What Do You Do?

The short answer to this question is: I create, redesign, fix, and maintain websites. I also do graphic design projects.

The longer answer is: I serve as a consultant, or a digital marketing coach, to help find online business solutions for small companies and nonprofits, in Kitsap County and areas beyond. My specialty is clients who are looking for an extra helping hand when it comes to their website, using plain language and minimal “tech-speak.” I create detailed WordPress guides and demo videos, and give hands-on training to show clients how to use their websites.  Or I offer WordPress Care Packages for clients who would rather not worry about certain tasks.

New Websites, Site Redesigns, Website Fixes, Graphic Design Work

Project pricing can vary widely based on the scope and individual details. Contact me today for a quote on your project!

Let’s Talk!

Check back soon for the new services and pricing information! (under construction – May 2020)

 

WordPress Care Packages

Find the monthly package below that best matches your needs:

 

*Website content updates include 1 hour of work per month, content provided by the client. Additional work will be charged at an hourly rate.

 

FAQs

Why do you use WordPress?

WordPress is open source content management software that currently powers around 35% of all websites on the Internet, and 60% of websites that employ a CMS. The project is contributed to by tens of thousands of developers all over the world and is growing in strength. WordPress allows us to develop flexible and customizable websites to modern standards and observes web development best practices. Furthermore the community of web developers that use WordPress reaches far and wide and allows us to tap into this collective intelligence and bring that wealth of experience to your project.

What additional costs are involved with a new website?

Aside from a web developer’s labor, there are a few 3rd-party costs associated with getting a new website. You will need a domain name and a host. My favorite analogy is that if your website is a house, your domain name is the street address and your host is the piece of land that the house sits on. A domain name (such as “abellsmith.com”) typically runs about $15/year, depending on its availability. See the next FAQ for more on hosting. If you have an eCommerce store, you will need a payment gateway – services such as PayPal and Square typically charge about 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, which can be addressed by adjusting your purchase prices. Aside from these costs, you may opt to purchase a premium theme or plugins, which usually run in the range of $50-$100 each in yearly subscriptions. If you go with one of my Starter Packages, your theme and a number of essential plugins are already installed for free! When building your website, I will provide you with a complete breakdown of any additional costs you might incur relating to your specific needs, so you’re not caught off-guard by any hidden fees.

Where is the website hosted?

Your website should be hosted by a hosting company that specializes in WordPress hosting. There are many companies that do this… if you already have one that you prefer, great! If not, my recommended host is Siteground. They rank near the top of all web hosting companies for both uptime (99.99%) and speed (673ms), their customer support is great, and all plans come with a CDN (which speeds up your website), SSL certificate (which is required for eCommerce), and email accounts.

Who do I call if something goes wrong with the website or I can’t figure something out?

Provided you subscribe to one of my ongoing WordPress Care plans, I will be your first point of call should something go wrong with your website. I will determine whether it is something the hosting company needs to fix or something that is covered by your website care plan. I will provide training and video tutorials to assist you in using your website once it is launched.

What happens after the website is launched?

Once your website is launched, I will provide 30 days of support to make sure any bugs have been ironed out and that you are confident using your new website. After this you will need to subscribe to one of my ongoing WordPress Care plans to make sure your website is looked after and maintained. These website care plans include updating your software, regular backups, security checks, uptime monitoring, and one hour of content updates per month (Elite package only). Click here for more information on my website care plans!

I got hacked! Why did this happen?

For WordPress, one of the byproducts of being hugely popular is that it is often the target of hackers. Like with many things in life, sometimes malicious actors have a specific reason, like monetary gain… and sometimes they’re just jerks! In the effort to keep your site online and free of malware, it is very important to keep all your plugins and themes up to date, as they often include security upgrades to plug vulnerabilities. It is not recommended that you perform these updates yourself, as they can break your website if not done carefully and in the correct order. Click here for more on my WordPress Care packages.

How long will it take to appear at the top of Google?

The time it takes for your website to appear on page 1 of Google depends on a number of factors. It depends on the search phrase people are using to find your website and the number of other websites that are also available for those search phrases. Nobody can truly say how long it will take for your website to appear at the top of search engine results pages (including people who actually work for Google), however there are a number of factors that can improve your chances. Building your website on WordPress is a good start as WordPress has some great Search Engine Optimization fundamentals built-in. Creating unique and interesting content on a regular basis for your website is also critical to increase your visibility amongst search engines. Launching your website and then forgetting about it is a surefire way to get lost amongst the noise. I am happy to talk to more about your search engine strategy!

How will I know if anyone is visiting my website?

I will install Google analytics software on your new website and show you how to log into your Google analytics account where you can see a wide range of statistics about your website including number of visits, pageviews than the amount of time people are spending on your website. Once you subscribe to one of my website care plans you will also receive more detailed analysis about your website performance and recommendations on how to improve.