We get asked a lot about how we actually work. What happens between someone sending us an enquiry and a finished website going live? Here's an honest, detailed look at our process — the same one we've refined across 50+ projects.
It Starts With Listening, Not Designing
Every Jazz Creative project begins with a discovery call. Not a sales call — a genuine conversation about your business. We want to understand: what does your business do, who are your best customers, what does success look like for this project, what's frustrating you about your current site, and what's your timeline and budget?
We come to that call prepared. We'll have already reviewed your existing website, your Google presence, and your main competitors. We're not starting from zero — we're bringing context.
Strategy Before Design
After discovery, we produce a strategy document before touching a design tool. This covers: the site architecture (which pages, in what order, with what purpose), the primary conversion goal of each page, the keyword targets for SEO, and the content requirements. This document becomes the brief that guides every design decision.
This stage is what separates a website that looks good from one that performs. A beautiful homepage that doesn't clearly communicate what you do and who you do it for is a wasted opportunity.
Design in Figma — Full Visibility for You
We design in Figma, and we share a view-only link with you from day one. That means you can see designs as they develop, leave comments directly on the design file, and follow progress without waiting for formal "presentation" moments.
We design desktop and mobile simultaneously — not desktop first and mobile as an afterthought. In 2026, over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Mobile is the primary experience.
Our design process includes two structured rounds of revisions. We present our rationale for every major design decision, so feedback discussions are grounded in strategy — not just personal preference.
Development on a Clean, Maintainable Codebase
We build primarily on WordPress (for content-heavy sites and service businesses) and Shopify (for eCommerce). Both platforms give clients genuine independence — you can update content, add pages, and manage products without needing us on every change.
Our builds follow a consistent set of standards: semantic HTML, accessible markup, schema structured data, optimised images, minimal plugin dependencies (fewer plugins means fewer security vulnerabilities and better performance), and clean, documented code.
SEO Is Built In — Not Bolted On
SEO isn't something we add at the end. It's built into the architecture from the start:
- URL structure planned for target keywords
- Meta titles and descriptions written for every page
- Heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) structured for both users and crawlers
- LocalBusiness schema markup on the homepage
- Image alt text and filename conventions
- XML sitemap and robots.txt configured
- Google Search Console and Analytics connected at launch
Testing Before Launch
Before any site goes live, we run through a comprehensive pre-launch checklist. This includes: cross-browser testing (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge), device testing across phone sizes and tablets, form and integration testing, 404 check, SSL certificate verification, Core Web Vitals audit, and a full SEO crawl. We've caught things on this checklist that would have been embarrassing problems post-launch.
Launch and Handover
We handle the full technical launch — DNS migration, SSL activation, redirect setup if URLs have changed, and post-launch monitoring. Once live, we do a thorough handover: a recorded walkthrough of how to manage the site, documentation of any integrations, and a clear explanation of what's been built and why.
After Launch
Most of our clients continue with us after launch on a monthly retainer — covering ongoing SEO, content updates, performance monitoring, and strategic direction. We believe the best websites get better over time, not stagnate after launch day.
For clients who prefer a one-off project, we're always available for specific updates or future phases.
Want to Work With Us?
If this approach resonates — strategic, transparent, senior-led — let's talk. We take on a limited number of projects at a time to maintain quality, so if timing is a factor, it's worth reaching out sooner rather than later.