Website Development: 9 Steps to Guide Complete Website

Do you want to make an impressive website for your business or personal brand? Not to worry. Follow the 9 most important steps to develop a perfect website for your business. In this blog post, you will get to learn the effective ways to research your target audience, launch your website, and promote it effectively.

First, understand the concept of website development:

Website development is a procedure of creating a website for the user as per their business requirements. We will focus on the website development process that helps create a user-friendly website. It is a step-by-step procedure which needs to be followed to complete the project successfully. Let’s have a look at the steps involved:

Research and Discovery

Information Hierarchy

Designing

Content Creation

Website Development

Testing

Setup Analytics

Launch

Although the details may vary, these steps are generally followed by developers to create websites or web applications of any size for any platform. Let’s discuss each step of the development cycle in brief:

Research and discovery:

The first stage of website development is crucial because it sets the foundation for the entire project. It is important to have a clear understanding of the project details during this stage to ensure successful execution. Without clarity, the website may not achieve its intended goals. This could lead to changes that increase the timeline and budget.
During the research and discovery phase, it is important to define the best strategies for web development. Consider factors such as the website’s purpose, target audience, and the content it will provide. These factors are important to consider as will determine the technologies and functionality needed for the website.

Information Hierarchy:

The way information is organized on your website is called information architecture. It helps you plan where content and information will be placed. Understanding the structure of your website is important to know what needs to be created. Sometimes, a website’s structure is built gradually over time. This can lead to a confusing user experience and lower engagement.

To ensure a well-structured website for users and search engines, evaluate and potentially restructure the information architecture. Create a roadmap for how to build and organize the site in the future.

Creating wireframes:

Once you have identified the page templates, the next step is creating wireframes. Wireframes are simple black-and-white layouts that show where elements like content, features, and navigation will go on your website. They focus on the structure without distracting design elements like color or logos.

There are two main types of wireframes: low-fidelity and high-fidelity. Low-fidelity wireframes are simple and abstract, while high-fidelity wireframes provide more detail.

Wireframes are a very important aspect because they:

Visualize the site’s structure.

Clarify website features.

Prioritize usability.

Address scalability and update ability.

Aid in iterative design processes.

There are tools like Adobe XD, Figma, and UXP in available to create wireframes, but you can also draw them by hand. Take your time with the wireframing process to ensure a well-planned website.

Designing:

Now it’s time to design the website. UI designers work with the client’s approval and project requirements to turn wireframes into visually appealing elements. These elements are typography, colors, graphics, animations, buttons, and menus.

The design is influenced by the target audience and aims to provide an enjoyable user experience. Branding elements related to the website’s purpose are incorporated. The chosen color scheme plays a crucial role in user experience.
Popular web design tools include Photoshop for overlaying designs on wireframes, In Vision for interactive designs, and Sketch for showcasing and linking different pages. These tools facilitate collaboration and faster feedback loops.

Read Related: Understanding the Concept of Web Design and Development

Content creation:

As wireframes and designs are being created, it is important to organize and prepare the content for the new website. This process can take time, especially if pages need to be consolidated, created, edited, or removed. It is crucial to coordinate any changes with an SEO expert to avoid impacting rankings and traffic after the site is launched.
Content includes not only text but also images, graphics, and design elements. You may need to acquire images or work with a graphic designer to create new elements.

Creating a content plan helps organize the content by listing the pages that need to be loaded, linking to the appropriate content and creative materials, and tracking the content management and loading progress.

Website development:

Frontend Website Development:

Once the design is done, the development team takes over to create the interactive version of the website using programming languages. The site is built in phases, page by page, to ensure all components are completed. Frontend programming focuses on creating the user side of the website with animations, effects, and responsive design.

Backend Website Development:

Backend development enables server-side interactions and handles requests from the front end. Popular CMS options include Umbraco, WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, and Joomla.

Read Related: Benefits of Custom Website Development

Datebase:

Both frontend and backend teams coordinate to ensure the website performs well. Common database systems include MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB.

Full-Stack Website Development:

Full-stack development combines frontend and backend development, using various programming languages and technologies.

SEO Website Migration:

Website migrations can impact rankings and traffic. It’s important to have an SEO professional oversee the process, especially for URL, design, or platform changes.

SEO Website Migration:

Website migrations can impact rankings and traffic. It’s important to have an SEO professional oversee the process, especially for URL, design, or platform changes.

Website Migration Types:

URL changes (e.g., HTTP to HTTPS), URL renaming, webpage consolidation, domain name change, merger, restructuring, code redesign, CMS switch, and hosting provider change.

Testing

Before launching the website, thorough testing is crucial to ensure a bug-free experience. It is done by a team of QA and software testing experts. The quality assurance team checks the functionality, usability, compatibility, and performance of the website. They are responsible for finding bugs in the website, if any.
All aspects are tested by the development team to ensure smooth loading and display on different devices and platforms. Comprehensive testing also helps identify future improvements.
If all is well and approved by the quality assurance team, the website is deployed to a server.

Set up analytics:

Before launching your website, it is important to ensure that your Google Analytics data is properly set up or migrated if it’s a new site.

If you’re confident in your current Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager setup, create a migration strategy to transfer the setup and structure to the new website. If you’re unsure about your analytics, update your Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager setup now for accurate future reporting.

Consider working with a web development team to develop a migration and implementation strategy before launching, ensuring proper tracking and coordination with the launch.

Launch

Once quality assurance is completed and the team is confident in launching the website, a launch strategy is devised.

Here are the key steps for a successful launch:

Develop a launch strategy with timing, roles, and considerations.

Choose the right hosting provider and package.

Coordinate a launch date with your teams.

Make the site live by updating the DNS settings.

The new site should be accessible on your domain within an hour.

Careful planning and coordination will ensure a smooth transition and a successful website launch.

So, follow these 9 steps meticulously to launch a great website!