Custom Design Website Process

Custom design website process

Getting Started


We're excited about designing a modern and professional website that will become a valuable tool for your firm.


We know planning and building a new website isn't something you do everyday, so to make this process as easy for you as possible we've put together this stage-by-stage overview to help you understand the steps we'll work through with you and what you need to do at each step.


  • Your completed Design Brief.
  • Your company logo and any other artwork such as branding materials or images.
  • A suggestion of a good time for an 'Initial Call'.
  • The time-frame you're working toward for completing your website and key contact person(s). We'll need feedback and materials from you along the way.
  • Understand that every website is different. During the Initial Call your Account Manager may let you know that some features or requests have the potential to add a little extra time to your project.

TIP: Start working on your content now. You can either write your own content from scratch, or make use of our Starter Content to make the process quicker and easier.


REDESIGN PROJECTS: If you're redesigning your current site with us, usually we'll apply your new design to your existing content and menu structure. If you would like to make changes to the content as part of your redesign project please discuss how this can be worked into the process with your Account Manager .

Work with you on any questions you have regarding the Design Brief or anything else you're unsure on.

  • Check out the FAQ's on this page and let us know if there is anything you need more information about.

Assign you your very own Account Manager who will work with you throughout your project to ensure everything runs smoothly.


Review and collate the information you provide us in preparation for an Initial Call.

  • During the Initial Call we'll talk through the Design Brief with you and offer suggestions we think your website will benefit from.
  • We'll also ask you questions (and answer any of yours) to ensure we deliver a design that suits your needs.

What 'artwork' do you need me to send?

  • We need your logo in the highest resolution you have it, preferably in .eps format or a high resolution .jpeg.
  • Other Artwork may include brochures, business cards or other marketing material which could assist in ensuring consistency with your brand.
  • Any images you want used as part of your design.

 

What format should I send my 'other' artwork in?

If you're sending brochures or business cards you probably have them saved somewhere as a high resolution .pdf file.


For images, it's important to follow the below guidelines:


  • Formats - jpeg, png.
  • Sizes/Resolution - The resolution or size needed will depend on how and where it is to be used, but bigger is usually better as we can always reduce a large image.
  • Aspect (landscape/portrait) - Keep in mind that tall skinny images don't fit nicely into wide spaces or image headers. When cropped you end up with a thin segment where a lot of detail is lost.
  • Stock imagery - We can purchase images on your behalf through iStock.com for use in your website. You may prefer to purchase the images directly through iStock with a licence to allow you to use the image in other materials. We can tell you the correct image size to purchase.
  • Copyright - It is important  that you have appropriate permission/licence to use images you supply for your website. Using an image you found in a Google search or on someone else's website, for example,  is a breach of copyright.

My files are too large to email, how else can I send them to you?

  • Try zipping your files together, if this isn't enough to reduce the file size for sending please either share a Dropbox folder with us, or you can use a tool such as  www.wetransfer.com to send large non-sensitive files.

   

I don't have a logo, what should I do?

Logo design is not our specialty however we're happy to design a basic logo for you for a small fee.


Should I use Stock images?

CCH Web Manager has a built in image library for you to select from. Plus there are many Stock photo websites where you can purchase images to download. It's your choice and will depend on what you like and what you want to achieve with your website. Stock images are really handy and can be used in a lot of ways, however you may like a more personal approach with your own photos of staff, clients, your building. local area etc.


I don't know what to write in the Design Brief, can you help?

  • We're happy to chat with you about your design brief and answer any questions you have so you can get it filled in and returned to us. Please send an email to webmanager@wolterskluwer.com and your Account Manager will be in touch asap.

Discussing Your Requirements - Initial Call


After you've completed what we need in the Getting Started stage, your Account Manager will call you at an agreed time to discuss your needs, ideas and questions in more detail.


This is usually a 30 - 40 minute conversation. It's best if all decision makers attend this call, however it does work best if there are no more than three attendees.


We will call you at a time and day that suits you for an initial call, in preparation for the call please:


  • Have a computer with an internet connection with you.
  • Have a copy of your completed Design Brief with you.
  • Look over the Starter Content, even if only briefly, before the call as we may discuss your content plan during the call.
  • Have a list of any questions you would like to discuss with us.
  • Be open to our creative suggestions and judgment of what will work best for your website during the design process. It helps if we have some flexibility to create what we think work best for your new website.

  • Discuss your ideas and requirements with you.
  • Give you advice on what we feel is best for your new website.
  • Offer suggestions of information you may want to feature in your site.
  • Answer any questions you have for us.
  • Collaborate internally to ensure you get the best design for your firm.
  • Discuss the hours/budget for your project with you. Having a lot of special features/functionality or unique content can increase the time required for a project. Every site is different and having your own unique content is a huge positive for Search Engine Optimisation - it can however mean we may need you to purchase some additional hours of development time.
  • Discuss time-frames with you.

Who is my Account Manager and what do they do?

Your Account Manager is an experienced team member who will oversee your project to ensure you receive what you need from us, including time-frames for when to provide us your feedback and materials for your website project.


Why do we need this call, isn't the Design Brief enough?

The Design Brief is a great base for the Initial Call and helps us to understand your requirements so we can keep the call to around 30 minutes. The aim is to be ready to start your design concept after the call without taking up too much of your time. The Design Brief is a great starting point and the Initial Call helps to save time throughout the project - ensuring things run smoothly.


Do I have to use the Starter Content you gave me?

Not at all. You can use it as much or as little as you like depending on your needs. If you want to take a few bits and pieces and add it to your own content go ahead. If you want to write everything yourself and just use things like our Key Dates, Tax Facts, Online Calculators etc then you're most welcome to do that too. If you have an existing website and you would like us to copy the content across from that - just let us know.

Designing Your New Website Layout


We'll take the information you've provided in the previous steps and collate this into a system we've worked hard to perfect. This is the information we use to produce the design concept or 'mock up' of a new website design and layout to suit your needs and ties in well with your brand.


The mock up will be sent to you as a JPEG, like a screenshot of what your new site would look like and gives you the chance to review the design and request any tweaks or changes before we move onto the next stage - which is to build the design into a functioning website.


When you receive your new design from us in .jpg (JPEG) format:


  • View your design at 100% (or 'full size') to ensure you see its actual size.
  • Read through any notes we've sent to you with the design before providing feedback - we may have explained some aspects of the design from a functionality or usability perspective.
  • Review your design to ensure anything we discussed has been included.
  • Take the time to review and discuss your design internally so that you can collate any feedback into one email or file.
  • Approve the design* so we can begin building your new website; OR
  • Provide us a detailed list of any modifications you would like to see before we proceed to a working version of your new website.

TIP: Try to tell us what you do and don't like about the design,  as well as suggest changes - this helps us understand you're views and offer suggestions.


*Before you approve the design you need to:


  • Be happy with the layout and design, this is what your new website will look like.
  • Understand that if design or layout changes need to be made after this then additional costs are likely to apply.

Please approve the design by return email, even if you've approved it on the phone.

Produce a new, modern and professional website design in line with your company brand and requirements, based on the information we've collected from you.


Send you a JPEG file of your design concept - a bit like viewing a screenshot of what your new website will look like.    


  • The JPEG should be viewed at 100% or 'full size' depending on the program your computer uses to open images. Viewing it this way shows you the actual size it will be when it is built into a website so it gives you an idea on how much a user will see before scrolling. 
  • When built into a functional web page you will be able to see how the layout adjusts to suit wider screens, tablets and mobiles.

We have budgeted time into the estimated cost for your project for minor changes at this stage.


  • Minor changes are usually things like - asking us to adjust the colour of the navigation, addition of a featured service, reduction or increase in the size of a design component etc.
  • If the changes have a major impact on the layout, or will take a long time to change and implement, we will need to discuss at that point whether it will impact on the cost for the project.    

What is that empty space around my design?

The jpeg we've sent you is like a screenshot of what your site will look like. It may include some 'background' space to the sides to show what the fill will look like on screens which are wider than the full size width of your design (often 1200-1500px wide). Because your website will be built using Responsive design technology it will automatically scale to fit desktop and laptop screens. On other devices such as tablets and smartphones the design and layout will 'respond' to the size of the screen size to provide a user friendly layout for that screen size.


I love the design and have no changes, what's next?

Just flick through an email to your Account Manager to confirm you're happy to proceed. If you've already given us your content we'll get onto building the site asap. If you haven't already sent content please arrange this as soon as possible so we can build your site and send you a link for you to review and approve the site for launching.


I want to make significant changes to this design, is it going to cost more?

Email or call your Account Manager to let them know what you want to change or how extensive your changes are. It is possible that we'll need you to purchase additional hours to make the changes to the design, however depending on how much content you have and how smoothly the rest of your project goes we may also be able to make up some of the time during the later stages of your project. Talk it through with your Account Manager and they will give you advice so you can make a decision.


What's the best way to advise you of the changes needed?

An email is best, but we understand you don't build websites every day and it may be hard to put together an email with feedback or things you want. So please feel free to call your Account Manager for a chat and we can help you if you're unsure.

Building Your New Website


At this stage you've given us approval on the design concept and you're happy to go ahead with the functioning version of your new website without further design changes.


If you have already supplied us with the content for your website by this stage then we'll now build the design you have approved into Web Manager and provide you with a link so you can preview it as a functional website in a web browser.



REDESIGN PROJECTS: If you are redesigning your current site with us, usually we will apply your new design to your existing content and menu structure, if you would like to make changes to the content as part of your redesign project please discuss with your Account Manager how this can be worked into the process.


Before we start the build of the functioning version of your new website into Web Manager we need you to: 


  • Supply all content to be included in your new website.
  • Supply all images, including staff profile images.
  • Understand that if any content is missing when we build your website, it is likely to increase the time we need to complete the project and potentially increase the cost.
  • Understand that a lot of content or complicated page layouts may increase the time to complete this stage. Having a lot of unique content is a positive as it means your website will have a point of difference to others out there, but does take longer to implement. 

Once we've sent you a link to review the website you'll need to:


Review the website carefully


Provide a list of feedback and changes that need to be made before the website can go live.

  • We have budgeted for small content changes at this stage so if the rest of your project has gone smoothly without significant design changes or major content input there should be time available for minor adjustments at this stage.
  • If you've needed extra time at previous stages or you have an extensive list of things to change at this stage, your Account Manager may need to discuss this with you prior to commencing work on any final changes.

  • Combine your signed off design and content into a functional website in CCH Web Manager.
  • Set up the website structure/navigation based on the info you've given us so far.*
  • Input the content you have supplied into the website structure.*
  • Set up any links as indicated by the design or in your content.*
  • Supply you with a link to the functional version of your new website. No one else will be able to access this working version of your new website unless you supply them with the link.
  • Provide you with notes relating to anything that needs to be finalised.
  • Provide you an update of progress of the project development and advise you if there is time available on your contract for any final modifications.

*REDESIGN PROJECTS: If you're redesigning your current site with us, usually we will apply your new design to your existing content and menu structure, if you would like to make changes to the content as part of your redesign project please discuss with your Account Manager how this can be worked into the process.

How should I provide my content?

  • Written content needs to be supplied in a format that it can be copied and pasted such as Microsoft Word format.
  • Images should be supplied with clear file names so we can easily place them in the correct pages of your website.

What are the Do's and Don'ts of content?

  • Ensure you proof read and spell check your content prior to sending it to us. 
  • If using Starter Content it's helpful to highlight edits you make as this makes it quicker for us to input and reduces the possibility of us running low on remaining hours for your project. You can also use the "Track Changes" tool in word when you make your edits.
  • Media files and videos are content too, the best way to include videos in your website is usually via YouTube and then embedding them into your website pages. 
  • Images are also content - whether they are for staff profiles, a main image feature, or a photo of your building on the contact us page. It's important to follow the below guidelines when providing us your images:
  1. Formats - jpeg, png
  2. Sizes/Resolution - The resolution or size needed will depend on how and where it is to be used, but bigger is usually better as we can always reduce a large image.
  3. Aspect e.g. landscape/portrait - Keep in mind that tall skinny images don't fit nicely into wide spaces or image headers. When cropped you end up with a thin segment where a lot of detail is lost.
  4. Stock imagery - We can purchase images on your behalf through iStock.com for use in your website. You may prefer to purchase the images directly through iStock with a licence to allow you to use the image in other materials. We can tell you the correct image size to purchase.
  5. Copyright - It is important  that you have appropriate permission/licence to use images you supply for your website. Using an image you found in a Google search or on someone else's website, for example, is a breach of copyright.

Do I have to use the Starter Content you gave me?

Not at all. You can use it as much or as little as you like depending on your needs. If you want to take a few bits and pieces and add it to your own content go ahead. If you want to write everything yourself and just use things like our Key Dates, Tax Facts, Online Calculators etc then you're most welcome to do that too. If you have an existing website and you would like us to copy the content across from that - just let us know

Launching Your New Website


We're now at the exciting stage of launching your brand-new website!!


The launching process includes a few steps and we'll need your assistance. We understand domain name updates can be confusing, so if you need our help organising details please let us know. We're here to give you advice and will be happy to step in if it's needed.


REDESIGN PROJECTS: If you are redesigning your current site with us, usually there is no need to make any changes to your domain name and you will more than likely already have a Google Analytics account in place. Please discuss this with your account manager if you are unsure.


Email approval that you're ready to launch the website.

  • If you want the website to go live on a specific day please tell us as soon as possible.

Provide Google Analytics Measurement ID.

  • CCH Web Manager has a built in dashboard of statistics, however you may also want to record visitors in Google Analytics for the long term. If you don’t currently have a GA4 account, you can go to https://analytics.google.com to set this up. If this is your first time creating an Analytics account, under “Welcome to Google Analytics”, click Start measuring. If you already have an Analytics account and want to create a new one, in Admin, in the Account column, click Create Account. Once you have completed the Google Analytics set up process please email us your new Google Analytics “Measurement ID” so we can assign it to your website.

Provide Domain information.

  • Your Account Manager will provide you with instructions for updating your domain name to make your new site live. If you don't have login information your Account Manager will let you know the other options for arranging the change needed.

Advise your current Web Hosting provider.

  • Let your current web hosting company know that you have a new website, hosted by us. It is important not to cancel any other services such as Email hosting or Domain Name Services with your existing provider(s).

  • Pre and Post launch checks on your website will be completed by separate team members ensuring your website has been thoroughly checked during the launch.
  • Part of the Pre-launching process is getting your domain name to point to your new website and once it has switched over we'll complete the Post-launching checks before confirming to you by email that your website is live.
  • The website and the content management system where you can manage your website content going forward 'CCH Web Manager' is hosted on our servers.
  • We leave your existing services untouched, meaning we won't automatically take over your existing email or domain services, if you are paying another organisation for other services please ensure you are clear on what they are providing you before cancelling anything. 
  • If you don't already have a domain name we recommend discussing this with your IT consultant.

Please note: We may wish to show your completed website as an example of our work in our portfolio, if you would prefer that your website is not shown on our portfolio please let us know.

How do I go about changing my domain name?

There are a few ways we can go about organising pointing your domain name at your new website. The easiest is if we can get log in access to where the domain records are managed. This is not always where the domain is registered. When we email you the link to preview your new site in the step above, we'll point you in the right direction for where to look to obtain the login information. Or as much info as we can to help you sort out an alternative, such as contacting the company that manages the domain records, so we know we can organise the domain change once you give us the ok to launch.

Domain changes can be complicated, please don't feel like you're on your own if things get tricky, we'll help as much as we can to get to the bottom of anything that may be causing confusion or complication.


Why do I need a Google Account?

Although CCH Web Manager has a built in dashboard of statistics, you may also want to start recording visitors in Google Analytics for the long term.

If you already use Google Analytics for your current website please let us know if you would like to continue using the same details.


Is there a cost for setting up a Google Account?

No, it is free to set up.

After The Launch


Now your brand new website is live there are a few things we recommend to maintain an effective and up to date website. You'll find some helpful info below about website maintenance after it goes live.


We're always happy to hear from you so if you get stuck, want to add something new, change something on your website or just need some advice, please get in touch.


Regularly update your content


Now that your new website is live it's important to keep it up to date. Log in to CCH Web Manager regularly to update and add to your content. Relevant and regularly updated content ranks better on Search Engines.


Search engine optimisation


If you have questions about Search Engine Optimisation and want to learn why it is important, visit our SEO tips page for more information.


Site maintenance


It is important to keep your site up to date, so remember to visit your site in CCH Web Manager regularly to keep your site content current. Our resource hub is a great source of info for managing your online presence with CCH Web Manager http://wm-hub.cchifirm.com/


Write blog posts on your new website


If you have chosen to use the CCH Web Manager Blog we suggest you get started on some posts right away to show your clients and website visitors that you're actively updating your new website.


Get the most out of Google and your Search Rankings


Read our SEO Tips for helpful information on optimising your website for search engines.

Login to Google Analytics to view more in-depth reporting on Google statistics for your website. You can access Google Analytics via the Reports module in CCH Web Manager.


Further training


If you require further training you can find helpful videos and tutorials here.

Support


The support team are here to help if needed.

You can contact Support on: nz-iFirmSupport@wolterskluwer.com or

NZ 0800 94 64 34, AUS 1300 300 224

Our Online Help Centre is available 24/7 to assist you with anything you may be stuck on. You can access it here and also access by clicking the "help" button in the top right corner of CCH Web Manager.


Utilising the features Web Manager has to offer


In addition to the Online Help Centre where you can navigate using the left menu or top search box. Or watch a short training overview here.


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