HOW WE WORK
Web development in 5 phases
A web project goes well when everyone knows what will be done, when and why. This is the process we follow for online stores, websites and apps.
Phase 1. Discovery and goals
We start by understanding the business: who the customers are, what they should do on the site (buy, request a quote, book a meeting), which systems already exist (invoicing, CRM, ERP, stock) and how we will measure success. We also look at competitor sites and the keywords the new site should target.
The result is a short document with the scope, pages, integrations, timeline and a fixed budget.
Phase 2. Architecture, SEO and content
Before design, we define the page and URL structure, navigation and categories, with both users and SEO in mind. In migrations, we map every old URL to the new one so no Google rankings are lost.
In this phase we also plan the content: which texts, images and videos are needed, who produces them and in which languages.
Will the website be optimised for SEO and mobile? Yes. Every project is delivered with correct semantic structure, schema markup, optimised meta tags, responsive mobile-first design and Core Web Vitals optimisation (LCP, CLS and INP).
Phase 3. UX/UI design
We design for mobile first, where most visits happen, and then for desktop. The design follows the brand identity and conversion best practice: clear messages, social proof, visible calls to action and short forms. You approve the main screens before we start coding.
Phase 4. Development and integrations
We build on WordPress and WooCommerce with themes and plugins developed from scratch, without heavy page builders, to keep sites fast and easy to maintain. We integrate payments (cards, PayPal, MB WAY, Multibanco), shipping, certified invoicing, CRM, email marketing and analytics tools.
- Online stores: catalogue, filters, optimised checkout, Google Merchant Center and multilingual.
- Corporate websites: service pages, forms, booking and CRM integration.
- Apps and automations: APIs, n8n, Make or Zapier to remove repetitive tasks.
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Phase 5. Testing, launch and follow-up
Before going live, we test on several devices and browsers and check speed, forms, payments, automatic emails, redirects and GA4 tracking. After launch we follow Search Console and conversions for the first weeks and fix whatever is needed.
Do you offer maintenance after launch? Yes. We have website management plans that include security updates, backups, uptime monitoring, performance optimisation and ongoing technical support.
WordPress, WooCommerce or Shopify?
We mostly work with WordPress and WooCommerce because they give full control over SEO, design and data, with no commission per sale, and because they adapt well to multilingual stores and to Portuguese invoicing and payment systems.
Shopify can make sense for stores that want to start quickly with little customisation. In the discovery phase we explain the benefits and costs of each option for your case.
What technologies do you use for development? We mainly work with WordPress and WooCommerce for online stores and corporate sites, with custom themes and plugins built from scratch. For apps and automations we use PHP, JavaScript and REST API integrations.
How long web development takes
A simple corporate website is ready in 3 to 5 weeks. A complete WooCommerce online store usually takes 6 to 10 weeks, depending on the number of products, integrations and custom features. Apps and custom plugins are quoted case by case.
The factor that delays projects most is content. That is why in phase 2 we agree who delivers each text and image, and by when.
How long does it take to develop a website? A simple corporate website is ready in 3 to 5 weeks. A complete WooCommerce online store typically takes 6 to 10 weeks, depending on the number of products, payment and shipping integrations, and the complexity of custom features.
Multilingual online stores and websites for Europe
Many of our clients sell in Portugal and other European countries. A well-built multilingual site is not just translated: it has its own URLs per language, correct hreflang, currencies, payment and shipping methods adapted to each market, and content written for people searching in that country. We build with Polylang or WPML and leave the structure ready for international SEO, as we did for Pools and More, with stores for Portugal, France and Germany.
What you get at the end of the project
At launch you receive the site with full admin access, the domain and hosting in your company's name, training to manage content, technical documentation and tracking in place. If you wish, the site then moves to a maintenance plan with updates, backups and support.
Mistakes to avoid in a web development project
Many new sites lose traffic and sales for avoidable reasons. The mistakes we see most:
Can I migrate my current website without losing rankings? Yes. We carry out migrations with a 301 redirect plan, preserve URLs wherever possible, transfer SEO metadata and monitor Google Search Console after the migration to make sure organic traffic is maintained.
- Changing sites without 301 redirects: old pages vanish from Google and the traffic goes with them.
- Themes with dozens of plugins: slow sites that are hard to update.
- Design without a goal: nice pages with no call to action or social proof.
- Launching without tracking: not knowing how many leads or sales the new site brought.
- A domain in someone else's name: depending on a supplier for any change.