[spacing size=””]In this guide, I walk you through the steps to getting started with web design in Kenya. This will help you create a website that will sell & communicates for you and your business effectively.

Are you looking to create a website for your company or personal reasons? Then read on because I will share tips so you can the best website.

First, I will go over an overview of the status of Web Design in Kenya, then share with you what you will need to get started.

I will also show you how much you should expect to pay for a website design in Kenya. Then I will recommend the perfect web design companies in Kenya you can contact to build your website.

So let’s get started with the status of Web Development in Kenya.

Web Design in Kenya Overview

If you run a business and don’t have a website yet, it is time to consider getting one for your company. If you don’t know yet, the internet is the future of businesses in Kenya, soon everything will be done online and you don’t want to be left behind.

In Kenya today, a website is not just an address on the internet, it is more than that. It is a tool where you can use to sell your products, communicate with your clients/customers and so much more. So getting a website in Kenya is important for your business and profit.

Web Design in Kenya is offered by small companies and freelancer individuals, your choice of the designer will depend on what you need.

If you are a business, you might want to choose a company to develop your website rather than an individual. However, individual Freelancers are good and flexible and will give you their full time.

According to the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK), as of June 2017, there were 43,329,434 Internet users in Kenya. This translates to 89.4% of the population. From the table below, you will see that the number is rising and expected to grow in the coming years.

YEAR	Users	Population	% Pen.
2000	200,000	30,339,770	0.7 %
2008	3,000,000	37,953,838	7.9 %
2009	3,359,600	39,002,772	8.6 %
2010	3,995,500	41,070,934	9.7 %
2015	31,985,048	45,925,301	69.6 %
2017	43,329,434	48,466,928	89.4 %

Source: Internet World Stats

Web Design Requirements

To get your website designed, you need to have the following resources. If you don’t have them it is fine, you can talk to your web designer and they will guide you.

1. Domain Name
2. Web hosting account
3. Company Profile
4. Brandable assets (Logo, company color, images of products or office) These can be in the company profile.
5. You need to provide an overview of what you want from the designer.
6. Money.

Website Design cost in Kenya?

How much does a website cost in Kenya? This is a tricky question, to give an answer we talked with a few web developers in Nairobi. Most of them said it depends on different factors. These include but not limited to;

• The type of website – Different types of websites ranging from blogs to e-commerce websites and online applications.
• The scope of a project – What is needed because websites are different and client needs vary.
• Duration of the project – This hugely depends on the type of website.
• Type of client – Most of the developers we talked to revealed that they sometimes charge clients based on the type of client. For example, the price offered to an individual client is not the same as offered to a business or a corporate.

So to give a fixed amount will not be correct and might land me in trouble 🙂 but to conclude, the cost of web design in Kenya ranges from  KES. 20, 000 to over 1 million Kenyan Shillings.

Most small business portfolio websites should not go way over 75,000 Kenyan Shillings.

How to create a website in Kenya

There is a procedure to be followed if you want to create a successful website in Kenya. Here’s my step-by-step guide to creating a successful business website:

1. Determine the primary purpose of your website
2. Decide your domain name
3. Choose a web host
4. Identify a Web Design Company
5. Know what tools will be used
6. Test and publish your website
7. Market your website on social media/search engines
8. Update and maintain your website

Now that you have an overview of the steps, let’s go through them one by one.

Step 1: Determine the purpose of your website

Before going out to look for a web designer in Kenya, you need to outline what your website to do for you. Ask yourself these questions that will help in determining the primary purpose of your website:

• What information do I want to share?
• Am I selling anything online?
• Will I be updating the websites with information?
• How will I use the website?
• Do I expect to make money from the website?

With these questions answered, you will know what type of website you want. The following are some of the popular types of websites available.

1. Static Website, which is a non-editable brochure website. These types of websites are no longer necessary in the new information age.
2. Editable brochure websites – These websites have the ability to update content. They have a Content Management System which makes them dynamic and easy to manage.
3. eCommerce Websites – They have payment software where you can sell products online. An example of a payment software is PayPal.
4. Blogs – Used to generate content and articles
5. Progressive Web Application – These are complex types of websites where there is more going on. For example, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

I must say the most popular way to build a website these days is through CMS (Content Management System). In this category of websites, you can build all the other types of websites.

A good CMS that is popular is WordPress, it is so popular that 31% of the web uses WordPress, from hobby blogs to the biggest news sites online. So choose WordPress for your next website design.

Step 2: Decide your domain name

If you operate a business, choosing a domain name should be the easiest thing to do. Just use your business name. If your business name is long, try to find a way to shorten it.

The challenge most Kenyans have is whether to use a .co.ke or .com domain. Both are good and will give you what you need. But if you want to target an international audience go with a .com. If you have a business with a physical location, a .co.ke is a good choice for you.

Domains in Kenya cost a maximum of KES 1000 per year or if you are smart, they can cost 500 bob on some registrars.

Step 3: Choose a web host

Once you have your domain name, the next step is to identify a web host.

” A web host, or web hosting service provider, is a business that provides the technologies and services needed for the website or webpage to be viewed on the Internet. Websites are hosted or stored, on special computers called servers. When Internet users want to view your website, all they need to do is type your website address or domain into their browser. Their computer will then connect to your server and your web pages will be delivered to them through the browser. (Source: https://www.website.com)

The option to choose an international company or a local web hosting company is personal. But choose a web host with a good reputation and make sure they have a good support policy that will help you.

Step 4: Identify a Web Design Company

There are many web design companies in Kenya, but you want one that will take time to understand your needs and your business. Choose a company that will walk with you through the development phase and even after the launch of your website.

Go to Google and search for website design companies. Select the first 5 and sent them the same email. Look at how they will respond to your email. This will tell you if they are good or timewasters.

Also, it is important to go through their website and look at how it is, a web design company that has a poorly built website should not be in the web design business.

Make sure you have a well-written contract with your web designer. Ask them to send you one (a red flag if they cannot send you one). Go through the contract since most web designers will try to protect themselves.

Always work with milestones or use down payments, don’t pay the full amount unless you are satisfied with the work.

Most importantly try to arrange a meeting by visiting the company office and check the office setup.

Step 5: Know what tools will be used

Even if you don’t understand, make sure to ask how your website will be developed and what technologies will be used.

WordPress is one of the most popular tools used to build websites across the world. This is because it is easy for anyone to handle the website and update it. When contacting a developer ask them if they use WordPress. If they do make sure they use a premium theme or develop a custom one for you.

Step 6: Test and publish your website

You must get the URL from your developer and test your website. Pass along the link to friends and employees to test the website.

When testing the website, look out for the following:

1. Look and feel, it should be attractive to the eye. The layout should be simple and classy and easy for someone to get around.
2. Check on your mobile phone, it should look nice on mobile and all the elements should be clearly visible.
3. Check loading speed, according to Google, a good website should load in under 3 seconds. However, if it loads for 7 seconds or less then it is ok. Anything more than that indicates a problem and you should inform your web developer.
4. Check on the image and content used. Don’t use wazungu images and ask where the developer got his/her images. Check spelling and grammar too.

Step 7: Market on social media/search engines

A website does not make you money, marketing the website will make you money. Having a website without sharing on social media is like the proverbial “winking to a girl in the dark“.

So make sure you come up with a plan to market the website at least in the first few months after the website is built.

Step 8: Update and maintain your website

If you take good care of your website it will definitely reciprocate and give you a good return on investment. Make sure your web developer has a good maintenance and update plan for you.

Web Development Companies in Kenya

Here is a list of the top web design companies in Kenya right now. We have checked the reviews online and they are legit. Our website was designed by Nabaleka Digital Solutions.

1. Nabaleka Digital Solutions – We have first-hand experience working with this company and must say they are the best. Nabaleka is a leading Web Design & Digital Marketing Agency in Kenya. They focus on Web Design, Search Engine Optimization, and general Digital Strategy.
2. Kenya Web Designers – This company has more than 8 years of experience in building and developing websites in Kenya. They serve corporates, SMEs as well as individuals. The company also offers web hosting services.
3. Peak and Dale – This is one of the top web design companies in Kenya and serves a wide number of clients. Peak and Dale offer domain name registration services, web design as well as web hosting.
4. Kenya Web Experts – As the name says it, these are experts in the Web industry. They are known for domain registration services. Kenya web experts provide the best web hosting services in Kenya.
5. Conquest Capital – This is a creative agency based in Kilimani Nairobi, they do offer web design, graphics design, and digital marketing.

I hope the above information will help you get your website online in no time. If you have any questions regarding web design in Kenya feel free to leave a comment below.