Taking the plunge and getting a professional to create a new website or overhaul an existing site is a big step. We know from experience it’s a decision that’s never made lightly! You should feel confident, supported and excited through every stage of the process. That’s why we work closely with our clients during our collaborative web design process.
While the cost of web design can seem scary at first, it’s an invaluable investment in your business that delivers big results. The truth is, when you engage a web design agency, you’re actually engaging years of experience and a highly specific skill set. Good web designers have the knowledge, networks and experience to guide you through the design process and deliver a website that not only looks amazing but delivers amazing results too.
For us, website design is an exciting process of discovery, creation and optimisation that not only delivers a new or improved site but also helps you better understand your business. That’s why we take a collaborative effort with experts from all sides (including you!) coming together to design a process (not just a site) to help you attract more eyeballs and sales on your website.
So, let’s take a look at how we go about the process of designing websites and how your web design investment will deliver way more than just a great looking site!
Overview of our collaborative web design process
Let’s start by looking at the entire process from end-to-end and break down the steps to show the true value you receive at each stage of our web design process:
- Onboarding
- Planning
- Creation
- Launch
- Final Handover
Step 1 – Onboarding
For a successful design process, you need to be involved from the start as you are the expert in your business. We need to tap into this expertise to create a website that meets your needs and delivers the results you deserve.
The onboarding process sets the collaborative tone for the project. We establish roles and expectations so you know exactly what to expect from us and what we expect from you. This helps the process run more smoothly and makes the experience more positive for you (and us!).
We’ll also establish any access we need for the project and invite you to our project management system so you can have your say and provide input at every stage.
Step 2 – Planning
This stage is all about unlocking the potential of your site by taking a deep dive into your business. We’ll pepper you with questions and extract lots of information so we get a true idea of what you do, what you need, who you serve and what you want your website to achieve.
We’ll come up with fresh ideas to not only redesign your site but also redesign your processes. There’s no point in creating a new site if it’s not going to improve your customer experience or fail to deliver the tools your business needs to grow. This is where we can add real value.
Don’t worry, while it sounds overwhelming, we’re here to support you. We don’t want you to feel lost or unsure, so we have built-in multiple Zoom check-ins to give you the chance to ask questions and understand how your new site is progressing.
Step 3 – Creation
Once we’ve tapped into your expertise to understand your needs, it’s time to engage our team of experts to start the creative part! This stage sees our copywriter, web developer and web designer do their thing to bring your vision to life.
We believe that copy (aka content) drives design. There’s no point in designing a great looking site if the content doesn’t flow or fit in the design (trust us – it doesn’t work!). So, our copywriter gets to work first to come up with compelling content for each page.
Then, our web developer and designer come together to build and design a draft homepage for you to review. Once revisions have been made and you’ve approved both the copy and the design, we get to work on building out the rest of your website – exciting!
Step 4 – Launch
After finalising the build and design, we move onto the optimisation phase so your site is 100% ready for business. This involves testing site speed and responsiveness and completing onsite search engine optimisation (SEO) work, to ensure your new site gets on Google’s radar.
This step is also an important quality control checkpoint for us. We don’t want to hand over a site that’s not up to scratch (or full of bugs!), so we work hard to make sure all elements of your new site are in good working order before handing over the keys to you.
Don’t think that means you don’t have a role in this stage! We’ll get you to complete a User Acceptance Test (UAT) to confirm there are no issues with the site and that you accept the website as is. This is a key step before we can hand over the site to you.
Step 5 – Final Handover
We get a little misty-eyed at this point as we get ready to hand over our your baby to you! This step begins with a 60-minute Zoom meeting where we walk you through everything you need to know about your new site, including how to update the site on your own.
After our final session, you won’t be left all alone. You’ll also get a handy owner’s manual with all the information you need to manage your website, including best practice tips. At this point, your new website is truly yours and ready to be shared with the world.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye, we can also provide ongoing website maintenance services and digital marketing support. These are additional services that you are welcome to add at any time during the web design process (we’d love to continue helping you!).
More than just web design
When you break it down, our collaborative web design process is a whole lot more than just making your website look amazing. The true value of web design lies in the expert support and specialist assistance you can tap into at every stage of the process.
In addition to getting a brand new or redesigned site, you also get a fresh perspective on your processes. This results in new solutions to improve your customer’s experience and new ways to help your business become more efficient. Your website is also optimised to be more easily discovered by your ideal clients and designed specifically to increase sales and conversions.
If you’re considering a new website or looking to overhaul your existing site, it’s important to look past the initial cost. Instead, consider it as an invaluable investment in the future of your business – because it is!
We can completely transform your website
Whether you’re looking for a new website or a full revamp, the team at Naked Digital can take care of it all for you. We build, launch and host WordPress and Shopify websites, coordinating copywriting, web design and all other elements on your behalf, so you’re free to keep building your business.
Need help deciding if the time is right for you? Schedule a free 30-minute chat with us now to discover how we can reduce the overwhelm and smooth the process.
