Developing Websites

Introduction

Would you like to work with a software developer who expertly builds and manages your website with compassion and calmness?

I am a software developer with 30 years of extensive experience, dedicated to ensuring your comfort and understanding throughout the entire process. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my clients feel relieved and satisfied, knowing that a task they once dreaded was handled seamlessly and without any issues

A website involves many moving parts, and throughout the development process, I’ll explain everything you need to know, empowering you to make informed decisions. If any action is required on your part, such as accessing your domain email, I’ll provide detailed instructions complete with screenshots, ensuring you can proceed with confidence and ease

Learn more about my development process in the following sections and do not hesitate to reach out and ask me questions!

So how much will my website cost?

It depends, but to give you an idea for budgeting, custom website development generally range from $1,800 – $4,000 including all the custom software needed for specific features.

I also have non-custom budget websites for $800 – $1,000 for businesses just getting started. These starter websites can smoothly grow into a custom website if needed in the future. You never lose the investment you have made.

I discuss with you the challenges you are currently facing and design web solutions to overcome those issues. Learn more about my past projects and solutions. With my extensive software engineering skillset, I can find the right solution for your business needs.

I also build unique and timeless designs to best convey the personality of your business so your website represents the real world seamlessly. The best websites are minimalist and easy for the impatient website visitor to navigate. Your website should stay relevant and contain only the information that the potential client seeks, so depending on your current business, your website costs will be an appropriate investment.

Website Design

The website development process will begin with design to create the overall look and feel of the website. I will design a digital moodboard for your review and approval that contains:

• Selected key image
• Typography
• Colors
• Button design
• Card design

Website Development Proposal

Our journey together creating your website begins with a list of questions from me about your business and how it operates. The more I learn, the better I can design the most effective solutions to support your goals and guide the actions you want your website visitors to take.

I then list out the call-to-actions (CTAs) that will be supported by the website. These can be things such as:

• Fill out a contact form
• Sign up for a newsletter
• Start a reservation
• Sign up for a yoga class

The list is very specific to your business.

From there, I create a plan for the features needed to support these CTAs:

• Find professional grade plugins that can fit the need
• Design a custom plugin when needs are specific and third-party plugins won’t suffice

I create a proposal denoting this detailed design and the specific costs involved, before any work commences.

Website Development

Once the proposal is signed, I begin the website development process. To ensure everything is thoroughly planned and implemented, I follow a detailed 20-page checklist for development and test. I developed this list over the years to cover all the essential elements required for a fully functional and effective website. Managing a website involves numerous details, and this structured approach ensures nothing is overlooked.

I develop the software that integrates seamlessly within the WordPress framework:

• Custom Theme: transforming the website design and features into a cohesive and functional experience.
• Third-Party Plugin Integration: Installing chosen plugins and ensuring they harmonize with the website’s design for a seamless user experience.
• Custom Plugins: Crafting tailored software solutions to address the unique requirements of your website.
• Search Engine Optimization: focusing on optimizing a website’s infrastructure to improve search engine visibility and proper indexing.

Custom Theme

Building a custom theme for WordPress involves creating a unique design and structure tailored to meet specific needs and the moodboard previous approved.

It starts with planning the site’s layout, user experience, and features, followed by converting those ideas into a functional design using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. A professional approach ensures the theme adheres to WordPress coding standards, is responsive across all devices, and optimizes performance for speed and SEO.

The development process includes leveraging WordPress template hierarchy, creating additional blocks needed, creating custom post types, widgets, and theme options, and ensuring compatibility with plugins.

Rigorous testing is performed to guarantee functionality, security, and cross-browser compatibility. A well-built custom theme provides a seamless user experience and reflects the unique identity of the brand or business.

Third-Party Plugin Integration

Integrating third-party plugins into a WordPress website involves enhancing its functionality by incorporating pre-built tools designed to address specific needs. The process begins with identifying and selecting reliable plugins that align with the website’s goals and are regularly updated by reputable developers.

After installing and activating the plugin through the WordPress admin dashboard, configuration and customization are performed to ensure the plugin works seamlessly with the website’s design and existing functionality.

Careful attention is paid to compatibility adding needed software to the theme to ensure the use of the third-party plugin looks seamless to the website visitor.

Custom Plugin Software Development

Developing software for a WordPress plugin requires a deep understanding of both software development, its lifecycle and the WordPress ecosystem. It involves creating features that seamlessly integrate with the WordPress core, and adhering to best practices for performance, security, and scalability.

A professional approach includes clear coding standards, thorough testing across different environments, and user-friendly design to meet the needs of diverse audiences. Additionally, staying updated with WordPress updates and maintaining robust documentation are essential to provide a reliable, maintainable, and versatile plugin that enhances functionality for end users.

Search Engine Optimization

Google and Bing are the two main search engines people use to find information online. These search engines continuously crawl websites to understand the business’s purpose and how it can fulfill search queries, helping attract potential clients to the site.

The website will adhere to standard practices to keep those search engines happy and informed. Optimizing website content for easy consumption by the search engines is called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Website Test

Testing a WordPress custom website is a crucial step in ensuring its functionality, usability, and reliability before launch. The process begins with unit testing to verify that individual components, such as custom themes and plugins, work as intended.

Next, functional testing evaluates core features, including navigation, forms, search functionality, and e-commerce workflows, ensuring they perform seamlessly. Responsive testing is conducted to confirm the website displays and functions correctly across various devices and screen sizes.

Cross-browser testing ensures compatibility with different web browsers, while performance testing checks for optimal loading speed and server response times.

Rigorous and thorough testing ensures the custom WordPress website is polished, secure, and ready to deliver an exceptional user experience starting the first day is launched.

Website Review

Once development testing is complete, I create a staged website that is private and accessible only to you for review. This staging environment is also used by me for thorough end-to-end testing to ensure the website functions perfectly in a real-world scenario. You’ll have the opportunity to review all content, images, and features, and only after your final approval will the website be made live to the public.

Website Launch

The day arrives when it is time to go live. I do my best to ensure that is, from my point of view, a very boring day. With the staged website so carefully reviewed and the testing that I perform, launch days go without incident.

Launch day can be an exciting time for your business as it is a great marketing opportunity to familiarize people with your business and its unique value.

Care and Maintenance

Once your website is launched, I provide extensive care and maintenance services to keep your website running smoothly.