overnight, but it shouldn’t be a headache either. With a clear web design process, smart planning, and the right team, Digital Drive helps you build your website without any stress.
If you are based in Belfast or anywhere in Northern Ireland and want help building your website, call us. Whether it’s a new site or a redesign, we will keep it simple and focused.
Call 028 9072 6027 or reach out online for a quote.
We are not your average digital agency, we are your partners. The more actively you share your feedback, the faster and smoother your web design project will run. This collaborative approach helps your website go live quickly and saves you money and time.
