There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to a website redesign. After content lays the groundwork and design creates the mockups, once the client approves those pieces, we move into the next phase: site building. And that’s when things really come to life. We sat down with creative services manager Madeline Rooney to find out exactly what goes into this part of the process.
When looking at a website redesign, what role does site building typically play?
Site building brings the design to life. We take the static design and turn it into a dynamic and interactive interface.
How does site building collaborate with the other areas, like design and content?
Design provides the mapping for how the site needs to be built. We not only pull in the colors, fonts, and logos in, but also take into account the exact layout and spacing provided by mockups. Content provides the landscape for building. Whether we have a mockup or not, it’s important to keep in mind the kind of content displayed on the page.
What’s the difference between site building and development?
Site building sets the stage for our clients to get involved. With it’s easy to use drag and drop interface, anyone with a vision can come in and build a webpage.
According to Hubspot, Elementor is the #1 WordPress page builders. There’s a reason! It’s super powerful and is compatible with over 900 add-ons. If Elementor can’t achieve what’s needed, it’s easy for us to use custom development to tack on additional features. What our clients like about it is that it’s so user friendly. With a few training sessions and guide docs, our clients easily jump into managing their site.
So what does your process look like? And what’s your favorite part?
First we start with setting global styles. Locking in the colors, fonts, and buttons sets the stage for the rest of the build. From there, we tackle the header and footer, homepage, and interior template. Once these are complete, we tackle any additional templates or sections outlines by our content team.
My favorite part of the process is building the homepage. The homepage is the main landing point of a site and is generally the page that’s set a part from the rest. It’s important to get it right. From header and hero, to calls-to-action and engaging motions.
Once a project is completed, then what? Is there also opportunity for site building to continue to be involved in support?
Most definitely. We never want to build a site and leave our client hanging. We want to set them up for success and that means supporting them if questions arise.
Anything else you want to add about site building?
Ask us how you can quickly expand and refresh your site!
