“How long will it take to build my website?” is probably the most common question new clients ask us, and it’s easy to understand why. Getting a website launched in a timely fashion can mean the difference between losing money or making money.
While there is no hard-and-fast answer to how long the process will take, the average is somewhere between six and ten weeks. We have, however, completed some in under a week. There are many factors that come into play, but there are many ways you can help minimize the amount of time between the handshake and the site launch.
Here are the ones we’ve discovered make the biggest difference.
Know why you want a website.
To put it another way: If your website could only have one function, what would it be? Do you want people to call you? Do you want to provide information as a public service? Do you want to sell your product? While a website can do all of these things, it’s best to know your primary purpose before you start. Many sites have been delayed because the purpose kept changing.
Keep true to deadlines.
Before you begin a web design project, your developer should provide you with a timeline that has specific milestones. This timeline should include various windows of time where a response will be needed from you in order to proceed. By keeping to the schedule and being available for questions and reviews, you will help ensure your project doesn’t suffer from unnecessary delays.
Learn to let go.
The internet is filled with knowledge. It’s possible (although rather time-consuming) to learn everything you need to know about building a website just by doing online research. But the one thing research will never give anybody is experience. A good web developer will listen to their client’s ideas with an open mind, but the best web developers know when to take the lead on a project. Part of what a client pays for is the experience of knowing what works well and what doesn’t.
Schedule regular reviews.
Regardless of the size of your budget, your website is an investment. You earned the money you’re spending, so you should take a vested interest in how it’s being spent. Your developer should be scheduling regular meetings (or at the very least, be sending regular updates) throughout the course of your project. If you’re not hearing from them, it’s in your best interests to make sure they hear from you.
Keeping these things in mind will help ensure your project is completed quickly and on time.
