Do you know your CMS from your CSS? Website design can be a minefield of acronyms and technical jargon, that’s why we have created this quick-fire guide to website design. Learn whether website design is really as expensive as people say (spoiler: it’s not) and how you can get your own bespoke website, courtesy of Cakecrumbs.
What is website design?
Website design is the process of researching, structuring and producing a design for a site. It requires knowledge of graphic design and user experience (UX), to strike the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. View your website design as the shop front to your business; it needs to tell users exactly who you are and what you offer (and stop them from clicking off!).
What’s the difference between website design, development and management?
When combined, website design, development and management are the full package. Website design is the first step, where a designer creates a mock-up of how the site will look before a developer takes the reins and brings the website to life. Finally, website management involves keeping up with the latest updates platform and extension updates and best practices, so the site continues to work and perform at it’s best.
Is website design expensive?
Website design can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Our pay monthly service means there’s no upfront cost or large financial investment to make, and you still receive a custom designed website, built from the ground up, exactly how you want it. Our contract-free website plans start at £49.99 a month, perfect for brochures and portfolio-style websites, and go up to £69.99 if you need a powerful eCommerce site.
These prices include custom website design (not a template in sight!) as well as basic search engine optimisation, cloud website hosting, business emails, SSL security, Google Analytics and more. We even include 30 minutes of our time per month which you can use for things like updates, additions and changes to you website.
Can I design my own website?
In short, yes – if you consider the likes of DIY website builders, WIX and Squarespace. But the longer answer is, should you? Do you really want to? And do you have the time to invest in it? Many website builders use pre-made templates, which can prevent your brand from standing out and limit its functionality. We design and build websites from the ground up, so there will be no other site quite like yours.
Many of our clients already know what they want their website to look like when they reach out to us; who knows a business better than the owner, right? But designing, developing and managing a website takes time, effort and technical knowledge, which is why we launched our website design service, to make it easier for people to succeed online.
What is a CMS?
A ‘Content Management System’ (CMS) is a software application that allows you to create, edit and share content on your website. CMS systems are typically more user-friendly for non-technical users. Popular CMS systems include WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. We prefer WordPress as a CMS and build on top of it to customise functionality and design for clients.
What is CSS
Cascading Style Sheets is a stylesheet language used for describing and formatting of a HTML document. CSS is used to ‘style’ elements on a web page such as text and images. It can be used to change the colour, font size, position, and movement of text. CSS can be used to create responsive designs that adjust to different screen sizes and device types so your website looks great whether the end user is on an iPhone, iPad or computer. We use CSS to maintain the look and feel of client websites.
What’s a pay monthly web design agency?
A pay monthly web design agency provides web design services to clients on a fixed fee, monthly recurring basis. Rather than paying for each and every hour the Cakecrumbs team works on your website, your Cakecrumbs subscription includes the exact work needed to bring your site to life. Your Cakecrumbs website subscription also includes ongoing maintenance, hosting, SSL security, and updates to keep your site fully functioning and secure throughout its life. We also include 30 minutes of our time per month for updates and changes to be made to your site.
What’s the difference between pay monthly web design agencies like Cakecrumbs and the likes of Wix and Squarespace?
The big difference is that Cakecrumbs is a “done-for-you” service, not a ‘Do-It-Yourself’ product. Unlike WIX, Squarespace and the likes, you’re not left alone with an online tool to figure it out. We are digital design professionals who will take a brief from you and then design and build a tailored website unique to your business requirements. Squarespace is a tool – for the right people, a great tool, whereas Cakecrumbs is a service designed to support businesses of all shapes and sizes.
How long will it take to build my website?
Typically, we aim to build a fully functioning website within 30 days. However, in some cases, depending on the scope and specific requirements of the project, it may take up to 60 days from the initial meeting to launch – still extremely fast in the world of web development. This is because clients may need to gather and prepare the content for their new website. Our goal with every Cakecrumbs website build is to deliver the project as efficiently as possible while still meeting the needs of the client.
How do I find out more about Cakecrumbs?
The best way to learn about what Cakecrumbs can do for you is to simply get in touch! Use our handy online contact form and let us know how we can help. You can also book a free discovery call if you want to chat with a member of our team about the wide range of digital services we provide, and get a feel for what Cakecrumbs is all about.
If you have more questions about our costs, what our plans include and what they don’t include, take a look at our full FAQ’s page here.
