Web design and development in Seattle

WordPress suits a team that publishes frequently and wants to edit most of the site itself. Its choice of plugins gives you flexibility, but someone needs to keep those plugins and the platform updated for security. Decide who will own that work before choosing it.

A hosted builder such as Wix, Squarespace or Webflow suits a smaller site that you want to manage alone. You have less control over the code and speed, and moving away later can mean rebuilding. An adapted template is also an option for a simple site with a tight brief; rework it around your actual content so the pages fit what you need to say.

A headless setup combines a custom front end with a separate editor. It suits substantial editing needs when speed is also a priority, though there are more parts to host and maintain. We look at how your team works before recommending WordPress or a custom Next.js site.

For a business open to the public, US guidance says the ADA covers the goods and services it offers on the web and identifies WCAG as helpful guidance. We set an accessibility target in your brief and use it to guide the page designs and build. Agreeing the target early gives everyone a basis for reviewing the site, rather than leaving accessibility decisions until launch.

Gather what you have, and note what still needs work.

• Your logo in a vector format, plus brand colours and fonts.
• Examples of sites you like and dislike, with a reason for each.
• Access to your domain, hosting, email, analytics and Search Console, or the name of the person who holds it.
• A folder of case studies, permitted client logos, testimonials and relevant credentials.
• Your main site goal and the person responsible for each kind of enquiry.
• Real photos of your team, premises and finished work; book a photo shoot ahead if needed.

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  Leaving real copy until the end

  Put actual headings and paragraphs into the design early, before their length disrupts an approved layout.

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  Letting someone else register your domain or hosting

  Hold those accounts in your business name and grant access to the people doing the work.

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  Leaving search setup until launch

  Check page titles and the sitemap, and remove any indexing block left from development.

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  Approving pages only on a large screen

  Review every page on a phone before signing off the design.