Planning Your Project: Questions & Answers
You don't need technical knowledge to get a great website, but knowing what to expect makes the project faster and the result better.
These answers walk you through timelines, how to describe what you want, where AI tools fit in, and how to measure whether your website is doing its job after launch.
How long does it take to build a website?
A simple business website usually takes 3 to 6 weeks, a larger company website 6 to 12 weeks, and an online store 8 to 16 weeks. The biggest cause of delay is waiting for content and approvals, so preparing your text and photos early and naming one decision-maker is the best way to launch sooner.
- Most business websites take between 3 and 16 weeks, depending on size and features.
- Every project moves through discovery, design, development, content, and testing and launch.
- Waiting for text, photos and approvals causes more delay than design or programming.
How do I explain what I want to a web developer?
Explain your business, not the technology. Tell the developer your goals, who your customers are, which pages you imagine, websites you like, what content you have, which languages you need and your must-have features. Describe what customers and staff should be able to do in plain words, and a good developer will translate it into a plan.
- You do not need technical words; describing your goals and customers in plain language is more useful.
- A short written brief covering goals, customers, pages, examples, content, languages and must-haves saves time.
- Showing websites you like, and saying why, is the easiest way to describe a look.
Can AI build my website, or do I still need a developer?
AI can quickly produce a first draft of a website, including layouts and text, and it is fine for a simple test page. A business website also needs accurate content, proper Arabic and English, an admin panel your team can update, security, SEO and someone to support it. Professionals use AI too, but they take responsibility for the result.
- AI tools are good at fast first drafts of text, layouts and simple one-page sites.
- Business websites need accuracy, bilingual content, easy updating, security, SEO and ongoing support.
- AI-generated text can contain wrong facts about your business and sound like everyone else.
How will I know if my website is working?
Your website is working if it brings in enquiries and orders, not just visitors. Use Google Analytics to see how many people visit and where they come from, Google Search Console to see how they find you on Google, and count real contact messages and sales each month to judge whether the site is helping the business.
- Enquiries and orders are the real measure of a website, not visitor numbers alone.
- Google Analytics shows how many people visit, which pages they view and where they come from.
- Google Search Console shows what people search for and how often they click through to you.