My usual website design process
As a freelance web designer for marketing agencies, the website design process can be completely controlled by you. However, if you would rather I take full control over the project, my normal process runs through five clear phases.
My experience in SEO allows new website designs to be built from the ground up sticking to best practices. It also gives me a deep knowledge of the user journey — optimising the user experience and understanding how people navigate their way to conversion.
This is essential to climb up the ranking. Combining the best SEO practices with a well-thought-through conversion funnel and a modern, sleek design is where the real gains come from.
Phase 1 — Brief Construction
I will arrange a meeting, either face-to-face or over the phone, to discuss the goals of the website, the branding, and to learn about your business and other websites you like. Once I have an idea of what you're looking for, I can begin phase two.
Phase 2 — Designs
I will construct designs for you to review. These are presented to you as a PDF. You can use this time to ask for any amendments to get it looking exactly how you want before I take the project to the build stage.
Phase 3 — Build
Once you have approved the design I go to the build stage. This is where I start writing all of the lines of code and start constructing your design onto the server.
Phase 4 — Testing
Once the website has been built I test the site in a staging area. This means the site is live on a server but can't be seen by general internet traffic. I test all aspects to ensure it is working before publishing.
Phase 5 — Go Live
Once the site has been built as per the approved design and fully tested, I begin the go-live process. I can transfer the website onto a server of your choice, or if you host with me, simply update your domain's DNS.
Amendments & Expansion
For some clients I am on retainer to do little website tweaks here or there every month — a resellable package particularly handy for clients who don't know how to make adjustments themselves. With larger one-off projects, amendments can be built into different phases of the price.
Why a freelance website designer who understands SEO matters
A lot of websites are designed first and optimised later, which usually means the structure has to be undone to make it findable. As a freelance website designer with an SEO background, I plan the page hierarchy, URLs, headings and internal links before a single design is drawn up. That way the site is easy for search engines to read from the day it launches, and you don't pay for a second round of work to fix it.
The same thinking applies to the visitor. I map how people are likely to arrive, what they need to know and what you want them to do next, then design each page around that journey. Clear calls to action, sensible navigation and fast-loading pages do more for conversion than any amount of decoration, and they are the parts of the design I spend the most time on.
What I build
I build websites for almost any function and budget. That covers brochure sites for local businesses, lead generation sites built around a single clear offer, full e-commerce stores and redesigns of existing sites that need to perform better. Every build is responsive, so the design holds together on a phone, a tablet and a desktop, and every build is checked in the staging area before anything goes live.
If you already have a design and just need someone to build it, I can take it from there. If you'd rather hand over the whole project, I run it from brief to go-live and keep you informed at each stage. You choose how involved you want to be.
Web design and AI
A website is now the foundation for much more than a brochure. Search increasingly happens through AI answers as well as results pages, so I build sites with clean structure and structured data that both can read. If you want visibility in those answers, my AEO services build on the same foundation, and my SEO services keep the site climbing once it's live.
If you'd like the website to do more of the work itself, such as qualifying enquiries or following up leads automatically, that is what the AI Makeover is for. It turns a website into an AI-driven system rather than a static set of pages. For an example of what SEO-led work can achieve when it is built on solid foundations, read the insurance broker case study.
Freelance web design features as standard
All of my websites are 100% search engine and user friendly. With numerous different build techniques I can build websites for almost any function and budget — from website transfers and SSL encryption through to recommended builds and full e-commerce websites.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a website design project take?
It depends on the size of the site and how quickly feedback comes back at each stage. A small brochure site moves through the five phases much faster than a full e-commerce build, and most of the variation comes from the design review and amendment rounds rather than the build itself. I give you a realistic timeline once the brief is agreed, so you know what to expect before any work starts.
Do you build websites that rank in search, or just ones that look good?
Both, and I don't see them as separate jobs. My background is SEO, so site structure, page speed, metadata and internal linking are planned into the design from the start rather than bolted on afterwards. A site that looks good but can't be found doesn't do much for the business, and the reverse is just as true.
Can you redesign my existing website instead of starting from scratch?
Yes. A redesign can keep what already works, such as pages that rank and content that converts, and replace what doesn't. I review the current site first, so the new design protects existing search visibility rather than resetting it. Building from scratch is optional, not a requirement.
Do you only work with businesses in Bournemouth?
No. I'm based in Bournemouth, Dorset, and happy to meet local clients face to face, but design, build and testing all work perfectly well remotely. The brief can be run over the phone or a video call, and designs are shared as a PDF for review, wherever you are.
What happens after the website goes live?
I can transfer the site to a server of your choice, or update your domain's DNS if you host with me. After launch, some clients keep me on a monthly retainer for small changes and updates, while others come back only when they need something larger. Either way, the site is yours to keep and to grow.