Intro
Every project is different, but most website and branding work follows a clear sequence from first enquiry to launch. The stages below are shown in the order they usually happen. Some are largely sequential, while others overlap where that makes practical sense.
For a standard small or medium-sized business website, the full process usually takes around 4 to 8 weeks. Projects that also include added elements such as logo development, more involved branding work, Google Business Profile setup, social account setup, or custom email-marketing templates may take longer. Exact timings depend on the size of the site, the amount of content involved, how quickly feedback and approvals can be provided, and the broader scope of the work.
My role is to guide the process clearly and keep it moving in the right order. At each stage, I will explain what I need from you, what I will provide in return, and what should happen next.
Step 1 – Discovery
The first step is understanding the business itself. Before design or writing begins, I need to know what the business does, who it needs to reach, what the website needs to achieve, and what already exists.
What I need from you
A clear explanation of the business, its services, and its priorities. Any existing website, domain, hosting account, branding, social accounts, or written material is also useful at this stage. If you already know what kind of site you want, or if there are websites you particularly like, that is helpful too.
What I provide
I assess what kind of website is actually needed, what level of functionality makes sense, and what parts of the wider online presence may also need attention. I can also advise on domain names, hosting, and general direction before the project moves any further.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 1.
Typical duration
Around 3 to 7 days.
Step 2 – Proposal, Scope, and Booking
Once the basic needs of the project are clear, the next step is to define the scope of work and confirm how the project will proceed. This is the point at which the practical outline of the project becomes a formal proposal.
Once the proposal is agreed and the project is booked, the next stage can begin.
What I need from you
Confirmation that the proposed direction fits the business, along with any clarifications needed on priorities, budget, required features, or optional additions such as branding support, social setup, or email-marketing work.
What I provide
A clear outline of the project scope, what is included, what may be optional, and how the work is expected to proceed. If domain registration, hosting setup, Google Business Profile setup, social account work, or Mailchimp setup forms part of the project, that should be identified here so that the likely impact on timing and scope is clear from the outset.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 1 to Week 2.
Typical duration
Around 2 to 5 days.
Step 3 – Planning and Site Structure
Once the project is confirmed, the next step is to decide what the site needs to contain and how it should be organised. A website works best when the structure is planned before detailed design begins.
What I need from you
Confirmation of the site’s main priorities, any must-have pages or functions, and any important business information that still needs to be gathered.
What I provide
A proposed page structure, recommendations on what should be included and what can be left out, and a clear sense of how the site should guide visitors from page to page. This stage is about making the site useful before making it attractive. Once the structure is agreed, it becomes the basis for the next stage of the project.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 2.
Typical duration
Around 3 to 7 days.
Step 4 – Design Direction
Once the structure is agreed, I develop the visual direction of the site. This includes typography, colour palette, page style, and the overall tone of the site as a visual object.
What I need from you
Any existing logo files, branding assets, colour preferences, or reference points that matter to the business. I also need timely feedback once design direction is presented.
What I provide
A visual direction that suits the business and the kind of audience it needs to reach. If the business already has branding, I can work within it. If it does not, I can help shape a simple and coherent visual identity, including typography, colour, and light branding support. Where more advanced logo or identity work is needed, I can also work with a trusted designer. Once the design direction is agreed, it becomes the visual basis for the build.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 2 to Week 3.
Typical duration
Around 1 to 2 weeks.
Step 5 – Content, Copy, and SEO Preparation
A website is only as strong as its content. Good design matters, but so do the words, headings, images, filenames, and page structure. This stage is where the site begins to take on its real voice and purpose.
What I need from you
Core business information, service descriptions, opening hours, contact details, location details, and any existing brochures, notes, or copy that may be useful. If you already have images, I will also need access to those at this stage.
What I provide
I write or refine copy so that it is clear, well structured, grammatically sound, and appropriate to the business. I also shape headings and page content so they work well for both readers and search visibility. Where relevant, I prepare images and filenames carefully so that the visual side of the site is also handled in a disciplined way.
Typical point in the process
Usually begins around Week 2 or Week 3.
Typical duration
Around 1 to 2 weeks.
Often overlaps with
Build and Integration.
Step 6 – Build and Integration
This is the stage at which the site becomes a working website. I build the pages in WordPress, apply the agreed design direction, and integrate the copy, images, and required functionality.
What I need from you
Timely feedback, access to any third-party tools that need to be connected, and clear responses when decisions need to be made. Projects move more smoothly when feedback is consolidated rather than arriving in fragments from several directions.
What I provide
The full site build in WordPress, including page creation, layout, formatting, content integration, and functional setup according to the agreed scope. I also test the site as it develops so that it works properly across devices and screen sizes.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 3 to Week 6.
Typical duration
Around 2 to 4 weeks.
Often overlaps with
Content, Copy, and SEO Preparation.
Step 7 – Review and Revisions
Once the main build is in place, the site is reviewed and refined. This is where details are adjusted, wording is improved, pages are tightened, and small corrections are made before launch.
What I need from you
Clear feedback, ideally gathered into one response at each review stage. Delays at this stage usually come from slow approvals, missing content, or feedback arriving in an unstructured way.
What I provide
Revisions within the agreed scope of the project, along with guidance where needed. If a requested change risks weakening the site visually or structurally, I will say so and suggest a better alternative. Once this stage is complete and the site is approved, the project moves into launch.
Typical point in the process
Usually Week 5 to Week 7.
Typical duration
Around 1 to 2 weeks.
Often overlaps with
The later part of Build and Integration.
Step 8 – Launch and Technical Setup
Once the site itself has been approved, the next stage is getting it live and making sure the technical foundations are working properly.
What I need from you
Access to domain and hosting accounts if they already exist, any login details needed to connect the site correctly, and final approval to launch.
What I provide
I can register and connect a domain, configure hosting, complete the launch, and carry out the final checks needed to make sure the website is live and functioning as expected. While the final connection and launch happen here, domain and hosting decisions are usually identified and confirmed much earlier in the process.
Typical point in the process
Usually near the end of the main website project, often around Week 6 to Week 8.
Typical duration
Around 2 to 5 days.
Step 9 – Business Profile, Social Setup, and Email Marketing
Where this forms part of the project, the next step is setting up or aligning the wider online presence around the website. This may include Google Business Profile, Google Maps, social accounts, and Mailchimp.
What I need from you
Business details, contact details, opening hours, location details, access to any existing accounts, and any preferences about how the business should appear publicly. For email-marketing work, I also need to know whether you already have a Mailchimp account, mailing list, or existing template assets.
What I provide
I can help set up or align Google Business Profile, connect the business clearly to its social accounts, and configure Mailchimp in a way that fits the wider identity of the business. Where required, I can also create custom email templates designed to reflect the typography, colour palette, and visual tone of the website and branding. This work takes time to do properly, especially where accounts need to be created, information needs to be verified, or templates need to be tested before use.
Typical point in the process
Usually begins once the site and core branding direction are in place, often around Week 6 onward. Some parts may continue after the website itself has launched.
Typical duration
Google Business Profile setup and verification usually takes around 3 to 7 days, with verification itself sometimes taking up to 5 business days. Social-account setup or alignment usually takes around 2 to 5 days, depending on how many platforms are involved and whether assets already exist. Mailchimp setup with custom branded templates usually takes around 3 to 7 days, and may take up to 1 to 2 weeks where the templates are being designed and tested carefully to match the website and branding.
Step 10 – Handover and Ongoing Support
Once the site and any connected services are live, the work does not necessarily stop there. Some clients want a clean handover and then manage things themselves. Others prefer continued support.
What I need from you
A clear sense of whether you want a one-off build, occasional support, or continuing help after launch.
What I provide
A working finished site, practical handover guidance, and ongoing support by arrangement if needed. Additional pages, updates, refinements, and future improvements can also be discussed once the core project is complete.
Typical point in the process
Immediately after launch and any agreed setup work.
Typical duration
Handover takes place immediately after launch. Ongoing support is available by arrangement.
A note on timings
The timings above are intended as realistic guides rather than fixed guarantees. The two most common causes of delay in website projects are missing content and slow feedback. Projects usually move most smoothly when the structure is agreed early, content is supplied promptly, and feedback comes from one clear decision-maker or one consolidated source.
Optional additions such as logo development, more involved branding work, social account setup, or custom email-marketing templates may also add time to the process, simply because they involve their own stages of design, review, refinement, and approval. Where those services form part of the project, I will make the likely impact on timing clear in advance.
Booking
If you are planning a new website, improving an existing one, or looking for a more coherent online presence for your business, please get in touch via the contact page or by email at info@tadovisuals.com.