Small Business Website Design
When I first began designing websites for small business owners, I went a fairly traditional route.
I designed websites. Period.
The thing is, at this point in internet history, having a nice-looking website isn’t enough.
Small business websites MUST be optimized for search engines.
An optimized website will help bring in customers. It will help spread the word about your business when you’re not around. (Like the middle of the night, when people browse for the craziest things!) It will generate leads. An optimized website should be one of your greatest marketing assets.
An unoptimized website will do nothing except frustrate you when you realize you’ll need to pay again to have it optimized.
As such, I no longer offer website design independent of search engine optimization. I cannot morally or ethically separate the two because they’re really one and the same.
A good website should pay for itself pretty quickly.
So what does this mean?
I’m not going to be the cheapest website designer.
I won’t design a website for you that’s not optimized. As such, my prices will be higher than if you just pay for a website design.
If that scares you off, I totally understand. I’ve spent the majority of my life being extremely budget-conscious.
BUT, a good website should pay for itself pretty quickly. Your website is your representative when you’re not available. It should be able to answer questions, collect leads, and/or drive people to your brick and mortar or to inquire further.
A good website should help your business grow.
When you work with me, you’re only going to work with me (I don’t secretly outsource work) and at the end of the process, you’re going to receive a beautiful website that will be capable of garnering leads immediately.
You won’t get any old website and then need to pay someone else to send traffic your way. When you work with me, you’ll receive a search-engine-optimized website. It will look good and be capable of speaking to search engines to begin sending organic traffic your way.
What’s Included in my WordPress Small Business Website Design Package
Small Business Website Design
Typical Package- Custom WordPress website design that is mobile-optimized
- Content creation (for up to five pages)
- Content editing
- Stock images (if needed)
- Social media integration
- Forms created using Fluent Forms Pro
- Appointment scheduler (if needed)
- Newsletter integration
- Image optimization
- Competitor analysis
- Keyword research
- Google Analytics set-up
- Google Search Console set-up
- Google My Business set-up or optimization
- Submission to search engines
Please Note: eCommerce set-up is available but is not included in the base package.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to design a website?
It typically takes 3-4 months to complete a full small business website redesign (or design).
The reason it takes this amount of time varies, but ultimately comes down to me doing one person working on every element of your website. I have high standards and want to make sure everything is perfect. Plus, at the beginning of the process there’s usually a lot of back-and-forth as we nail down your vision, your needs, and collect everything necessary to put the site together.
What platform do you use?
The vast majority of websites I design are on WordPress. I will also work on Shopify.
I will redesign Squarespace websites if you are interested in moving to WordPress or Shopify, but otherwise, I do not work with Squarespace or Wix.
Will you create a website for me in Squarespace?
Nope.
But if you’re ready to leave Squarespace, I’m happy to help move you to WordPress.
Will you create a website for me in Wix?
Nope.
I draw the line at doing anything with Wix. This platform is too much of a headache.
Will you teach me how to make changes to my website?
Yes! Upon completion of your website, you will receive 1-2 hour training session, either in-person or virtual.
It’s my goal that you receive an optimized website that you can also update as necessary.
What if I don't want to make changes myself?
No worries – I’m not going to abandon you! I have quite a few clients who reach out when they have small changes (or big changes) that need to be made to their websites.
Once I hand over your website, you can hire me to make changes/updates/etc. for $65 per hour.
Funds are scarce right now but I need an optimized website. What do you recommend?
I wrote a course – Introduction to Search Engine Optimization. It teaches you everything you need to know to start implementing SEO strategies on your own website. Check it out here.
Do you create logos?
No, I do not, but I am happy to refer you to a few professionals who do.
Will you take the pictures I need for my website?
Nope, but if you’ve got the means, investing in a photographer will help take your website to the next level. I am happy to refer you to a few professionals in the area.
Will my website be optimized for search engines?
Yes! As you evaluate website designers, this should be of the utmost importance to you. A pretty website that *isn’t* optimized is just a money pit that nobody will know is there. An optimized website is created so that it looks good to humans *and* has all the information the search engines need to send organic traffic (i.e. potential clients) your way.
I always tell my clients that SEO efforts take approximately 4-6 months to be fully realized. As nice as it would be to put up a new webpage and get all the traffic immediately, search engines don’t work that quickly.
What is search engine optimization?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a series of steps you can take to make sure Google, and the other search engines, know what your website – and thereby your business – is all about.
For instance, Google can’t look at a picture and know what’s going on unless you add special text describing what’s in the picture.
Or, let’s say you own a pet boutique specializing in hamster food and clothing. If your website only refers to your business as a pet store or pet boutique, you’re likely going to get a lot of cat and dog owners showing up. It’s important to optimize your site for terms like “hamster clothing” or “hamster food.” That may seem obvious, but figuring out how often to mention those terms, and where, is an art. Because yes, just as sites can be under-optimized, they can also be over-optimized!
SEO will help ensure that your ideal clients are finding your small business.
Is SEO an ad?
Nope! There are a lot of companies out there that try to conflate different traffic sources to make it seem like you need to pay for everything.
Ads are ads. Many companies specialize in ads and frequently use Google Ads to advertise your business on the search engine.
SEO is free. The focus is on optimizing your website in such a way that Google (and other search engines) will send free organic traffic your way. (I.e. traffic from your ideal customer who’s looking for what you’re selling.)
My focus is on SEO and organic traffic.
What is "content"?
When it comes to SEO, more content is usually a good thing. Written content – be it pages on your website describing your busines sor what you sell, blog posts, About pages, or FAQ pages – gives search engines more to work with.
Search engines read the text on your site looking for matches when people search for things. If your site is a match, content-wise, then the search engines may put your site on the first page of search results. If no content on your site matches what’s being searched for – even if it’s 100% what you do – your site will not appear in the results.
The search engines have a vested interest in making sure people get the most accurate results for their queries. One way you can make sure you’re hitting everything people might be searching for is through content.
Do you offer payment plans?
Typically, I require a 50% retainer upfront, but I’m happy to offer a four or six month payment plan upon request.
Why isn't this "sales" page longer?
There is nothing – and I mean nothing – I dislike more than a bloated sales page. I like to write, but I don’t want to write 10,000 words trying to convince you to hire me to work on your small business website.
Please check out my portfolio, about page, and 40 random things about me.
If you like my style, let’s chat.