We’ve tried to make the blog design process as simple and efficient as possible to guarantee quality and speed in building your custom WordPress theme from the ground up.
As part of the process, you will be assigned a Project Manager, who will update you with project timelines and supervise the blog design process.
Here are the primary steps involved in a custom blog design process for Cory Miller Media:
1. DISCOVER – Determining your blog design needs
We set up an initial phone call consultation or online chat with you to discuss your needs and objectives, budget and timeline to determine the scope of the project. After the initial consultation, a proposal project or estimate will be sent to you for confirmation. Once the project proposal is accepted and 50% deposit is received, work begins …
Here are some of the questions we will ask you:
1. Is this a new blog design or a blog redesign? If you currently have a blog, please give us the URL or site link …
2. What are you goals for the site? (What do you want the blog to do for you and your business?)
3. What is your desired delivery date for the blog design?
4. What is your budget for the project?
5. Do you have a domain name registered already?
6. Do you have a hosting account already? If so, what is your hosting company?
7. Will we be doing the setup and installation of the blog?
8. Do we need to help transfer your blog from an existing non-WordPress service, like TypePad or Blogger?
9. Do you need special plugin implementation?
10. Do you have a logo already?
11. Will you supply support images and graphics?
12. What you need any special functionality in the blog (like a email subscription form)?
13. Are you familiar with the WordPress blog platform?
14. How many columns would you like your blog design to be?
15. What things would you like included in your blog’s sidebar?
16. Do you have a preferred color scheme for the blog? Or colors you’d like to include?
17. Could you give us three to four links to blog designs you like?
2. DESIGN – Giving you a blog design concept to review
Once we’ve determine your needs and the scope of your project, we will begin working on a design mockup for you. Typically, this phase involves sending you a Photoshop mockup of what your custom blog design will look like. The mockup will be sent as either a .JPG or .GIF.
This step is intended to finalize the “look and feel” and basic layout and structure of your site. You will approve or suggest changes to the mockup and we will revise or proceed as you indicate.
3. CODE – Making it all work on the Web
Next, once the mockup has been approved and finalized, we will begin coding your custom blog design. After we have coded your site, we will send you a link to a live demo site for your review.
This site will include sample posts of various elements so you can see how it will look with the different elements applied. We will test the site for bugs or “breaks” in the three main Internet browsers used: Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox.
As with the mockup, you will approve or revise the blog design. During this step, the actual functionality you have requested during the Discovery phase will be implemented.
4. LAUNCH – Giving you the keys to your brand new blog design
After you have approved the live demo version, a compressed zip file will be sent to you for upload and activation on your blog, or if we are doing the blog installation, we will do this for you.