And just like that, we’re in the final month of the year! For me, December means cold temperatures, cozy mornings, playing in the snow and, my personal favorite, the holiday season. I love the holiday’s because everyone’s responsibilities come to a halt for those few glorious days at the end of the month. I love the food, the decorations, the beautiful lights strewn up around the city and the precious time I get to spend with my loved ones. However, I know this can also be a stressful time of year for a variety of reasons.
Read MoreYou finally did it! You hired a web designer and now you have your very own website that is live and available to the world! So what now? Does the site run itself and magically bring you more business without any effort on your part? As much as I would love to say yes, that’s simply not the case. Each website has its’ own unique requirements for staying live and relevant.
So how exactly do you keep a website happy once it’s launched? Here are important factors to consider for an effective website maintenance plan:
Maintenance
End of Project Expectations
Updates
Communication Plan
Let’s take a closer look at each one!
Read MoreA typical web design project costs anywhere from $1,000 - $10,000 and sometimes, that doesn’t even include branding. While that may seem rather pricey, let’s consider the benefit of having a website. If you’re a service-based business, how much does a new client bring in for you? $3,000? $4,000? If you pay $5,000 for a web design project and it brings you 2 new clients within the first month, both paying $4,000, you just made $3,000 without any extra effort. That doesn’t even consider the amount of clients it will bring in the coming years! However, pushing the numbers aside, let’s take a closer look at why a website is one of your best investments.
Read MoreIf I’ve never been a passenger in your car, you’re lucky. I’m the world’s worst (best?) backseat driver and no matter how hard I try, “The lights turning red!” or “There’s a car in your blindspot!” always finds a way to appear. The truth is, I love to be in control. Whether it’s driving, preparing for a group presentation or choosing a seat on my flight, I like to be the one that does it. So when you consider how much in life is out of our control, it’s probably obvious that this is something I struggle with. One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that nothing in this life is guaranteed.
Read MoreWe live in a very litigious world. It’s an exhausting and annoying fact, but a fact nonetheless. As a web designer, I keep this in mind whenever I am designing websites for my clients. There are two things that help keep websites legally safe: GDPR Compliance and Legal Website Protection. Let’s take a closer look at what these do and why they are so important.
Read MoreWhen you come to me looking for a new website, it means a lot to you. No one hires a web designer because they’re curious to know what having a website is like… It’s usually the last step when going “all in” on a new venture. You’re invested and the outcome matters. Because of this, I take my part as a web designer seriously and give 100% to every single project I work on. So, what does my 100% effort look like? I have 3 promises and 3 benefits that I guarantee to every single one of my clients.
Read MoreHiring a copywriter is an important step for any business. Unsure what copywriting is? Start here! However, if you already know the basics, welcome to the next level of copywriting - how to hire a copywriter! So what does working with a copywriter look like? What can you expect when you reach out and what will the day-to-day work look like? While I can’t answer these for every copywriter out there, I am going to explain my own personal process that I use everyday when working with my clients.
Read MoreUX stands for User Experience and can be applied in every way a business reaches their customers. UX is the process a customer goes through to order a product, find more information, sign up for a subscription or reach out to customer service. There are many ways to describe UX but since I am a web designer, I am going to explain how UX specifically applies to a website through the appeal, journey and ease of the site.
Read MoreLet me guess…you’ve heard about living your “best life”? It probably sounds a lot like this:
“Quit your job! Work for yourself! Travel the world! If you don’t love your life, you’re not doing enough! Do more!!!”
Blah, blah, blah…That’s pretty much all I hear when I read articles telling me how I to spend my time. I’ve reflected on why it annoys me so much and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s because there’s an underlying implication of guilt that comes along with it.
Read MoreEver heard the term "copywriting" and thought it was a legal thing? If so, don't worry; you're definitely not alone! Which is why I decided to write a blog that explains what copywriting is and why it is crucial if a brand wants to be successful. I also go over the basics of copywriting before giving my 3 favorite companies who are absolutely killing it in the copywriting game.
Read MoreLife does not differentiate between the good and the bad. Some days have more bad than good in the same way that some days have more good than bad; but one doesn’t cancel the other out. An important part of living is being able to embrace the pain alongside the joy.
Read MoreMany new businesses know they need a logo, but it’s easy to forget that a full brand beyond a logo is also necessary. Let’s look at why having a brand is so important!
Read MoreHiring a web designer is a big step. It’s a declaration you’re serious about your business and ready for the world to know it. However, hiring a web designer is only part of the process when launching a new site. There are 4 things you need to prepare before a web designer can begin their work: branding, login information, the website goal and content. While you can always hire someone to do these 4 things for you, this blog is for anyone wanting to save a few dollars by doing it themselves.
Alright, let’s dive in!
Read MoreI've worked as a freelancer for the past 3 years and while I love it, it isn’t for the faint of heart. It's full of unknowns and has added responsibilities that many people would hate. But for me, the pros outweigh the cons. I decided to make on honest list so you could make your own decision on whether or not being a freelancer is worth it. Ready to dive in?
Read MoreAs a designer, one of the most frequent phrases I hear is, “Can you just throw a quick logo together for me?”
While I understand why someone who doesn’t know any better would ask this, I cringe every time I hear it. I will explain why it’s impossible to just throw a logo together, but first, here is an incredibly cheesy yet accurate sport’s analogy:
Read MoreWhen I started my business 3 years ago, I was overwhelmed and constantly searched for resources to help me stay afloat. In today’s blog, I compiled all of my favorite findings that I couldn’t do without! You will also find links to each one so you can check them out if you think it might be helpful for you too. Okay, let’s get started!
Read MoreI design websites with two of the most popular platforms that are used today: SquareSpace and WordPress. I often get asked which one is better and to be honest..it really depends. It’s hard to give a clear answer without knowing the specific situation because SquareSpace and WordPress shine bright in different ways. So, to help answer that question, I wrote this blog.
Read MoreI used to take everything seriously and in turn, I took everything personally. If I failed, it was a big deal and I had a hard time getting over it. So, to compensate, I played it safe and would only do things when I was guaranteed a fairly positive outcome. This affected nearly every area of my life, like opening myself up to new friendships, going into uncertain situations, trying new adventures…everything. I was the definition of someone who “played it safe” until I had a major pivotal moment when I was getting ready to move away from my hometown.
Read MoreI am almost embarrassed to admit how competitive I am sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, being competitive has it’s perks but it’s definitely been a journey to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way.
Read MoreTo close out 2019, I decided to post something a bit more visually driven than my usual posts; just for fun! To illustrate the importance of branding, I created 3 atrocious ads for the sake of a laugh (or at least a chuckle). I hope these help to keep your spirits high leading into the holidays!
Read More