A company’s website is the heart of its branding and messaging, so every element needs to be just right. Some business owners get caught up in details and can’t see the forest for the trees. It’s important to remember that user experience should always be the top priority. Remember that when implementing the steps to designing a website.
Step One: Identify Goals
Whether business owners plan to work with professional web designers or want to tackle the complex process in-house, the first step should always be to identify and clearly define goals. There’s little point in designing a new website without first determining what purpose it will need to fulfill.
There’s a reason that one-size-fits-all templates are no longer in vogue, and the reason is that successful websites are designed based on function, and that’s different for every company. If the site will be used for eCommerce, the initial design and marketing plan will be very different from one created with the primary goal of gathering information to close deals off-site.
Step Two: Define Scope
There’s a reason the web design process starts with defining goals, and it’s that having concrete goals helps to define the scope of a project. The problem is that many business owners experience what some people call “goal creep,” leading to ever-more extensive and expensive design elements. Setting boundaries and achievable deadlines by defining the scope of the project helps everyone stay focused.
Step Three: Create Sitemap and Wireframe
A website’s sitemap is crucial for defining how content and features interrelate, while its wireframe connects information architecture to visual design. Both lay out the groundwork for creating an easy-to-use and well-designed site that both functions as intended and looks great.
Step Four: Create Content
Some types of content, such as blog articles, can wait until after the rest of the website has been designed, but key information should be included from the beginning. The content created for individual pages should be on-brand and search engine optimized. Try to remember that the primary goal of on-page content is to provide value to the site’s visitors. SEO concerns should come second.
Step Five: Add Visual Elements
The visual elements added to a site generally reflect the company’s brand. Color choices should complement the logo, and images must be relevant and communicate a clear message.
Don’t underestimate the importance of images and other visual elements. They’re usually the first things visitors see when they arrive on a page, breaking up the written content and making it easier to digest. All photographs and graphics should be of a professional quality, even after they have been compressed.
Step Six: Testing
Once every element of the site has been put together cohesively, it’s time to test it. Make sure each page loads properly on both desktop and mobile devices and in any browser, check to be sure every link is working, and be sure that everything looks polished. This is the final step in the web design process, so make it count.
Ready to Launch
Once web designers have completed all six of the steps above, they’ll be ready to launch new sites. Business owners should keep in mind that the processes that go into web design have been dramatically simplified. Professional designers know that it takes a lot of work to complete each stage and wind up with a polished website.
