In the early days of the Internet, companies used their website just as a business card. It was a kind of status to have a web page with their name and logo stamped in the header of the homepage. It is not difficult to understand the reason for this ostentation, because few knew how to create a website &mdash and most of them were in poor taste.
Today, we know that a Web site offers us many benefits. You can use it to gain visibility in search engines, create an online store, serve the public directly through the platform, among other possibilities. However, it takes some skills to create a website that delivers the best experience for users.
Want to know what are the steps required to create a website? Read on and check them out!
1. prepare a Briefing and Planning
Everything begins with the preparation of a briefing to guide the entire construction process. In this phase, information is collected with the client to know what their needs and goals are. Even if the client is you, it is still important to put everything on paper.
After agreeing on what you intend to do with the construction of the site, it is time to plan according to the information provided. At this point, you need to set up a schedule with all the actions, define the project's value, analyze the competition, etc. Only after the planning is finished does the creation process begin.
2. Create a Brand-Consistent Layout
Both the visual elements and the structure of the site must reflect the image that the brand wants to convey. Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful at this stage, paying attention to details. Usually, before starting the elaboration, a draft of the site is made, what we call wireframe.
As soon as this development guide is aligned with the proposal, the design manager begins his work. Photoshop and Adobe Fireworks are the most used tools for this purpose.
3. Do The Programming Of The Site
Then comes the time for all the elements that were designed to gain their functionality. For this, it is necessary to convert the image created into a page in HTML and CSS to receive the programming.
Some choose to use a framework, others prefer a CMS (Content Management System), and there are also those who do everything on the basis of pure programming (HTML). The most important thing is to choose the one that best meets your requirements. Depending on the degree of customization, one will work better than the others.
4. Produce the Content
After testing the site to check that everything is in order, it will be necessary to include the contents. The client is the one who decides what content should be on the pages, such as text and photos, for example.
However, the developer is responsible for good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices &mdash researching the best keywords and strategically inserting them throughout the site is one of them. This way, the chances of ranking well in search engines increase.
5. Deliver The Site And Listen To Feedback
Of course the client needs to participate in the previous processes so that you don't have to redo everything from scratch. The site layout, for example, must be approved before programming begins. In any case, what will count is the final delivery.
Besides the content and visual elements, it is necessary to check the site's performance, in general. If some functionalities have flaws, it should go back to the programming team to make the necessary adjustments.
Do you see how creating a professional website requires knowledge of a few different areas? You need to get the right information, plan, create an attractive design, program, and produce content. Today there are some tools where it is possible to create a site in a short time, however, the level of customization is low. For better results, the ideal is to count on a specialized agency.
Do you have any questions about the creation process? Leave it in the comments, we will be happy to help!
