How Websites Are Developed From Planning to Launch

We build most client sites on WordPress unless there is a specific reason not to. The tools change across projects; the process stays the same.

Planning and scope that holds up under pressure

Most people picture website development as three steps: pick a design, build it, launch it.

That sequence describes a release. A business website needs a process that supports real goals, real users, and future changes without turning every update into a rebuild.

When we build a site at LER Web Services, we treat planning as the first build. Planning turns ideas into decisions. Decisions reduce rework. Rework is where timelines and patience go to retire early.

The most common failure pattern I see is scope that never becomes concrete. A project starts with a few pages, then grows into a logo refresh, a booking system, a client portal, and fifteen extra landing pages. None of those items are strange. The timing is what creates trouble. When scope expands midstream, every downstream step slows down.

Planning should produce four concrete outputs.

The website’s primary job
A site can support more than one goal, but it needs one primary job. Common jobs include lead generation, ecommerce sales, appointment booking, customer support, market education, recruiting, and partner enablement.

Pick one primary job, then one or two secondary jobs. Everything else becomes phase two work. This decision gives you a consistent way to evaluate pages, messaging, and features.

Success metrics
Success metrics define how you will know the site works. For lead generation, that may be calls, form submissions, and qualified quote requests. For ecommerce, that may be completed purchases and checkout completion rate. For support, that may be fewer repetitive tickets.

I also define what a good conversion looks like, not just a higher count. A site that attracts the wrong inquiries increases workload without improving results. Fit criteria belong in planning because they shape messaging and content later.

Requirements
Requirements define what the site needs at launch to do its job. That includes pages, content types, forms and routing rules, integrations, editing needs, and who owns ongoing updates.

Requirements prevent late surprises. They also prevent a common outcome where the site looks finished, but the business cannot run its workflow through it.

Constraints
Constraints include deadlines, legal requirements, brand guidelines, approvals, existing tools you have to keep, and internal capacity. Capacity matters because content and approvals usually gate the schedule.

This phase ties directly into website maintenance. A site rushed through planning tends to ship with inconsistent structure and ad hoc tools. Those choices make future updates riskier. We cover that connection more deeply in our Website Maintenance and Hosting topics.

Structure and user flows that match how people decide

Once goals and scope are clear, structure comes next. Structure maps the site before visual design starts.

Structure has three parts: the sitemap, navigation, and user flows.

Sitemap
A sitemap is a simple outline of pages and hierarchy. For many small businesses, a starting point looks like Home, Services, service detail pages when needed, About, proof (case studies or reviews), Contact, and optionally FAQs and Resources.

Structure works best when one page answers one primary question. When a page tries to answer everything, visitors skim without absorbing.

Navigation
Navigation should reflect how visitors think. Visitors do not care about internal departments or company jargon. They care about their problem and the next step.

In practice, that means short menus with plain labels. It also means making key pages easy to reach from the main navigation, not buried in layers of dropdowns.

User flows
User flows describe how a visitor gets from entry to outcome. For lead generation, a common flow is Home, then a service page, then proof, then contact. For ecommerce, it may be category, product, cart, checkout.

I sketch flows early because they prevent a familiar outcome: a site with strong visuals that lacks a clear path to action. If the flow is unclear, design ends up trying to solve a strategy problem.

This ties directly into our Web Design guide, because good design supports structure and flow.

Content planning that keeps the build moving

Content planning is where many projects stall. Development can be ready, but if content is not ready, progress slows.

Content takes time because it includes writing, gathering assets, confirming details, and getting approvals. It also takes ownership. Someone has to make decisions, or the copy becomes a shared document with no ending.

Content planning usually covers:

Page goals
Every page needs a purpose. A service page should move a visitor toward a contact action, and it should answer the questions that cause hesitation.

Key questions
List the questions people ask in real sales conversations. Those questions become page sections. This keeps content specific and reduces vague marketing language.

Content blocks and templates
Most sites reuse the same content patterns: an intro, benefits, process, FAQs, proof, and a call to action. When you define those blocks early, you can design and build around real structure.

Asset planning
Photos, logos, certifications, reviews, case studies, and policy text all count as assets. If you need new photography, plan it early. Generic stock photography usually carries less trust, especially for local services.

Even if you do not write every word before design begins, you need a content plan detailed enough to guide layout decisions. Placeholder text makes a mockup look complete while the real page stays unclear.

This connects directly into SEO and long term growth. Thin or vague content struggles in search and struggles in conversion. We cover this more deeply in our SEO and Content topics.

Design that supports behavior and editing reality

Design guides users, reduces friction, and supports trust. Professional design work usually moves in two layers: wireframes and a visual system.

Wireframes
Wireframes focus on structure and priority. They answer questions such as what comes first on the page, where calls to action live, and how sections stack on mobile.

Wireframes also keep review cycles cleaner. It is easier to discuss structure when you are not debating colors at the same time.

Visual system
Once wireframes are approved, the design system gets defined: typography, colors and contrast, buttons and form styles, grids, cards, reusable sections, and spacing rules.

I prefer a component based design approach because it creates consistency and makes development cleaner. It also makes future updates cheaper because you reuse the same building blocks across pages.

Editing reality matters here. If you build on WordPress, the design needs to align with how content will be edited. Layouts that rely on fragile one off styling tend to break during routine updates.

This is where design connects to web development and maintenance. Consistent components make the CMS easier to use and reduce accidental layout damage.

Development that builds a system you can maintain

Development turns plans and designs into a working system. On a WordPress build, development usually includes templates, CMS configuration, integrations, performance foundations, and security basics.

Templates and reusable components
Developers build repeatable sections: header and footer, service page layouts, testimonial blocks, grids, cards, and form layouts. Reuse improves consistency and reduces bugs.

CMS configuration
CMS setup is a major part of a maintainable site. It includes menus, page templates, and sometimes custom post types for services, locations, case studies, or products. It also includes editing screens and fields that match real workflows.

User roles and permissions belong here too. Giving everyone full admin access increases the chance of accidental changes and security incidents. Controlled access reduces that risk.

Integrations
Most business sites connect to something: contact form routing, scheduling tools, a CRM, email marketing, payments, ecommerce, or membership tools.

Integrations often hide complexity. “Send leads to our CRM” can involve field mapping, spam filtering, consent tracking, notifications, and error handling. Planning for these details early prevents launch delays.

If the site accepts payments, this ties into our Payments topic, and also Refunds and Policies. Checkout depends on clarity around what happens after purchase, not just page design.

Performance foundations
Speed starts with infrastructure and build decisions. Hosting quality matters, and so do image handling, caching strategy, and avoiding unnecessary weight.

A weak hosting environment can create slow performance even when development work is solid. A heavy site can struggle on decent hosting. We cover that relationship more in our Hosting guide.

Security baseline
Security work includes HTTPS enforcement, strong admin controls, spam prevention, update planning, and monitoring. These items belong in development because they depend on configuration choices.

This phase ties back into website maintenance because every development choice affects future updates. Clean components and disciplined plugin use reduce long term risk.

Testing and launch preparation that reduces surprises

Testing ensures the site works under real conditions, not just on a developer laptop.

Testing usually includes:

Functional testing
Forms submit correctly, confirmations display, notifications go to the right people, and any booking or payment flow works end to end.

Cross device testing
Check desktop and mobile layouts across different screen sizes and major browsers. Real phones catch tap target issues and spacing problems that desktop testing misses.

Performance checks
Review page speed, image sizes, obvious bottlenecks, and caching behavior.

Accessibility basics
This is practical usability: readable text, usable buttons, clear form labels, sensible focus behavior, and predictable navigation.

Security review
Confirm HTTPS, admin protections, spam controls, and update plans.

Launch preparation is its own workstream. Launch goes smoothly when the project treats launch as a checklist, not as a button press.

Launch preparation usually includes:

Domain and DNS planning
Confirm who controls DNS. Plan cutover timing. Prepare records to reduce downtime.

SSL and HTTPS verification
Install certificates, redirect HTTP to HTTPS, and fix mixed content issues.

Redirects for existing sites
Redirects protect SEO and prevent broken bookmarks. Map old URLs to new URLs, avoid redirect chains, and test critical paths before going live.

Analytics and conversion tracking
Install analytics correctly. Define conversion events for forms, calls, purchases, or bookings. Keep naming consistent so the data stays usable.

SEO basics
Confirm sitemap generation, indexing rules, and metadata where needed. Launch mistakes here often turn into slow cleanup work later.

Backup and rollback
Backup the current site and confirm a rollback plan. Rollbacks are rare, but planning them reduces launch risk.

On launch day, test the paths that create money: forms, bookings, checkout, and contact links. A site that drops leads loses revenue quietly.

Post launch iteration and long term stability

Launch is when you get real data. Real users behave differently than internal reviewers. They click in unexpected places, they use devices you did not test, and they bring questions you did not anticipate.

Post launch work usually includes:

Stabilization
Fix issues that only show up under real traffic: form delivery quirks, mobile layout edge cases, and occasional plugin conflicts.

Conversion tuning
Identify pages with traffic and low conversion, then adjust messaging, proof placement, and calls to action. Most conversion gains come from small changes in clarity and friction.

Content improvements
Fill content gaps revealed by search queries and customer questions. Improve service pages where visitors hesitate. Add FAQs that reflect real objections.

Maintenance and security
Keep updates, backups, monitoring, and performance checks consistent. A stable website supports growth by staying reliable.

Long term outcomes track back to early decisions.

Hosting choices influence speed and uptime.
Structure and redirects influence SEO.
CMS setup and component discipline influence maintenance.

This is why we treat planning and structure as the foundation. It reduces rework and keeps the site easier to improve over time.

Summary

Website development coordinates planning, structure, content, design, development, testing, launch preparation, and iteration. Each stage shapes SEO, maintenance, performance, and conversion outcomes.

Steps

1. Define the site’s primary job and success metrics

2. Lock scope, requirements, and constraints

3. Build a sitemap, navigation plan, and key user flows

4. Create a content plan that maps questions to page sections

5. Approve wireframes for core templates

6. Define a visual system and component set

7. Build templates, configure the CMS, and connect integrations

8. Test forms, bookings, checkout, and navigation across real devices

9. Prepare launch items: DNS, SSL, redirects, analytics, SEO basics, backup

10. Launch with smoke tests and monitoring

11. Iterate based on real behavior and ongoing maintenance

Requirements

Admin access to the WordPress site and hosting
Access to domain registrar and DNS provider
A list of required pages, features, and integrations
Content ownership: who writes, who approves, who uploads
Brand assets: logo and basic style references
A decision maker who can approve structure and design without endless loops

Timeframes

Planning and scope often takes three to ten days.
Structure and wireframes often takes one to two weeks.
Visual system design often takes one to three weeks.
Development and CMS setup often takes two to five weeks.
Content entry and migration often takes one to three weeks.
Testing and launch preparation often takes one to two weeks.
Post launch stabilization usually takes the first two to four weeks.

Troubleshooting and common issues

The project keeps expanding
Scope was not defined, or stakeholders keep adding “small” extras. Lock a launch scope, move additions to a phase two list, and protect content and approvals.

Design looks good but conversions are weak
Page goals, messaging, proof placement, and calls to action were not solved early. Revisit structure and content decisions. This connects to our Web Design and Content topics.

Content delays everything
Content ownership and approvals are unclear. Assign an owner, set deadlines, and write to page templates so approvals focus on substance.

The site is slow after launch
Hosting, images, plugin count, and theme weight drive most issues. Fix the foundation first. This ties into our Hosting and Website Maintenance guides.

SEO traffic dropped after launch
Redirects, URL changes, and indexing rules often cause this. Audit redirects, sitemap, and indexability. We cover this in our SEO guide.