How we work: a clear web design process, start to finish

Our web design process is built around one idea: you should always know what is happening, what you are paying for and what you need to decide next. There are no hidden stages and no surprises at the end. This page explains how a website project with Social Dealers runs, from the first call to the years of care after launch.

We are an owner-led studio in Andheri West, Mumbai, working since 2012. The process below is the same whether you are a local cafe, a growing ecommerce brand or a company that needs a custom web application.

The first call

Everything starts with a conversation, by phone, WhatsApp or video call. We ask about your business, your customers, what is not working today and what the website needs to achieve. We will usually look at your current site and a few competitors together.

You do not need a polished brief for this call, but it helps to think about your goals, the pages you imagine and any sites you like. Our guide on what to include in a website brief is a useful starting point. If we are not the right fit for what you need, we will say so honestly.

A written scope and a fixed quote

After the call we send a written scope. It lists the pages, features, integrations and content we will deliver, who is responsible for what and what is not included. Alongside it comes a fixed quote for that scope. You know the cost before any work begins, and it does not change unless the scope changes.

If you ask for something new partway through, we tell you what it involves and quote it separately, so you can decide whether to add it now or later. Payments are tied to milestones, so you pay as stages are approved rather than everything upfront. If you want to understand what drives the quote, read our article on website cost factors in India.

The stages of a project

Every project moves through the same six stages. At each one we explain what we do, what we need from you and what you approve before we move on. We go into more detail in our article on website project stages.

1. Discovery

We dig into your business, your customers and your competitors, and agree the goals the site has to meet. What you do: answer our questions, share any brand assets and give us access to your existing site, domain and analytics. What you approve: a short summary of goals, audience and priorities.

2. Plan and content

We plan the sitemap, the structure of each key page and the content each page needs. Content is often what holds a website back, so we sort it out early. We can write copy for you, edit your drafts or work with what you provide. What you do: review the plan, supply facts, photos and product details, and check drafts for accuracy. What you approve: the sitemap, page structure and final copy.

3. Design

We design the key pages in high fidelity for desktop and mobile, using your real content rather than placeholder text. You see exactly how the site will look. What you do: give clear, consolidated feedback, ideally from one person on your side. What you approve: the final designs, before any build work begins.

4. Build

We build the site on a private staging address, add the content, connect forms, payments and any other integrations, and set up the admin area your team will use. We test on phones, tablets and laptops, check page speed and fix what we find. What you do: review the staging site, test the forms and checkout if there is one, and report anything that looks wrong. What you approve: the finished staging site, ready to go live.

5. Launch

We move the site to live hosting, connect your domain, set up SSL, redirects from any old pages, Search Console and analytics, and check everything again on the live address. What you do: be available on launch day in case anything needs a quick decision. What you approve: the live site.

6. Care

After launch we stay on hand for support, hosting and updates. The first year of domain and hosting is included with every website we build. More on this below.

You own your domain, content and code

The domain, the content and the code belong to you. We register domains in your name, set up Search Console, analytics and your Google Business Profile in accounts you control, and hand over admin access at launch. If you ever decide to move to another developer or host, we will help you do it cleanly. We do not hold websites hostage.

You deal directly with the people doing the work

We are a small, owner-led studio founded by Amey Arora. There is no account manager passing messages between you and an unseen team. The people on your calls are the people designing and building your site, so questions get answered properly and nothing is lost in translation.

We share progress at every stage, use one main channel for decisions so nothing gets buried, and put important agreements in writing. You can reach us by phone, email or WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 22:00.

After launch: support and training

At launch we walk your team through the admin area, showing how to edit pages, add blog posts, update products and change images, and we leave simple written notes to refer back to. After that we are on hand for questions and to fix anything that is not working as agreed in the scope.

New features, extra pages and bigger changes are quoted separately, in the same written way as the original project. Many clients also keep us on for hosting and maintenance, SEO or social media marketing once the site is live.

Security and backups

Security is built in from the start rather than added at the end. Before launch we run a security review and harden the configuration. Every site gets SSL with HTTPS enforced, admin accounts get strong passwords and two-factor authentication where the platform allows it, and we block common routes attackers use, such as running scripts from upload folders.

Code is kept in version control, and changes are tested on a staging copy before they reach the live site. We keep regular backups of files and databases, test that they actually restore, and take a fresh full backup before any change to a live site. If something does go wrong, we restore from a clean backup and close the gap that let the problem in.

Ready to talk?

If you are planning a new site, a website redesign, an online store or a web application, the first step is a simple conversation. Look through our work, read more about us, or get in touch to book a call with our studio in Andheri West.