What are the steps in building a website, and what does the owner do at each one?
A website build usually runs in eight steps: kickoff and brief, page list, words and photos, first design, rounds of changes, testing, launch and the first month. At each one the owner supplies facts, words, photos or decisions and approves a result, and the builder hands back a plan, a draft or a working page. The page list and the first design are two of the steps that most need the owner's decisions.
The steps in order
| Step | What you supply or approve | What you get back |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kickoff and brief | What the business does, who it serves, what a visitor should do (call, book, ask for a quote), sites you like and dislike, and who has the final say. | A short written plan to confirm or correct. |
| 2. Page list | Which pages the site has and which services deserve a page of their own. | A simple outline of the pages, in order. |
| 3. Words and photos | Facts about each service, your area and hours, and real photos; or a read-through of wording drafted for you. | Draft text and chosen images to correct and approve. |
| 4. First design | A reaction to the layout on a phone and on a computer: what is unclear, missing or wrong. | A first look at the home page and a main inside page, often as a private preview link. |
| 5. Rounds of changes | One combined list of changes per round, from one person. | A revised version after each round. |
| 6. Testing | Tapping every phone number and sending a test through every form, on your own phone. | A fixed list of what was found and what was fixed. |
| 7. Launch | The go-ahead to publish, and confirmation that the domain, hosting and logins are in the business's name. | The live site, with the logins handed over. |
| 8. The first month | What you notice, and a look at which inquiries came in and from where. | Small fixes, and a clear answer on what is covered after launch. |
The two steps that need you most
The page list and the first design are decisions the owner is usually best placed to make, because they say what the site is for. Changing the page list after a design is approved usually means redoing work, so it is worth a careful look before step 3.
For words and photos, you do not have to write like a writer. Some owners ask the builder to draft the text and then correct the facts: what you do, where, for whom and what you do not do.
Keeping the rounds of changes short
Collect feedback in one list, from one person with the final say, and say what you want the visitor to do on each page. Several people sending separate, conflicting notes often makes rounds multiply. The related answer on how long a website takes to build covers speed and what stalls a project. If you already have a site, the related answer on upgrading or rebuilding explains why an upgrade can mean fewer of these steps.
Launch and the first month
- At launch, confirm that every old address still leads somewhere and that each form reaches a person. The related answer on what to check before a new website goes live has the full list.
- In the first weeks, send yourself a test inquiry now and then and watch where real inquiries come from.
- Expect small fixes once real visitors use the site. Ask before you sign what the first month includes and what happens after it; the related answer on questions to ask before hiring a web designer covers who fixes problems after launch and what is included.
Related answers
- How long does it take to build or upgrade a small business website?
- What should you ask before hiring a web designer?
- What should you check before a new website goes live?
- Should you upgrade your website or rebuild it?
Websites, built or upgraded
A new site from a blank page, or the one you have made fast, clear and worth visiting. Either way it is built to do one thing well: turn a visitor into a customer.