Redesigning a website can be an exciting opportunity to refresh your online presence and better meet your goals. Whether you’re looking to modernise your site, improve user experience, or add new functionality, this guide will help you understand the process and important considerations.
Key Considerations Before You Start
Before diving into the redesign, it’s essential to clarify your needs and preferences. Here are some questions to consider:
- Specific features and functionality: Are there any new features or integrations (e.g. forms, events calendar, social media feeds, booking systems) you’d like to include?
- Inspiration and examples: Do you have any examples of other church websites you like? What elements do you like? This could be due to their design, layout, functionality, or overall feel.
- Branding guidelines: Are there existing branding guidelines we should follow? This includes logos, colours, fonts, and any specific style guidelines.
- Content requirements: Do you have specific content (text, images, videos) that needs to be included on the new site? Will this content need updating, or is it ready to use as is?
- Target audience: Who is your website for? Understanding your audience will help tailor the design and functionality to meet their needs.
The Redesign Process
Here’s a step-by-step overview of how the redesign process typically unfolds:
1. Scoping meeting
This is the first step where we discuss your goals, requirements, and expectations. We’ll also review any examples of websites you like and discuss the features and content you want on the new site.
2. Access to the existing site
If you already have a website, we’ll need access to your current site to review its structure, content, and any existing integrations.
3. Platform decision
Based on your needs, we’ll decide on the best platform for your website (e.g., WordPress, Wix, etc.). This decision will consider factors like ease of use, scalability, and the features you require.
4. Content and media collection
We’ll need you to provide all necessary content, including text, images, and videos. The imagery of your site is very important to convey who you are. If you have new content to be created or content you want changed, this should be prepared at this stage.
5. Design and branding parameters
We’ll gather all design elements, including logos, colour schemes, and any branding guidelines. This ensures consistency with your brand identity.
6. Design wireframe
A wireframe is a simple layout of your website’s structure. It outlines where elements like menus, images, and text will be placed. We’ll create a wireframe to visualise the design before we start building.
7. Homepage draft
We’ll design a draft of your homepage, the most important page on your site. This draft will give you an idea of the overall look and feel of the new design.
8. Page creation
Once the homepage design is approved, we’ll start creating the other pages of your website. Each page will be designed and built based on the content and features discussed in the scoping meeting.
Final Steps and Launch
- Review and feedback: After the pages are created, you’ll have the opportunity to review the site and provide feedback. We’ll make any necessary adjustments to ensure the site meets your expectations.
- Testing: Before launching, we’ll thoroughly test the website to ensure everything works correctly across different devices and browsers.
- Launch: Once you’re satisfied, we’ll launch the new website.
- Training: We’ll also provide training if needed, so you can manage the site confidently moving forward.