The internet has always been one of the best ways to represent your product. Regardless of what product you make, your startup should have a website that represents your company and its solutions. For software startups, the platform is the perfect marketplace to grow your business.
Meanwhile, the internet works around web development frameworks. Many companies are moving businesses to the internet. So, it is essential to learn about web design development to explore its opportunities. This article provides a step-by-step guide to creating and launching your websites.
Let’s dive right in!
What Is Web Development?
To a layman, web development is an incomprehensible line of letters, numbers, and symbols. But this section will give you a general picture of web development and how the system works. Let’s look into some terms in web development software.
Websites: How do they work?
Websites are just some bundle of files stored on a server connected to a giant network – the internet. Based on search queries of the user, search engines like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox source request files from these servers through the internet. Then, they help you display these files (websites) on your computer or phone.
Your browser must communicate with the server to access website information and display it on your screen. This communication is the basis of what web development entails.
Frontend And Backend Development
The terms frontend and backend development are the sectors of the client-server communication. That forms the crunch of website and software development.
Front End Development: Front end is the part of your website visible to users and visitors. It deals with the visuals and effects the end-user sees and actualizes when logging into a website.
They are also client-side development. Frontend deals with website fonts, typography, look, layout, navigation, responsive design, and lots more. Front-end programming languages include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, amongst many others.
Backend Development: Backend handles the background functionalities of your website or software. It is part of the website that relates to the server. It stores your information and manages communication between the client(browser) and your server.
For example, when you upload your picture on your Instagram feed, the software and website save your picture. And view it with your friends. The backend development framework stores your information and photos on the Instagram database. It also helps your friend fetch such pictures according to their search queries
Meanwhile, with Front end development framework, your friends can navigate through your page, view your pictures, read your bio, etc.
Step By Step Process To Follow When Building A Website
Even for someone starting a software company, the process of software and website development isn’t as easy as it seems. Yet, you can develop your website without having in-depth coding experience.
So, how do you build websites perfect for your business goals, target audiences, and budget?
Pen Down Your Business Goals
You don’t write vague goals like “I want to generate more customers online.” Instead, write actionable plans that fit your specifics. Your goals go a long way in determining how your website looks. You can set goals like;
- Generate traffic through organic SEO
- Generate leads and sell online or build conversion funnels
- Build brand loyalty, and repeat sales from my customers.
- Offer 24/7 customer support through a messaging feature. Etc.
Create A Plan
After knowing your website goals, you can set up realistic plans to achieve them. So call your partners and team and deliberate together on
- What are the essential functional requirements of the website?
- Who is your target audience? What solutions do you want to provide on your website?
- What critical services will you provide on the website? Is it a blog, online marketplace, messaging features,
- What is your budget?
- What are the content management requirements for the website? Which content types are you publishing; videos, articles, or surveys?
- What website setup will give your users the best experience?
- What is the integration of new technology features you can input to improve user experience?
And lots more.
Answering these questions will help you determine what your website will look like. You can also make well-informed decisions based on your budget and marketing goals.
Design A Blueprint
Also known as wireframes, website blueprints help you understand how your website will look before building it. With wireframes, you can determine the text, images, graphics, and visuals placement on your web page. It gives you a wholly front-end idea of your website.
You can draw your website’s blueprint with specialist wireframe tools like MockFlow, Slickplan, UXPin, etc.
Set Up A Site Map: A sitemap is a written plan of your website’s framework. It guides the developer when creating your website. When setting up a sitemap, it’s essential to contact your SEO strategists. These specialists can provide insights on how best you can organize and link your website to rank high on google. A sitemap includes questions like
- How many pages do you want on your website?
- Which pages are most important for management and user experience
- How do you want to organize the pages
- How do you link the pages
- How do you arrange the pages in order of importance?
Code Your Website
Get a web development expert to write the code for your website, preferably a web development agency that provides such services for startups.
Developers help you create your web applications by writing different computer languages. These languages access information, build functionalities and design your website. Web app development entails the front end and back end.
Backend: Back-end development serves as the foundation for your website. Your websites backend include
- Database: Stores and organizes files that servers easily retrieve for browsers and display to the end-user. Database management code includes MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, No SQL, and MongoDB.
- Servers: servers help you send and receive files and create logic and functions through their programming languages. These programming languages help the server communicate with the client and database. Top programming languages include
- Java
- C#
- PHP
- Ruby On Nails
- Python
- Node JS.
Frontend: Frontend is the font, typography, and layout users see on your website. Programming language for frontend development include
- HTML: This is the foundation of all websites. It is the original file, loaded on a website without the special effects. Hyper Text Markup Languages uses tags to identify different types of content forms.
- CSS: Cascading Style Sheet makes your HTML files look visually appealing. CSS helps you change fonts, create shapes, add colors, layout, and many more.
- Java Script: JavaScript helps input dynamism on your website, JavaScript. It allows programmers to create interactive features, navigational buttons, animations, etc.
These are the three main languages used for client-side development. Others include
- Swift
- React
- Angular
- Typescript etc.,
Content Management System: Instead of developing front-end solutions, CMS can come in handy as an alternative. Although it affords you less flexibility, CMS is easier to use, cost-effective, and has website hosting features.
With CMS, you don’t have to forgo some essential features. You can manage the blog and landing pages, collect user information and build a contact list. You can also forgo backend development with CMS solutions. Some less complex use cases provide back-end plugins. These plugins manage your server-side code without coding from scratch.
Hubspot, Open Source WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Grav, etc., are good examples of CMS solutions.
Get A Domain Name And Host.
Domain names are unique addresses that visitors can use to locate your website. GoDaddy, Domain.com, Hover, and Google Domains are good places where you can purchase domain names. You get an ICANN (Internet Corporation For Assigned Name And Numbers) and register on your website.
Getting a good host is also crucial to your website. But before calling a hosting package, you must ask important questions about the host and your website. Will you be uploading videos or texts? How much traffic will the website handle? Does your hosting company have plans for scalability? Which features does the host have? So it is crucial to do adequate research before buying a hosting package for your website.
Top hosting companies of today include HostGator, Hostinger, Bluehost, GoDaddy, Wix, and Network Solutions, amongst many others.
Launch Your Website
As soon as you have a domain name and host for your website, you’re ready for launch.
But not yet. It’s essential to make a final round of checks on your website before launch. Once you’re sure it is free of glitches, make your site live.
Web Development Training And Resources
You may want to learn more about website development. Check out the following online courses
- freeCodeCamp
- Team Treehouse
- Jonas Schmedtmann on Udemy
- YouTube courses
- Complete Java Developer Course on Udemy
Conclusion
Yes, more than half the world’s population is using the internet. And the numbers are rising every day. Believe it or not, the best time to adopt a web solution for your startup is now. There are much more target audiences on the internet. And you can take the first step by building your website.
But you still don’t know what web solutions are best for your business. Contact a software development company like Emphasoft now, and let’s work out the details for you.
