When you’re investing in a new website, the process shouldn’t feel overwhelming. Too often, businesses are left in the dark about what’s happening behind the scenes. At AJT Digital Designs, we believe in a transparent, collaborative website design process that keeps you involved and confident every step of the way.
Here’s a closer look at how we’ll work together to bring your vision online:
Step 1: Initial Consultation Call
Before we talk contracts or design, we start with a simple conversation. Think of this as a “get to know you” call. We want to understand your business, your goals, and your expectations — and you should feel comfortable with us as your design partner.
During this call, we’ll usually ask questions like:
- Why are you looking for a new website right now?
- How did you hear about AJT Digital Designs?
- Do you want our creative input and recommendations, or would you prefer we stick closely to your existing vision?
- Do you already have a design direction in mind (colors, style, inspiration sites)?
- What stage of business are you in — startup, growth, or established brand?
- What is the purpose of the business? Who is your target audience?
- What are your core service or product offerings?
- Beyond a website, are there other design needs we can help with (logo, flyers, ads)?
This step helps us learn what matters most to you, and it enables you to see if we’re the right fit to work together.
Step 2: Prep & Discovery
Once we’ve agreed to work together, we set the foundation for your website. This is where we handle the essentials and gather the information we’ll need to design effectively.
Here’s what happens:
- Agreement & Deposit: Signing the agreement and paying the deposit officially secures your spot on our schedule.
- Website Questionnaire: We’ll send you a short form that digs into your business goals, your target audience, and what you want the website to achieve.
- Sitemap & Navigation: Together, we’ll confirm which pages your website will include and how visitors will move through it.
- Content & Imagery Planning: We’ll discuss the content and images you already have, and where you may need extra support. If you’d like, we can help refine your text and select imagery, whether it’s from your own business photos or professional stock images we source and purchase for you.
- Domain Setup: If you already own a domain, we’ll help you share access. If not, we’ll guide you through choosing and registering the perfect one.
By the end of this step, we have a clear picture of your business and a roadmap for your website.
Step 3: Website Working Mockup
This is where things start to get exciting. Instead of handing you flat designs, we create a working mockup — a live, interactive preview of your homepage and a secondary page. This lets you see your website in action before we commit to building the whole thing.
Here’s how it works:
- We build the first draft of your homepage and one inside page.
- You review the design and provide feedback using a simple document or comments.
- We make revisions (up to two rounds, so we can fine-tune the look and feel).
- Once you’re happy, we “lock in” the design as the blueprint for the full site.
This step saves time and ensures the design direction is exactly what you envisioned.
Step 4: Website Build-Out
With the mockup approved, it’s time to build out the full site. This is where the bulk of the work happens.
Here’s what you can expect:
- We’ll create all the pages from the sitemap and add your content and images.
- If you need help with content writing or image selection, we’ll step in to make sure your site has professional, on-brand messaging and visuals. We’ll either use high-quality images you provide from your business or source professional stock imagery that we purchase for you.
- You’ll have the opportunity to review the site and request revisions (two rounds included).
- We’ll make sure the site looks great on desktops, tablets, and phones — because mobile optimization is essential.
- Once everything is polished, you’ll give your final approval, and we’ll set the launch date.
By the end of this stage, your website will look and feel like the real thing — ready for the world to see.
Step 5: Website Launch & Training
Launch day is always a big moment, but it’s also carefully planned to avoid surprises. We handle the technical details so you can focus on the excitement of going live.
Here’s how we make launch smooth:
- Once the final invoice is paid, we’ll secure your site and push it live.
- We test everything — links, forms, checkout processes, and more — to make sure it all works flawlessly.
- We connect your site to Google Search Console and Analytics so you can start tracking traffic right away.
- We provide training videos and a post-launch guide so you know exactly how to update content, add images, or make small edits. With our WordPress expertise, you’ll feel confident making changes to your site whenever you need to.
- You’ll also get editor-level access, so you’re in control of your site.
By the end of this step, your site is live, functional, and you’re confident in using it.
Step 6: Ongoing Hosting & Support
A website is not “one and done.” To stay secure, fast, and effective, it needs ongoing care. That’s why our website design process always includes hosting and support options.
Here’s what happens next:
- Hosting & Security: Our hosting includes daily backups, SSL certificates, and site monitoring to keep your website secure and running smoothly.
- Flexible Support Options: Need occasional updates, content changes, or new images added? We’re available for support on an as-needed basis.
- Maintenance Plans – For proactive care, you can choose a monthly or annual maintenance plan. These cover ongoing updates, content or image changes, plugin management, and security monitoring — giving you peace of mind that your website is always up to date.
With our hosting and support, you can focus on running your business while knowing your website is safe, secure, and fully supported.
Why This Website Design Process Works
Over the years, we’ve seen how a clear, step-by-step website design process makes projects smoother for both us and our clients. It builds trust, avoids confusion, and keeps everything on track. Most importantly, it ensures you end up with a website that represents your business and achieves your goals.
Wrapping Up
At AJT Digital Designs, our website design process is about more than just building a site — it’s about building a partnership. From our first consultation call to long-term support, you’ll always know where we are in the journey and what comes next.
Ready to start your project? Contact us today and let’s build a website that works for your business.