Statamic is a flexible, flat-file CMS built versatile and scalable in the wire CMS landscape. There are so many CMS options, from open-source like WordPress to enterprise with Sitecore or visually customizable like Webflow, that it's hard to know what is right for your business. As your needs change and evolve, specialized CMS expertise is more critical than ever. A certified Statamic agency brings a unique blend of know-how and that "certified" stamp of approval from the Statamic team.

Let's talk bene's of working with a Certified Statamic Agency?

Expertise and Experience: Certified Statamic agencies like Ravenna have extensive experience building websites. They understand the nuances of Statamic, from its templating engine Antlers to its unique content management capabilities with fieldsets and blueprints. Their experience translates into faster development, easier content authoring, and fewer roadblocks.

Quality Assurance: Certification is not just a badge; it’s a commitment to quality. Certified agencies adhere to the highest coding standards set by the Statamic team, ensuring that your website is built correctly the first time.

Up-to-date Knowledge: As with all of the other CMS's Statamic is growing and evolving. Certified agencies like Ravenna are constantly updated with the latest features and updates directly from the Statamic team. How else can you keep tabs on security patches, bug fixes, and overall improvements to the CMS.

What can you expect Collab'ing with a Certified Statamic Agency

Effective Communication: While we can't speak for all certified agencies, At Ravenna, we have a structured approach to communication and listening that ensures your ideas are heard, understood, and translated into digital solutions. Its important for us to become experts in your systems, goals and how you think.

Customization and Scalability: One of Statamic’s key strengths is its flexibility. Certified agencies can create tailored solutions that fit your business needs precisely, ensuring scalability as your business grows.

Creative Collaboration: These agencies, like Ravena, bring more than technical skills. Their experience and creative insights can help craft a unique digital presence that differentiates your brand in a competitive market.

The Development Process from Start to Finish

Initial Consultation and Planning: The journey begins with a thorough understanding of your goals and challenges. It could be a 30-minute Zoom call, or it could take 3-4 in-person meetings. Either way, your agency needs to become an expert in your website, how it works, and what you need from it. A few of the things that should be covered in the planning phase for your website:

  • Who are the audiences your website is targeted at?

  • How do visitors engage with the website?

  • Is your site passing core web vitals?

  • Does your site pass a Technical SEO audit?

  • Do users login to or buy something on your site?

There are many more things to discuss. This stage is crucial for laying down a clear roadmap for the project.

Design: The design phase for any website is a crucial step that needs a clear focus on the desired outcome. Sometimes, the goal is to make things look up to date; other times, the goal is more user-experience-focused. There are times when there is a solid brand to build from, and others where the brand is not set in stone and can be evolved.

The design phase must be approached with thoughtfulness and a clear idea of the goals.

 Development: There are two main areas when it comes to Statamic development.  

  1. Front-end: There are many ways to develop the front end of the website. This process converts the design to html/css/js. You could opt for a plain HTML/antlers approach or go headless and pick Vue or React as the front-end framework. Either way, the net result of this work should be a generally pixel-perfect representation of the design.

  2. Backend/Statamic/content authoring: Certified Statamic agencies like us know how to configure the Statamic control panel in a way that makes sense, is easy to use, and makes content authoring simple. More than having a beautiful front end for your website is required; it has to be manageable.

Testing and Launching your Statamic Website

Feedback Integration: As the development process winds down, these agencies should take you through a feedback process where you review the website and provide any changes you want to be made. Then, they should integrate the feedback, making necessary adjustments to optimize performance and keep the user experience consistent.

Rigorous Testing: Before launching your website, it must be put through its paces. Certified agencies understand how to perform extensive testing. This includes responsive reviews, checking bugs, confirming user experience, and ensuring solid security measures are in place.

Seamlessly Launching your site: Launching a website is a critical step. No one wants a 72-hour downtime. Any agency that knows what they are doing knows how to make this a smooth experience for you. They should minimize downtime and confirm that functionalities are intact once the launch is complete.

Post-launch Support and Maintenance

Ongoing Support: Your engagement with your certified agency does not end at launch. At Ravenna, we enjoy providing consistent support to address issues, bugs, and new feature requests.

Regular Updates and Maintenance: The digital landscape, and likely your needs, continually evolve. It is essential to have regular updates and maintenance to keep your website operating at peak performance.

Future Scalability: As your business changes, so will your website needs. Certified Statamic agencies can scale your Statamic site to your growth, adding new features and functionalities as required.

"So what?" you say.

Choosing a certified Statamic agency for your web development project is an investment in quality, innovation, and longevity. They/We offer technical expertise and a partnership that helps navigate your business and website needs. In an era where digital presence is integral to business success, this choice could be the defining factor in setting your brand apart.

Contact Us to learn how a Certified Statamic Agency can help you build the website.