SHEKARI · SERVICES
WordPress and custom CMS development built around your needs
A website needs to work for visitors and for the people who publish, maintain and extend it. I help select between WordPress and a custom Laravel or CMS approach based on workflows, integrations, resources and ongoing maintenance. URL architecture, content editing, technical SEO and performance are considered from planning through delivery.
When is this service relevant?
Typical situations worth investigating before choosing the next step.
The current theme or plugin stack makes every change slower and harder to maintain.
Editors struggle with publishing workflows, permissions or inconsistent templates.
The site performs poorly on mobile or a redesign could put existing search visibility at risk.
You need multilingual content, integrations, custom roles or product-specific application workflows.
Scope and potential deliverables
The final scope is agreed after reviewing the website; these are typical work areas.
Requirements review and a reasoned WordPress, Laravel or custom CMS recommendation
Information architecture, content models, routes, editor permissions and key user journeys
Responsive templates and maintainable publishing components within the agreed scope
SEO foundations: controlled titles, canonicals, sitemaps, redirects and crawlable HTML
Performance, accessibility, form validation and baseline security checks during QA
Agreed handover of access, publishing guidance, backup approach and maintenance responsibilities
How the engagement works
The steps are adjusted to the scope we agree on.
- 01
Understand the business goals, audience, workflows, integrations and existing constraints
- 02
Agree the technical approach, delivery scope, milestones and acceptance criteria
- 03
Build iteratively and test important pages, editor tasks and user journeys
- 04
Release with QA, handover documentation and a defined maintenance arrangement
IN-DEPTH GUIDE
WordPress or a custom CMS? From platform choice to handover
Useful details to consider before deciding on this service.
A successful website is more than an attractive interface. It needs manageable publishing, appropriate features, clear ownership and sustainable maintenance costs. I start with real user journeys and editorial workflows, then recommend a technical approach that matches the product rather than adding complexity for its own sake.
Plan for technical SEO and on-page optimization before a new site launches. Replacing an existing CMS also requires an SEO migration plan for valuable URLs.
Define the product and what acceptance means
Before design starts, we establish the content types, conversion journeys, editor roles, integrations and essential features. The number of page templates, languages, forms and custom workflows shapes the estimate. Written acceptance criteria make timelines, budgets and handover easier to manage.
Where WordPress makes commercial sense
WordPress can work well for corporate and content-led sites with familiar publishing needs. Its flexibility is valuable, but plugin quality, theme design, permissions, updates and dependencies need scrutiny. It is not automatically slow, cheap or maintenance-free; those outcomes depend on the implementation and operating model.
When Laravel or a bespoke CMS is justified
Specialized workflows, complex permissions, custom data structures and integrations may call for a purpose-built application. This can bring more control, but it also creates responsibility for security, tests, upgrades and documentation. Choosing Laravel or writing a CMS from scratch does not by itself produce better SEO or a better product.
Build information architecture and SEO into the system
URL patterns, indexable templates, language variants, metadata, internal links and redirects belong in the content model. Canonicals, robots directives, XML sitemaps and meaningful 404 responses should be designed before release. Critical content and navigation need to be accessible to crawlers, especially if the interface relies on JavaScript.
Performance, accessibility and responsive QA
Important templates are checked across devices and input methods. Keyboard access, readable hierarchy, form states, contrast and asset loading all affect real visitors. LCP, INP and CLS may help diagnose problems where field data exists. The goal is a usable maintainable website, not an isolated perfect lab score.
Publishing workflows, permissions and integrations
Editors should manage approved content, media and metadata without touching code. Roles, upload constraints, form validation, audit needs and integrations are agreed as part of scope. Payment systems, messaging, CRMs and third-party APIs bring dependency, security and operating costs that should be visible before implementation.
Migrating an existing website without ignoring SEO
A redesign with existing search traffic needs an inventory of important pages and URLs. Content mapping, redirects, multilingual equivalents, staging QA and release checks may be necessary. Larger migrations are scoped as a distinct project phase rather than hidden inside a generic “redesign” promise.
Handover, ownership and ongoing maintenance
Acceptance should cover working forms, editing permissions, critical routes, generated HTML, backup arrangements and any documented integrations. Domain control, repository and source delivery, hosting access, licenses and support terms are agreed explicitly. The initial build price should remain separate from hosting, subscriptions and later enhancements.
START A CONVERSATION
Let’s scope the website your team needs
Share your current platform, key features and publishing needs to discuss the right stack, delivery scope and next steps.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
A few useful details before we begin.
Should we use WordPress or a custom CMS?
It depends on editorial needs, roles, integrations, budget, complexity and maintenance capacity. WordPress can be a strong choice for content-heavy sites; specialized workflows may justify a custom platform.
Is technical SEO part of development?
Yes. Routing, crawlable HTML, canonical logic, metadata, status codes, internal links and performance should be considered early. Building an SEO-ready platform does not guarantee search rankings.
Who owns the code and hosting accounts?
Code ownership, repository access, domain and hosting control and handover items should be written into the agreement. I recommend defining these before development rather than after launch.
Can you move our existing site and preserve URLs?
Migration can be scoped, including content mapping, redirects and release QA. Risk can be managed but no migration can promise zero fluctuation in organic performance.
How is a website build priced?
Cost depends on templates, editorial workflows, custom features, integrations, data migration, testing and support. A meaningful estimate follows a defined scope and acceptance criteria.
What happens after launch?
The agreed handover can cover admin access, documentation, code or repository delivery, backups, release checks and maintenance terms. Additional work is scoped separately.