The verdict in three sentences
A B2B brochure site ships in 5 to 8 weeks, a complex site in 10 to 16, an institutional one in 14 to 24. Development is rarely the bottleneck: content not ready (+3 weeks) and unbounded design revisions (+2 weeks) are the real culprits. To make a trade show in 10 weeks, freeze the sitemap in week 2 and deliver content before design ends.
The typical timeline by phase
| Phase | Duration | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping | 1 – 2 weeks | Sitemap, wireframes, plan |
| UI design | 2 – 3 weeks | Approved mockups |
| Development | 3 – 5 weeks | Build, CMS, features |
| Content + acceptance | 1 – 2 weeks | Text loaded, testing, fixes |
| Go-live | 2 – 4 days | Deployment, redirects, monitoring |
Timelines by site type
| Site type | Total timeline | Watch points |
|---|---|---|
| 6-10 page brochure | 5 – 8 weeks | Content ready |
| Lead site + blog | 7 – 11 weeks | SEO, CRM integration |
| Complex / multilingual | 10 – 16 weeks | Translations, integrations |
| Institutional / corporate | 14 – 24 weeks | Governance, sign-offs |
| Redesign with SEO migration | +2 – 4 weeks | 301 redirects |
Delay drivers quantified and how to neutralize them
| Delay driver | Impact | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Content not ready | +3 weeks | Content deadline in week 3 |
| Design revisions | +2 weeks | Cap at 2 rounds per mockup |
| Multi-level sign-off | +1 – 4 weeks | One mandated decision-maker |
| Scope creep | +2 – 6 weeks | Frozen brief, separate change orders |
| Late translations | +1 – 3 weeks | Deliver source text early |
Mini case study
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Thomas, sales director at a farm-equipment SME in Toulouse, wants a site before a trade show in 10 weeks. An 8-page brochure, a quote form, a blog. The risk: his content isn't written. He has the copy produced in parallel with design (weeks 3-5) instead of waiting until the end. Result: scoping 1.5 wk, design 2.5 wk, dev 3.5 wk, acceptance 1.5 wk = 9 weeks, one week of buffer held. Without anticipating content, he'd have added +3 weeks and missed the show, at an estimated cost of 15-20 lost leads.
FAQ
Can a brochure ship in 3 weeks? Yes if content and brand exist, on a pre-built theme with frozen scope. Below that, you sacrifice acceptance testing or bespoke design.
Why does an institutional site take 14-24 weeks? Governance: multi-level sign-offs, accessibility compliance, translations, integrations. Pure development is only about a third of the timeline.
What's the main delay driver? Content not ready, adding 3 weeks on average. Set a content-delivery deadline at scoping, before design even starts.
How do I hit a trade-show deadline? Freeze the sitemap in week 2, cap design revisions at 2 rounds, mandate a single decision-maker, and deliver content before design ends.
Should I plan buffer? Yes: add 15-20% to the theoretical plan. On an 8-week project, keep 1-1.5 weeks of cushion before any non-negotiable fixed date.
Let's scope your project. Give us your deadline and scope: we'll build a realistic reverse plan and tell you whether the date is achievable. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
