Once you've decided to go ahead with a managed starter website, the process is designed to be as straightforward as possible from your side. Here's a clear walkthrough of what to expect — from signing up to going live, and what happens on an ongoing basis after that.
Step 1: We Gather Your Information
The first thing we do after you sign up is get in touch to collect what we need to build your site. This typically takes the form of a short questionnaire or a quick call.
What we'll ask for:
- Your business name, phone number, and email address
- The services you offer (a simple list is fine — we do the writing)
- The areas you cover
- A brief background on your business — how long you've been trading, any qualifications or accreditations
- Photos of your work, team, or premises (phone photos are absolutely fine)
- Any specific pages, features, or information you want included
You don't need to write any content yourself. We take the information you give us and build the copy from there. For more on this, see do I need to write my own website content.
Step 2: We Build Your Site
Once we have your information, the build begins. For most managed starter websites, this takes two to three working days.
During this stage we:
- Design the layout and choose fonts and colours that suit your business
- Write all page content — home page, service pages, about, and contact
- Set up your hosting and SSL certificate
- Configure your domain (or register a new one if needed)
- Set up your sitemap and submit it to Google so your site is indexed promptly
- Set up security monitoring and daily backups
Step 3: You Review It
Once the initial build is complete, we share a preview link for you to review. This is your opportunity to flag anything you'd like adjusted — wording, page structure, photos, or any details that need correcting.
Most reviews result in a small number of minor tweaks rather than significant changes. We aim to get it right first time based on the information you've provided.
Step 4: Your Site Goes Live
Once you're happy with the site, we point your domain to the live server and your site goes live. At this point it's publicly accessible, indexed by Google, and ready to receive visitors.
From sign-up to going live is typically five to seven working days. See can a small business website be built in under a week for more on the timeline.
What Happens on an Ongoing Monthly Basis
Going live is just the beginning. Every month after launch, your site continues to grow:
New pages added — Depending on your plan, one, five, or ten new pages are added each month. These target additional services, locations, or questions your customers are searching for. Over time, this is what builds your Google rankings and brings in more enquiries.
Small changes made — Need to update your prices, add a new service, or change a photo? Just get in touch and it's done.
Software and security maintained — All technical upkeep is handled in the background. Your site stays fast, secure, and properly maintained without any involvement from you.
Ongoing support — If you have questions, notice something you'd like changed, or want to discuss your site's performance, we're here.
What to Expect from Google
New websites don't rank immediately. Google needs time to crawl, index, and evaluate your site — this typically takes three to six months before you start seeing meaningful organic traffic. This is normal, and it's why consistent monthly page additions matter so much in the early stages.
For a realistic picture of what to expect, see what to expect in the first 3 months of your new website.
Ready to Get Started?
If you have questions about the process before signing up, get in touch and we'll walk you through it. Our managed starter website service is designed to be straightforward from your side — we handle the complexity so you don't have to.