Our web design process

Pre-build

free Phone consultation

Once you've submitted your enquiry, I'll get in touch to arrange a phone call to discuss your project in more detail. This is an opportunity for us to find out more about each other and for me to understand your business better, along with your ambitions for your site. It’s also a chance for you to ask me any questions you might have.

In-depth questionnaire

If you wish to proceed, I'll send an in-depth questionnaire where you can provide more detail about your business/organisation, your customers/clients, and your specific web requirements. Your answers will help to inform both the look and feel and the technical requirements of the site.

quote, contract & deposit

Once payment is received, I'll send through a written quote, a digital contract for you to sign, and a deposit invoice so that we can schedule in the work. Our payment terms are a deposit of 50% of the total price prior to us commencing work, and the remaining 50% upon completion.

start date & shared folder

Once payment is received we’ll agree a start date and I'll give you access to a shared folder into which you will save all your content (logo, text, images and any other items). We do ask that we have everything we need ahead of the start date in order to complete the design and build on time.

The build

Planning

On day one, we’ll have a Zoom call to go through all the content you’ve shared, discuss the details and answer questions. Together we will plan a site map for the new site, agreeing the structure, thinking about different users and their needs, and the functionality of different parts of the site. If needed we can help with refining existing content, and identifying any new content that will need to be developed.

Design

Based on our agreed navigation structure, and the functional requirements of the site, we select an appropriate Squarespace template and start work on the ‘look and feel’. Initially we work up the design of the homepage and one content page, ensuring these reflect your visual identity and brand attributes. At this stage we send you a link so that you can review the design and layout of these pages and feed in your comments/amends. At this point, you will be prompted to create your Squarespace account (if you haven't got one already) so that you can access the site.

Development

We incorporate your amends to the design and update the site styles accordingly. Then using your final content we build all the pages. Again, at the end of this process you have the opportunity to review the pages and feed in any comments/amends.

Testing and delivery

We build the mobile version and then test the site to ensure the design is fully responsive, and that the website is optimised for SEO.

Training

You make yourself available to attend the two hour training session on the final Friday of our build date. This is a bespoke online training session where I will share my screen with you, providing a good overview of Squarespace as well as focussing training on areas of most use to you. A recording of this training will be made available to you to refer back to at any time. This is also when you will pay the Squarespace subscription fee needed to make the site live.

Go live

We publish the site by pointing your existing domain to the new site. You will provide us with the login details for your domain name so that we can update the DNS records appropriately.

Transferring ownership

Once the site is published, we will issue our second invoice. Upon receipt, we will transfer full ownership of the site to you.

Ongoing support

Squarespace provides a huge range of high quality, thorough and trustworthy support options including live chat Monday to Friday, 24/7 email support, social media support via Twitter; an in-depth online knowledge base packed with articles, guides, and video tutorials, as well as a community forum. In addition, we can provide ongoing or ad hoc content updates and/or technical support, if required.