Creating a custom website that emails an access link to paying customers

51 Foreclosure Tips Web Development

Overview

The client wanted to sell one thing and one thing only: access to useful information. And in the checkout process, an upsell was needed. A good web design was needed too, one with a clear path for the reader to follow.

The check out process needed to be super simple, and the upsell offer even more simple.

Key Technologies

HTML

Python

PostgreSQL

Javascript

Discovery

The client was very organized and had crystal-clear requirements of how the website should work. The website should have a sequence of pages, each showing useful information that would help the author show their expertise on foreclosure. Free foreclosure tips were given in the articles and there needed to be a sales offer on the last page.

Strategy

The website needed to be straightforward and easy to navigate, so a sidebar was used to show the different sections. At the bottom of every section, it was decided to place a link to the next one. I don't take credit for this, I followed the directions of the client. Custom work is what I specialize in. I was not going to use an existing platform like shopify or woocommerce because it would take more time to customize the look and remove features that were not needed for this project. Instead, I would code the HTML and CSS and use the Python based microframework Flask to create the site. The site would include an easy-to-use Admin back-end to edit product and page content. The digital product was to be dynamically generated and accessible through an encrypted link. For payment processing, the client decided to use an existing Square account, so I read up Square's API docs and I was all set to begin work.

Build

There is a Flask extension called Flask-Admin that is basically a CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) interface. This is what I used for the backend. Once the client approved the design, I used a templating system on the front-end. All the content was then available to be edited through an admin interface. If the client needed to make last minute edits, the content was easily editable. The digital goods (the 51 foreclosure tips) were also editable through the admin interface. All records of purchases were also kept and made searchable in the system.

The Results

The client put the website to use as soon as it was deployed. Everything was set to go. The pages were all linked in order. The content had been proofread, and the payment processor integrated.

Closing Thoughts

There are many e-commerce platforms that can be customized to do something simple, but the desired level of simplicity may require a developer to strip many features and redesign many HTML elements built into the e-commerce platform. This can cause the web project to have code bloat and a cluttered admin interface (anything that you do not use or need can be clutter), additionally, reverse building (having to remove things unused) has the potential to drag out project delivery time.

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