Small Business Website Design
Now scheduling projects for Winter 2024
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 so Google starts sending organic traffic to YOU instead of to your competitor.
As such, we no longer offer small business website design independent of search engine optimization. We cannot morally or ethically separate the two because they’re really one and the same.
A good website will pay for itself fairly quickly.
So what does this mean?
We are not the cheapest website designers.
We won’t design a website for you that’s not optimized. As such, our prices will be higher than if you’re just paying for an unoptimized website.
If that scares you off, I totally understand. I’ve spent the majority of my life being extremely budget-conscious.
But here’s another way to think about whether or not you need an optimized website: If you pay to design a website but nobody tells Google it exists, does it really exist? Honestly, it doesn’t. You’re going to work 10x harder than your competitors who ARE optimizing their sites for search engines.
A good website will pay for itself fairly 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 will be one of your company’s biggest assets.
When you work with us, you’re only going to work with us (we don’t secretly outsource work like many large companies do) 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 us, 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.
Click any of the buttons below for more information or to book a consultation:
Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Website Design
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).
Can I get a website next week?
As much as we would love to create a website for you in a week, it’s just not possible. There’s too much that goes into designing one.
We recommend booking an initial website consultation at least 3-4 months before you need the new site.
What platform do you use?
The vast majority of websites we design are on Wordpress. We will also work on Shopify and Squarespace.
We do not design or redesign Wix websites.
Will you create a website for me in Wix?
Nope.
We draw the line at doing anything with Wix. The 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 our 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 – we’re not going to abandon you! We 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 us for your website maintenance needs for $65 per hour.
Can I see some other websites you've designed?
Yes! Check out our small business website design portfolio!
Can you give me a more specific idea of how much your website design services cost?
Yes! Check out our website design cost calculator, which will estimate what we would quote you.
Do you create logos?
No, but we are 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. We would love 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.
We always tell our 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.)
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?
Yes, we are happy to offer a four or six-month payment plan upon request.
