Ordering a custom website: what a web studio's service includes
'Custom website' sounds the same from every contractor, but what is actually included can differ several times over — worth checking before signing, not after.
What a full development cycle involves
Stage one is a brief and structure: the studio establishes goals, audience and competitors, then maps out sections. Stage two is design: key page layouts approved first, then full design across all sections. Stage three is build: turning the layout into a working, mobile- and tablet-adapted site.
Stage four is content placement — copy, photos, icons. Stage five is testing across devices and browsers. Stage six is launch: domain, hosting, base SEO setup, and handover.
What cheap offers often skip
The most common gap is real-device testing — a cheap contractor checks the site only on their own computer, missing real discrepancies across phone models and browsers.
Second is base SEO setup: proper page titles, meta descriptions, robots.txt, a sitemap. Without it the site technically works but is barely found, and the client only discovers this months later.
What to check in the contract
The contract should fix an exact page and feature list, per-stage deadlines rather than one blanket 'turnkey' date, revision terms, and a post-launch support period.