Custom WordPress development.

Project planning.

This is the key stage to a successful custom WordPress site. The project’s planning will include the brief, which should set out the goals and objectives.

This stage also outlines all the key requirements for the site’s functionality, which we then map to functionality and plan how everything should work.

Scoping and mapping.

Briefs often outline the desired result rather than how to achieve it, so this stage picks up from the outlines in the brief and maps out the project’s how, what and why.

One good example of this is site content – specifically global site elements such as calls-to-action. How and where are these managed, for example?

Data planning.

This stage sets out not what everything will look like but how it will be arranged, where the data will be stored, what the dependencies are, what needs to be talked to, etc.

The last thing you want to do on a large website project is to assign content at the page level and then find, 100 pages later, that it should have been global.

Content.

We are a content-first agency, and there’s good reason.

It’s simply not possible to design a website without content; it’s like baking a cake without any ingredients.

Getting the content sorted for your new site helps every other stage of the project.

Wireframing.

Once we have the content, the pages will be laid out as wireframes to represent the content hierarchy and information architecture.

Blocks are also wireframed at this stage so we can scope what is going on visually.

This stage typically goes through several rounds of feedback and discussion before we move on to the next stage.

Design.

Most people want to get to this stage as it’s where the site starts to come together.

We don’t proceed with design until the planning and content are in place. Otherwise, we end up with a design that neither suits content nor functionality requirements.

You’ll know this dance if you’ve been involved in design projects: Design > Feedback > Amend/Develop > Feedback > Rinse & Repeat.

Build.

There is too much to cover in full here, but typically, this starts with the headers and footers and their respective navigation items.

The main content elements are built in block form for modular page builds.

The leaner the better is key when it comes to code, and we generally build mobile-first (as that’s the way Google indexes your site).

Content population.

As the build progresses, the content is added to the site. We prefer to do this in sections; everything is managed on a spreadsheet to keep things organised.

We have people at Toast who manage this process, so it’s all looked after and done correctly.

It’s not just a copy-and-paste process, as the final content load often involves block and design tweaks and potential functional considerations.

Functionality.

In most cases, we need the content to build the specified custom functionality into the site (you can’t build a shop without products). This is often where the clever stuff happens.

Some custom functionality will be built into the theme; if there is more complex stuff, we may build it out as a bespoke plugin.

This will take its lead from the planning stages.

We do this function-by-function so stuff can be checked, tested and approved in stages rather than trying to do everything at once.

Testing.

Everything is checked, tested, then tested and checked again.

We go through all the work and peer-check it; we test it, you test it, and we get fresh eyes on the site to also test and check things.

Once everything is, you guessed it, tested, it’s then ready for final approval (our end and yours).

Snagging.

There’s little point in snagging unless everything is completed, so this is one of the final stages of the project.

Your site is loaded into our commenting tool, and you can mark up any final tweaks to the layouts, design, content and images.

This is the final preflight to go live, so we encourage clients to comment on everything (can you move that by 5 pixels and so on).

Go live.

WordPress makes this famously easy.

We pick up the site and move it from the development to the production environment (wherever possible).

We look after any DNS changes and SSL certificates and make sure the site works correctly.

Moving a WordPress site does not typically take long and minimises downtime.

Post-live checklist.

We have an extensive post-live checklist that takes in everything from checking forms are working to Google Search Console.

Currently running at around 50 checks, we make sure you new custom WordPress site is in tip-top shape, up-to-date and optimised.

Training.

Training sometimes happens pre-launch, but most clients prefer to get the site live first.

You’ll receive full training on using your new site, from editing the content to managing the custom functionality.

If everything is planned correctly at the start of the project, you will find your new site is so intuitive to use that little training is required.

Support and Handover.

Now that your new custom WordPress site is live, we offer two weeks of free support to cover any issues that might arise.

After this, we can discuss ongoing support options.

Once our invoices are paid, the site will be 100% yours: we don’t retain any ownership of the sites we build.