Chapter 01
A web design and development agency, not a template shop
A lot of what gets sold as “website design” in Nepal is a pre-built theme with a logo swapped in, delivered in a week and never touched again. That approach has a real cost: generic UX that does not match how your actual customers browse and buy, slow load times from bloated theme code nobody bothered to clean up, and a site that becomes difficult to extend the moment you need one more feature than the template anticipated.
As a web design and development agency, our process starts with UX before UI, mapping how a visitor actually moves through your site toward a goal, booking, buying, enquiring, before a single screen is designed. UI design follows that structure, and development is built to match, whether that means a properly customized WordPress theme, a Shopify store tuned for conversion, or in some cases a fully headless build for maximum speed and control. The platform is a means to an outcome, not the starting point.
5
Platforms we specialize in: WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and headless
UX first
We map user journeys before any screen is designed
<2s
Target load time we design and build toward on every site
0
Generic themes shipped without customization to match your actual users
Chapter 02
What we specialize in
WordPress is our most common build, flexible enough for almost any business type, service sites, blogs, newspapers and content-heavy publishers, educational institutions, with a huge plugin ecosystem for extending functionality without custom code for every feature. Shopify and WooCommerce for ecommerce, Shopify when you want a fully managed platform with less server maintenance to think about, WooCommerce when you want full control and lower ongoing platform fees on top of WordPress. Squarespace for smaller brand or portfolio sites that value design polish and simplicity over deep customization. And headless architecture, a Next.js frontend decoupled from a headless CMS or headless WordPress backend, for brands that need the fastest possible load times and the flexibility to push content to a website, app, and other channels from one place.
Chapter 03
Who we build for, beyond ecommerce
Ecommerce stores are one part of what we build, but not the whole picture. We also design and develop for service-based businesses (consultancies, clinics, law firms, agencies) that need a site built to convert enquiries into booked calls, and for publishers and media sites (newspapers, magazines, content platforms) that need a CMS built for high-volume daily publishing without the backend slowing to a crawl.
For education, healthcare, real estate, hospitality, and other verticals, see our industries page, where we cover what matters specifically to each of those sectors. This page focuses on the platform and technical side of the build, whichever industry you are in.
WordPress
The most flexible platform for service sites, publishers, and content-heavy businesses. See WordPress services.
Shopify
Fully managed ecommerce, built and customized for conversion. See Shopify services.
WooCommerce
Full-control ecommerce on WordPress, lower ongoing platform fees. See WooCommerce services.
Squarespace
Polished, simple sites for brand and portfolio-led businesses. See Squarespace services.
Headless (Next.js)
Maximum speed and flexibility, a decoupled frontend and backend. See headless services.
The next five chapters go deeper into the disciplines that produce most of the return for Nepalese businesses, on-page, off-page, technical, local and the new world of AI / answer engine SEO.
Which platform fits which kind of business
| Business Type | Recommended Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Service business, consultancy, clinic | WordPress | Flexible content structure, strong SEO plugin ecosystem |
| Newspaper / publisher / content site | WordPress | Built for high-volume, multi-author publishing |
| Ecommerce, wants managed hosting | Shopify | Less server maintenance, strong checkout out of the box |
| Ecommerce, wants full control & lower fees | WooCommerce | No platform transaction fees, full WordPress flexibility |
| Small brand / portfolio site | Squarespace | Design polish, simple to hand off and maintain |
| High-traffic, multi-channel, performance-critical | Headless (Next.js) | Fastest load times, content reusable across web/app |
Our Approach
The 3-Pillar Web Design & Development Framework we run every build on
The same three pillars behind every site we design and build, regardless of platform.
- UX mapped before UI is designed : We map the actual user journey to your goal before any screen is designed, not the other way around.
- Platform chosen for the outcome, not habit : WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, or headless, chosen based on what you actually need, not what we default to.
- Built to be fast and findable from day one : Performance and technical SEO are part of the build, not a separate project after launch.
Not sure which platform fits your business?
We'll recommend one honestly, based on what you actually need
A free consultation to understand your goals before we suggest a platform or approach.
Get a free site reviewChapter 04
What "headless" actually means, in plain terms
A traditional WordPress or Shopify site has the frontend (what a visitor sees) and the backend (where content and products are managed) tightly bundled together, the same system does both jobs. Headless architecture separates them: the backend, a headless CMS or headless WordPress, stores and manages your content, while a separate frontend, commonly built with a framework called Next.js, fetches that content and renders it to visitors, built purely for speed and flexibility rather than inheriting the constraints of a traditional theme system.
The practical benefit is a site that loads dramatically faster (because the frontend is lean and purpose-built, not carrying the weight of a general-purpose CMS theme engine), and content that can be reused across a website, a mobile app, or other channels from one managed backend. The tradeoff is that headless builds cost more upfront and need ongoing technical maintenance a plugin-based WordPress site usually does not, so we recommend it specifically for businesses where speed and multi-channel reach genuinely matter to the bottom line, not as a default for every project.
Chapter 05
What we need from you before we start
A sense of your goals for the site (bookings, sales, enquiries, brand credibility), any existing brand assets, and access to your current hosting or domain if this is a rebuild rather than a new site. We handle the platform recommendation, wireframing, and technical setup, you do not need to arrive with a finished spec.
Chapter 06
UX and UI: what we actually mean by that, since it gets thrown around loosely
UX (user experience) is the structure underneath a site, what pages exist, how they connect, what a visitor needs to see at each step to move toward booking, buying, or enquiring. Get this wrong and even beautiful visual design will not convert, because people cannot find what they came for. UI (user interface) is the visual layer built on top of that structure, typography, color, layout, imagery, the part most people mean when they say “design.”
We do UX first: sitemaps, user flow diagrams, and where useful, wireframes, before any visual design starts. This catches structural problems (a confusing navigation, a missing step in a booking flow) while they are still cheap to fix, rather than after a beautiful UI has been built around a broken structure.
What is typically included in a website project
| Phase | What Happens |
|---|---|
| UX | Sitemap, user flows, wireframes |
| UI | Visual design, brand application |
| Development | Build on chosen platform, integrations |
| QA & Launch | Cross-device testing, speed optimization, go-live |
Want to see how we approach UX?
Ask us for an example user flow from a recent project
We are happy to walk through our process before you commit to anything.
Ask usChapter 07
Speed and technical SEO are built in, not bolted on after launch
A slow site loses visitors before they see anything, and search engines factor load speed into ranking. We optimize images, minimize unnecessary plugins and scripts, and set up proper caching from the start, along with the technical SEO basics, clean URL structure, schema markup, mobile responsiveness, so a new site is not starting from a deficit the moment it goes live.
Chapter 08
Handoff and ongoing maintenance
Once a site launches, we provide training so your team can update content without needing us for every small change, blog posts, product listings, basic text edits. For technical maintenance, plugin and core updates, security monitoring, backups, we offer ongoing care plans, since an unmaintained WordPress or WooCommerce site is a common source of the security and performance problems businesses come to us to fix later.
Chapter 09
Migrating from an old or slow website
A meaningful share of our projects are rebuilds of existing sites, often old themes nobody has touched in years, slow, hard to update, or simply outdated visually. We handle content migration, redirect mapping (so old URLs still work and you do not lose existing search rankings), and a staged rollout so the new site can be reviewed thoroughly before it replaces the live one.
Chapter 10
How this connects to your other marketing
A well-built site is the foundation everything else, SEO, PPC, social media advertising, points traffic toward. If your site is not converting, spending more on ads or SEO just sends more visitors to the same leak. We also run SEO and PPC, so if a new build is part of a broader growth push, we plan the site with that traffic and conversion goal in mind from the start.
Chapter 11
Contract terms
Website projects are quoted per project, not a recurring fee, with milestone-based payments tied to UX approval, design approval, and launch. Ongoing maintenance, if you choose it, is a separate month-to-month plan with 30 days notice to end.
Traditional CMS vs. headless architecture
| Factor | Traditional (WordPress/Shopify) | Headless (Next.js + CMS) |
|---|---|---|
| Load speed | Good, depends on theme/plugins | Excellent, purpose-built frontend |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Ongoing maintenance | Plugin/core updates | Requires developer for changes |
| Best for | Most businesses | High-traffic, multi-channel, performance-critical sites |
Chapter 12
When we would tell you not to go headless
If your team needs to make frequent content changes without a developer, or your budget and traffic do not yet justify the added build and maintenance cost, we recommend a well-optimized WordPress or Shopify build instead. Headless is a genuine advantage for the right business, not a default upsell.
Education & Consultancies
See our education consultancy and schools & colleges pages for sector-specific detail.
Chapter 13
A Kathmandu-based web design and development agency working across Nepal
We are based in Kathmandu, and design and develop websites for businesses across Nepal, service businesses, publishers, ecommerce stores, and educational institutions alike, delivered remotely with the same process regardless of location.
Week 1
1 weekDiscovery & Platform Recommendation
We understand your goals and recommend the right platform for your needs.
Weeks 2-3
2 weeksUX: Sitemap & Wireframes
Structure and user flows mapped and approved before visual design starts.
Weeks 4-5
2 weeksUI Design
Visual design applied to the approved structure.
Weeks 6-8
2-3 weeksDevelopment
Build on the chosen platform, integrations, content entry.
Week 9
1 weekQA & Launch
Cross-device testing, speed optimization, go-live.
From the team
Queens Digital Agency
We would rather spend an extra week on wireframes than launch a beautiful site with a confusing checkout flow. Structure first, every time.
Kathmandu, Nepal
Chapter 14
How website project pricing works
Website design and development is project-based, priced by scope: number of page templates, platform complexity, and whether custom functionality (booking systems, product catalogues, integrations) is needed. Below are starting points for common project types; a final quote follows a short discovery call once we understand your specific requirements.
Brochure Site
NPR 60,000 / starting, one-time
A focused site for service businesses: home, about, services, contact, up to 5-6 page templates.
- UX wireframes & UI design
- WordPress or Squarespace build
- Mobile responsive & basic technical SEO
- Content entry for up to 6 pages
Custom / Headless
Custom / quoted by scope
Complex builds, custom functionality, or headless (Next.js) architecture for performance-critical sites.
- Full UX research & wireframing
- Custom functionality or headless build
- Content migration if replacing an existing site
- Dedicated project manager
Chapter 15
What is included vs. billed separately
Our project fee covers UX, UI, development, and launch. Hosting, domain registration, and premium plugin or theme licenses (if any are needed) are billed at cost, we do not mark these up. Ongoing maintenance is a separate optional plan.
Included vs. separate
| Item | Included | Separate |
|---|---|---|
| UX, UI & development | Yes | - |
| Hosting & domain | No | At cost, no markup |
| Ongoing maintenance | No | Optional monthly plan |
Chapter 16
A note on platforms we no longer build new sites on
We focus our platform expertise on WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and headless builds, since these cover the vast majority of what businesses in Nepal genuinely need well. If your project has a specific reason to use a different platform, talk to us and we will tell you honestly whether it is something we can deliver well or better handled elsewhere.
5
Platforms we specialize in
UX first
Structure mapped before visual design begins
0%
Markup on hosting, domains, or third-party licenses
They asked about our booking flow before showing us a single design mockup. That order of operations made all the difference.
Trusted by teams across Nepal
Ready to build or rebuild your site?
Let's figure out the right platform and approach for you
A free consultation, no obligation, honest platform recommendation.
Contact Queens DigitalChapter 17
Explore by platform
See our dedicated pages for WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and headless development for platform-specific detail.
Project pricing depends on scope. A focused brochure site for a service business typically starts around NPR 60,000, an ecommerce store on Shopify or WooCommerce starts around NPR 120,000, and custom or headless builds are quoted individually based on requirements. A short discovery call determines the actual quote for your project.
It depends on your business. WordPress suits service businesses and content-heavy sites, Shopify suits ecommerce stores wanting managed hosting, WooCommerce suits ecommerce wanting full control and lower fees, Squarespace suits smaller brand or portfolio sites, and headless (Next.js) suits high-traffic, performance-critical, multi-channel businesses. We recommend based on your specific goals, not a default.
A headless website separates the backend (where content is managed, a headless CMS) from the frontend (what visitors see, often built with Next.js). This gives dramatically faster load times and content that can be reused across a website and other channels, at the cost of higher upfront build cost and needing a developer for ongoing changes.
Yes. We build for service businesses, publishers and content sites, and more. See our industries page for sector-specific detail on education, healthcare, real estate, hospitality, and more.
Yes. We are based in Kathmandu but deliver web design and development projects for businesses across Nepal, the process is fully remote-friendly.