It’s a question we get all the time:
What actually happens when you build my website?
And fair enough.
If you’ve never been through a proper website build, it can seem like one big technical mystery.
Hosting. DNS. Domains. CMS. All the jargon no one really explains.
So let’s change that.
Here’s exactly how it works when you build your website with us at Surge.
Kicking Things Off
It all starts with onboarding.
We officially welcome you in as a Surge client, and we send you a design brief.
This is where you tell us more about your business, what you like, what you don’t, your brand vibe, your goals.
It’s how we get a feel for you before a single pixel is placed.
Once that’s sorted, we schedule an onboarding meeting.
We’ll walk you through the process, set expectations, introduce you to the team you’ll be working with, and give you space to ask all your questions.
Design Process
After we get your design brief back, it’s over to the creative brains.
Our design team starts with the homepage, the foundation for your whole site.
We design it first because it sets the tone for everything else.
Once it’s ready, we’ll walk you through the homepage in a meeting (in-person or online).
This isn’t just a “send it and see what you think”, it’s a proper review where we talk you through the design decisions and get real-time feedback from you.
When you’re happy and sign off the homepage, we move on to the rest of the site’s pages, using the same feedback loop to tweak and refine.
Development Process
With the homepage signed off, our developers get to work.
They set up the testing environment and live environment (don't worry, we explain all of this as we go).
Then they build your homepage, run it through our own internal snagging and quality checks, and once we’re happy, we roll out the rest of the pages.
You’ll get updates along the way, including what’s ready for review.
You’ll give feedback. We tweak it. Repeat until it’s spot-on.
Content Process
If you’re having us write your content (highly recommended if you want SEO baked in), our content team kicks in early too.
They’ll dig into your business, your sector, your competitors, and they’ll start crafting content designed to not only sound like you but actually perform online.
Once designs are signed off, content is shaped to fit, packed with keywords where needed, and designed to make the most of SEO without sounding robotic.
You’ll get to review every page before anything goes live, edits, feedback, tweaks, we sort it all before launch.
Technical Bits
This is the least glamorous but most important bit:
We’ll need access to wherever your domain is currently hosted so we can switch things over when the time comes.
The big one here is DNS, the technical wizardry that points your domain name to your shiny new site.
If you’re not sure how to get us access, don’t worry.
We can either take it off your hands entirely (login details, secure invites), or we’ll guide you step-by-step through what needs to happen.
The Big Day, Going Live!
Once everything is tested, content is loaded, and you’ve signed off, we schedule the go-live date.
We set up 301 redirects (moving old URLs to new ones properly), double-check all forms are working, final SEO checks, then we update the DNS.
Technically, the site will be live straight away, but DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate.
Some people might still see the old site for a little while, but it clears fast.
After launch, we monitor the site, fix any little niggles, and make sure everything’s running smoothly.
Post-Live Checks
We’re not done when the site is live.
We run post-live checks, speed, security, performance, to make sure your new site isn’t just pretty, it’s powerful.
Warranty Period
After launch, you get a three-month warranty period.
This gives you breathing room to request minor tweaks and edits without extra cost, we want the site to feel right before anything else starts.
Training
We’ll train you (and your team) on how to use your new CMS.
Don’t worry about trying to memorise everything, we record the session and send it to you after.
You’ll also have access to your test site, a safe space to practise without risking anything on the live site.
Phased Launch?
If you’ve gone for a phased launch, meaning we launch the core site first, and keep building and releasing new sections in batches, no problem.
We just carry on:
Feedback, build, review, launch, repeat.
All without interrupting your live site.
Hosting and Maintenance
After your three-month warranty, you move onto our hosting and maintenance package, this keeps your site secure, fast, and up to date, with monthly development hours you can use for updates, tweaks, or even bigger changes.
What Should You Do Next?
If you’re wondering how long it all takes, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there too. In an upcoming blog!
And here’s some parting advice:
Before you sign with any web company, ask them what their process looks like.
Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into, how involved you’ll need to be, and what support you’ll get along the way.
Get in touch.