Production Flow
First, let's look at the work required to create a website.We will detail the steps involved in taking a site from zero to completion.
1.Planning
The first step is planning.We organize the needs behind the site creation, its purpose, and the issues to be solved. Based on the results, we create an image of the website visitor and determine the resulting call to action (CTA) we want the visitor to take. After that, we then plan the overall site structure and page layout.
2.Writing
The next step is to write text that verbalizes the message you want to deliver to site visitors. This text will be used in future design and implementation and will be the bones of your site. When you are writing, try to create sentences and stories that encourage the CTAs you decided on during the planning stage.
3. Prepare materials
After writing is complete, prepare materials such as illustrations and images that will make it easier to deliver the message you want to convey. There are many types of materials. Examples include photos, illustrations, icons, and animations.Select appropriate ones according to the purpose and design of the site. Materials are often made from already existing stock materials, but for originality, it is best to prepare your own materials.
4. Design
We will create a design that will showcase the text and materials we have created in a balanced manner.
At this stage, we often use design tools such as Figma.Prepare a design for each page and decide on colors, appearance of buttons and text, etc. Create a design that emphasizes ease of use and clarity with usability in mind, not just appearance.
5. Implementation
After the design is finalized, it is built using code and no-code tools such as Webflow.
When building the site, the key is how well you can reproduce the design and implement clean code.If you use a lot of HTML, create long CSS, or write a lot of JavaScript, the result will be slower site loading speeds and lower site quality. Be sure to make your site responsive. It is important to display a clean site no matter what screen size you open it on.
6.SEO Settings
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) search optimization work is also necessary to ensure that the website you create ranks high in online searches. For example, accurate HTML tagging, omission of CSS class names, and adjustments to image size and formatting are all necessary.In addition, meta tags and descriptions for each page and OGP images must also be set.
7. Publication Settings
The last step is to obtain a domain name, connection, and hosting.Once that work is successfully completed, the site is published on the Internet and can be accessed by anyone.
8. Operation
It is irrational to leave a site as it is created after it is published; it needs to be updated according to user needs and company policy changes.Adjusting the text, adding content, and posting blogs are fundamental. Thus, creating a single website requires multiple steps and the use of diverse skills.
In case of in-house production (in-house production)
First, let's look at the pattern of creating a website in-house. In order to produce a website in-house by yourself, you will need to have employees' knowledge of web production and time to devote to the work. The advantages and disadvantages of producing a website in-house are explained below.
Advantages of In-House Production
1. Budget Savings
The first benefit that comes to mind is saving money that can be spent on website production. Using in-house resources eliminates the need to spend the cost of outsourcing, thus reducing the budget.
However, since employee time is used to create the site, the time cost must also be calculated.And if the in-house team does not have sufficient skills, it may be necessary to provide additional training or hire new specialists, so that should also be included in the calculation.
2. Shorter work time
When web production is done in-house, design revisions, content additions, etc. can be completed in-house without interrupting communication with external parties, making the overall process very time-saving.
3. No dependence on outside parties for updates
Another advantage is that you are not dependent on the production vendor: a complex IT system like a website is difficult to manage and update except by the creator of that system. For this reason, if you outsource, you will always have to sign a contract with that outsourcing company to manage the site. If you produce the site in-house, you can manage, operate, and update the site without depending on an outside party. However, even though you are not dependent on outside parties, you will still be dependent on the employee who created the site.If the in-house producer is no longer available, it may be difficult to take over.
Disadvantages of In-House Production
We think we have made clear the advantages of creating a Web site in-house.Each advantage also has its disadvantages, so let's look at the disadvantages of in-house production next.
1. Lack of in-house skills
To begin with, unless you are a production company or an IT company, most companies do not have enough people who can do web production. As I told you at the beginning of this article, production is a multi-step process that involves a combination of diverse skills.It is quite difficult to create a person who possesses all of these skills in-house. To compensate for this, you can either hire people who can do web production, or hire freelancers or production companies to do part of the work. Alternatively, existing employees can be trained and educated.In either case, hiring and training are time-consuming and costly.
If production proceeds without sufficient skills, the quality of the deliverables will be low, and there is a risk that objectives such as improving the brand image and attracting customers will not be achieved.
2. Taking away from employees' time
Entrusting website development to employees takes away time that could be spent on their primary job. As a result, the quality and volume of services offered by the company may be affected. Or, if you give that job to an employee who is not interested in web production, he or she may become dissatisfied with the job and may become unmotivated.When assigning work, the employee's personality and interests should be taken into consideration.
3. Production environment needs to be prepared.
If your company is not originally a creative enterprise, such as web production, you may need to purchase software or a computer with high specifications for web production. Graphics and video processing require specialized programs and a computer with high performance.
When to Outsource
There are two main types of outsourcing: production companies and freelancers.The advantages and disadvantages vary to some extent depending on which type of outsourcing is used, but in this article, we will mainly explain the pattern of production companies.
Merits of Outsourcing
1. Specialization.
A production company is a team of professionals who specialize in website production.And since many companies have members with a wealth of experience, they have the expertise and skills to efficiently produce high quality sites. With an easy-to-read, easy-to-use design, fast-loading page structure, and a site structure that encourages conversion, you are more likely to have a site that supports the success of your business.
2. Time Savings
In many cases, a high-quality website can be created more quickly by hiring a production company because of the speed of progress due to the production by experts.Thanks to the systematization of the production process, the project proceeds efficiently. Also, while the site is being created, employees' time is still available, freeing up resources for other important tasks.
3. Easier Management
Site projects are essentially managed by the production company.This often reduces the company's own management man-hours significantly and speeds up the project progress.
4. Cutting-edge technology
Web production is a rapidly changing industry with new technologies being developed all the time.For example, in the past, website designs were created using Photoshop and Illustrator, but now tools such as Adobe XD and Figma, which are specialized for web design, have been developed, making communication within the team smoother.
Additionally, in website development, man-hours were spent on production and operation, and HTML/CSS sites were created by connecting them to WordPress, but now there are more efficient no-code tools such as Webflow, Framer and Studio that ease the flow of design, construction, and publicationTools are available. Production companies are constantly experimenting with and incorporating new technologies to provide greater value to their clients. Because of this, hiring a production company is likely to produce a site that performs efficiently and well.
Demerits of Outsourcing
1. High production costs
Hiring a production company will cost a lot of money.In some cases, complex and difficult website production can be expensive because the entire production company will be involved in the work. If you are on a tight budget, it may be difficult to hire a production company, but it is often considered an investment based on the long-term benefits of having a high-performing website (e.g., improved sales).
2. Risk of encountering an unfriendly production company
If you hire a less-than-careful production company to create the website that will be the face of your company, it is likely to lead to dissatisfaction.In the past, some of the customers who consulted with us actually had such a difficult experience. It seems that there are production companies that create a simple website from a template and deliver it at a high price, without listening to the customer's needs. If you hire such an unfriendly production company, you will regret it in the future. When choosing a production company, here are a few things to check to ensure that the company is truly trustworthy:
- Examples of production experience (should be listed on the production company's website)
- The production company's clients (what kind of clients have requested the site?Is the site still running?)
- Production flow (should there be an explanation on the site or in the materials)
- Content distribution (are they uploading their know-how and other information on social networking sites or blogs)
You can tell a good production company from a bad one by looking at these points. Also, it’s a great idea to talk a lot before you make a brief request in designing or developing websites. By talking, you will know if you have a good understanding of the company's needs and if you have a proposal that will be a solution.
Conclusion
We think it’s important to choose in-house or outsourcing according to your company's financial situation and the purpose of creating the site.
We also offer support for in-house production using our no-code tool. If you are interested, please visit Supasaito Academy. We will share our knowledge and usages of Webflow on our socials, so please don’t hesitate to contact us, and follow us on social media to keep up-to-date on upcoming services!👇
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