We follow a seven-step strategy on all new projects. This allows us to make sure that we’ve taken all pieces of the project into consideration before it goes live and creates several milestones along the way to give you the opportunity to see our progress.
Research and Planning
After our proposal has been accepted, Lee Media Group will schedule a kick-off meeting with your team to get a more detailed scope of what you want and need from the new website. During this phase of the project, we will collect all data and put together a plan for the rest of the project. This will include creating a detailed sitemap for the new website.
Basecamp will be used for all project coordination throughout all phases of the project. With Basecamp we are able to involve clients, vendors, staff and appropriate team members as necessary. Whether it’s a small or large project, timely communication between all parties is crucial for ultimate success. Throughout the course of this project, we will use this tool for all online discussion and file sharing. You will have the ability to upload any files we may need using the web-based interface.
Content
Using the sitemap and flowcharts, our content writer will start working on the content for the new website. Any existing content or new content provided will be reviewed with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind, and we will work with you to determine what keywords should be focused on for each section. We will ensure that all pieces of the website are cohesive and easy for visitors to read and understand.
Design
With the structure mapped out, our graphic designer will begin creating a design for the homepage that is modern and eye-catching. Our goal will be to create a layout that is not only visually appealing, but will also help draw visitors into the site and direct them to the content they are looking for. The user interface for any custom functionality will be created at this point and will be based directly on the design for the homepage. In addition to provided mock-ups for the homepage, we will also provide additional designs for other main landing pages on the website.
We believe social media is an important tool for all new websites and web-based applications, and the new design will include options for linking to your social media profiles as well as options for visitors to share it on their own profiles. We will work with you to determine the best options for your organization.
Development
After the all designs have been created and approved, our development team will begin the process of building the actual website and any custom functionality. Using the design mock-ups and data collected as a guideline, they will do all of the programming work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure that the website is fully functional and works properly on all devices, including tablets and smartphones.
Testing
When the development phase is over, we will review all work internally and test for any bugs or potential usability issues. We test all new websites on all modern platforms and devices to ensure that everything works regardless of where a user is accessing it from. When our internal testing is complete, we will turn the website over to you for a final round of testing. This will give you the opportunity to test and ensure that everything looks and behaves exactly the way you want.
Training
Before the launch, we will provide you with a custom training manual and schedule a hands-on training session for your staff. We will teach you how to maintain as much of the content as you like so you will not need to depend on our staff to make simple updates to the website.
All new websites we build include the Yoast SEO tool which makes it easy to check and monitor SEO on all pages of your website without having to deal with technical terms or coding. During training, we will walk your staff through how to use this tool as well and provide some basic guidelines for proper SEO.
Launch
With the new website and any custom functionality thoroughly tested and approved, your new website will go live! We will work closely with your team to ensure that the transition to the new system goes as smoothly as possible and will help you put together an official announcement that can be released once everything goes live. With your permission, we will also announce the launch on our social media outlets.
Ongoing Support
Our post-launch support plan allows for up to 3 hours of support per month for the following year that will cover all required security updates and patches. Time remaining each month can be applied to any of our services (including custom development, design, or social media assistance). We can tailor our support plan to meet the needs of your organization.
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