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Website Design Project Overview

Your website is more important than ever. It's the online representative of your entire organization. It's your go-getter salesperson. It's the customer service gateway. It has a lot depending on it so it better be amazing! Twin Creek believes in crafting great website experiences. That starts with our very first meeting with you, long before any customer sees it.

As a website company Kelowna businesses trust to develop their online presence for marketing and sales, we often get asked, 'How long does it take to build a website?' Our projects vary from 6 weeks to 9 months, since it really depends on the complexity, amount of feedback, and mid-project extras. However, there is a process that naturally unfolds as we walk our clients towards the finished product that:

  • Increases site traffic through great search engine optimization
  • Convert leads into sales
  • Acts as your online brand ambassador
  • Serves as a customer service gateway
  • Look fantastic!

From the time we first begin discussing your vision for a website, to the time it's launched to the public, it generally takes from 3 months for many small/mid sized businesses we work with in Kelowna. Smaller sites are up in a speedy number of weeks, whereas large overhauls with 100s of pages of content to consider take the better part of a year. That might seem like a long time to some, but as you're about to see, there's a lot that goes into it.

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Good websites start with a good process.

Blueprint

Similar to a blueprint for constructing a new home, a website needs to be mapped out beforehand. This gives the team of project managers, developers, graphic designers and content writers something to guide them along the way. It all begins with client meetings to learn:

  • Based on the target audience, what does the website need to accomplish?
  • How should the site be organized?
  • What are the special features and functions needed?
  • What is the content strategy?
  • What are the key calls to action and how will the goals be measured?

Once these criteria are established, the next step is to create a sitemap and writing plan based on your input. This includes creating page schematics (also known as wireframes) to give you a skeletal framework for what your website will look like. Keep in mind that developing websites is meant to be a collaborative process for the client. That's why it's important to find a website company Kelowna business owners are happy to recommend. Are you in the tourism business? Check out our post on the features we'd discuss in the blueprint phase if you're looking to boost bookings: How to Get the Most out of Your Kelowna Tourism Business Website.

Visual

After an introduction of design options and various approaches to page layout, we like to study your competitors' websites and walk through your likes and dislikes. Inevitably you will discover hidden gems that you'd like to integrate and things that you want to avoid. We will challenge your assumptions (with a smile) to give options to consider, like these examples of websites we love.

Art is personal. The design also brings out personal preferences. It's important to remember though that your users come first. Since usability is closely related to design, everything needs to be viewed through your customer's eyes. Once the top-level organizational details of your website are fleshed out, and we've narrowed down the overall look and feel, we'll design some visual mockups in Photoshop. This is a fun and collaborative stage. Enjoy the process!

Development

When the visuals, artwork, graphics, and content is already, the site is ready to enter the Matrix½ you know the screen with all the code flowing like a river of numbers and letters? During the development stage, the content management system (such as MODx or WordPress) is built out with all the pages. Every website we build is built with the following great features in mind:

Great website design and smart functionality supports your goals, becoming your extra salesperson.

Great website design and smart functionality support your goals, becoming your extra salesperson.

Launch

And finally, the moment you've been waiting for--launch day. Before we make it official, we like to try a soft launch to see if there are any quirks that need to be worked out. Usability issues are addressed, and technical tasks like redirect tables, XML sitemap submission, and Search Engine updates are made. Google Analytics is setup. Then the worldwide launch. Ribbons are cut. Champagne is poured. Now breathe½ you're done. For now.

Are you missing out on online sales and marketing opportunities because your website it outdated? Twin Creek Media is a website company Kelowna businesses have been counting on for years. After the new website launches, we're ready for integrated marketing campaigns that really crank up the music. In fact, many companies in Western Canada treat us like their marketing dept.   We work with owners & managers on growth goals all year round.

Get in touch for your next project with our Discovery Document or call us at 250-762-4001.