Website development: where to start

Website development starts with a goal: what should a visitor do — send an enquiry, buy or book. Then come the brief, structure and prototype, content and the list of integrations. After that you choose the platform and fix the timeline.

Where do you start developing a website?

Start with the result the website should deliver: take an order, book a client or help choose a service. Describe the visitor, their question and the action after which the task is done. One service often needs only a landing page; several lines of business need a corporate website; selling online needs an online store.

How do you prepare a brief?

List your products, geography, languages, who is responsible for materials and how enquiries are handled. Add examples with notes on what works for you. Separately list constraints on timing, budget and support.

Then draft a page list and a prototype of the main user journey. A clickable Figma prototype lets you discuss navigation before development starts. Look at competitors too: the method is in competitor website analysis.

Which data and integrations should be described in advance?

• Which fields the customer fills in and who receives the enquiry.
• Where products, prices and stock are stored.
• Which systems exchange data and how errors are detected.
• Who can edit content and manage access.

Enquiries usually go to a CRM: KeyCRM, HubSpot or Pipedrive. Stores in Ukraine typically connect the Nova Poshta API, LiqPay, WayForPay or Monobank acquiring, Checkbox for fiscal receipts and product feeds for Prom or Rozetka. GA4 and GTM with a form submission event are set up before launch.

Which platform should you choose?

Choose the platform after the requirements. WordPress and WooCommerce suit most corporate websites and stores. Shopify is convenient for stores selling abroad. MODX offers flexible templates and fast performance. Next.js and Laravel are used for complex logic, customer accounts and high loads.

For a companion mobile app, Flutter or React Native are the usual choice: a first working version (MVP) takes us up to 15 working days after the brief.

How long does website development take?

Our timelines after the brief is approved and materials are received: a landing page takes up to 3 working days, a business card or corporate website up to 10 working days, an online store up to 15 working days. For large projects with complex integrations, we set the timeline after the brief. Delays most often come from copy and photos, so prepare materials alongside the prototype.

What does the client need to provide?

• one decision-maker who approves each stage;
• copy about services, price guidance for sales staff, terms of work;
• photos of the team, office and work, a vector logo;
• access to the domain, hosting and email;
• a list of staff who should receive enquiries.

If there is no copy, the studio’s copywriter writes it after an interview. This adds approval time, so schedule the interview in the first days of the project.

How do you define the first version of the website?

Split tasks into those needed for launch and later improvements. For each essential scenario, define a check: submitting an enquiry, delivering the notification, editing content, using the site on a phone.

Include a backup, owner access, a search accessibility check and a named support contact in the launch plan. For an existing website, add a plan to preserve URLs with 301 redirects. Examples of our work: websites for the real estate agency Premium Estate and the recruitment agency Globalstaff. See also our website development service.

FAQ

How long does it take to build a website?

A landing page takes up to 3 working days, a business card or corporate website up to 10, and an online store up to 15 working days after the brief is approved and materials are received. Complex projects with integrations are estimated after the brief.

What should I prepare before ordering a website?

The website’s goal, a list of services or products, copy and photos or a person responsible for them, examples of websites you like, and access to the domain and hosting.

Which CMS should I choose?

WordPress for most corporate websites, WooCommerce or Shopify for stores, MODX for flexible templates, Next.js or Laravel for complex logic and customer accounts.

Do I need a prototype before design?

Yes. The prototype settles the structure and user journey before design starts. Changes are quickest to make at this stage.

What affects the cost of website development?

The number of unique templates, integrations, language versions, the volume of content and design requirements. We prepare an estimate after the brief.

Sources

• Figma: Guide to prototyping
• Google Search Central: site moves with URL changes