What does your website design and development process entail?
- Initial Website Consultation
These consultations take place at a location of your choice (usually your business location) and take about an hour. They are completely free of charge and without any obligation. The initial website consultation can be seen as a simple exchange of information. We will find out what kind of website you are considering, and advise you on whether you are following the right path to achieve your own particular objectives. The purpose of the initial website consultation is to provide you with enough information to allow you to realise the potentials of a website for your business and to help you decide whether you wish to proceed with a website design. The other useful benefit of an intial website consultation is to allow us to see your business, discuss the way it works, and obtain the information we need to design your website in a more efficient and suitable way, therefore making the website design cheaper for you.
During the initial website consultation we will ask you questions about your website target audience, the corporate image you wish to put across (e.g.
your colour scheme, logo, etc.) and about the type of facilities you wish to have available on your website (e.g. information, shopping cart e-commerce facilties, online
We will also answer any questions you may have about website design in general (or the design of a website specific to your needs), the services that you required before a website can be designed (e.g. a domain name, and a location for webite hosting), and about any future services that may be of use to you (e.g. search engine optimisation).
- Website Design Cost Estimate
After the initial website consultation, we can prepare a cost estimate for you, based on the information gained and answers during the initial website consultation. We may also need some more questions answered about the type of website you require. The production of a website design cost estimate depends on the complexity of the website you will require, but is usually carried out within two working days.
Website design costs vary depending on the complexity and features required for your website, e.g.
- Gathering Website Content
If you approve of our website design cost esimate and the ideas we propose for your website, we will then need to gather the content (both text and
graphic) that will be contained on your website. We can assist you in obtaining the text, logo, grapics for your website, but it is important for you to understand that this content needs some work on your part. You are the people who understand your business and its services, and therefore the content is most effective if provide by yourselves, although we are willing to give you our advice on how to put together text and images that are suitable for websites and effective on the web in terms of search engines, etc.
- Website Design Draft
An important stage in the design and development of your website is the production of a website draft. Based on the information given to us during the initial website consultation, and the content (text and images) provided, we will produce a draft website design, which will be uploaded to a prviate location on the web where you can view it and give us your feedback. We then use your feedback to modify the website design draft, and this process continues until you are satisfied with the over-all look and feel of the website design. Important website features such as the site navigation and menu structure is also drafted and finalised at this point, so that we can produce a website template that will be used to develop the pages that make up your website.
- Website Page Drafts And Site Testing
Putting together the content and design of the website is the final stage before testing. We combine the website design draft that was approved by yourselves with the content and images for each page, and develop a version of your website ready for testing. Again your feedback is used during this stage to make any changes requried and to polish off the site so that it meets your original website requirements.
- Launching Your Website
Once the entire website has been put together, and we have tested the functinality and navigation, your website is ready for your approval before it is launched (also referred to as going live). Once this takes place, your business will have a fully functional website which can be used to promote your business. Remember that your website is a marketing tool like any other, and needs to be promoted in order to get tbe best out of it. We can help you in your website promotion, whether by means of search engines and directories, online newsletters or other methods if required.
- Optional Additional Services
After your website has gone live, depending on the way your business works, and your website requirements, there may be more services you choose to take up. For example, your website may need to be maintained on a reqgular basis to keep it up-to-date. Depending on how your website has been designed, your business may be able to handle these updates, or alternatively, we can provide a website maintenance contract to update your website as and when you require it. Website maintenance is a vital service to many customers, as keeping your website maintained regularly is one of the best ways of enticing your customers to come back and visit your site often. Giving your clients a reason to revisit your website regularly to find out more about new promotions, special offers, new services and products is also effective and your website will benefit more from regular updates in these areas.
Periodic newsletter mailings by e-mail to your customer base, perhaps to promote an upcoming event or a new product is also a good way of reminding people about your website and business. Glide Technologies Limited can handle your periodic newsletter mailings if required - all mailings are sent out as an individual e-mail to each subscriber for efficient marking, and can be customised to include the client name or other details if required.
Search engine optimisation is another area where you may choose to invest in. Although our websites are initially designed to be search engine friendly (as long as permitted by your requirements), there are several procedures we can carry out to your website in order to promote its ranking in popular search engines and directory listings. Please visit our search engine optimisation page for more details.
Pay-per-click advertising is recently becoming a common marketing tool chosen by many businesses in order to promote their products and services via their website - please contact us for more information on the costs and benefits if required.
For more information on how your business can benefit from our website design and development process or additional website services, please do not hesitate to contact us.
