Commissioning a new website can feel like a leap of faith if you have not done it before, or if your last project went badly. Here is how a well-run WordPress website project works, step by step, so you know exactly what to expect.
Step 1: Discovery
Every good project starts with understanding the business, not the design. In a discovery call we ask about your services, your best customers, what they search for, what your current site does well and badly, and what success looks like in a year. This is also where we flag constraints early, such as AODA accessibility obligations, online booking systems or integrations.
Step 2: Plan and quote
Next comes a sitemap (the list of pages and how they connect), a content plan, and a written scope. You should receive a fixed quote that clearly lists what is included. Vague hourly estimates are the most common cause of budget surprises.
Step 3: Content
Content is the number one cause of delays in website projects. Good page copy, real photos and clear calls to action matter more to results than any design trend. Decide early who is writing what, and start gathering photos of your team, location and work. If writing is not your strength, ask your developer to help structure or write the copy.
Step 4: Design
Designs for key pages, usually the homepage and one or two inner page types, are prepared and reviewed with you. A good design process checks colour contrast, readable font sizes and mobile layouts at this stage, because fixing accessibility in design is far cheaper than fixing it after launch.
Step 5: Build on a staging site
The site is built on a private staging copy that you can review as it progresses. On WordPress, this is also where pages are set up so you can safely edit text and images yourself later.
Step 6: Test
Before launch, a professional build is tested for:
- Speed and Core Web Vitals on mobile and desktop
- SEO basics: titles, descriptions, one H1 per page, XML sitemap, structured data and redirects from any old URLs
- Accessibility against WCAG 2.1 AA, including keyboard and screen reader checks
- Forms and integrations, so every enquiry actually arrives
- Security hardening, SSL and backups
Step 7: Launch and training
Launch should be uneventful: the domain is pointed to the new site, redirects go live, Google Search Console and analytics are connected, and you get training on how to update your content.
Step 8: Ongoing care
A website is never finished. WordPress, themes and plugins need regular updates, backups need testing, and new content needs to stay accessible. A maintenance plan and reliable managed hosting protect the investment you just made.
How long does it take?
Most small and mid-sized business websites launch in four to eight weeks from kickoff. Larger sites, online stores and custom functionality take longer. The biggest factor is usually how quickly content and feedback come in.
What affects the cost?
- The number of unique page types and total pages
- Custom design versus adapting a proven layout
- Features such as online booking, e-commerce, member areas or integrations
- How much content writing, photography and SEO work is needed
- Migrating content and redirects from an existing site
Ready to plan your project? Learn about our WordPress website development service or request a free estimate.
Need a hand?
TheWebsiteMakers.ca is a Toronto-based team with 19+ years of WordPress experience. We build accessible WordPress websites, host them on servers we manage ourselves, and keep them maintained. Get a free, no-obligation estimate.