How Long Does a Website Take? Our Process From Deposit to Launch
Most simple small business websites take a few weeks from start to launch. Bigger projects with lots of pages, online booking, memberships or a store usually take 2 to 3 months, sometimes longer. That's the general answer across the industry, and it holds up pretty well.
The part people don't expect: the build itself is rarely what takes the longest. Most delays come from content. Waiting on a logo file, photos, page text or feedback. A site can sit half-finished for weeks because the "About" page is still a blank document on someone's laptop.
Below is the general picture first, then our exact process from the moment you pay to the day your site goes live, who does what at each step, and a checklist of what to gather so your site doesn't stall.
How long most websites take
Timelines vary a lot by scope, so here's the rough breakdown.
Simple sites: a few weeks
A clean site with up to about 5 pages (home, services, about, contact, maybe a FAQ or gallery) is the most common small business build. When the content is ready and feedback comes back quickly, these can go live in a few weeks. This covers most contractors, salons, cafes, shops and service businesses, whether you're off Hamilton Blvd or in downtown Sioux Falls.
Bigger projects: 2 to 3 months or more
Add things like customer logins, a member area, an online store with lots of products, custom booking, or 20+ pages, and you're into a longer project. These need more planning up front, more testing and usually more back-and-forth on content.
Why the same site can take 3 weeks or 3 months
Two businesses can order the exact same 5-page site and launch months apart. The difference is almost always:
- How fast the logo, photos and text show up
- How fast feedback comes back after each review
- How many people need to sign off
- Whether the domain login can be found
The design and build are the predictable parts. The people parts are not.
Our process, step by step
Here's how a $1,320 flat website works with us, from order to launch. We're a small Siouxland web studio, and the person you talk to is the person building your site. No hand-offs to a junior designer you've never met.
1. Order and pay at /custom
You order at /custom and pay upfront. That covers up to 5 pages, a mobile-first design, basic SEO, a contact form, domain connection and 2 rounds of revisions. Paying upfront keeps things simple. No invoices to chase, and we can start right away.
If you're not sure it's the right fit, book a free 20-minute call at /consult first. We'd rather answer questions before you pay than after.
2. Onboarding in your customer portal
After you order, you get access to a customer portal. That's where you upload your logo, photos and page text, and tell us about your business, your services and the towns you serve. Everything lives in one place, so nothing gets lost in an email thread.
Your text doesn't have to be polished. Rough notes are fine. We'll tidy it and fit it to the pages. Not sure which pages you need? Our guide to what pages a small business website needs is a good place to start.
3. We build
Once we have your content, we build the site. Mobile-first means we design for phones first, since that's where most of your customers will see it, then make sure it looks right on bigger screens too. Basic SEO gets set up as we go: page titles, descriptions, headings and your service area worked in naturally.
4. You review
We send you a preview link. Look at it on your phone first, then on a computer. Click everything. Read every word. Check your hours, prices and phone number twice. This is where you catch the "we actually stopped offering that" stuff.
5. Two rounds of revisions
You get 2 rounds of revisions. A round means you send us one list of all your changes, and we make them. Then you review again and send a second list if you need it. Most sites are in good shape after the first round.
6. Domain connection
We connect your domain so the new site shows up at your address. If you already own a domain, you'll need to get us access to where it's registered, or log in with us on a short call. If you don't have one yet, read how to choose and actually own your domain name before you buy one. The short version: make sure it's registered in your name, not your old web person's.
7. Launch
We do a final check, flip the switch, and your site is live. We test the contact form, tap-to-call and the mobile layout on the live address, not just the preview.
8. Optional: Hosting & Care
After launch, you can add Hosting & Care for $32 a month or $320 a year. It includes managed hosting, security and 1 hour of updates a month, so hours changes, new photos and small edits get handled without you learning a new system. Bigger changes are quoted separately. It's optional. More on that below.
Who does what at each stage
Here's the whole process in one table.
| Stage | What happens | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Order | Pick the package and pay at /custom | You |
| Onboarding | Upload logo, photos and text in the customer portal | You |
| Build | Design and build the site, set up basic SEO | 1320 Group |
| Review | Check the preview on phone and computer, make a list of changes | You |
| Revisions | Make your changes, up to 2 rounds | 1320 Group |
| Domain | Give access to your domain, we connect it | Both |
| Launch | Final checks and go live | 1320 Group |
| After launch | Optional Hosting & Care for updates and upkeep | 1320 Group, if you choose it |
Notice how many rows say "You." That's not us passing off work. It's just that only you have your logo, your photos and the final word on your business.
What actually slows a website down
Since speed depends mostly on how fast content and feedback come in, here's where projects usually get stuck, and how to keep yours moving.
Missing photos. This is the most common hold-up. Stock photos are a last resort. Your real shop, truck, team and work look better and build more trust. You can take good ones with a phone. Our phone-only website photo guide shows how.
Text that never gets written. If writing isn't your thing, don't let it stall the project. Send bullet points, or even voice-memo notes typed out. Rough is fine.
Feedback by committee. If three partners and a spouse all need to approve the site, collect everyone's notes first and send one combined list. Five separate emails with conflicting changes can double the timeline.
Lost logins. Domain logins are often in an old employee's email, or with a previous web designer who moved away. Start looking now. It can take a while to recover access.
Seasonal timing. If you're a lawn care business wanting to launch before the spring rush, or a gift shop on Historic 4th Street wanting to be ready for the holidays, start earlier than you think. The busy season is exactly when you'll have the least time to send photos.
Quick tip: The fastest projects we see have one person in charge on the client side. One person gathers the content, collects the feedback and makes the final call. Pick that person before you order.
Start with a free 20-min call.
Talk through your website, your goals and what comes next. No pressure.
Book a free callWhat to gather before you start
You can order before you have all of this, but having it ready is the single biggest thing you can do to launch faster.
Your checklist
- Your logo, in the highest quality file you have
- 10 to 20 real photos of your business, team, work or products
- A list of every service you offer, with a sentence or two on each
- Prices or "starting at" prices, if you show them
- Your hours, including any seasonal hours
- Every town and area you serve, like Sioux City, South Sioux City, North Sioux City or Le Mars
- Phone, email and address (or say if you don't want the address shown)
- A few lines about your business: how long you've been around, what makes you different
- Links to your Google Business Profile and social pages
- Your domain name and the login for where it's registered
- Two or three websites you like the look of, even from other industries
- One person picked to give feedback and approve the final site
When our process isn't the right fit
We're honest about this: a flat $1,320 site isn't for every project.
If you need a member area, a customer portal, a large online store, or a complicated booking setup, that's bigger scoped work. We quote that separately, and the timeline is longer, closer to the 2 to 3 months typical for bigger builds.
If you need a site live by Friday for an event this weekend, a DIY builder might honestly be the better call for now. You can always come back for a proper site later.
And if you want to write and design every page yourself and enjoy tinkering, a DIY tool may suit you fine. Our flat-rate build is for owners who want it done for them, done right, and done in weeks.
FAQ
How long does it take to build a simple small business website?
A simple site with up to about 5 pages usually takes a few weeks when content and feedback come in quickly. The build itself is the predictable part. Waiting on photos, text and approvals is what stretches most timelines.
Can you give me an exact launch date?
We don't promise an exact day count, because so much depends on how fast your content and feedback come in. What we can say is that most of our sites go live in weeks, not months. Have your checklist ready and pick one decision-maker, and you'll be on the faster end.
What counts as a round of revisions?
One round is one combined list of changes you send after reviewing the site. We make all of them, then you review again. You get 2 rounds, which is enough for most sites when feedback is gathered in one place.
What if I don't have good photos?
You can still start. Use what you have, and take new photos with your phone as the build goes on. Real photos almost always beat stock photos for a local business, so it's worth the effort.
Do I have to sign up for Hosting & Care?
No, it's optional. Hosting & Care is $32 a month or $320 a year and includes managed hosting, security and 1 hour of updates a month. Read what hosting and care actually covers to decide if it's worth it for you.
Your business. A $1,320 website.
Up to 5 pages, mobile-first and basic SEO. One flat project fee, built for your business.
Get a $1,320 website