Let me guess, you need a new website? or maybe your current site needs a facelift? Just thinking about the process can be very daunting. So if you’d like some insight from a professional team of web designers and developers on what to expect, read on… 

Before you go out to find a suitable web design agency that understands you and your business, there are a few things you need to check off your list.

What do I need to do on my end?

Start by creating a brief. A brief doesn’t have to be a 10-page essay. It can be a couple of lines describing:

• What does your company do?
• What’s the current status of your online presence? 
• What would you like your new website to do e.g. key features?
• What pages will you be needing on the new website?
• Are there any websites you like the look of?

These are basics which any designer will ask you. The functionality of your new website will be the key factor for the price when you’re given a quote, so be sure to list everything you want it to do, to avoid problems stemming from miscommunication at a later point. A couple of examples to point you in the right direction, for example, do you require your new website to take payments, are you selling products online or do you need to have a bookings system? 

How many pages do you think you’ll be needing? Are you selling items? If so, you will require multiple pages for items. If you’re not in need of a lot of pages, a simple one-page website might be perfect for you. These are all things you’ll be asked when you request a quote, so it’s good to know all this before-hand.

Don’t be afraid to look around at other sites, such as competitors, that you like. For example, your competitors might have certain Call to Action buttons which you like. You might know of a website which has a really nice contact form and you’d like something similar. All this information will help your designer in the design process.

Gather some of your digital assets e.g. logo files, photography and other content to pass onto your web designer this will help speed things up. If you don’t have all of this don’t worry! Most design agencies can provide this type of content. 

Get your domain registered!

Registering your domain address is crucial. You don’t want to be halfway through the development process and realise “Oh! I can’t use this name anymore.” Your new website will be designed with your brand name in mind. 

You want your URL to match or at least be closely associated with your brand name. Purchasing a domain is easy, there are hundreds of domain sellers such as 123Reg or GoDaddy. A quick search for whatever you desire and it will present you what is available and how much it will cost you.

When choosing your domain name, remember that your email addresses will take the form of name@yourdomain.co.uk. So be sure to keep this in mind when your deciding.

If you require help in getting the domain you desire. Let your web design agency know, they’ll help you along the process with advice and more often than not purchase it on your behalf. This is so you don’t end up with something like bagelcity123abc.com.

I’d like my new website built on WordPress, please!

Don’t be afraid to let your designers know what you want. It’s all part of the process. If you think you’d be comfortable updating a site on a certain CMS platform, that’s perfectly fine. Any good web design agency will be able to give you all the pro’s and con’s of using different CMS systems and let you know if your project will be suited on that platform or not.

I’m going to need images for my new website.

It can be beneficial for you to gather photography for your new website. For example, you own a Mexican restaurant and you’re wanting a redesign. Your new website is going to include a brand new menu to show off your dishes. To help speed things up and also to have your menu looking more appealing. It is a good idea to hire a photographer to take images of all the menu items you want to be featured on your new website.

If you don’t have images or require photography or stock images, let your web design agency know. They’ll get content ready and send out a photographer to take the necessary photos. This will be reflected in the quote you receive.

Can I have my quote now?

Yes, sure you can. Now that you’re prepared for what the web design agency will ask you. You can go ahead and request a quote from them. You’ve got all the information which will help the designers and developers get you a quote, easier and faster. 

Let the web design agency get to work on your new website and they’ll let you know once your site is ready to go live. Be sure to check our blog for steps to take when your website is ready to go live.

So I hear you’re ready for your quote? Get in touch with us today and see how iirth can help with your website and branding needs.