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Studio for Communication

Strategy and Design

How to build a website — step by step

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How to build a website — step by step

A website is a tool that is supposed to work — to sell, to guide the user through the decision-making process. And sometimes — just to be the perfect showcase, to build credibility. It is part of the branding process, an essential element of brand communication. In our team, we approach the design and implementation of services from the perspective of communication and design. What does that mean? Our services are an extension of the brand. We are not slaves to technology and template, we use the design system designed by us to convey the main message of the brand as fully and consistently as possible.

Therefore, we do not start with “pretty pictures”, but with the foundations. We usually work on branding, which we are the authors of, but we can also build on existing materials. Below we describe what our website creation process looks like WEB SITE.

Briefing and conceptual workshop

The first step is to gather information and lay out a strategy for the site.

In the workshop:

  • we define the concept of the site — who speaks, to whom and for what purpose,
  • we design a sales funnel — how to guide the user from the first contact to the decision,
  • we determine what actions users should perform on the site.

The result of the workshop is a content mockup — this is the stage before the UX mockup. Thanks to it, we can clearly mark what types of content are necessary for development - both from the point of view of copywriting, as well as visual materials, links, references.

UX mockup

After the preparatory stage and confirmation of the concept and assumptions, we translate the material from the content mockup into a coherent, functional scheme. We analyze user paths and interactions — so that the site is intuitive and does not lose the user along the way.
The effect is a clickable UX mockup where you can see the layout and logic of the page before we enter the graphic layer.

Graphic Design (GUI)

Based on the branding and design of the system, we develop the appearance of the website. If the client does not have a design system — we create it from scratch or adapt existing materials.
Depending on the budget, we develop the project with:

  • dedicated photos,
  • animations and microinteractions,
  • illustrations or 3D elements.

The effect is a clickable graphic design of the page, ready for acceptance.

Deployment

The final step is to translate the project into a working website.

In the low-code technology in which we work, the line between the Front-end (what we see on the page) and the Back-end (the back-end of the page where we manage content, integrations and other settings of the page) is blurred. When implementing the website, we act simultaneously in both of these areas, which allows better coordination of the process with the Client. For more complex websites that require a content management system, we use Webflow CMS — such a site is later maintained on Webflow servers. For simpler pages, which do not require regular updates, it is possible to export the code and maintain the page on the Client's server.

All websites are designed to be fully responsive — this means that the look and functionality adapt automatically to different screen sizes. Whether someone is browsing a page on a phone, tablet, laptop or large monitor, they always see a consistent layout and have access to all functions.

How long does it take?

With a well-planned process and complete materials, we can implement the first pages in as little as 2 weeks. More extensive projects take correspondingly longer - it all depends on the scope and complexity.

What after implementation?

Maintaining and updating the site after implementation is an important but often problematic activity. Thanks to the agility of low-code technologies, we are able to offer effective solutions. First of all — if the website is maintained on your server, we keep a duplicate of it in Webflow all the time. If you need an update, we are able to quickly introduce it and upload new files to your server. This does not require a complicated process or expensive re-opening of the order. In the case of using Webflow CMS, we usually train a person separated from your team, who is later able to manage the site — edit content and images or add new entries in separate categories (blog posts, team members, case studies, etc.). Such a content management system is always individually designed for the needs of the site and provided with comments to facilitate its use. A CMS website maintained on Webflow is a stable, secure solution that requires minimal maintenance after implementation.

I want a website!

Do you need a website that will be consistent with your brand image and that will not be a wordpress compromise?

We can meet for free consultation in which we will discuss the possibilities of cooperation. We will discuss the possibilities and budget for implementation.

If you want to know more about Webflow see the article.

Webflow, not Wordpress. But why?

Let’s build a brand that truly works for your business.

Lena Mitkova

Creative In Chief°

Book a consult with Lena