Most website development projects fit into one of two categories:
Both types of projects require a website developer with good communication and website building skills. It is my goal to exceed expectations in this regard, erasing the idea that web developers are difficult to work with.
Although based in Portland, Oregon, I have worked with clients from New York to Southern California so proximity is nice but not a necessity.
Clients will be provided with proper expectations about the cost and scope of their project.
A very basic list of website development services includes:
I primarily develop websites in WordPress which is the world’s most-used open-source Content Management System (CMS). WordPress is viable for website projects both large and small. Toyota, Clorox, Staples, Best Buy – these companies all use WordPress for a portion of their online presence but WordPress also powers websites for small businesses all over the world. Clients tend to like WordPress because it is open source and one of the least complicated frameworks to use. WordPress allows site security, maintenance, and text changes through an administrative dashboard that can be logged into from any computer. You don’t need software or FTP to connect to your website – just a secure login page, username, and password!
I also provide a couple of “add-on” services so a client has the option of having several services handled all in one place – SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and local website hosting (right here in Portland, Oregon). If you want to have your website, SEO, and website hosting managed by three different individuals/ companies that is fine too – I’ve just found there is greater efficiency when these services are bundled together.
Clients are usually concerned about project cost so I have included time estimates for each project in my portfolio. This should give you an idea of development time for your own project.
I offer 30-minute free consultations on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
SEO can be a tricky subject to understand but I aim to take the difficulty out of the process. It is my belief that every website should have a minimum level of SEO. There are only two reasons for not doing the minimum level of SEO on your website:
If a client is willing to go a little deeper with SEO, their website will perform much better in search results. Still, there is always a budget to consider.
New clients often come to me asking why their website is performing the way it is in search results. My answer to this question might be a long one but it is not necessarily a complicated one. True, I do not know Google’s exact algorithm for organic search results (no one does– it is proprietary and a closely guarded secret within the company) but over the years Google has given web developers hints at what is rewarded and what is punished in search results. From this information I have compiled a very specific list of SEO elements that help with website Search Optimization.
For $150 I offer an SEO Audit of any website. This audit is an analysis of several SEO elements that impact the website’s performance in search engine results. As part of the analysis I go over each of these elements and offer a detailed explanation of what the website is doing well, what the website is missing and what the website needs to improve upon in order to have the best overall SEO health.
My customized SEO Audit provides an analysis of the following:
If a website is found lacking in any of these areas, I can provide some solutions to improve performance. Several of the items listed above are quick and easy to implement, while others are a bit more time consuming. If you want an SEO Audit of your website you can order it online (payment is accepted via credit card, debit card, or Paypal). Within 7 business days of receiving payment you will have the SEO Audit returned to you in PDF format to read over and keep for your records.
I have written and instruct a 1.5 hour class teaching WordPress SEO specifics. I offer a one-on-one version of the class so you can handle your own SEO. The class covers several of the items listed above and is most appropriate if you already have some understanding of WordPress. One-on-one SEO education is always beneficial because a client can ask questions that are relevant/ specific to their SEO needs.
SEO is an ongoing process but the basics should always be in place. If you are concerned about how your website is functioning, let’s talk.
One reason WordPress is the most widely used Content Management System in the world is its ease of use in terms of making text edits to a web page. This makes WordPress seem attractive to a lot of small business owners. If you are looking to get a grasp on WordPress I offer one-on-one training sessions. This might be all you will ever need in terms of services from me to get your WordPress project on the right track and that’s fine by me.
I am also available for on-site training sessions if you have an employee or small group of employees you need to understand WordPress. On-site WordPress training sessions can be scheduled during regular office hours on Monday, Tuesday or Friday.
If you want to discuss what type of training your business might need call me directly.
Ready to schedule your training?
Even the basics of web hosting and domain registration can be a somewhat difficult subject for those outside of the field of IT or website development. Depending on your level of interest in the subject, we can handle domain registration and web hosting in one of two ways:
For those of you who prefer to consume locally, having your website hosted at GoDaddy, Network Solutions, or Host Gator might be something you’ve been living with because you didn’t realize you had any local options. While these large hosting companies once dominated the landscape of web hosting there are now local options where your website can be hosted with servers and support in and around your community. This means your hosting dollars are staying local!
Websites 503 has a partnership with a local web hosting company based in Portland, Oregon. This relationship has been mutually beneficial to me and my clients. I can talk to the web hosting company about the latest plugins and options for combatting hackers. I can be confident that full backups are being made every 24-48 hours and that, should a website be hacked, the web hosting company will do their best to restore the website. In addition, my familiarity with the servers and software of the local web host allows me to more quickly configure inboxes, websites, backups, and transfers which means reduced cost for my clients.
If you love your current web host and want to keep your website where it is, that is no problem. If the web host does not do a good job of maintaining and protecting their servers your website may experience some problems which could be beyond my ability to fix without us having a pre-arranged plan in place for maintenance and updating. Server slowness, website backups, emails, keeping the website up to date (assuming WordPress is being used), and restoring website backups are all tricky territory – are these the responsibility of the website host or the website developer or the website owner? We will need to iron out the details regarding these matters so the client has a clear understanding of whom they should contact should there be an issue with email, spam, hackers, slow servers speeds, etc.
There are a couple of different services that I offer that set me far apart from typical website developer: the on-site, one-on-one training and the web training videos. The videos are usually educational, instructional, and meant to go along with any other training you’ve had with regard to posting, editing, and maintaining your website. Most of the videos I have recorded are screencasts showing clients how to login to WordPress, make changes to their web pages, post and edit their blogs, and add or edit an item of e-commerce.
The videos usually range from 8-15 minutes and can be put online in a password protected folder for future reference.
Here is a sample video showing how to make a blog post within WordPress:
I generally do small projects at an hourly rate. For larger projects, I define the project scope through a contract so the client and I will share the same expectations for what is and what is not a part of the project.
Prospective clients can schedule a 30-minute consultation (at no charge) to discuss their website needs. Additional consultation can be provided at $120/hr.
By invitation only (please ask for more details)
