Why I Became a Web Designer

Brand Development: Step 1 of Small Business Success

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:50:17 GMT

In today's competitive marketplace, small businesses often rush to establish an online presence without laying the proper groundwork. However, skipping brand development is like building a house without a foundation—it might stand for a while, but it won't withstand the test of time. I’d like to explain why brand development is essential for small businesses and how it influences every aspect of your visual presence.

The Foundation: Why Small Businesses Need Brand Development

I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again – It’s More Than Just a Logo!

Brand development encompasses far more than choosing colors and designing a logo. It's about defining:

• Your Core Values - What your business stands for and believes in

• Your Unique Value Proposition - What sets you apart from competitors

• Your Brand Personality - How you communicate and connect with customers

• Your Target Audience - Who you're serving and what they need

• Your Visual Identity - The consistent look and feel across all touchpoints

All of the above bulleted points play a factor in and offer information that relates to your web design project, advertising and marking projects and more!

The Small Business Advantage

For small businesses, strong branding levels the playing field with larger competitors.

It builds trust and credibility! A professional, consistent brand makes your business appear established and reliable, even if you're just starting out. Customers are more likely to trust businesses that present themselves professionally. They also start to remember your branding when the visuals stay consistent – from color palette and typography used, to logos and brand marks as well as branding patterns!

It creates emotional connections and we all know most small businesses thrive on relationships. A well-developed brand helps you connect with customers on an emotional level, turning transactions into loyal relationships.

Lastly, having a strong brand also justifies premium pricing. If you don’t come across cheap – you can command higher prices. When customers understand and connect with your brand values, they're willing to pay more for the experience you provide.

The Digital Foundation: Brand Development + Web Design

Your Website is Your Digital Storefront

When it comes to web design, attempting to build a website without established branding is like trying to decorate a room without knowing who lives there. I’ve tried! Now, after trial and error, I require all my web design clients who cannot provide essential branding elements from my list to their web design project, to go through branding with me at the mini brand level or above.

Here's why branding must come first:

• Design consistency creates a higher level of professional presence.

Here’s what your brand guidelines dictate:

• The color palette chosen is to evoke the right emotions in your target audience

• The typography should reflect your personality

• The image styles used need to reflect your brand but also resonate with your audience

• The layout, flow and call-to-actions used in your web design should support your message and goals

The design choices I make on a client’s website are largely influenced by their branding. If my client is a creative agency, for example, I would use bolder, more innovative layouts. If the client is financial or medical service, I would lean into a cleaner design with more subtle animations. For community-focused businesses, I would aim for a warmer design with simplistic navigation but a fun, more interactive section flow.

And of course, any website, regardless of brand, should reflect the brand promise, reinforce the brand values and have every interaction thinking of the user experience in terms of engagement and readability.

The Cost of Retrofitting – that “trial and error” period I described earlier

I have found in the past, that starting a web design without brand development often leads to:

• Multiple Redesigns - constant changes as you figure out your identity

• Inconsistent Messaging - confused visitors who don't understand your value

• Wasted Resources - Time and money spent on designs that don't align with your eventual brand

• Lost Opportunities - Potential customers who don't connect with your unclear message

Brand-First Web Design Benefits

When brand development precedes web design, this is what we get to see:

• Faster web design & development - Clear guidelines eliminate guesswork

• Better ROI - Designs that actually convert visitors into customers

• Longevity - Websites that remain relevant as your business grows

• Coherent Storytelling - Every page reinforces your brand narrative

And let me be clear – this is for new businesses just as much as it is for businesses that have been around for decades.

Twenty to thirty years ago, an business owner would obtain a logo design and put it on everything (business card, vehicles, storefront, signage, advertisements) – that was the extent of “branding” for most local, small businesses. Now the world is very different.

Having an online presence is essential to compete, gain new leads, engage a broader audience and remain relevant. It’s never a bad time to update your logo and establish brand development in a way you may have never properly done before – even rebrand all together!

The Ripple Effect: Brand Development Across All Marketing Channels

Social Media : Your Brand in Action

Your brand development directly influences social media success! With every reel and story, your visual cohesiveness builds brand recognition. Use that color palette and those fonts consistently to make posts instantly recognizable in feeds! Your brand’s voice and tone can guide engagement and your brand personality (which may be formal or casual) conveys your core values to your target audience.

Advertising : Making Every Dollar Count

Brand development maximizes advertising effectiveness! Having completed professional brand development, you have done the ground work for targeted messaging, compelling ad copy and telling your brand’s story in a memorable way.

Don’t underestimate the visual impact your brand can have in advertising and marketing campaigns - consistent brand aesthetics increase ad recall by up to 80%! Brand colors trigger emotional responses and associations – oh! And recognizable design elements reduce the need for repetition! This goes for marketing across both digital and print materials.

Every marketing touchpoint benefits from strong branding!

Getting Started: Your Brand Development Journey

Start With Strategy Before any design work:

1. Define your mission and values

2. Research your target audience thoroughly

3. Analyze your competition

4. Articulate your core and unique values

5. Brainstorm what your brand personality IS and how you could reflect that…

Now This Is Where I Come In!

H ire a Branding Professional

Upon completion of your brand development project, you will have comprehensive brand guidelines including established. You’ll be knowledgeable on how to implement them consistently. Then you can train your team on brand application!

Conclusion: The Investment That Keeps Giving

Brand development isn't an expense—it's an investment that pays dividends across every aspect of your business. For small businesses, it's the difference between being another option and being the obvious choice.

Whether you're designing a website, crafting social media content, or creating advertising campaigns, your brand development serves as the blueprint for success. It ensures every dollar spent on design and marketing works harder, every customer interaction reinforces your value, and every decision moves you closer to your business goals.

The question isn't whether you can afford to invest in brand development—it's whether you can afford not to.

In a world where customers have endless choices, your brand is what makes you memorable, trustworthy, and worth choosing.

Start with brand development and watch how every other piece of your business puzzle falls perfectly into place!

SEO Penalties: Keyword Stuffing & Too Many Pages

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:21:45 GMT

Sure – optimizing our websites for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is very important. What good is a beautifully branded and responsive website if it can’t be found? On the flip side, if your website is keyword-heavy, often accompanied by an excessive number of pages with redundant content in attempts to manipulate organic search engine rankings, what type of effect is that having on the user-experience of your website visitors when they do find it?

In this blog, I’ll briefly tell you what keyword stuffing is and how it can actually hurt your efforts to increase SEO. Fear not! I’ll also go over ways to avoid it and some tips to balancing the tedious game of making sure your website has a positive SEO while also providing an optimal user-experience.

KEYWORDS? (Some basic knowledge first.)

For those of you who have no idea what “keywords” refers to in relationship to a website, let’s cover that real quick so you are up to speed! When Susie opens a search engine browser, like Google, types what she’s looking for into the search bar and hits enter, a search engine’s algorithm takes over and starts scanning the entirety of the internet in order to present her with websites that are relevant to what she’s looking for. (The process of how it discovers and gathers this information - which all happens in a fraction of a second, involves various technical terms...but that’s for an entirely separate blog!) The keywords you use on the pages of your website become signals to search engines that the content on your website might be a match to what Susie is looking for!

Using strategic keywords can increase the traffic to your website and improve your search rankings when done correctly. However, it’s important to remember that you’re ranking on Google (or any other search engine) is dependent on hundreds of different factors – using keywords for SEO is just one of them.

Yet, for whatever reason, some marketers get laser-focused on keywords being some kind of shortcut to boost their visibility online – as if they’re going to outsmart Google’s algorithm. Not to mention the fact they're ignoring numerous other key elements that it takes into consideration.

My qualm with this tactic when it comes to small business websites, is that by becoming too technically focused, you are overlooking the very users you hope to attract to your website in the first place…but we’ll get into that later!

What Is Keyword Stuffing?

Simply put, keyword stuffing is filling your website with keywords in an attempt to make the web pages seem more relevant in search results, thus increasing your search engine rankings (i.e., ranking higher on Google).

How can being keyword-heavy have a negative impact?

In my research, I’ve learned a popular phrase associated with keyword stuffing is keyword cannibalism – eek !

What some might consider to be the largest negative impact (because it’s the whole reason they were using so many keywords in the first place) is search engine penalties. Yep! Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving over time and will now actually devalue websites that use keyword-heavy content that offers no additional information necessary to their visitors from the other web pages on their site. The algorithm associates this keyword stuffing tactic with SEO spam and can result in your website having lower rankings or not even showing up at all. This was proven in Google’s 2011 Panda update and reenforced in the 2013 Hummingbird update where Google’s algorithm was made to understand more conversational searches – allowing users to use a more natural language when entering their inquiries into the search bar.

Another huge negative impact is poor user experience, which brings us back to my major pet-peeve with the tactic of keyword stuffing of small business websites. Your target audience lands on your website and starts to explore. Your aim is to keep them on your site, guiding them through the information you want them to digest about your products & services, all while allowing them to experience your brand’s voice, personality, mission and values. The ultimate goal is to convert that visitor into a lead and even better yet, a sale! When keywords are used without regard for natural flow, it creates a very disjointed experience for the user. Often times, a website that is keyword stuffing is also guilty of content overload in the number of web pages it’s using as well. The thought process of the website creator was "the more pages I have to fill with keywords, the higher my SEO ranking will be," – however, the complete opposite effect could be true. Creating an excessive number of web pages with redundant information will cause more harm than good to your SEO. Furthermore, making your users navigate down a rabbit-hole of repetitive content risks increasing your bounce rate (users jumping off your site, typically because it’s taking too long for them to find the information they need) and lowering your conversion rates (costing you leads/sales).

Are keyword stuffing and too many pages hurting your SEO?

It’s all about finding a delicate balance. Creating multiple web pages can be a good thing for your SEO ranking – just make sure you’re using these pages to not only hit more or alternate keywords but also to cover broader topics or introduce new content that is valuable to your target audience. Too much similar content may result in triggering Google’s algorithm and putting your website in the penalty box.

It’s all about quality over quantity! Review your website with fresh eyes – try to see it as a user would, navigating and consuming the information for the first time. Are the pages of your website displaying much of the same information over and over despite having a different title at the top of each page?

If you’re still unsure whether your website is guilty of keyword stuffing or having way too many pages, bring in a test subject to review it and provide feedback. If you can get someone who is knowledgeable on up-to-date website practices or who works in this industry, even better! For this very reason (amongst others), some freelance web designers , like me, offer website analysis as a service. It’s also a great way to know whether your website is outdated, unresponsive or lacks current information your visitors should know about your business or industry.

What to take away…

Develop a keyword strategy when SEO optimizing your website. Don’t overlook your target audience – get into their heads! What words might they also use when searching for a product, service or information you provide? That answer might not always match your industries terminology.

Don’t lose your credibility with both users and search engines by prioritizing keywords over readability. While quantity isn’t always bad, the quality of your content as well as the users overall experience matters more! Ultimately, write your content for people first and search engines second.

The Price of Neglect: How bad web design affects your business

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:57:33 GMT

Is bad web design killing your business and you don't even know it??

Do not underestimate or undervalue the importance of having a well-designed website – especially in today’s digital age. Done right and properly maintained, your website design and functionality influence trust and credibility. Your website should be one of your strongest assets. If you think it’s currently a silent setback, your wrong – it’s breaking your business’s bottom line!

Reputation Matters

Poor first impression

Your website is often the first point of contact with potential customers. If it looks outdated, cluttered, or unprofessional, visitors may assume your business is the same way — and leave before even giving you a chance.

Brand Damage

Inconsistent colors, fonts, or messaging can make your brand look scattered and unprofessional. A cohesive design reinforces brand identity and builds recognition.

Lacks Functionality

High Bounce Rates

If your site is hard to navigate, loads slowly, or doesn’t work well on mobile, people are likely to bounce (leave after visiting just one page). This tells search engines your site isn’t offering value, which can tank your rankings.

Lost Credibility

A poorly designed site can erode trust. If the layout is confusing, links are broken, or the content is full of typos, people might question whether your business is legit or reliable.

Mobile Optimization: Mandatory

With the majority of users browsing on mobile devices, if your site isn't responsive, you're instantly losing a huge chunk of potential customers.

Performance Issues

Lower Conversion Rates (Making website visitors into buyers)

Good design guides users toward taking action — whether that’s filling out a form, making a purchase, or calling you. Bad design creates friction that stops that from happening.

Negative SEO Impact

Google favors websites that are user-friendly, mobile-optimized, and fast. Bad design hurts all of these, which means you’re less likely to show up in search results.

Maintenance Neglect

Outdated software programs, widgets and the like can all severely impact the ability of your website visitors to find you or the information their seeking when they arrive on your site. It can also lead to compromised website security and vulnerabilities that hurt your brand’s reputation with decreased traffic and security breaches.

Your website does more than just enhance your online presence – it is your 24/7 salesperson and direct reflection of your business. Invest in professional web design with someone who will make sure your brand’s identity is properly reflected prioritizes the user experience.

Then commit to regular website maintenance and updates so it keeps working FOR you.

Remember, your website should drive your business forward, not hold it back.

Contact me to see how I can help!

What is a Social Media Manager?

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:54:48 GMT

What is a social media manager and what do they do?

Including 3 FREE DOWNLOADS!

In February’s blog , we covered what a Social Media Content Creator is and what they do. While their roles can sometimes overlap, a social media manager is a distinct position. Many confuse the two or believe they are the same—but trust me, there’s plenty of work to go around! I briefly touched on this last month and promised to delve deeper this time.

Content Creation vs. Social Media Management

A content creator focuses on providing tailored content specifically for your brand, ensuring it aligns with your business goals, target audience, and the platform where it will be posted.

Creating a Social Media Presence

Among the many responsibilities of a social media manager, the first two are creating and maintaining a brand’s online presence. If your business doesn’t have social media accounts, they can set them up for you. Your profiles should be cohesive across all platforms for easy brand recognition and include essential business information and links.

Now What?

Great! Your social media accounts are established. What comes next? How do you grow a following? Here’s where the key difference between a content creator or influencer and a social media manager becomes clear. While branded content is essential to engage your target audience, a social media manager goes further—they plan campaigns, engage with followers, and track trends to keep your brand relevant and appealing.

Campaign Planning & Execution

Developing strategies for the type of content to create based on marketing goals takes significant effort. A social media manager collaborates with your business to discuss objectives—whether it’s promoting a product, informing the public about a service, or determining the best posting times based on user activity.

But it doesn’t stop there. A social media manager monitors engagement and analytics to understand who is interacting with your content, which types perform best, and how to refine strategies for continued growth and success.

Community Engagement

Beyond analytics, a social media manager actively monitors brand interactions. They check for mentions, comments, and likes, ensuring engagement with your audience. Building a strong community involves thanking those who share your content, responding to mentions, acknowledging reviews, and answering questions in a timely and professional manner. These efforts foster relationships and encourage people to stay connected by following your page .

Staying Active & Up to Date

Social media management is a full-time job. It involves strategizing campaigns, collaborating with content creators, engaging with audiences daily, and reviewing analytics. On top of that, social media managers must stay informed about ever-changing platform policies, experiment with new tools and features, run paid ads, research relevant hashtags, and adapt to best practices for each channel.

Phew! That’s a lot of work! Now you see why social media management has become a full-time profession in today’s digital world.

In-House vs. Outsourcing

Some businesses hire in-house social media managers who may also create content. Others prefer to have a dedicated content creator working alongside a social media manager. For small businesses, outsourcing to a freelancer or agency is a cost-effective option.

Many business owners I’ve worked with prefer to avoid the expense of an additional salaried employee and opt to outsource social media management or content creation. However, some have found that agency-produced content can feel generic, lack an authentic brand voice, or limit their ability to pivot strategies quickly.

What Do You Do?

For my clients, I offer social media account setup to ensure everything is done right from the start. I also provide training and consulting to help business owners manage their accounts effectively. Most of my clients hire me for campaign-based work and monthly content creation, allowing me to understand their brand and deliver customized content as needed. My clients appreciate my personable approach and the flexibility of working with a freelancer.

Although I love helping businesses with social media, I don’t have the bandwidth to manage accounts for all my clients full-time. In addition to running my own business and managing my father’s company, Farmer Boy Furniture , I serve as both the social media manager and content creator for both.

Would you like help strategizing your social media presence? Let’s connect !

FREE BONUSES!

What is a Social Media Content Creator?

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:43:19 GMT

We'll cover what social media content creators do, the benefits of hiring one for your small business and how to collaborate with them!

 What is a Social Media Content Creator?

A social media content creator is an individual who produces content tailored specifically for social media platforms. The primary goal of sharing this content is to engage audiences through informative, educational, persuasive, or entertaining material, often to promote a personal brand, business, or product. Content creators possess a variety of skills, including visual design, videography, copywriting, and brand-building.

Although many content creators operate across several social media channels, some may focus on particular platforms like Instagram or YouTube, or specialize in certain content formats, such as short-form videos or promotional posts.

While this specialization might appear restrictive, it actually enhances a content creator’s expertise. By honing their focus on a specific platform or content format, creators gain a deep understanding of what resonates with audiences. This insight is especially valuable in an environment where social media trends and platform functionalities are constantly evolving.

The Benefits of Hiring a Content Creator

In my experience working with small businesses, a common misconception is that hiring a content creator or social media manager is a luxury reserved for larger companies. However, we all recognize the power of social media as a tool for small businesses—much like a website, why wouldn’t you want your social profiles to professionally represent your brand and make a strong first impression?

Hiring a social media content creator means having a dedicated professional who consistently produces content for your social media profiles. This can significantly enhance the way you engage with your target audience and increase brand awareness.

Maintaining a consistent online presence across your channels not only builds your brand but is also one of the most effective strategies for growing your following.

While some businesses have in-house social media creators, working with an external expert offers valuable perspectives that you may not have previously considered. Content creators are specialists in their field—they edit content before publication, tailor it to the specific platform on which it will be shared and ensure it aligns with your target audience and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Additionally, they often have access to a variety of tools and resources to produce more creative and engaging content.

How to Collaborate with a Content Creator

It’s important to choose a social media content creator who aligns with your business needs and goals. Budget is, of course, an essential consideration. Some content creators charge by the hour, while others offer packaged rates or monthly subscriptions.

Decide whether you want the creator to simply deliver content for you to post independently, or if you'd like them to manage your social media profiles in a more hands-on, task-oriented role. In this case, they would have the ability to post content on your behalf at optimal times or schedule posts in advance.

Be sure to provide your content creator with brand guidelines so they can accurately reflect your brand’s voice and values. Sharing any other relevant information about your business will help them tailor their content to best achieve your specific goals.

Let your content creator do what they do best! While it’s important to offer feedback, it’s equally important to trust their expertise. After all, you hired them for their design skills, industry knowledge, and experience.

Allow time for the process. Even if you’re working with a monthly contract, I recommend committing to at least three months. This gives your audience time to engage with and respond to your new, professionally branded content. Over time, they’ll become more familiar with your brand’s voice, mission, and products.

Remember: hiring a content creator means investing in consistent, high-quality content at an affordable price—but don’t expect miracles overnight!

What is a Social Media Manager?

Stay tuned for my next blog, where I’ll delve into the differences between a content creator and a social media manager!

What I Learned My First Year as a Freelance Web Designer

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:39:32 GMT

Starting your own business of any kind is exciting and terrifying simultaneously! LEAN IN.

 What I Learned My First Year as a Freelancer

How fast this year has gone! I wouldn’t change it for the world – I really love what I do, even with all the ups and downs. It’s a constant process of learning, growing, changing and all the while refining my skills to become better. I have met some amazing people and had the opportunity to complete some awesome projects.

TAKE THE LEAP

I was prepared for a lot of self-marketing, expense and profit tracking, developing my own brand, figuring out my process and of course, client relationships.

I was full of both confidence and doubt right before I launched my business – but I knew what skills I had, was ready to take on the "learning curve" and knew I wanted to help small businesses. I was also blessed to have a wonderful support system in my family.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN JUGGLE

Having your own business is like having TWO. Using restaurant industry terms, you have to be both “front of the house,” as well as “back of the house," - add managing my father's business and let’s not forget my two children and husband who deserve my time and attention, well...

I thought I was launching a “side” business, but quickly realized my ability to multi-task was going to be tested to the max!

What I learned is that I can juggle A LOT – however, initially maybe not in the most sustainable ways. Over the course of the year, I learned how to control the monopoly of time work would have over my personal life. Be prepared to need very good time management skills. Work diligently and put it down for “brain breaks” and quality family time.

FRIENDLY YET FIRM

Often the line between client and friend can get fuzzy – especially when I’m naturally talkative and enjoy having a more personable approach with my clients.

What I learned is that you can treat others with kindness and respect while making sure your clients understand that while you are providing a service, your time is just as valuable as theirs. Fine tune things like project timeline expectations, cancellation policies and content handover deadlines.

PICK A PLATFORM AND HONE IT

I started out knowing one web builder like the back of my hand. I quickly seemed to take to the second with flying colors! Honestly, the third and the fourth were quite easy in comparison to the first two “larger,” less constrictive builders. Initially, I wanted to become proficient on as many different web building platforms as I could in order to deliver what any client may want or need for varying industries.

What I learned is that while knowing your way around multiple platforms is a great skill to have, you can really do your best, most efficient work and hone your skills when you limit yourself to one or two. For good reasons, I landed on Wix Studio and Ionos Website Creator (a version not available to the public). They are price comparable to other platforms and offer my clients a lot more bang for their buck, allowing nearly unlimited growth potential for their business. For me, as the designer, Wix Studio and Ionos Website Creator allow me multitudes of freedom in customization and the ability to easily offer continued support post launch.

TEST THE PROCESS AND REPROCESS

With business experience already, I had a process laid out prior to launching my business publicly – that way I would have a guide for both me and my clients to keep things running smoothly throughout their projects.

What I learned was that you can have what you think is a very solid process all laid out, but until it’s tested by multiple clients in various industries with various needs – who also add services and alter their timelines, there is no “one process” for a freelancer. Now with that said, after having gotten to test my original process, determine where I was missing steps or where others might need to be added, as well as variations in the process depending on the type of service I’m performing – I have a much clearer one in place now that can help keep things on track. However, if things start going off the rails a little, I’ve learned to roll with the punches!

STREAMLINED SYSTEMS

At the start, I was very focused on other aspects of my business and not so concerned about things I knew I could quickly create – such as templates for invoices, proposals, web analysis’s, email outlines and things of that nature.

I quickly learned that having branded templates predesigned, that I could easily customize was extremely helpful and timesaving! It also gave me a foundation for other templates I didn’t think about initially – like onboarding questionnaires and client feedback surveys. Finding systems to help you streamline your day-to-day management is essential.

RESILIENCE & PERSISTANCE

I was prepared to send emails, make some cold calls, drive around my community introducing myself and handing out business cards. There may be times in the future when that is necessary, however, I was blessed this year and so thankful. I had a comfortable, steady flow of clients and projects at a pace I could control. They all came to me via my website, social media, and recommendation by family, friends and previous clients.

What I learned having various projects and vastly different clients, is that you will be asked to deliver some things you may have ever done before. On the platforms I utilize most, I’m a quick learner when it comes to incorporating a new functionality but there were also some challenges. You need to continue to be resilient when faced with obstacles – educate yourself in areas that are new or unfamiliar. Be persistent when first, second or even third attempts fail. You may be really surprised what you can do!

IN CONCLUSION….

Starting a business of any kind is both exciting and terrifying simultaneously! Be as prepared as you can be but also go into it open-mindedly – ready to explore any and all resources available to you! Be passionate. Be humble. The more I learn, the more I want to know. I've encountered many people this year who were great resources and discovered more tools that can help me provide the best services to my clients.

I am so thankful for the amazing amount of support from my community, friends and family! I am grateful for the stellar clients I've had this year who have been a huge part of my growth and achievements. I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and nothing but prosperity and blessings in the new year!

“If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.”

– Tony Gaskins

Starting Your Web Design Project: Preparation & Tips

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:31:17 GMT

How to Prepare for Your Web Design Project &

3 Tips for Working with your Web Designer

What you can do as the client to be ready!

With a dozen blogs now, I’ve covered a lot! I’ve not only explained some of the differences between a Web Designer and a Web Developer , but also shared some pros and cons regarding Freelancers versus Web Agencies , in order to help you determine which might be most suitable for your web design project. I hope when you make your decision and begin reaching out to prospective hires, you find the questions to ask your web designer , I provided, helpful. Make sure you also check out their portfolios and know the qualities of good web design , so that can factor into your decision. Once you’ve obtained various quotes and decided which fit is best for your business needs, your web design project will begin!

Just like you are an expert in your field, your web designer is an expert in theirs – the same goes for the fact that while you aren’t knowledgeable on all the aspects of designing and building a website, they cannot possibly be knowledgeable in the industry of every client they take on. As a freelance web designer, I work with all types of small businesses in widely varying industries. Your collaboration plays a large role in the process.

In this blog, I will go over some of the things you may be asked to contribute as far as content and business information, that way you can be prepared to play your part.

How You Can Be Prepared

A very important thing to have established before launching a business website, is your brand development. If you have already done this, have any information and materials related to your branding ready for your web designer. If you were provided a Brand Board that has “your brand at a glance,” that’s a good start. You will want to relate your typography and color palette (including Hex or RGB codes) as well as all digital formats of your logos, brand marks/icons and patterns/textures (if you use those). If you haven’t established your branding at all or past obtaining a logo, I would HIGHLY recommend looking into hiring someone for this service as well. If you end up hiring a freelance web designer, they may also offer brand development as one of their services and it is well worth the investment! Your brand is so much more than a logo and your entire website will be designed to reflect it visually.
You know your business best. Be able to convey to your web designer as much as possible about your company. If you’ve been around for a while, perhaps you already have a mission statement, motto and tagline. If you’re just starting your business, these are great things to think about now and have constructed in time for your web design project. Established or brand new, no one can talk about your business like you can! Tell your web designer what type of people you are trying to attract (your target audience), who your competitors are and what your business goals are.
Content. This is a big one. Think about what you want your website to include…photos, service descriptions, your biography or business history, reviews from previous clients or customers, product imagery…all these things are content that you should be able to supply your web designer. I will often pull reviews from my client’s Facebook pages and Google business listings as well as photos from their social media accounts. If you don’t have many photos (or none at all), your web designer should have a plethora of stock photography available to them via multiple sources and can use those. You could also consider investing in a photographer to do a brand, product or content photoshoot . A great benefit of doing a photoshoot during your web design, is that you can request a shot list from your web designer so that they can coordinate with your photographer on what types of pictures are needed for the various pages, section and topics of your website. While I’m not a professional photographer, I offer photography services to my clients as some are just starting out or have smaller budgets.
Find inspiration! If you haven’t discovered Pinterest, go there now. (LOL) On Pinterest , you can create a “board,” much like a file or folder and “pin,” or save things that you love or that inspire you – whether it be colors or a style. Research other companies in your industry on the internet as well, starting with your competitors. Jot down a list of 3-5, their website addresses and what you like or dislike about their websites. All of this information will help guide your web designer down the right path to achieving a design that you love and reflects your brand’s identity!
Lastly, know your goals and what you want to achieve with your website. What do you want visitors to be able to do? A few examples would be signing up for a newsletter subscription, reading your blogs or contacting you for a consultation. Tell your web designer if you will you need e-commerce in order to sell a product or service and which products you want to feature or if there is a particular sale or promotion regularly. Your web designer will take all of these objectives into consideration and draw users to them through the flow and layout of your website as well as CTA’s (Call-to-Actions).

We’ve gone over 5 different ways you can be prepared for your web design project and if you start compiling these things and have them ready for your web designer, you will be an A+ client!

Now…want some extra credit?

3 Tips on Working with Your Web Designer

Be Responsive. You’ve made the excellent decision to make an important investment in your business and its future by hiring a web designer to create your website. With any project, there is an expected launch date. Typically, the one thing that can delay or postpone a website’s launch, is the responsiveness of the client. You will need to hand over content, approve design drafts and answer questions. When I work with a client, for the life of your project, your business becomes my business. Being a freelance web designer, my reputation and success depend on my client’s satisfaction , therefore I only take on so many clients at a given time so I’m able to devote the time and attention each one deserves. It is your job as a client, to return that respect and consideration. After all, this is your project and your investment, so make sure to also make it one of your priorities.
Give Constructive Feedback. Whether it be positive feedback or constructive criticism, they are both a valuable part of the process. Each time I receive feedback from a client, it helps me narrow down what they are looking for. Ask my previous or current clients how much I remind them to be open and honest with me when requesting feedback and they will tell you it is every, single time! The website is YOURS, not mine. At the end of the day, it should be your aim as well as your designers, for it to reflect the values, goals and brand identity of YOUR business.
Be Open to Recommendations. A good web designer isn’t just there to click away at the keyboard and mouse. Design takes a lot of experience and research. Your goals and input are vital, but a designer will be thinking of aspects that you may not be user-experience, interaction, ease of navigation, SEO optimization, latest technology trends, and visual aesthetic. As I previously mentioned, for the length of your project, your business becomes my business – therefore, I only have its best interests at heart and as a freelancer who offers multiple services in addition to web design, I have made many recommendations to my clients that I feel would be beneficial to their branding, their content writing , their social media campaigns and their advertising & marketing designs . You don’t have to say yes to every recommendation either! Just have an open mind and remember, if you choose the right person for the job, they should want you to get the most bang for your buck and help you make your mark!

I hope the information in this blog helps you have the best and smoothest experience when the time comes for you to begin your web design project!

Prep & Planning for Your Brand Photoshoot

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 18:27:12 GMT

It is well worth the investment to hire a professional photographer for a brand photoshoot. High-quality, professional grade imagery makes a huge difference in your branding, advertising & marketing materials, and content.

Professional headshots, casual shots, candid photos and photos of your tools, resources and office can all be used to express your brand’s personality, giving your audience a glimpse into what you do and who you are.

LET’S PREP

A: Brand in Mind

First - take time to review your branding again: your message, your voice, your mission statement, your tone, who your target audience is and color palette. Make sure you are clear on your brand’s personality and who you’re speaking to.

B. Image Usage

Second – remember what the images you’re trying to capture will be used for. What types of shots will you need for the campaigns and/or advertising & marketing you’ll be doing throughout the next year?

If you’re working with a web designer (like me), get them involved as well! Whether your web designer is in the wireframing process or laying out the structure of your site, collaborating to determine where images will be needed is a big advantage. For example, maybe the layout of your “About” page of your website calls for an image on the right-hand side – it would be best to have an image of you NOT looking to the left, away from the text on the page or the Call to Action.

NOW PLANNING

Step 1 – Choosing the right photographer

Important first step! Make sure if you don’t already have a photographer that you trust that you properly research and vet some photographers before making your selection. Make sure they are willing to work in your area and are within your budget. Then, check their reviews from previous clients. Lastly, check out their portfolio. Do you like their style of shooting and editing? Does their aesthetic align with what you hope to get out of your photos?

Step 2 – Determine location, or perhaps, multiple locations

Where you take your photos sets the whole vibe for your photo shoot. Most efficient is finding one location that offers multiple rooms, areas or spaces to capture different facets of your branding or style. If you’re working in multiple locations, make sure they are near one another, that your photographer is on-board with going to several different sites and that any travel time is factored into your shoot time. Stay away from buildings, structures and signage that would clash with your branding. Also steer clear of locking yourself into a particular season. For instance, these photos will be used all year round, so try to avoid autumn leaves or snow during an outdoor photo, that set the time of the year.

Step 3 – Shot List Preparation

You may have a photographer and a location – but what kind of photos are you aiming to achieve? Consider how you plan to use these images as well: website, social media posts and stories, catalogs or advertisements, billboards or signs?

Creating a shot list looks different for each person…

· Maybe you have specific images in mind, so you write a list with descriptions?

· Maybe you have magazines and screenshots from the web of cool photos and ideas that you’ll print and bring along?

· Another great resource is Pinterest! Create a Shot List Board and start searching “brand photo shoot,” “professional business photos,” “brand photos for content,” etc. Pin the ones that inspire you or have a similar vibe to your branding. If your photographer uses Pinterest, you can add them as a viewer or collaborator, so they have an idea of what you like before arriving on location.

Step 4 – Outfit Selection

When choosing the pieces of clothing you want to wear in your brand photo shoot, the most important things to remember are staying ON BRAND and thinking about your location.

· Which colors in your branding palette look best on you and also have the same aesthetic as your location?

· If the background is very neutral, you may want the fabrics and textures you wear to bring the color!

· If the space you’re shooting in is already full of colors from your brand palette, perhaps this is the time for you to dress in the more neutral tones of your branding?

· TIP: Keep your outfit selections to ones that are easy to get in and out of so that your outfit changes don’t cut into your photographer’s shooting time too much.

Staying on brand isn’t just about your color palette though – it’s also remembering the type of clients you are trying to target. Dress for them.

· What style speaks to your audience?

· What vibe are you trying to portray in the types of styles you’re wearing?

Make sure all your selections are tried on, cleaned, and altered, if necessary, prior to the photoshoot.

Step 5 – Hair, Make-up & Props

Having a hair stylist and make-up artist the morning of your photoshoot or on location is not really a necessity. If it’s within your budget and makes you feel your best, then by all means! If you are most comfortable applying your own make-up and styling your own hair, that is also a great choice!

Props, however, should be thought out and brought along with you to location. Regardless of industry or profession, there are always usually at least one or two props that would be very useful during a brand photoshoot. Examples could be pens, tablets, spreadsheets or calculators – if you work with these things on a daily basis. As a web designer, I would definitely have my laptop with me and perhaps some wireframe drawings. Remember, you’ll also be getting shots that won’t have your face in them – maybe your hands using the tools of your trade or an image of your desk and what’s on it, in your office. This is where a brand photoshoot can be a little different than a family portrait session.

Step 6 – Optional Videographer

Worth mentioning! Depending on your industry and goals for the shoot, it may or may not benefit you to also have a videographer. Ask yourself what platforms and types of content you utilize the most. If it’s making reels or maybe an intro for your YouTube channel…it could be worth creating a few videos during your brand shoot as well.

Step 7 – Brand Photoshoot Checklist

Have a checklist so you can go back and make sure each one of the steps we discussed has been ticked! It’ll help keep you organized during the preparation and planning process but also keep you on track the day of your shoot. We all get excited sometimes – our brains start racing or we get distracted. Having your checklist will help to ensure you achieve all of the items on your Shot List.

BONUS: NIGHT BEFORE & DAY OF TIPS

I did some content creation for a client who is a photographer this summer and some research I did for one of her posts would be very applicable here!

· The night before your photo shoot, make sure you hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

· Also, man or woman - exfoliating that skin and using a moisturizer before bed so your face looks it’s best the next morning is a wonderful tip!

· It goes without saying that getting to sleep at a decent time so you’re well rested is most beneficial.

· On the day of, try to bring healthy, light snacks to nibble on when you have a minute. It’s easy to forget to eat in all the craziness…and with all the boxes on your checklist you want to cover, but it’ll keep you energized and not hangry (which your photographer will appreciate). Stick to foods or liquids that won’t make you bloat or feel sluggish.

I hope these helpful steps and bonus tips have made you feel more prepared for your brand photoshoot!

The Importance Creating Content

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:22:46 GMT

What IS Content Creation? Examples, please!

Content Creation is when you develop media with the aim to convey information and ideas to your audience.

When I say media - that refers to images, videos, posters, podcasts, blogs, articles, newsletters and more.

The Value of Content Creation

Firstly, Content Creation has numerous benefits for your brand – it allows your brand to share its unique voice and values digitally, engages your audience, builds brand awareness and increases brand loyalty. Content Creation also helps to boost your visibility online and helps with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Another value of content creation is its ability to create leads more cost effectively leading to elevated conversions and sales.

Main Goals of Content Creation

3 Pillars/5 C’s/4 E’s of Content Creation

Over the years, I’ve come across multiple guidelines designed to help create the most successful content.

The “3 Pillars of Content Creation” will advise you that your content should either be: educational, inspirational and entertaining.

The “5 C’s of Content Creation” varies depending on the resource, but most commonly include: Relevance, Quality, Consistency, Clarity and Creativity.

Then there’s the “4 E’s of Content Creation,” which states that your content should educate, engage, entertain and empower.

Regardless of which guide you follow, it’s all about integrity. Today’s digital world allows businesses the benefit of connecting with your target audience in a far-reaching capacity. Creating content should reinforce your brand values and build a trusting relationship with consumers.

Skills for Content Creation

Content creators have skills in one or more of these areas: Videography, Photography, Writing and Storytelling, Audio recording and editing, SEO and Content Strategy, Marketing and social media.

Content Development Process

Now that you know what content is, its undisputed value and what it should include – you need to develop a process for creating it in order for it be effective. Start by gathering information…what is your niche or content focus?

Then strategize how you will use that information to be most beneficial for your brand. Where should you publish your content? What form should you publish your content in?

Get to creating and optimizing – keep your guidelines in mind and review your content to make sure it also meets your target audience’s needs.

Then publish! Make sure once you’ve published your content, that you continue to promote it by sharing, utilizing cross-posting platforms, include it in your printed marketing and advertising and even monetize your content.

How to be Successful

An important aspect of being successful as a content creator is staying up to date with the latest industry news. You should also be researching your industries audience and how to network your content most effectively. You need to have good time management skills. This one is overlooked! Running a business has many facets but for your content to be efficient, you have to create it on a regular basis. Remember its value and make time. Social media platforms help to make this easier by providing built-in schedulers and planners that enable you to upload content and set a future date and time for it to be released. Using your development process and strategy, you can create an entire campaign or a week’s worth of content at a time, schedule it to be released throughout the week and get back to other aspects of your business!

I want small businesses to be successful! I want YOUR small business to be successful! I hope you’ve gained a better understanding of the importance of content creation and what you can do to become a content creator yourself. Should you find yourself wanting to outsource this job to someone whose more experienced with all the tools and tricks, I offer content creation services and would love to help build your brand!

Web Design Agency vs. Freelance Web Designer: Pros & Cons of Both

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:18:32 GMT

Controversial to point out any cons of working with a freelancer, I know - but I'm nothing if not honest! Which is right for you?

I really want to help clients that need me. I am very honest with my clients about what I can and can’t do because I want them to make the best decision for their business, whether it’s me or not. In that spirit of transparency, I chose to do this month’s blog on the pros and cons of both web agencies and freelancers.

Now, let’s get into it…

PROS OF HIRING A WEB AGENCY

A web design agency will have a whole team of people – some even have multiple teams of people, who have cumulatively worked on a variety of websites. Each team may have different strengths, allowing the agency to match you with the best team for your business based on what kind of design and functionality you want included in your website.

Another advantage of agencies is that they sometimes have partnerships with hosting and domain companies, which could result in you getting a lower cost on these items through the agency than you would on your own. They also have Web Developers who are able to use code to provide nearly limitless functionality, depending on your needs.

CONS OF HIRING A WEB AGENCY

While you may have a team working on your website, some agencies will assign a point person to you – this person becomes your main contact. However, they still have to relay your feedback and desires to the team…and unfortunately, that leaves room for miscommunication or even details that are important to you, being lost in translation. On that same note, other agencies do not assign a point person and while you may get 24/7 Customer Service, you will likely speak to a different agency representative every time you have a need. This can lead to frustration or the feeling of having an impersonal client relationship.

A big drawback of hiring a web agency is cost. They are typically a lot more expensive than freelancers because you are actually paying for multiple people’s services. Which route you go could ultimately depend on your budget and your needs.

PROS OF HIRING A FREELANCER

Speaking of cost – this is a big advantage of hiring a freelancer as they tend to be a more affordable option. Brick Marketing ’s blog on this topic quotes, “Additionally, because freelancers often have a lot of experience and expertise in web design, they can often create a website that looks just as good, if not better, than one created by an agency.”

Freelancers will typically go the extra mile to make sure their clients are satisfied as their reputation and ability to get future work depends on it. They also offer more flexibility and can be a lot more responsive and communicative – resulting in a higher quality of customer service because building that client relationship matters.

Another plus when hiring a freelancer is due to the fact they are their own boss – they can control how many clients they work with at one time in order to give the necessary attention to each client. They are your only point person and work on every aspect of your project – a big positive when expecting you're branding to come across seamlessly in all the services you hire them to provide.

CONS OF HIRING A FREELANCER

As Upwork ’s similar publications states, “Common types of agencies include Digital Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Branding, Customer Service and Software Development.” An agency is sure to have at least one person with expertise or high proficiency in every single one of these areas. When hiring a freelancer – they may have expertise in only one or a few of these areas. If you’re looking into a freelancer that only does Branding , you’ll need to hire another freelancer who specializes in web design and possibly a third that can handle your social media or advertising & Marketing designs . With that said, there are certainly freelancers that offer multiple services as well, you just need to your research.

A concern when hiring a freelancer, at least initially, is knowing who you can trust. These are individuals claiming they can perform certain services without the backing of an agency who has already vetted their employees for you. It is almost guaranteed that the employees at a web agency have degrees or formal education in their specific areas while some freelancers are self-taught or gained their expertise through years of experience . It depends on which can fulfill your business needs and goals and like anything else – check recommendations and portfolios . Ask your web agency or freelancer specific questions to identify what they can and cannot deliver.

If you decide a freelancer would fit your needs – please send me a message . I’d be happy to chat about my services and how I can help you shine!

Social Media for Small Business

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:12:00 GMT

I'll go over the 3 most popular social media platforms and how you can take advantage...

For small businesses, social media platforms can be an excellent business tool. You can use social media to engage your target audience, raise brand awareness and drive customers to your website.

When you do that – capture new prospects and increase sales!

The US leads in social media advertising spending, worldwide, more than any other country. Why? Just on Facebook alone, our country has 193.8 MILLION users! While Facebook is the most popular social media platform – there are many others. I’ll go over a few of them as we cover which are best for small business and why social media marketing is so important for small businesses in today’s digital age.

There are many social media platforms - ones likes TikTok, X/Twitter and even Snapchat. However, I'd like to talk about the top 3 most popular social networks worldwide (as well as believe it or not, the lowest ranking social network) as of April 2024, according to Statista .

Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are three of my personal favorites - as well as Pinterest, which is often considered underestimated.

Facebook

Let's discuss numero uno! Creating a Facebook Business page is free and setting up your business portfolio, allows you to build brand awareness by informing them about who you are and what your business does. You can post content that can engage your target audience through interactive posts such as polls, recommendations, answering Q&A's and even events. If you own or operate multiple businesses, Facebook allows you to create business pages for each of them, switch back and forth between them and add other admins should you want other staff, team members or your personal social media designer on retainer (i.e., Farmer Girl Web Design ) to manage them as well.

Facebook also has Meta Business Suite . This tool gives you the ability to create, manage and track all your posts across both Facebook and Instagram. Want to boost a post so that it reaches even more of your target audience? You can set up all of your Facebook ads in Meta Business as well and track analytics.

Instagram

Now this platform is particularly great for businesses who organically have a lot of visual content such as photographers, restaurants and the like. Use your Instagram business account to promote your company, products and services in a visually appealing way with reels and stories. Insta posts are less word focused and heavy on eye-catching pictures and media. Instagram also actually has two different types of professional accounts to choose from: Business and Creator . A Creator account is better suited for celebs, influencers and artists because they can be set to private. A Business account allows you to connect both your professional Instagram account with your Facebook account. An Instagram profile feature that businesses should take advantage of are highlights. Highlights appear below your profile picture and can act as "category icons" or "quick reference sections" for your visitors.

YouTube

We're all familiar with this social media platform! YouTube has channels for everything - comedic videos, documentaries, great "how to's" for fixing things around the house, or maybe you like to catch up on clips from your favorite talent shows or keep the kids occupied in that long check-out line. If your business can create captivating videos that are also informative, creating a YouTube channel is a beneficial tool. A big plus is that you can also monetize your channel through ads and sponsorships, providing an additional revenue stream.

Similar to Facebook Live, YouTube has its own video livestreaming feature as well which is beneficial for sharing real-time updates and news. Visitors can also "Subscribe" to your channel so they get notifications when you upload new video content - just like your customers can like your Facebook page or follow you on Instagram. A YouTube channel may not be right for every small business - perhaps you feel you don't have the time to contribute to video creation on a regular basis, but even the occasional product demonstration or behind-the-scenes look into your business can be great content!

Pinterest

Don't feel bad for Pinterest! I'd be ELATED if there were 498 MILLION people on my social media! So, while those numbers might be lower than the previous three platforms we just covered, that's not too shabby! Stories that have visual content to promote your business, spread brand awareness and showcase your products can be "pinned" or saved by visitors or immediately direct them to your site to learn more or make a purchase which could easily convert to leads and sales. An incredibly useful resource to check out when setting up a Pinterest Business account is the Pinterest Academy . There you can take E-learning Courses or attend Webinars to sharpen your Pinterest business skills and become more knowledgeable on leveraging what this platform has to offer in the way of advertising and marketing for your small business. I create stories to share all my blogs on my Pinterest Business Profile .

I'll leave you with a few important things to remember...

No matter what social media platform you choose or how many you choose - they are all a way to drive people back to your site !
I've said it before, but it's important to repeat - while social media platforms are excellent tools to be taken advantage of by small businesses, especially in today's digital age, they are not a substitute for a website .
Every time you set up a social media account - your profile picture, banner/cover image and content - should all be on brand! Keep your branding consistent throughout your site, marketing materials and social media.
If you find yourself not knowing how to set up one of these accounts, need a little training to help you navigate through utilizing them to your advantage as a small business, aren't sure how to create content that will show off your brand and engage your audience...you have ME ! The services I provide can help you enhance your online presence and guide you in all those aspects, so you can get back to running the day-to-day! Feel free to contact me any time!

Blogging in Business

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:04:40 GMT

Believe it or not, blogging has many beneficial aspects to your business. Read on to find out what they are!

If you’ve read my first blog , then you know that I started my business to be a more affordable resource to small businesses in my community and surrounding areas.

The main service I could provide, at a much lower cost than most of my competitors, was…you got it! Web Design! I knew how to design and build websites ; I knew I had many other additional services I could also offer. But what else were freelance web designers supposed to be able to do? Before I launched Farmer Girl Web Design , I did a little research. On nearly every freelance web designer’s site I came across, was a blog.

"I have to BLOG too?!" I thought. I mean – I always enjoyed writing in school. I felt like I was pretty good at it, too. A stickler for punctuation and grammar – always aiming for a good rhythm and interesting story line, but in addition to all the other many things I had to keep myself busy…blogging?! I wasn’t sure why that was so important? I wasn’t certain how that was going to help my business?

I started to educate myself on all things “BLOGGING.”

So - if you’re feeling the same way or are just interested in learning more about the benefits of blogging, here are some reasons that you should be blogging in business.

MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN

In order to start building a customer base, you need to let your voice be heard! (Or read, as this case may be.) Blogging helps your customers get a feel for your brand through your writing and the content you are writing about. The goal with each blog that you write, is to convert those readers into consumers, or followers, or supporters – whichever type your particular business requires to be successful.

DEVELOP YOUR AUTHORITY

When you discuss different topics in each blog, you are establishing an authority with your customer base. By providing them with information that is reliable and advice that you can back up with a source, you are also demonstrating to potential clients that you are not only knowledgeable on the particular subject in your blog, but you have also done your research to prove it.

LINKING

There are lots of “links,” but the two I’m going to talk about are hyperlinks and internal links. What do these have to do with blogging, you ask? We just went over developing your authority - using hyperlinks in your blog to other authoritative sources actually increases your search engine optimization (SEO). Internal linking is another great way to boost your SEO! An internal link is one that goes from one page of your website to another page on that same website. Search engines use links to help find content on a site. These links also help your users to navigate throughout your site and for you to be able to introduce them to other pages, products or services you can provide. (Maybe you can count mine.)

FREE PROMOTION FOR YOU!

You can use your blogs as a way to let your customers in on the daily operations of your business and provide insight on how your business is run. Now remember, this is a blog, not a novel – it’s important to find something that will resonate with your customer base and keep them engaged. Look at it from your customer’s perspective…what could you tell them that is beneficial to both of you? Maybe answer frequently asked questions over a series of blogs, perhaps you can tell them how you source materials, etc.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Your blogs become content that can be used across your social media platforms! Make the most of the time you took to write each blog by using the entire blog as a Facebook Story or a snippet of a blog as an Instagram post. Either of these uses encourages followers to visit your website and read more! (Then those internal links can have them hopping to other parts of your site, to keep your visitors learning even more about the services YOUR business has to offer!) ��

Questions to Ask Your Web Designer

Tue, 21 May 2024 17:59:21 GMT

For the sake of this blog - I'll not only provide you questions that you should be asking web designers when looking for the right fit for YOUR business, but I'll also provide answers from THIS web designer!

Do you do any research on our business first?

I love getting to know my clients and their businesses! I love to hear what makes you passionate about what you do, your backstory and how you got it all started - or why you are starting a new business now. I will ask plenty of questions to help build out the informational aspects of the site to reflect your personal brand, mission statement and goals.

Will you review my existing website prior to building my new website?

Not only do I research your business thoroughly when preparing for a web design, but of course, any existing website or social media profiles you have.

Another thing I ask my clients, is for a list of their top 3 competitors and other websites they like the look/feel of. I want to make sure your site is as visually appealing, if not more magnificent than your competitors - so when visitors come to your site, that is NOT a reason those visitors don’t become customers!

What is your design process?

First, we’ll have a kick-off call. We can introduce ourselves and I can get an idea of what services you're interested in. Following that, a consultation – this is where we dive deeper so that I have all the information I need to provide you an estimate for your overall project. Once you’re onboard, I get to planning, designing and building! There’s a development and approval stage before moving on to training and launch.

See my full design process, HERE .

How many pages will my website have? (Average: homepage, about, services, blog, contact)

That is up to you! What I call a basic website, consists of 3-5 pages. You will always have a homepage. You should have an about, services and contact page as well. Examples for a 5th page would be things such as: a blog, “Meet the Team,” or a page dedicated to your products, YouTube Channel or resources. However, you are not limited to five pages, by any means.

How long it will take to complete my website design or development?

That really depends on each individual client’s needs. A basic 3–5-page, informative website that is has supplied content, can be done in 1-2 weeks. Depending on whether you need e-commerce or a built-in client management system, for example, those projects can take a little longer.

How many rounds of edits/revisions are included?

Typically, one round of edits/revisions are included. In my experience, my clients don’t need more than that because I am also transparent throughout the process. I love to send my clients periodic screenshots of pages to make sure I’m on the right track. Once the site has most of its “meat and potatoes,” I will give you a tour! We’ll discuss together any and all things you’d like revised, if any. Once those changes have been made, you’ll get a second tour for your final approval.

Are you web designs responsive?

Yes! You want your web design to be responsive on all three major devices, for sure! I will make sure while designing your website, that it provides a good user experience as well as remains visually appealing, on a desktop, tablet or mobile device.

Can you build an e-commerce site?

Yes, I do have experience in that area. I can even help make sure your POS or Merchant Provider is connected properly and train you in running your e-commerce site after it’s been designed and built! Prefer to have me upload all the products, descriptions and prices? Need help with product photography? I offer those additional services as well.

Do you need anything from me to start the project?

If your branding is already established, then I always request the files related to your logo(s), etc. If you have a specific tagline or catch phrase related to your business and other pre-written text you would like used for descriptions, services, products, etc – those would be provided by you as well. Photo content for your site can be provided, as long as you took the photos yourself or have a copyright release that goes along with them. If any content is needed for the site, I’d be happy to handle that for you as well!

What training/support do you offer when the site is launched?

Some clients are very hands on and want to learn how to make small updates to their sites, such as: a calendar, newsletter subscriptions, gallery images or team headshots. I include a certain number of training hours in your project estimate, based on the number of things each client will need to personally maintain each month.

I also have clients that are very hands off. They are busy, running their business and would rather have me take care of any updates, changes or maintenance on their websites. For this reason, I offer retainer services, so my clients have peace of mind, knowing I’m there when they need me.

Do you offer services other than web design?

Absolutely! Some businesses are just in the infancy state and would love a professional hand in brand development. They require logo design, business card design, maybe some advertising and marketing materials to start getting their name out there! I also offer to set up business Facebook and Instagram accounts, as well as provide on-brand designed covers, banners and content. Other businesses may just need a logo “refreshed” or to want to do a social campaign – I can help with that too!

Check out all my services, HERE .

Jokes aside...I may or may not be the right fit for your business or your needs. So, regardless of whether I'm the designer you hire or not - I hope these questions help you feel more composed when interviewing potential hires. Your business is your baby! I want you, as well as your business, to be sure you're in good hands.

6 Signs It's Time to Hire a Professional Web Designer

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:41:43 GMT

Whether you need a new website, have one already or rely on social media platforms to advertise your business...

Here are 6 Signs it’s time to hire a Professional Web Designer

A website provides a crucial role in not only attracting new customers but impressing them – which is your best shot at converting visitors into leads. If you do not have a website or rely on social media platforms – this is a great article for you! Even if you have a website already, read on – make sure you aren’t in desperate need of an update or redesign!

1. You don’t have the time and/or skills required to do it yourself

Having a website in today’s digital age, is crucial for the success of any business, large or small. You need a website as much as you need a logo, business name or business card. It is the virtual storefront for your business! In some cases, owners just don’t have the time to create a website because they are understandably out there running their business! In other cases, you may not have the necessary skills required to create a website, let alone the time it takes to learn those skills. Either way – that’s a great reason to outsource this project to someone who knows what they’re doing and can deliver a website that ticks all the boxes, putting your best visual foot forward on the internet!

2. Over-reliance on social media

It is a very common mistake among small businesses, to think that social media platforms “pretty much do what a website does.” This topic is always a source of anxiety for me! First of all, the social media platform has all the control, not YOU. Secondly, social media platforms should support your website – they are a snapshot, while your website is the full picture! And finally, your website provides credibility and makes you look more professional. Anyone can create a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account – businesses who invest in a website are showing customers why they can be trusted and that they are legitimate.

3. Your business is growing, or growth has stalled.

Maybe you started out small and wanted to keep any overhead as low as humanly possible – even when it came to a website. But now your business is growing! This is the time to invest in a professional website to ensure your business continues on that path of growth. It will help you be taken seriously as well as reach a broader audience, enabling you to convert more leads to sales! If you’ve been in business for a while but your growth has stalled, a website is just what you need to put yourself back on the map! It will allow you to be seen by more customers on a much larger scale! You could even add e-commerce to your site, making your products and services available to anyone! Small businesses are abundantly grateful to their local customer base and their loyalty, however, relying solely on your local communities may be enough to keep your business alive but will not necessarily help your business to grow!

4. Envious of Competitors Websites?

If you visit your competitor's websites and they have more visually appealing designs, an easier layout, eye-catching content or photography and you wish your site stood out more – that is a good sign, you not only need to refresh your site but that hiring a professional would be well worth the money!

5. The site you have is OUTDATED.

This encompasses many things: does your current site have information or services that has been changed or are no longer available? Is your current site difficult to navigate for the user? Does it lack visual appeal, clear resolution? Is the site you currently have so out of date that it lacks mobile responsiveness? These are all huge turn offs to potential customers. A professional web designer always considers the user’s overall experience and makes sure to provide easy navigation and multiple CTAs on your site. Now that users are searching for businesses on their mobile devices or tablets more than desktop computers, it is critical to make sure that your site is responsive across all three devices. A good web designer makes sure whatever device is used, your site looks amazing and is easy to navigate!

6. Inconsistent Branding.

Maybe your branding has changed, evolved or been perfected over time...maybe you freshened up your logo or rebranded but did not make sure this was also updated on your site? If so, it gives an unprofessional vibe to visitors. Confuse potential customers about who you are or if they are visiting the right place – and you’re liable to have a higher bounce rate. I should mention, brand consistency is extremely important across all your platforms – whether it be your website, social media or advertising and marketing materials. A potential customer should know it’s you the minute they land on your site, pop over to check out your social media or as soon as they see your advertisement. Show off the same logo, the same typography, the same slogan, colors and vibe every time!

If any one of these six points is something you can relate to – please reach out to see how I can help.

I’d love to work with you and get your business noticed!

Qualities of Good Web Design

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:36:06 GMT

Let's unpack a few of them so you will know what to expect from your web designer and know what to look for in your website design.

 PRINCIPLES OF GOOD WEBSITE DESIGN – if you google it,

you’ll find that there are:

“8 Factors to Consider…” and “9 Principles of…” or “6 Steps to…” as well as “5 Golden rules of…”

If you really want to know the principles or qualities of good web design – there are MANY!

In this blog, we’ll unpack a few of them so you will know what to expect from your web designer and know what to look for in your website design.

The main purpose of an effective website is to engage its visitors and deliver a specific message all while being visually appealing. Sounds simple, right? There is actually A LOT more that goes into achieving these things.

ENGAGE VISITORS – this is a big one.

You should always put your user first. This means having clear and intuitive navigation. Visitors should be able to easily find the information they are looking for when navigating through your site. They should know as soon as they arrive on your website home page that they are at the right place. This means that your business name and logo should be prominently displayed, and match whatever the visitor initially saw to bring them to your website in the first place - whether it be your business card, social media profile, brochure, etc. (This could lead me off on a tangent about best branding practices, but we’ll leave that for another blog. �� We will touch on branding again, however, when discussing being visually appealing.)

NAVIGATION & CTA’S

The navigation menu should also be prominently displayed and be organized logically. You want your users to be able to navigate through different sections and pages of your site effortlessly – should they become confused or frustrated; it is likely they might not go from visitor to customer.

A good web design will have eye-catching Calls-to-Action strategically positioned throughout your site. What are calls-to-action? They prompt your visitors to take a specific action – for example, subscribing to your newsletter, filling out your contact form or attending an event or workshop you’re hosting.

CTAs should visually grab a visitor’s attention, use persuasive language or be positioned in a way that the user feels that it is a logical “next click.” They can be used like steppingstones, guiding your visitors on a desired path of conversion.

SEO Friendly

Another key factor of web design is taking search optimization into account. This means incorporating keywords in your website page titles, image alt tags and meta tags so that when potential customers take to the search engines to find something, you have an increased chance of it being YOU! By having these keywords and tags in your site, it can really enhance its visibility in search engine rankings. You want to drive new users to your site organically as much as possible, to result in more leads and more sales.

BE VISUALLY APPEALING

One key to executing a visually appealing web design is cohesiveness. You want to have established branding first. Once you have that, your designer should stay on brand – using your color palette, typography and imagery consistently throughout the design. Doing this creates a more professional look and helps solidify a sense of brand identity.

RESPONSIVENESS & INTEGRATION

In the digital age we’re in today, a lot more potential customers are going to be looking you up on their mobile devices. Good web design is seamless across devices – from desktop to tablet and mobile. A responsive website will adjust its layout to adapt to the screen it’s being presented on for optimal viewing, regardless of screen size.

On the topic of mobile devices…social media platforms are a frequent place millions of people visit multiple times a day – every day. Good web design will integrate your social media accounts by incorporating social media buttons and sharing features. This means your website visitors can share your site on their own social media profiles and drive even more potential customers back to your site, all while increasing your visibility!

______________________________________________

Now that you’ve learned a few of the many qualities that make up good web design, you’ll be even better at identifying great websites and understanding why they are notable. When choosing a web designer, make sure that they take into consideration all of these factors.

Branding - it's so much more than a logo

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:30:44 GMT

Branding is creating a strong and thought-out visual identity that tells your story. No matter what your business, your branding should be authentic and honest. You cannot personally introduce each potential customer to your business – your brand does this for you! You want it to be relatable, you want it to show your personality, and you also want it to build trust.

How do we accomplish this, Shaunna? I’d love to tell you!

Most importantly, your brand should first convey the following things:

- Who you are

- What you do

- What you stand for

and

- Why it matters

When I work with my clients on brand development, these points are the very first thing we’ll nail down together. Another key element is your tone and vocabulary – or your voice. A great example of these will be in your tagline, which can convey your tone and personality in a catchy one-liner!

Next step: have your brand tell your story in a way that will vibe with your audience.

How is this achieved? Through design!

And yes, a logo is usually step number one in this process. However, you should also purposefully develop your branding typography, color palette and even textures and patterns, if beneficial.

Once we’ve developed a comprehensive look for your brand, the final step is crucial! You can have all these items in place, but if you are not using them correctly and consistently – your brand is not well represented or conveyed. This is where brand strategy comes into play.

A crucial part of brand strategy is showcasing your individual branding across every platform that your business uses to communicate with your audience! You should have a cohesive look that is used consistently in your marketing and advertising materials, on all your social media pages, your business card, letterhead, packaging and your website. This cohesiveness builds brand trust.

At the end of my brand development process with my client’s, I provide them a brand style guide or “Brand Board.” It’s your essential tool to help manage your brand consistency moving forward.

I would like to use my skills and knowledge to help small businesses. So, I hope you'll check out my services ! And if it's not listed, please inquire - perhaps I can help!

Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How do you choose?

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 18:04:56 GMT

Here's a look at the differences so you can determine which one is best for you.

Millions of people use websites every day. For a business, a website is important to help find you when searching for a product or service. It also establishes your credibility and allows the users a chance to get to know you better. Many times, your website is your first impression on a potential new customer. Done right, it should intrigue them, build trust and leave the customer with a good experience.

Working Together

I know the title of this blog makes it sound like a designer and developer are about to step into the ring but let me assure you - they work together quite nicely. Web designers and Web developers can work together to create websites that are very beneficial to both the business and the customer. Although their skills can somewhat overlap, their jobs can differ as they have different specialties. Web designers focus on the visual aspect and content, while the developer is focused on how to make it all happen and come together. Both aim for the outcome to be a great user experience.

Web Designers

Web designers focus on the user experience. A few of the designer's concerns are the site's usability, how it's laid out and whether it's visually appealing or not. They take into consideration how the website is going to be impactful for the business - using branding, typography and color theory. They often use design tools and software for wireframing and prototyping. A web designer must understand user journey mapping, in other words - how the site is going to be user-friendly. Their job is also to make sure the site has a responsive and interactive design, while giving necessary information to the user.

Web Developers

Web developers have the responsibility of taking the ideas and concepts laid out by a web designer and coding them into a fully functioning website. Developers use a variety of different software tools and write in coding languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby and Python. These languages are important in creating "front-end and back-end development" - those are developer terms for a user interface that is not only fully functioning and responsive, but also the architecture that supports it. Let me translate further: everything you can't see on a website that allows a database and an application to communicate. There is a third type of web developer as well: full-stack developers who can code both the front and back ends. Web developers have some serious technical knowledge.

Which one is best for you?

Only you can answer that. Web designers and developers may initially sound very similar, but they actually have very different skill sets. Designers and developers will often work alongside each other or in collaboration to make a project come to life.

There will be cases in which a company requires a website to operate in such a way that is outside the possibilities provided by a user-friendly building platform. This is where a developer can make it happen. Using their knowledge of coding, they can instruct the computer to do what they want it its own language.

Today, there are so many user-friendly building platforms whose features are boundless and more than enough for a majority of businesses - if you know how to use them and take advantage of all they have to offer.

That is where a web designer such as myself comes in! Less expensive than hiring a web developer, a web designer that knows what they're doing can utilize a building & hosting platform to design AND create a website that hits all the marks! Along with their other skills in brand development, marketing and content.

"Why do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?"

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 18:04:56 GMT

Why a Facebook page is not a website substitute...

I feel like a lot of small businesses ask themselves that question. I get it - it's free, all your friends have one, other businesses have pages too...it may seem like a website substitute to some...until you educate yourself further. While Facebook is a great social media tool, I'll explain why it's not a website substitute.

Facebook has all the Control

When you create an account on Facebook, while the majority of us don't read all that fine print, we do all check the box at the end of the terms and conditions. Right? Well, multiples times a year, Facebook changes those terms and conditions. One day, there may be a constraint that hinders your business or that you don't agree with. The only outcome is the loss of your page.

A Website Allows You the Control

On your website, you can customize it to control the customer experience. On a Facebook page , your branding doesn't have nearly the same effect. It is important that you manage how new potential leads interact with and see your brand.

Social Media Platforms Should Support Your Website

Facebook can only give your customers a snapshot of your business. Your website can provide the full picture! Social media platforms should all serve as a way to network and get your name out there - but ultimately drive people TO your website. Once they find you on Facebook, and you've perked their interest, your goal should be to have them click over to your website where you can showcase ALL the products and services you offer. Think about it like this: your Facebook page is the book jacket and your website is the novel itself!

Your Website Builds Credibility

This last one may be THE MOST IMPORTANT. I was having a conversation with my cousin recently, regarding the very topic of this blog. I was telling him that my first blog would be introducing myself, so my potential clients can get an idea of who would be working for them. I added that my second blog would be why Facebook is a great social media tool, but not a substitution for a website - a very important point that needs to be made. His response was explaining to me, that when he is looking for a product or service, he takes to a search engine (like we all do) ...but that as soon as he sees that a business has ONLY a Facebook page and no website, he exits the page and continues browsing the list of search engine results. He made a comment I found very powerful: "I figure if a business isn't investing in themselves by obtaining a website, why should I take them seriously?" Anyone can create a Facebook page and fill it with information. Businesses that go the extra step of having a website , a logo and really creating a brand get the credibility that comes along with that. Gain more leads by building trust and showing them what you're all about!

Conclusion

If you are still wondering if your business needs a website in addition to a Facebook page, don't just take my word for it - read what others are saying: click here.

Now see what I can do to provide a visually appealing, user-friendly website that will show off your brand and drive more customers to your products and services - I look forward to speaking with you!

Why I Became a Web Designer

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 18:04:56 GMT

The Full Story

First - a little background on me...I grew up right outside of a small town in Perry County, Pennsylvania. My father owned commercial land, right along Route 11 & 15, with an old farmhouse situated on it from the late 1800's. I was around 4 years-old when he built a storefront beside our house for his already established business, Farmer Boy Furniture .

I grew up running between our house and his store, which was only separated by our average sized yard - back and forth, playing and watching the customers come and go. I learned to make change at the check-out counter, barely being able to see over the top of the counter.

My school district was right down Schoolhouse Road, about a mile away. I had many friends of all backgrounds and interests. In high school, I was dedicated to singing and dancing. Despite being accepted to several universities, at the end of my high school career, I decided to stay home and attend our local community college. I knew how selfish I'd have to be to make it in the performing arts world, how devoted with my time - and while it was an intense passion of mine, reality hit me. I also wanted to be close to my family, to marry and one day have a family of my own. But what was my career path if not making it big in music?

I spent four years at community college, trying to figure that out. While double majoring in General Studies and Social Sciences, I also spread out a third major - Theater. At the time, I did it to keep my sanity while trying to discover what other career paths may suit me. I thought it was working in Social Services...saving the children! While working towards this goal, I was cautioned several times that this profession would often come with a lot of heartache and less triumphs than one would desire. Nearing the conclusion of earning my three associate degrees, I realized becoming a Social Worker may ultimately result in me buying a huge farmhouse somewhere to adopt all those that I couldn't save by other means! I graduated and entered the work force, taking employment that in no way related to social work.

I had several jobs - mostly involving typing, administrative duties and customer service.

Throughout all of it, I always continued to work for my father, at Farmer Boy Furniture . I knew how to use a computer and taught myself whatever it was that he needed. I'd say, "Dad, you need to be on social media these days!" I started a business Facebook page and Instagram account. I researched web design so I could take over his website - enhancing his online presence, decreasing those expenses and allowing us to handle the maintenance and updates. When Ebay was gaining popularity, I opened an Ebay store and sold our home decor & giftware items online. When that died down, I launched an

e-commerce store, having to learn as I went.

In the past, he'd pay a design company thousands of dollars to lay-out his furniture catalog for print each year...I said, "I can do that!" I'd go on to design and handle all of his advertising and marketing materials, whether it be online or for print, learning much along the way through trial and error and teaching myself how to use different websites and software programs.

I loved meeting new people that would come through our store. Like Dad, I'd sometimes chat for a long time with our customers - getting to know their stories. Growing up in a largely rural county, there were many family-owned and operated businesses like his. Many of the owners were of the same generation as him and would mention the struggle to learn computer related things. The result was these small businesses hiring professionals or companies to do this work for them, often accompanied by a fairly large bill, or missing out on the huge benefits of today's digital age all together.

I would like to use my skills and knowledge to do for other small businesses what I've done for Farmer Boy Furniture.

So, I hope you'll check out my services ! And if it's not listed, please inquire - perhaps I can help!

Why I Became a Web Designer

Brand Development: Step 1 of Small Business Success

SEO Penalties: Keyword Stuffing & Too Many Pages

The Price of Neglect: How bad web design affects your business

Is bad web design killing your business and you don't even know it??

What is a Social Media Manager?

What is a Social Media Content Creator?

What I Learned My First Year as a Freelance Web Designer

Starting your own business of any kind is exciting and terrifying simultaneously! LEAN IN.

Starting Your Web Design Project: Preparation & Tips

How to Prepare for Your Web Design Project &

﻿ 3 Tips for Working with your Web Designer

What you can do as the client to be ready!

Prep & Planning for Your Brand Photoshoot

The Importance Creating Content

Web Design Agency vs. Freelance Web Designer: Pros & Cons of Both

Controversial to point out any cons of working with a freelancer, I know - but I'm nothing if not honest! Which is right for you?

Social Media for Small Business

I'll go over the 3 most popular social media platforms and how you can take advantage...

Blogging in Business

Believe it or not, blogging has many beneficial aspects to your business. Read on to find out what they are!

Questions to Ask Your Web Designer

For the sake of this blog - I'll not only provide you questions that you should be asking web designers when looking for the right fit for YOUR business, but I'll also provide answers from THIS web designer!

6 Signs It's Time to Hire a Professional Web Designer

Whether you need a new website, have one already or rely on social media platforms to advertise your business...

Qualities of Good Web Design

Let's unpack a few of them so you will know what to expect from your web designer and know what to look for in your website design.

Branding - ﻿it's so much more than a logo

Web Designer vs. Web Developer: How do you choose?

Here's a look at the differences so you can determine which one is best for you.

"Why do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?"

Why I Became a Web Designer

3 Tips for Working with your Web Designer

Branding - it's so much more than a logo