The Process of Creating a Website.

A website shouldn’t just be a digital business card; it should be the hardest-working member of your team. I don’t believe in simply "getting the job done" or churning out cookie-cutter templates to maximise my profit. Instead, I build websites with love! A philosophy rooted in caring for your business goals, your customers' experience, and the finite technical details that elevate a site from "good" to "great".

I am responsible for all aspects of your project, bringing over 25 years of experience on "the web" to ensure that your website is as unique as your business. I pride myself on crafting bespoke, high-performance websites that deliver exceptional user experiences and conversions to ensure your business has the best foundation to grow and evolve.

Phase 1: Discovery & Research

Before I even think about colours or fonts, I dig into the "why" of your project. This foundation phase involves a detailed review of your audience, their requirements, and their potential journey and goals when browsing your site. I also analyse your competitors to see what they are achieving and search for inspiration to map out the site architecture.

During this stage, after the initial research and understanding "The Why", I explore design ideas and styles by creating mood boards. These consider imagery, photography, typography, and example components and patterns from the web, to ensure the presentation aligns with your vision. This pre-site preparation also includes creating wireframes for key pages and consolidating domains. This is particularly vital for Start-ups and New Businesses who need to establish a strong, clear identity from day one.

Phase 2: Design & Mockups

The design phase begins with your visual identity. Before I build the digital structure, I must ensure the "face" of your business is ready for the web.

Logo & Branding

Your brand is the foundation of the design. I start by assessing your current assets:

• Existing Brand
  If you already have an established identity, I will require your high-quality digital assets and imagery to ensure the website aligns perfectly with your existing presence.
• New or Evolving Brands
  If you don't yet have a logo, or if your current branding needs a professional refresh, I can handle the entire creative process, from a logo design to full brand creation and guidelines that lead to a fully-featured brand-identity. You can see examples of my work in my logo and branding portfolio or learn more about my approach in the article: The process of logo design and branding.

Content-Led Design

Once the visual foundation is set, I move into content-led design. Creating a mockup without real content is essentially just painting a pretty picture; it would not reflect the real objectives and aspirations for your website.

• Designing Around Reality
  By designing around your finalised content, I ensure better results that speak directly to your audience.
• Key Page Mockups
  I focus my initial designs on 3–4 key areas of the website to establish the look and feel.
• Matrix Layouts
  Typically, I create modular, matrix-style design elements that will feature consistently throughout the site and work in harmony across the website.
• Presentation & Review
  I will meet with you to present and discuss the designs and ideas regarding functionality before moving into the next phase.

Phase 3: Development & Building

This is the heart of the project where the site comes to life. I build fully functional, device-independent websites that offer a seamless experience on any screen.

Bespoke CMS Sites (Craft CMS):

When you need the power to manage your own content, I build a bespoke content management facility. I often use Craft CMS because it allows me to build a backend tailored exactly to your site's unique structure. Because these systems need to stay secure and efficient, I always emphasise Why Support and Maintenance Matters to keep your site running smoothly.

Best Practices: The Amasci Standard

Regardless of the site's size or what type of website I deliver, I implement a rigorous set of standards to ensure your website performs at its absolute peak:

• Performance Optimised
  I use "behind the scenes" techniques like caching, minifying code, and GZipping files. GZipping typically offers a 60–70% reduction in download time, helping me achieve typical Google Page Insights scores of 90/100 or higher.
• Responsive Site
  I create one website that works on many different screen sizes, which eliminates the need for a separate mobile site and improves your search engine ranking.
• Responsive Images
  Using technologies like Srcset and SVG, I ensure images render perfectly on high-resolution Retina displays while keeping file sizes as small as possible.
• Modern Standards
  I follow strict industry best practices throughout the entire build. This includes using specialised local development tools, maintaining meticulous version control with Git, and using separate local, staging and production environments. This robust, professional workflow ensures that every line of code is rigorously tested, secure, and fully optimised for performance before your website ever goes live.
• SEO Optimised
  I include Search Engine Friendly (SEF) URLs, schema considerations, and detailed Metadata (titles and descriptions) as standard to help you achieve the best natural search ranking possible.

Phase 4: Go Live & Post-Launch

Launching the site is just the beginning. Once I launch the website so the public can access it, I handle the technical heavy lifting: setting up SEO site maps, submitting the site to search engines, and configuring analytics. If you are worried about the technicalities of Managing Your Domains or other online tolls and services, I have that covered as well.

Phase 5: Ongoing Support

I do not just deliver a site and disappear; my goal is Building long-lasting meaningful relationships. This includes providing full training on your new CMS facility so you feel confident making updates. From Hosting Your Website to future-proofing your digital presence through ongoing maintenance, I stay by your side.