Guide
How does a website work? Explanation without jargon
What actually happens technically when a website is running — explained for decision-makers, not for developers. Including the points where people are still needed.
Having a website created works like this at its core: A request comes in, is checked against stored content and rules, and is either answered directly or passed to a human with full context. The real work is not in the technology, but in defining exactly where that boundary lies.
01 — How it works
How a website works technically
A site where visitors understand within seconds what you do, who it's for, and how to reach you.
From the outside, here's what happens: A request comes in — through the website, phone, a form, or an existing system. It's captured, checked against the stored rules and content, and either answered directly or handed over to a person with full context. The critical part isn't the technology, but defining where that boundary lies.
Many company sites are digital brochures: pretty, slow, without a clear next step. Visitors read two paragraphs and leave. This exact point determines how the system is configured — not a generic product promise.
02 — Components
What the system consists of
- Structure and copy based on what your customers actually search for
- Design in your corporate look, light and dark, without template appearance
- Technically sound: fast loading time, clean heading structure, structured data
- Accessibility according to WCAG 2.1 AA as standard, not as an extra charge
- Content management system so you can change content yourself
- Legal texts, cookie logic, and analytics set up in compliance with GDPR
03 — Process
The steps in detail
Vision and structure
What should someone do when they leave the site? That determines the page structure, not the other way around.
Design
A design for the home page and one subpage. Only once that's right does the rest get built.
Implementation
Build, add content, technical review for speed and accessibility.
Go-live
Migration, redirects for old URLs, setup of tracking. Followed by training.
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can we manage the site ourselves?
Yes. You maintain texts, images, and simple pages yourself. For structural changes you get in touch — or not, that's not a dependency we build.
What happens to our old site?
The content is carried over as long as it's suitable, and old addresses are redirected to the new ones. Without these redirects, you lose the visibility built up over years — that's the most common mistake in a relaunch.
Are there subsidies?
For digitalization projects in Austria, there are several funding programs, such as KMU.DIGITAL (kmudigital.at) or the aws digitalization subsidy (aws.at). Whether your project currently qualifies, we check individually — the application must be approved before awarding the contract in any case.
Does our website have to be accessible?
Since 28 June 2025, the Accessibility Act (Barrierefreiheitsgesetz) applies in Austria. Mainly affected are online shops, bookings, e-ticketing, and banking services in consumer business; micro-enterprises are exempt for services. A pure information site generally doesn't fall under it — we still build to WCAG 2.1 AA because it makes the site better for everyone and the rules tend to get stricter.
WordPress or something else?
Depends on the case. WordPress makes sense when many people manage content and standard features are enough. Where speed, security, or custom functions matter, we build leaner. We don't recommend what we like building most, but what you can still operate in three years.
How long does it take?
Four to eight weeks is realistic if content and images arrive on time. The bottleneck is practically never development, but approval of texts and photos.
What does a website cost in Austria?
There's no serious way to answer that as a flat rate — the market ranges are huge because a one-pager and a multilingual company site with twenty pages are completely different projects technically. What matters most is how much content has to be created from scratch — that's almost always the biggest line item, not the technology. Send us a quick note about what you have in mind, and you'll get a proposal that fits your scope.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
06 — Next
Related pages
- Having a website created — Overview
- Having a website built — contract and ownership
- Having a website created — requirements
- Having a website created — Common mistakes
- Having a website created — Funding
- Having a website built — practical examples
- Having a website built — introduction
- Having a website built — economic viability
- Landing page
- SEO
- Website relaunch
- All guides
Having a website created by region
Next step
Let's talk briefly about whether this makes sense for you.
A twenty-minute conversation is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense. If not, we'll say so — that's cheaper for both sides than an offer nobody needs.