The website development process can be technically complicated and involve a lot of coding, which is true but doesn’t tell the whole story. While the coding is crucial, it is the pre-development planning stage and the post-launch maintenance which are the most important parts of a successful website.

The website’s code should be implemented accurately by a skilled programmer, but what exactly they code must be determined beforehand and maintained afterwards. Here we walk through the six steps of the website development process step by step.

Step 1: Identifying Purpose, Goals and Target Audience

The first task is perhaps the most important of all, as it will define how all the subsequent steps will take shape. It involves achieving a clear understanding of what you want your website to be, its purposes and the demographic it must engage with. There are many different types of websites that provide different functions for different types of visitors, so knowing what technologies should be integrated and how they should be used is crucial at this stage.

Step 2: Creating the Sitemap and Wireframes

The next step of the development process is the creation of the sitemap and wireframe. The sitemap will describe the main areas of the website and their relation to each other to give a general overview of how the website will look upon completion. The wireframe is essentially a 2-D illustration of each page’s interface that explains the likes of space allocation, prioritization of content and the various functionalities that will be available.

Step 3: Designing Page Layouts and Reviewing Progress

The website will begin to take shape during this third step, including the adding of information structures, content visualization and basic function demonstrations. The page layouts will also include color schemes and logos, and you can begin adding content such as headings and call to action. It is better to start adding content before the coding stage (step four). It is also especially important that this stage incorporate a review and approval of the layouts from the client, ensuring that the website’s design is moving in the right direction and that the client is completely satisfied.

Step 4: Coding

The website starts being created at this stage via the coding, which will add graphic elements that were designed during the previous steps. The website usually begins to take shape with the homepage, with sub-pages added thereafter according to the hierarchy laid out in the sitemap. The coding stage is also where frameworks or CMS should be implemented as this will help test the server to ensure it can cope.

Step 5: Testing and Reviewing

Testing the website involves ensuring every single link and form works as it should and that every piece of script is accurate. Aesthetic checks such as grammar and spelling of all text should be run at this moment too. All coding must be valid, especially for cross-browser compatibility, before uploading to the server in preparation for the launch. Once uploaded, all files will be checked and double-checked to ensure they have been installed correctly.

Step 6: Launching and Updating

Launching your finalized website is understandably the most satisfying part of the process, but the work does not finish there. Customer feedback should be included, which will help detect any possible problems users encounter, allowing them to be fixed as soon as possible. You will also need to ensure the website remains up to date, with regular updates preventing bugs and security risks.

If you would like to find out more about our website development services and discuss your requirements, please contact our team on +1 800 974 7219 ext. 202. Alternatively, complete the form here and one of our team will be in contact with you.