Web Development vs. Website Design

Web development and design are two distinct but necessary components to any website project. Web design is the process of designing the visual language, graphic style, and user experience of your site. Web development involves writing the front end and back end code to bring that functionality to life.

 

Think about the process of building a house. An architect designs the structure and floorplan of the house, while builders construct the house from these plans. Similarly, a web designer creates a blueprint for your new website, and the developer creates a functional site from that design.

Which Service Does Your Business Need?

If you’re wondering whether you should invest in a developer or a designer, the answer is typically both. Going back to the house analogy, you can’t start building without a blueprint, and architects don’t create blueprints without the intention of building something.

Do You Need a Front End Developer
or Back End Developer?

You will need both front end and back end developers to create a fully functional website. Front end developers work with the part of the website that is visible to you in the browser. This is more than how it looks. Front end developers ensure that any dynamic content is being pulled from the correct places, all forms function the way they should, and the site works well on all browsers and devices.

 

Back end developers control how the information travels through the website and to outside databases. This includes form submissions, website security, compatibility issues with the site itself and the server that the site lives on, complex functionality like calculators, and configurators.

Partner with an experienced team of developers for your next web project.

Our Web Development Capabilities

WTM has both designers and developers on our team. We can handle your entire site build or redesign from start to finish.

Our team has built projects ranging in size from small business websites to complex ecommerce functionality or large enterprise sites. We can tackle projects on a variety of platforms or content management systems. Some popular platforms include:

BigCommerce-logo

WordPress

BigCommerce

WooCommerce

Shopify

WordPress

BigCommerce

Drupal

Shopify

We can build you a custom website from scratch, or utilize an existing theme or template. There are advantages to both approaches. Our team can help you determine which one is right for your needs and budget. Perhaps you are happy with your current website but would like to update it with new contact forms, landing pages, or other features. We are able to assist with these projects as well.

The Phases of a Web Development Project

Every web development project goes through six phases:

Discovery

We establish goals and build a strategy to achieve your objectives. This is a great time to have conversations about what you want your new site to be.

Design

Our designers work on the look, feel, and user experience of your new website. We collaborate with you to make sure the site looks and functions the way you want it to.

Development

After the design and user experience are approved, we begin developing your project for use on the web. This includes all special functionality, forms, and responsiveness.

Content

Once the website has been built, we load all copy, imagery, or products onto its new pages. At this point, we’ll need your help to ensure everything is in its proper place.

Pre Launch

Our team tests your site to make sure it performs the way it should on launch day. This includes content, design, SEO, and mobile responsiveness. You will also have access to a demonstration link showing the functionality and design of your new website. When everything is approved, a launch date is set.

Post Launch

Now that your site is live, we conduct a post-launch audit to check for any errors. Our team makes sure all internal links are redirecting properly and the domain is submitted for search engines to index.

Three Important Factors: Budget, Timeline and Scope

Budget, timeline, and scope should be part of the first discussion when considering a new website. Not all websites are built the same, and there is a build style to suit most budgets. However, the project’s scope and timeline must be factored in as well. The scope of a project refers to the functionality and content your new site will have. Added functionality increases the scope, which in turn increases the budget.

Timeline constraints can potentially impact both scope and budget. It normally takes three to six months to build a website, and sometimes longer depending on functionality requirements and content creation. Speeding up the timeline can result in higher project costs.

How Much Does It Cost To Build a Website?

Building a website typically costs from $12k to $100k or more. It all depends on the scope of the project. As mentioned before, functionality plays a major role in website costs.

If you are a small business that simply needs an informational website with basic functionality, you may pay between $12,000 and $15,000 for your site. A large national brand or complex ecommerce store may pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a completely customized solution. See the chart below for more information.