Websites

Getting Started

The first step in creating your website is figuring out exactly what you need so we can provide an accurate estimate and plan. This is where we learn more about your business—what you do, what you’re aiming for online, and how your website can help achieve those goals. Whether you're looking to drive more traffic, generate leads, or showcase your services, this is the time to outline your ambitions.

We’ll also need to establish the type of project we're embarking on. Are we fixing an existing website, refreshing an outdated one, or starting completely from scratch? Each path requires a different approach, and understanding this from the beginning ensures that we’re all on the same page.

Next, we'll talk about what kind of pages you'll need. A homepage is a given, but depending on your business, you might need specific pages for the services you offer, an 'About Us' page, a 'Team' page, or even sections for testimonials or case studies. These details will help us design the right structure and user flow for your site.

Once we’ve got all this information, we can provide you with a detailed quote that covers the entire process—from design and development right through to testing and launch. It’s all about making sure your website works for you and your business from day one.

A great place to start is our portfolio of websites. Feel free to use this for ideas and inspiration. Using other people's websites is a great way to find ideas for your own.

When you're ready, head over to our instant quote page and we can give you a price online today.

Website Design

Once we’ve got a clear understanding of your needs, the design process begins. This stage involves several steps that ensure your website not only looks great but functions effectively for your users.

Visual Design

The first step is creating the overall look and feel of your site. If you already have brand guidelines, logos, or imagery, we’ll incorporate those into the design. If not, we can help you create a fresh visual identity that aligns with your business.

We start by sketching ideas on paper, then move onto a digital illustration to give you an accurate visualisation of how the website will look on screen before we get into the more time-consuming coding phase.

This approach allows us to collaborate easily, refining the design until it’s exactly what you want without the need to dive into code prematurely.

We also have a range of in-house website designs that can be customised to your business. This is a very cost effective and fast way to get your website project going but may restrict you if you need or want a bespoke design.

Information Structure

Designing isn’t just about looks—it’s also about how users will navigate through your site.

During this phase, we’ll design the structure of your site, deciding what pages go where and ensuring that your visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. We’ll create a clear menu system, header, and footer to ensure a smooth user experience.

Responsive Design

We also start thinking about how the website will look and behave on different devices, from desktops to mobile phones.

This allows us to plan for engaging and flexible designs that provide a great experience for your customers, no matter what device they’re using.

Plus, we’ll incorporate creative elements that align with your goals and keep visitors engaged.

Website Page Structure

A key part of building an effective website is creating a well-thought-out page structure. I start by doing detailed keyword research to understand what your potential customers are searching for on Google.

This research allows us to create a search-optimised page and URL structure that directly responds to those queries, giving your website the best chance of ranking highly on search results pages.

We’ll incorporate this SEO strategy into both the information and visual design of your site. I provide you with a detailed spreadsheet that maps out how the URL structure will work, showing which pages we’ll create and what keywords those pages will target.

This roadmap helps us plan each step of the project, leaving no stone unturned. By the time we’re ready to start building, we’ll have a clear plan for how your site will be structured and what search terms we’re aiming to rank for, giving you a strong presence in Google’s search results right from launch.

Creating Content

Every website needs engaging words and images, and this one way West Cornwall Websites is a bit different.

We don’t just build websites—we help create the content that goes on them.

Whether you need help with copywriting, or someone to completely take care of writing headlines and text for every page, we’ve got you covered. We can even assist with specialised content, like privacy policies and terms of use, ensuring your site is not only professional but also compliant.

When it comes to images, we collaborate with a network of talented photographers here in Cornwall and beyond.

We’ll brief them with a detailed plan to capture the exact images you need for your project. High-quality visuals are key—they can make or break a design and are essential for selling products, promoting services, or conveying a brand message.

With years of experience, we know how to choose the perfect images and create new ones that elevate your site’s impact.

If you already have content from an old website, we’ll move it across and refresh it if needed. Once everything is ready, we’ll upload all the content—both words and images—so your website will be polished, professional, and ready to launch.

Development

This is where we get into the nuts and bolts of coding your website.

At West Cornwall Websites, we use the latest standards—HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript—to build websites that are fast, efficient, and sharp. Our code is lightweight and streamlined, which means your website will load quickly and perform seamlessly across a wide range of devices, from desktops to mobile phones.

We ensure the user experience is smooth and intuitive, whether your customers are using a mouse or touch inputs.

If you're interested, we’re more than happy to give you full access to the code and guide you through how it works. Whether you want to get involved or just learn more about the behind-the-scenes of your website, we’re always ready to show you around.

The development process takes time, but thanks to our comprehensive design and planning phase, the coding should proceed smoothly and efficiently.

We never jump into coding without a well-thought-out plan, which helps keep costs down and ensures there are no surprises along the way.

All of our code is written to international standards, making it easy for any developer to pick up and work on in the future. This means you can rest assured that your website will be maintainable and adaptable as your business grows.

Testing

Throughout the development process, we conduct thorough testing to ensure everything is working perfectly.

You’ll have private access to your website as it’s being built, allowing you to see how it’s coming together in real-time and to test its features. This gives you the opportunity to provide feedback and make sure the site is meeting your expectations.

We also test rigorously in-house, checking functionality, responsiveness, and performance across different devices and browsers. Our aim is to ensure that when we launch, your website will run smoothly and provide a seamless experience for your users from day one.

Launch

At last, we arrive at launch day—an exciting moment for both you and us! We have tried-and-tested strategies to ensure your website goes live smoothly and seamlessly.

Whether this is a completely new website or a transition from an old one, we’re experienced in making sure everything runs without a hitch, both for you and your users.

On launch day, you can sit back and enjoy the compliments while we handle the technical side of things.

From ensuring the site is live and accessible to the public to managing any last-minute adjustments, we’ve got everything covered so your website makes the best possible impression from the moment it goes live.