I’m sure you’ve visited thousands of websites in your time. It might seem like it is easy to create a website. That anyone can do it these days. But when you start in on it, the actual process of getting one can be intimidating. If you aren’t familiar with the world of websites or very tech savvy, you might feel lost or confused when you start trying to figure it all out. There are a lot of different components that go into creating a great website, and most of the process takes place beyond what you see on the screen. These 7 things you might not know about website development will help paint a better picture of what it is actually like to create a website.
It doesn’t start with the design
Believe it or not, but your website design doesn’t start with the design. There is a lot of research, strategy, and planning that goes into a website, and that has to happen before any design is created.
The design of the site is dictated by strategy
Most design happens with an end goal in mind, and websites are no exception. The design of your site tells visitors where to go and what to focus on, so it is important to take that into consideration when designing the flow of your site. You want a hierarchy in your design so that you direct your visitor to the most important information first and lead them to where they need to go next.
Content and images play a big factor in the design and development
The content and images on your site are a key part of a good website. They play a big factor in the design and flow of your site and should come before anything is designed if possible. After your strategy is set and you have an outline of your site, you should spend time creating and curating content and images for each page. This is an important step that often gets overlooked, but can define the flow and the hierarchy of your pages and should be done first.
Just as much time goes into the tech side as the design side
While there is a lot of thought and time that goes into the front end design and flow of a website, just as much time goes into the function and set up of the site too. There are things like domains, hosting, SEO, and settings that have to be set up for your site to run properly. You also have to consider emails, links, forms, and connectivity before a site can go live.
All browsers and screen sizes display your site differently (and must be accounted for)
All web browsers will display websites slightly different and it’s important to take into account when developing a website. Most of the time it won’t be off by much, but sometimes things can shift and break on the site.
Responsive and mobile website design isn’t the same thing
Most people think that responsive design and mobile website design is the same thing when in reality they are two different things. Mobile websites are designed specifically for mobile devices. Responsive websites are designed to be flexible and convert based on the screen size. This means that responsive sites will work well on multiple screen types and sizes.
A legit website design can cost around $5,000
You might be wondering what you should pay for a good website. If you don’t know much about the process, it can be hard to tell if you are paying the right price. A great website design can cost around $5,000. This may seem like a lot until you consider the amount of hours and development that goes into the process. But if you are working with a good designer and developer, you will get every penny worth of that on your website.
Creating a website doesn’t have to be hard. Although there is a lot that goes into creating a strong website, working with someone who can walk you through every step of the way will ensure that you are getting the most from your online presence. Making yourself familiar with the process and what to expect gives you more confidence to move through the process without stumbling along the way.
