The process of website design holds a crucial place because it will decide whether the visitor will stay on your website or just close it. A bad website design will negatively impact the traffic of your website and will cause a downfall in your conversions as well.
So, to ensure that your website doesn’t fall prey to these issues, we will guide you comprehensively through the process.
Creating a nicely designed, consumer-friendly website might also seem challenging, but following a structured website design process can make it much more manageable.
7 Website Design Process Steps
We've attempted to uncover every aspect of the website design method in this weblog. From initial planning to launch and beyond, here are the key website design process steps:
Identification of Goal
Clearly defining goals is the critical first step in the web page design process. Do good research, analyze things, and decide on a website goal.
Before thinking about aesthetics, technology, or content, clarify what you want your website to achieve.
Don't get yourself distracted by setting multiple goals. “One Goal, One Vision” should be your thing while setting your goal.
Ask targeted questions like:
- Who is your business trying to reach and influence?
- Are you looking for creating an eCommerce website or an awareness or information-related website?
- How can your website attract, assist, or delight target users?
- Outline measurable conversions like email signups, content downloads, purchases, etc.
When designing a website, it's important to set SMART goals for your users and key performance indicators for your business. This will guide every step of the web designing process.
By having a proper understanding of these things, you will be able to tell your designer about the perfect UI/UX services you want from your website.
Website Scope Definition
Defining the scope sets the boundaries and outlines the specific features and functionalities required to achieve the set objectives in the website design process.
As per PMI, projects that have a proper and defined scope are 2.5 times more likely to succeed than poor-defined scopes.
When you fail at this step, it will increase unnecessary workload and expenditure and it may make the project look unrealistic.
How to establish the scope of a website?
- By creating a detailed list of requirements for the website
- Include all features of the website like e-commerce capabilities, blog sections, user accounts, etc.
- Use Gantt Charts to set a proper timeline for the project and to specify achievable goals.
Establishing a well-defined scope helps manage expectations and avoid unnecessary deviations during the design and development phases.
Creation of Sitemap and Wireframe
A sitemap serves as the structural foundation, depicting the hierarchical structure of the website's pages and their interconnections. It ensures logical navigation and helps in organizing content effectively.
Some of the necessary sitemap elements:
- Logos,
- Call to action (CTAs),
- Hero sections,
- Sidebars,
- Pop Ups,
- Footers.
Ideate page layouts and the presentation of crucial content elements. Make rough sketches noting where the necessary elements will be displayed.
On the other hand, wireframes provide a visual representation of the layout in the process of website design. It focuses solely on placing various components like headers, footers, navigation bars, and content blocks. These concept wireframes previsualize site structure and user flow.
Web development frameworks come into play during this phase. This process provides a framework for building websites, offering pre-built modules and code libraries. They streamline the development process, enhancing efficiency and scalability.
Content Creation
Content creation is a multifaceted step of the web designing process involving the generation of textual, visual, and multimedia elements.
Different types of content elements that can be incorporated for a better web design:
- Written content crafted with the website's objectives and target audience in mind.
- Visual assets such as images, videos, infographics, and illustrations that are carefully selected to complement the written content.
- The combination of written and visual content can increase user engagement and communicate your message effectively.
As per OptinMonster,72% of marketers believe that content creation is the best SEO strategy highlighting the critical role of high-quality content in driving website visibility.
Compelling content and search engine optimization (SEO) are integral to website success. Incorporating relevant keywords, optimizing meta tags, and ensuring content is engaging and informative are crucial for enhancing search engine visibility and driving organic traffic.
Visual Content Inclusion
Visual elements play an important role in the process of web designing, capturing the audience's attention and conveying information swiftly. The visual identity of your website brings your brand to life digitally.
Most of the visual elements that can be used for better design are
- Different design styles
- Color palettes,
- Typography,
- Iconography,
- Imagery,
- Mood board reference themes.
Look at proven examples from relevant industry websites and your graphic brand guide if you have one.
As per Forbes, Visual content is favored by 91% of consumers over traditional, static, or text-based media.
Integrating high-quality images, videos, icons, and other multimedia components enhances the aesthetics and user experience of the website. Visual content not only adds appeal but also aids in communicating complex information more comprehensively.
Website Testing
Before launching an internet site, rigorous testing and debugging are vital. Testing is an essential section within the process of designing a website to make a seamless user experience.
What consists of website testing?
- Capability to make all features work effectively
- Responsiveness across various devices and screen sizes
- Usability testing to gauge consumer interaction
- Compatibility on various browsers
- Meticulous checking for bugs and broken links
Detecting and resolving issues at this stage ensures a polished website before its launch.This phase of the website design process ensures a seamless user experience.
Launch and Maintenance
The endpoint of the website design process is the launch of the website, where it goes live and becomes accessible to the audience. This involves deploying the website on the hosting server and making it publicly available.
On launch day, broadcast widely across both owned (your website, social profiles) and earned media (PR articles) to drive visitors. Run targeted ads tailored to your persona's demographic and interests. Identify affiliate partners or influencers that can extend your reach.
Promoting your website launch will help in the organic traffic growth of the website as people will get to know about it early. The ongoing marketing expands the reach of the website further.
Post-launch, continuous monitoring, performance tracking, and addressing any immediate issues are essential to ensure a smooth user experience.
Done!
You have successfully learned to develop your own website through these amazing steps of website design process.
Now, it’s your responsibility to keep your website updated and free from errors. To do this, you need to often test your website's analytics. This will help you identify any troubles and make further improvements. Moreover, dig into user behavior data to find drop-off points impacting conversions. Talk to actual visitors to hear their issues and expectations firsthand.
Moreover, you can rely on Invoidea, the best website designing company in Delhi, to craft compelling and user-friendly websites for you.
Let me know in the comments what tips you prefer for creating effective websites!
If you want to further read about the steps of creating a responsive website, give it a read.
