Professional, Branded Websites Created One At A Time
First Impressions Last Forever
When a potential client visits your website the first thing they will judge you by is the layout and design of your website. How many times have you visited a website looking for services and left before reading any of the content because the layout was unorganized, the design cookie cutter or the content dated? I understand that you are unique and your business is successful because you have differentiated yourself from your competitors in a way that is valuable to your clients and customers. Your website design and content should reflect that.
Your Business Is Important To Me
The primary advantage of being a freelance website designer is that I’m able to interact directly with my clients. Often clients come to me from larger firms that were too big to address their issues in a timely manner, or not at all. With large website design firms, it’s easy to get “lost in the shuffle”. Even worse these large website design firms are increasingly outsourcing websites to developers overseas. I guarantee I will NEVER outsource your website. I pride myself in taking time to listen to my clients so we can create a website you will be proud to show your customers. My goal is to create a website that will showcase your business while maximizing your return on investment, making your website project an investment rather than simply an expense.
Custom Website Design
Each website I design is completely customized for the client. Templates, layouts, graphics, and color schemes are just a few of the considerations we will discuss before designing your website. If you have a specific layout or design request I will sit down with you to ensure I create exactly what you desire. Of course, I have templates from websites I have created in the past, and we can base your site off one of those, but if you see a site that you like I can create a custom template for your business. Your custom website will showcase your specific offerings and engage your ideal customers, so you can meet your long-term business goals faster.
My Technical Knowledge
I’m fluent in HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, Bootstrap and JQuery. I’ve built websites using strictly HTML and CSS but I’ve found the WordPress CMS (Content Management System) is a better solution for most clients. I also have experience building successful eCommerce websites based on the WooCommerce platform. I host all the websites I create on a VPS server with InMotion Hosting, which means every website has its own control panel, also known as a CPanel. This is essential for most companies because I have the ability to host email and allocate server resources. InMotion Hosting has a 99.9% uptime and is 100% in the United States. I’m very proficient with Adobe products, which I use for graphic design (Primarily Photoshop and Illustrator).
I Build Responsive Websites
A responsive website responds to your browser size. This means whether you load your website on a computer, tablet or cell phone the website will adjust to fit that device. In today’s world clients are using tablets and cell phones with increasing frequency and it’s crucial your website is ready. If you adjust the browser size on any page of my website you will see the layout adjust. Below a defined pixel size you will see a drop down menu appear rather than squeeze or distort the navigation bar. Images and text will center for uniformity and certain images will stretch across the screen and automatically resize. There are many other subtle changes I can customize so your website looks great no matter what device your client is using.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is creating your website to rank well with search engines, most notably Google and Bing. There are many factors that go into search engine rankings and it’s a subject I have a lot of knowledge and success in. Other web design firms charge $50 – $200 PER MONTH for SEO. I believe SEO is something that is essential starting the day your website goes live and I NEVER charge extra for that service. The SEO firms are sharks. They make promises they can’t fulfill and string you along as long as possible until you’re fed up and fire them. Then many of them remove the SEO features they added to your website. This is an unfair practice and I would never treat my clients that way.
eCommerce Websites
If you want to sell your products online I can create an advanced eCommerce website to grow your business. For small businesses WooCommerce, which runs on WordPress is the best option. It’s one of the most popular eCommerce platforms and is fairly simple to manage. An advanced eCommerce website can help your business grow by selling your goods and services for you 24/7/365. All eCommerce websites are secured with an SSL certificate, which can also provide a warranty depending on the level of SSL certificate you purchase. These certificates will protect your company from fraud and their site seal will assure your customers they’re making a purchase from a reputable company. I have experience running eCommerce websites and can suggest plugins and anti-fraud solutions to help your eCommerce store be secure and profitable.
Custom Social Media Pages
A strong Social Media presence is critical for SEO and a powerful part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are the three most popular Social Media platforms that every business should take advantage of. Other firms charge extra to create social media pages and design custom headers or logos for social media platforms, but this is a service I include in all website packages. Having a strong presence on social media is not just a recommendation, but rather a requirement. I can link your blog to your social media pages so you can simply create a blog post which is automatically sent to all your social media pages. See this blog post I wrote explaining how I use a tool called Buffer to accomplish this.
Additional Services
In addition to the services listed above there are many other ways I can optimize your website to produce results. A well organized and graphically appealing photo gallery can boost your site’s conversions and get you to connect better with your target audience. Advertising with Google and Bing can connect your business with qualified potential customers at a much higher level than traditional advertising while reducing cost. To show you exactly how your website is performing my website analysis and statistics tools show who is visiting your site, what they are viewing and help optimize your site for future visitors.