What's included in professional web design?
Key takeaways
- A complete project runs from discovery and planning to a tested, live site your team can update.
- Content entry, testing and training are the stages most often missing from proposals, so ask about them.
- A bilingual site needs a mirrored right-to-left layout and separate addresses for each language, not just translation.
- Basic SEO, such as page titles, clean addresses and a sitemap, should be part of the build.
- Gathering your text and photos early is the best way to keep the project on schedule.
Two proposals can both say "website design" and mean very different things. One may cover a home page mock-up and little else, while another takes you all the way from the first meeting to a live, tested site your team knows how to update. Knowing what a complete project includes helps you compare proposals fairly and avoid surprises later.
What does a professional web design project include?
A professional project covers ten stages: discovery, site structure, visual design, building the site in a CMS, content entry, bilingual setup, SEO basics, testing, training and launch. Each stage has a clear result you can check before moving on.
| Stage | What happens | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Discovery | Conversations about your business, customers, goals and competitors | A written summary of goals and the agreed scope |
| 2. Structure | Planning which pages the site needs and how they link together | A sitemap (a list of pages) and simple page sketches |
| 3. Design | Creating the look of the key pages on desktop and mobile | Designs to review and approve |
| 4. Build | Turning the designs into a working site on a CMS | A private preview site you can click through |
| 5. Content entry | Adding the agreed text, photos and documents | Pages filled with your real content |
| 6. Bilingual setup | Setting up Arabic and English versions, if needed | Two complete language versions |
| 7. SEO basics | Preparing the site so search engines can read it well | Page titles, descriptions and a clean structure |
| 8. Testing | Checking every page, form and device | A site that works on phones, tablets and computers |
| 9. Training | Showing your team how to update the site | Your own admin login and the confidence to use it |
| 10. Launch | Making the site live on your domain | A public website, checked again after go-live |
What happens in the discovery stage?
Discovery is where the designer learns your business before drawing anything. Expect questions about who your customers are, what they usually ask before buying, which competitors you admire, and what the website must achieve, such as more calls, quote requests or bookings.
The clearer you are here, the better the result. Our guide on how to explain what you want to a web developer will help you prepare.
How is the structure of the site planned?
Before any colours are chosen, the pages are planned. A sitemap lists every page and shows how they connect, like a table of contents for your website. Wireframes are simple black-and-white sketches showing what goes where on each key page. They let you agree on content and order before anyone spends time on visual details.
What does the design stage cover?
The designer creates the look of your most important pages: usually the home page, a service or product page, a contact page and any special pages your project needs. Each design should be shown in both its desktop and mobile versions, and a professional proposal states how many rounds of changes are included.
When you review the designs, open the mobile versions on your own phone and check them with your real content, not just demo text.
Who puts the content on the website?
In a complete project, the agreed text, photos and documents are entered into the site for you, so it launches fully filled rather than with empty pages. You normally supply the content; the design team formats it and places it correctly.
What does bilingual setup involve?
A proper Arabic and English site is more than translated text. The Arabic version needs a right-to-left layout, where menus, icons and alignment are mirrored, fonts that display Arabic clearly, a language switcher, and a separate web address for each language so both can appear in Google. Both versions should be managed from the same admin panel.
Which SEO basics should be included?
SEO (search engine optimisation, meaning work that helps people find you on Google) starts during the build. The basics every professional project should cover are:
- A unique title and short description for every page.
- Clean, readable page addresses such as /services/interior-design.
- Clear headings on each page.
- A sitemap file that tells search engines which pages exist.
- Fast-loading, mobile-friendly pages.
- Redirects from old page addresses if you are replacing an existing site.
- Website statistics (analytics) and Google Search Console connected at launch.
More detail is in do I need SEO when building a new website?
How is the website tested before launch?
- Every page is checked on phones, tablets and computers.
- Every form is submitted to confirm messages arrive.
- Links, buttons and phone numbers are clicked and tapped.
- Page speed is measured, especially on mobile.
- Both language versions are reviewed for missing or misplaced text.
- You review the preview site and approve it.
Will you be trained to update the website yourself?
You should be. A professional project ends with training on the CMS, the admin panel you use to edit your website, so your team can change text, add photos and publish news without waiting for a developer. Every site we build runs on our own CMS, and we walk your team through it using your own pages.
What happens on launch day?
The site is connected to your domain, the secure padlock (HTTPS) is switched on, redirects are checked, the sitemap is sent to Google, and forms are tested again on the live site. Who looks after the domain and hosting should be agreed in writing in advance.
Launch is the start, not the end; read what happens after your website launches. If you would like a clear breakdown of what your project would include, get in touch with Kensoftware.
How Kensoftware approaches this
- We begin every project with a discovery conversation and a written summary of goals and scope, so both sides agree on what will be delivered.
- We plan the sitemap and page sketches before visual design, then build the approved design on our own CMS, which every site we make runs on.
- We enter the agreed content into the CMS ourselves and set up Arabic and English versions side by side, so the site launches complete in both languages.
- Before launch we test pages, forms and both languages on phones, tablets and computers, then train your team on the CMS using your own pages.
- On launch day we connect the domain, check the secure connection and redirects, and send the sitemap to Google.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to write all the content myself?
Usually you supply the core information about your business, because you know it best. Ask at the start whether copywriting or translation is included in the project or needs to be arranged separately.
How many design changes are normally included?
It varies by project, so it should be written in the proposal. A clear number of review rounds keeps the project moving and avoids misunderstandings later.
Is hosting part of web design?
Not always. Hosting and the domain are sometimes handled by the designer and sometimes by the client. Agree in writing who registers, owns and renews each one before launch.