Website Design

All of the websites we design are optimized based on two primary principles. Providing an awesome User Experience and following Google’s Quality Raters Guidelines.

What To Expect With Our Website Design Service

We build fast and secure websites. They are always modern and mobile-friendly because that is what users want in 2018. Every site is search engine optimized to ensure it can be found on an online search. We build on WordPress and partner with the world-class hosting company WP Engine. Our websites are backed up daily and received regular site maintenance. We will train your staff and discuss your Google Analytics to ensure you are meeting your marketing goals.

Client Testimonials

CreativeAK created and maintains our website. He is always willing to make any changes to the site or explain when I don’t understand something. I highly recommend his services.

Fictional Females

Our Website Features

“We look forward to meeting you for a free consultation on how we can help you build your online presence through a new awesome and modern website.”

– Jacob Wilson
Owner

How Long Will It Take To Build?

We get asked quite a bit, how long will the site take to build? While the answer to this question can vary greatly based on what you want with your new website. Generally, a general draft of your new website will be available within 2-4 weeks. Once that is ready for your review we will begin a back and forth process or feedback and revisions that can take significant time. A standard 5-page website that is not e-commerce will be ready in 4-6 weeks (generally).

That being said, a new website will go through quite a few changes in the first six months as you receive customer feedback. This is very normal and should be looked at as a good thing. Any small (or even medium-sized) design changes to the website in this time period will be included in the base price.

Google Analytics

We install Google Analytics on every website we build. Google Analytics tracks how users interact with your website. It contains a wealth of information that can be used to help determine what is and isn’t being effective. Below are just a couple of examples of the information we can glean from Google Analytics:

• Website Growth – View how many people are coming to your website over time,
• Conversions – How many people are purchasing your products or signing up on your contact forms and they are navigating your website to get to that purchase page (or see if they getting there directly from an external link),
• Engagement – How many people who visit your site once are coming back to view it again. And are they purchasing on that second/third visit,
• Technology – What devices are people using to view your website,
• User Behavior – How are people interacting with your site, i.e. where are they clicking and what pages are they navigating through.

The Website Build Process

Below is our website build process from start to finish if you choose to build your website with CreativeAK.

Step 1 – Establish pricing and Scope

We start every project with a conversation. The scope of each project is based on the size of the site and the features needed on that website. Our base price is for a simple 5-page website. Each of the features below can potentially increase this price.

• eCommerce,
• The number of pages on your site (just an estimate),
• Do you need a member’s only section on the site?

Step 2 – Sharing Site Content

After we determine all of the features that you need on your website, we will set up a shared folder to enable us to share information about the website. Once we both have access to this shared folder we will ask that you share the following information:

• Content for each of the primary pages on your website,
• Your products or services – including product descriptions and images (we will fill in the rest of the information later),
• A description of your business,
• Any images that you feel represent your business well or that you would like to showcase,
• Anything else that you would like on the website or would help us develop it.

A note on content – The content you share does not need to be finalized when you first send it over. In fact, sometimes it is nice to send over preliminary or placeholder content so that you can see how it fits with the design of the site. Once you see the draft content in your website, you might find that you want to change or move text and/or images.

Step 3 – Choosing a Domain Name

If you do not have a domain name picked out already, we will help you choose and install the best one for your business. Do you already have a domain name? If so we will ask for access to the domain registrar (the company who you used to purchase your domain through) so that we can point your domain name to your new website.

Set Up a Development URL

We will set up a URL where you will be able to view the site as it’s being developed, i.e. https://yoursitename.wpengine.com. The draft website will be accessible to anyone who has that specific URL, but it will not show up on google, bing, yahoo, or any other search. This way, you can give the URL to individuals from whom you would like to receive feedback. Or, if you would like to limit the feedback, you don’t have to give this URL to anyone other than yourself.

If you would like we could add a password to the development site. Once we determine your final business domain name, or whenever you would like, we will switch the site over to your actual domain name. The testing domain simply allows us to begin the design process while we are still brainstorming and setting up your domain name.

Step 4 – Design Direction And The Build Process

At this point we’ve already discussed the primary features you need on your website, now we need to determine how those features will be designed. We do not have a specific template that we use for all of my websites. The website can look and feel however you would like. To get started we will ask some broad questions, as well as a few specific ones, to help give us the direction we need to build your new website. We design is an iterative process, but it is important to make sure that we are on the same page every step of the way. A couple of sample questions when we start your project might be:

1. Please provide us with a few websites that you like and explain what you like about them? If you do not have any favorites, that’s OK; please take a look at the following sites and let us know what specific elements you like and dislike (We would compile the list below by reviewing various sites in your industry, locally and nationally.)
   1. www.samplesite1.com
   2. www.samplesite2.com
   3. www.samplesite3.com
2. Do you prefer a boxed or full-width design? Why?
3. Do you have a logo, images or image concept that you would like to showcase on your website?
4. What are the most important navigation elements for your business?
5. Do you have any colors in mind for the site? (We will typically base your website’s color scheme on your business’s logo or pre-established branding.)

Don’t worry if you do not have answers to some of the questions above. We will work through them together. If you really have no idea in mind about the design of the website then we can simply take a shot at it. If you like the direction of that shot then we will keep moving in that direction, if not, then I will try another design direction. We can repeat this process as many times as necessary to ensure that you are happy with the end product, your new website. Sometimes, it is easier to designate a single point of contact for this iterative build process.

A Note on Site Content – The text and images you initially send me do not need to be final versions. In fact, sometimes it is nice to send over preliminary or placeholder content so you can see how it fits with the design of the site. Once you see it, you might find that you want to change or move the text or images. Even after we have finalized all of the text and the site goes “live”, you will still find changes. Actually, after the site launches is the best time to receive feedback. I do not consider the initial build of a site completed for six months to a year after it is launched. It is important to give the site users (your potential costumers) what they want and we will not necessarily know what that is until they use the site for a while.

Step 5 – Launching the site

When you are happy with the site we will point your actual “live” URL to the website we have been developing and exactly what you see at the development URL will now be live for the world to find.

Even after we have finalized all of the text and the site goes “live”, there will still be changes. Actually, after the site launches is the best time to receive feedback. I do not consider a site completely finished until three months after it is launched. It is important to give users (clients, customers, whoever is visiting the site) what they want. We will not necessarily know what that is until they have a chance to use the site for some time.

Step 6 – Training

Once the site is launched we will train your staff to edit to your site’s text and images or utilize the other features that we’ve built into your website.

Taking the Next Step

Your site is now up and running, but how will people find it? Creating an awesome website is wasted if no one visits it. We offer a Local SEO Package to help drive traffic to your website and business. Additionally, if you sign up for the local SEO package we will waive the recurring $35/month hosting fee.