Need a website?
I’m guessing yes, that’s why you are here…
So, next we need to decide on what type of site you need.
At Xylem Design I specialise in working with small businesses, charities and sole traders, offering eye catching and practical WordPress sites that are easy for you to manage as your business grows.
Its important that they are easy for you to maintain once I hand them over to you, so I will train you in the essentials – but if you decide you don’t want to get technical I offer support packages too.
Through experience I’ve found that small businesses generally ask for two main types of website:
1. A straight forward landing/home page signposting everything people need to know about you
OR
2. 3-5 page site with a landing page and then a number of specialist pages with dedicated functions, such as a gallery, news, about me and contact forms
Lets look at these options in more detail below…
What are the options ?
Landing Page
A simple 1 page website to promote your business or service. Choose from a selection of designed templates that can be customised to your brand.
Ideal for:
Sole traders/small business just starting out, charities etc.
When is this the best option?
These budget friendly pages can be effective when you are just starting a business. If you want to signpost people to your socials, or products stocked elsewhere, want to show off some images of your work or just have an online presence.
They offer more content and key words than just a simple holding page for your domain, and can have a few images, your contact details and a blurb about you and your business all on one page. Basic SEO is enabled for these pages
They do not offer any contact forms, a gallery, plug-in’s for special features, separate pages for different purposes or allow for more content or advance SEO.
Prices start from £300
The process and an FAQ are below
3-5 page site from a template
Choose from a selection of designed templates that can be customised to your brand. A more in depth and professional site with multiple pages that each have a different purpose.
Ideal for:
More established businesses/charities that need to communicate more than what a landing pages has to offer.
When is this the best option?
If your business has an established customer base that you need to communicate with efficiently, and/or you need to market your service as professionally as possible.
As you have more pages and content, the SEO I put in place for the site has more chance of being effective than on a landing page.
An example of what these could be is : Main landing page, an About me/us page, services provided and contact page. It could also include a gallery, where to find us etc as a variant.
Prices start from £800
The process and an FAQ are below
Site refresh
If you already have a wordpress website and would like a refresh or redesign, then I can do that for you. This option works great along side a new logo design/brand identity update.
Ideal for:
Anyone who already has a site but want to give it a make over.
When is this the best option?
Maybe you want to rebrand or a template update, but you need help doing it.
There are lots of options to improve an existing site, from a makeover, improving SEO and updating brand identity. You can move a preexisting site over to be hosted by me too, even if you don’t need any design updates.
Price: As every preexisiting site is different, pricing is available by quote
Website Examples
Below are a few examples of websites that I have designed.
Lets get this website started!
The process...
Consultation
The first step is an initial informal phone or video chat to discuss your vision and objectives, as well as any initial design ideas that you have. I'll show you the template options to see which suits your needs. From here I'll send you a questionnaire to gather what you need the site to do, what extras you may needs such as a logo, and to see if you have your own images and content etc.
Design proposal
Once I know what functions your site needs, I will send you a project proposal. This will outline what it is you said you needed and what design I propose to suit those needs. At this point I'll give you a quote for the cost and an idea of build time. If you are happy with this then I will send you over a contract and once signed I will schedule in your work.
Development
Before I begin work on your site, I will be in touch to gather images, graphics and text if you have them. If you don't have this, then I will work with you to generate them. I'll then send you over a mock up of your design in a few weeks, and work with you to tweak any revisions.
Building & Testing
Once we are happy, then your site will move onto the build phase, and I'll keep you updated so you know how it is progressing. Time scales for this stage vary depending on what type of site you are having built. During the build, each page will be designed for mobile and desktop, and will be tested using specialised tools that test the sites SEO performance.
Training
Once I've finished the build and you are happy with the site, I'll set it live and hand it over to you. I’ll provide you with online 1:1 training along with a troubleshooting booklet. Together these should give you all you need to maintain and update your website, but if you do find you need any extra help then you can invest in the monthly support package. Find more information on the support package here
Updates & Tech Support
Don't worry , the support does not stop there. We have a 3 week window of free website updates which allows you to iron out any issues or make any small changes. After that, you can choose to take out the optional support package, which gives tech updates and some ongoing content revisions. Find out more about that here Don't worry, your site will look great on a desktop too. My responsive design will present your business the right way across all platforms and devices.
Key Features
Mobile-friendly websites
At Xylem Design I create websites that are designed to shine on mobile. Over 60% of online viewing is now done on a mobile device, and since Google switched to mobile-first indexing, your site is ranked based on how it performs on a mobile. A website that looks great on a desktop but breaks on a phone leads to users leaving, lost customers and for SEO it damages your bounce rate and rankings. Don't worry, your site will look great on a desktop too. My responsive design will present your business the right way across all platforms and devices.
SEO-ready structure
The structure of a site can be key to how successful it will be with search engines. Search engines are not just looking at the content of a site. How it is laid out, key words in text and effective use of navigation from one section to another all have an impact on the way that they read and rank your website. The impact of any SEO changes can take a few months, so 4-6 months after your site is live I will send you an Impact Report analysing how the SEO of your site is performing.
Fast loading websites
A slow website can be annoying for a user, and they will become frustrated before they even see what you are trying to communicate with them. Ensuring your images are optimised, having specific file types, and the correct use of videos for example, will lead to a fast loading time which means a better user experience, lower bounce rates, and better SEO rankings. Basically, a faster loading optimised site means that you reach your audience and communicate what you need them to know as quickly as possible.
FAQ
I want a website but have questions...
Will I need a Domain?
Yes, but it isn’t needed until we are ready to go live.
Choosing the right domain for your business can be tricky. I can assist with this and get the domain ready for when the site goes live.
You can either register the domain yourself or I can do it for you as part of the web design package. The domain registration fee will be £10 with an annual renewal of £15 due 30 days before the renewal date.
How long does a website take?
A landing page site can be created in upto 2 weeks once I begin work. Sites requiring more pages and content will take longer.
The exact build time will be based upon what you need and whether you have your images, text, a logo etc ready to go.
I don’t have any content can you help with that?
Ideally you will have content ready (i.e. text explaining what service you offer, images etc) or you are able to generate it yourself.
If you don’t have any, that’s ok. We can figure out how to populate the site – but if it does need copy edited, graphics designing and images from stock then that will be at an additional cost.
Do you use Ai in your designs?
No. Everything here is ‘Human Made’ I am passionate about protecting creativity and using the skills that I have built over the last 19 years to listen to people, understand their passion and put that into a design with a soul. While Ai has it’s uses, if I can design it myself I will.
Can I update the site myself?
Absolutely! I will build you a site that has a manageable system where you can update your content and maintain your site yourself. I’ll provide training and a troubleshooting booklet, but I’m always here if you need more help.
Do I need a logo?
If you have an existing logo to use on the website that’s great. I can assist if this needs to be redesigned or you need one creating from scratch too.
Can you redesign my current website?
YES, I can work with a site that you already have in WordPress, or we can look at recreating it in WordPress if that is required. Contact me with the details and I can review your site and quote for a redesign.
Questions? Want to get that ball rolling?
I’m currently available for freelance work. Have a project in mind? Get in touch.