How Long Should a Web Design Project Take, and How Can I Speed it Up?

We get a lot of questions about site design, but this is definitely a big one! Society today is built on instant gratification, so it can be hard to think about a project taking longer than a week or so. Personally, I love things that are ASAP and immediate, so I fully understand client frustration over timelines and needing a site sooner rather than later. However, site design is a lot like building a house (a metaphor I get into later in the article) and it really does take time to lay sturdy groundwork.

In this article, we’ll go over:

• The factors that determine project length

• Why Bold August Design Studio process takes two months

• How you can speed up your project.

The thing is, site design projects lengths vary.

But, on average, they should take 4-12 weeks.

Of course, no two projects are the same! Some websites are more lightweight, with only 1-5 pages and minimal functionality. Some web projects are much larger, with tons of blogs, integrations, and multiple landing pages. And of course, some projects include branding and marketing as well, which adds to the process!

Generally, there are a few factors when it comes to determining how long a website design project will take.

1. Number of pages. A small, 1-5 page site is much easier than a 10+ page with multiple integrations and different landing pages. Pages take time to design, because they hone in on keywords and the goals for that particular page. If you’re just getting started as a small business, you’ll be on the lighter end!

2. Brand design. Are you also hiring this designer for your logo and brand design? (At Bold August Design Studio, all of our projects COME with branding, so this is a must!) If you are also getting a brand design, you can expect to add a few weeks onto your project so that your brand can get done first to inform the web design.

3. Strategy + Content. Have you thought about your strategy? Do you already have content? If the answer is “Huh?” to both of those questions, then you’ll likely need to add some time to your project to allow your brand or web designer to help you determine your content and strategy. Despite the common conception, a web design is more than just a pretty design, and instead should be functional and create conversions.

At Bold August, our site design projects take two months (8 weeks).

(Unless you get our “Skip the Line” add-on, where we’ll put your project into overdrive!)

That’s right, our packages take exactly two months, or 8 weeks, on the dot. We have honed in on our timeline and process and found that two months is the perfect life cycle for a brand and web site design project. We’ve done this so much that we have every single week mapped out to the dot!

Why two months?

We spend the first month on brand and strategy, and then the second month on content and site design. During the first month, while we work on your branding, we’ll equip you with the tools you need to write your content and think strategically about your marketing strategy and promotion.

Then, once the brand is done, all of the puzzle pieces start falling into place. The brand process is the most thorough and important piece, because it’s when I ask all of my important questions about your business and vision. Past that, the strategy and content inform the remainder of the site.

I’m here to tell you, site design takes work. After all, it’s a lot like building a house on the internet that your users can open and walk into. Would you expect a house to go up in a week? No! There’s so much to do - like the plumbing, electrical, structure, and then of course all of the painting and trim. You wouldn’t WANT a house that goes up in a week, because you’d know that it was poor construction.

How can I speed up my site design process?

“I really need this site, like, YESTERDAY.”

“Can we go faster? Two months seems like a lot.”

“My cousin said she could put this up in a WEEK!”

I hear you, clients! I also very much like things to be ASAP or as fast as possible. I cannot stand waiting in lines and I can’t fathom scheduling anything more than a month in advance. To speed up the process, follow these items and watch how fast the timeline can be adjusted!

1. Have your content ready.
   And when I say this, I DO NOT mean repurposing your old website content from 2005 and calling it a day. Has your content been refreshed? Re-strategized? Does it meet your goals? Do you have new services that need write-ups? Content wrangling is a hardship most designers face when doing a website design. If you’ve got every page written and ready to go, your timeline can be condensed.
   

2. Narrow and focus your vision.
   Are you a “I know it when I see it” type of person? If you want a speedy design, not any more! Work on doing some vision board work and understanding what you’re hoping for out of a brand or site design. If you have solid goals and vision, you’ll be able to easily communicate those to your designer.
   

3. You need to make sure you have lots of time.
   If you need a web design fast, it means that you’ll need to set aside time to be extra responsive to your designer. Feedback will need to be delivered within 24 hours, and you might even need to book some consultation or in-person workshop time to ensure speedy decisions are made! If you’re strapped for time and “just want something up” quickly, then perhaps a professional web designer isn’t for you at this time.
   

4. Expect to pay a premium or rush fee.
   Yes, a premium! Speedy design means intense focus and potentially pushing aside other projects to solely focus on yours. Most web designers have a process for a good reason (see the lists above) and have strategy guides for every step of the way. If we have to condense all of that in a shorter timeline, it means double the work and more communication and clarity. For Bold August, our “Skip the Line” package also includes TWO intensive workshops that require immediate decision making so that we can scoot the project along. These workshop intensives are extra hours on our end, hence the rush fee!

So there you have it! Site design is a lot like building a house, and you want the foundation and strategy to be strong. In fact, putting the designs in place is a lot like the paint. If you don’t have the walls build and know what room is what, you won’t know how to design!

Above all, be respectful and kind toward your designer, and if you need to rush your project, be sure to come ready with the items listed above.