Now, you probably had a chance to look at the first installment of Web Developer’s Guide to Marketing. Now, we want to look at another matter that could be helpful for all your business efforts. It is about how to approach web development in general.
Or, it is better to say, how should you approach web dev as a part of the team. You see, the common misconception is that everything starts with web development.
More likely, it starts with web design. And, there is a good reason for that.
The Common Misconception About Web Dev
When you think about website development, you think about what frameworks to use. Or how to use other tools to complete your website. Now, that is not wrong in any sense. The problem here is that is not the kind of work web devs often do. Often, you need help from other professionals to complete a website.
Often, you need at least another two professionals. These are web designers and copywriters. However, a web developer may be a web designer. However, when a project has more complex requirements, you may need additional developers.
While a web dev’s job is to build an actual website, the problem is to decide how to develop the website. Ironically, in modern web development, web developers get the last call in the project.
Web Dev’s Position in Business Development
That may sound outlandish. However, it is true, even more so when you think about the advent of no-code and low-code platforms. Also, drag and drop builders like Elementor are standard in web design.
That leads you to a question. Why would a client need a web developer in the first place?
Of course, you can interpret this as a joke. Web devs are more necessary than ever. Sure, anyone can mount a paid theme on hosting and call it a website. But right numerous problems arise from a faulty setup.
For example, your theme comes with documentation that says that it supports WooCommerce. But what happens when you try to load products into the shop and fail? Who are you going to call?
There, a web developer shines like the brightest star on a summer night. Excuse the fine metaphor. You see that web developers serve to set up your online business.
Without a proper setup, code, and frameworks, your website has to fail. That means your online business is bound to fail. Finally, that makes your whole online operations obsolete. Even in those conditions, you should let a web designer take the lead role in website development.
Web Design First
So far, you could read about the foundation of Deluminal methodology and thinking when it comes to web dev. There are other ways to do web development, and these are excellent as well. That is something that works for our clients.
Our goal is not to create a product that is out of this world. Instead, we want a stable, fast solution to help our clients use their website as additional sales and marketing channels. When you get a Deluminal website, that means that you have a website that performs.
It should help you get more leads, increase sales, and operate as your identity in the digital world. Or simpler, your website is the foundation of your online business. It should contain everything to help your users find you and purchase products from your online business.
That is why you should let web designers and copywriters work first. Then as a web dev, help them to bring their vision to reality.
Copy-Assist Approach to Web Design
Now, this is not a revolutionary methodology, nor it has to be. Instead, it is a simple method to build a website in less time and with less work. For example, you can use this method and build a website faster if you know what you want to develop.
Finally, once you have the mock-up, go on and build the website. But, how you reach the mock-up stage of the website is entirely a different matter.
Translating Business Offer Into Online Presentation
Like with anything in life, you want to do some planning. First, you want to decide what type of website you want for your business. Then, work on developing the website structure. Website structure is the best indicator of the kind of website you build.
Regardless, web structure is like a skeleton of the website. While it constitutes the elementary form of the website, the final product has its unique appearance.
That is why you need to sit with a copywriter and web designer first. Once the business owner explains his expectation and business model, it is time to outline the website.
Website Outline
There are two common ways to create an outline. You can let a copywriter or web designer work on it or let them do it together.
In this step, they use their tools to draw out the look of the web pages. A copywriter may imagine the web page as the collection of boxes to fit in the copy. Further, they may write the copy and prepare the notes for the web designer to develop a mock-up.
The web designer may create the web pages right away. Once ready, the copywriter comes and fills in the designated spaces on the web pages to complete them.
The best results come when you combine the two and have them develop the page together. Then, you get an outstanding user experience.
User Experience
The problem a web developer may struggle with is how to convey user experience. All the more so with the current trends such as content design and UX copy. Without it, the future website certainly will fail to appease the users.
Take this issue step by step. Get into the boots of your future users and try to imagine how they want to use the website. While you may have a general idea of the website performance, give that another round of thinking.
Users do not know of websites, coding, or UX. They want to use the website to complete a task or get something. That is all users care about when it comes to your website. Approach their thinking not as shallow but as a pointer to a better use-case of your website.
Copy and Mock Up
With that, you have both copy and web page design. Now, it is time to build a mock-up.
Mock-up is the stage before you get to the actual development. Here, you have everything, at least in the form of a photoshop document. While that may sound crud, you need to present it with a team or a client.
Depending on your assignment or partnership, you can start working on your project. Then, you may proceed to the first-stage development.
First-Stage Development
Now, it is web dev’s time to shine! When you have the mockup ready, you go and do the things that developers do!
The way you do it, however, depends entirely on you. You can code the whole website, use various tools, or find another way. Often, you can use WordPress as the foundation for your website and proceed from that point.
In reality, every agency has its approach to how they build websites. Most keep it as a sort of a trade secret. Thus, you could jot down a way for the actual development, but there is no need for that.
Instead, use your tools, libraries, methods, framework, and approaches. Prepare to finish the website.
Finishing the Project
In the last stage, you want to test everything. Ensure that there are no bugs, no problems and that everything is responsive. The same applies to webshop capabilities. Once you test the website, you can send it to the client.
Also, this is a safe way to build a website. And to do it in a productive and error-free way. Of course, there are always more things to do. But, this way, you can build a website that is easy to optimize for all marketing efforts.
For further testing, consider adding a bespoke software solution or developing custom code for the website.
Try the Copy-Assist Approach to Web Design
If you have a solid marketing-development team, give this approach a try. With it, you can create better websites in less time.
Also, you will make the work of fellow marketers that much easier. When you get the two together, you get a website that wins!