Fresh Squarespace Web Designs
Process and Packages
Design is the difference between a fruit salad and...this happy friend.
Design matters.
Your website project deserves the creativity and personality to match your brand and your goals.
Whether you’re migrating an old website to Squarespace, refreshing an older Squarespace site, or creating something brand new, let’s go beyond the templates and make something awesome.
What’s the recipe for a website that’s welcoming, easy to navigate, and engaging for your audience?
(I’m so glad you asked!)
Strategy is KEY.
Building a website with me is a collaborative, joy-filled process.
Design is fun!
Communication is fun!
Celebrating your brand, business, community, or vision…also fun!
Yes, I’ve got the spreadsheets and checklists for behind the scenes. And I’ll deal with the pixel counts and pesky coding.
You? You cast a vision and then we make it a real, beautiful, thing.
Here’s the breakdown of site-building teamwork, at a glance:
Packages and Pricing
Each of these packages comes with custom graphic design.
Which is, I think, one of the main reasons to hire a designer anyway! Custom graphics make your site unique, no matter what vibe you want to channel.
Whimsy? Obviously.
Professional? Of course.
Modern and minimalist? You bet.
In my professional life, I’ve done everything from questioning witnesses in court to finger painting with middle schoolers to archival academic research and writing. I know my way around a lot of different vibes, and I like to work with many different organizations so that my designs stay fresh and interesting.
Check out my design portfolio to get a sense of some of the different styles I’ve created.
If your expertise is not building websites, why DIY one when you could spend that time doing the thing you’re already doing to make the world more awesome?
Design package add-on menu
Branding ($400)
Branding is about feelings. We’ll talk about the goals of your business and how you want visitors to your website to feel, and we’ll dish about your organization’s style. You’ll come out of this process with: Basic logo (designed in Canva), font selections, color schemes, and stock photo research. Stock photos are free-to-use images stored in digital libraries online. They can be a great tool for telling your brand’s story if you don’t have your own photos, that, you know, tell your brand’s story.
Copywriting (starting at $250, then a rate per page determined by scope)
Copywriting is about storytelling. Websites connect with people; what you say and how you say it matters. You want to speak the language of your target audience, which means knowing that audience well. You also want to speak the language of The Google. At least a little bit. In this process, we’ll talk in depth about your goals, your target audience, and what you want search engines to really understand about your site.
Additional blog post/event/product formatting beyond package details ($75/item)
One integration with calendar, database, email, or other software included. Additional integrations (not including social media) are available. ($300/item)
Cheerful, can-do, encouragement and advice (FREE)
Frequently Asked Questions
+ Should we just have a volunteer DIY our website?
Custom websites take a lot of time to build. Instead of 80-100 of volunteer hours invested up front (or WAY more, if they're just dabbling in websites), consider the value of that volunteer's time in maintaining a site over the period of a few years. Tech volunteers in organizations are worth their weight in diamonds; I recommend you be strategic in how you use them most effectively!
+ Can't we just use a template?
You can! But you might get stuck. Squarespace templates can be a great starting point, but finding a template with the exact look and functionality you need can be a challenge. Templates aren't really designed with a great deal of strategy embedded in them either. And, a fully customized site really allows the personality of your community to shine through!
+ How long does it take?
I only work on one active design at a time, and each one takes about 2 weeks. That means that when it's your turn, you and your website are my focus! Clients are responsibile for providing photos and text (copy) ahead of the design start date, unless you'd like to hire me to do these things for you as an add on. Don't worry though, I give you a ton of tips and worksheets for how to create and organize your content so I can showcase it in the best possible light.
+ How much site maintenance will there be?
That depends on what you want your website to do. If you're using the event function, integrating a calendar, blogging, or sharing videos, those content-related activities require regular attention. If your pages are more static, they won't require much maintenance at all. The great thing about Squarespace is that no maintenance is needed on the "back end" of the site itself! We can be strategic and only include functions that realistically fit within your team's availability to update them.
+ How do we learn how to maintain the site?
I teach you! When we launch the site, I'll give you a tutorial ON YOUR SITE via video call. I record it and everything is personalized to your design, so you can refer back to it in the future. Squarespace support is also faaaaabulous!
+ What if we need design help in the future?
I don't offer a retainer service, but am available at an hourly rate to help former clients update sites or design new pages if needed.
+ What are the costs of running a Squarespace site?
Squarespace offers different pricing plans, but most organizations will be in the $12-$18/month categories. A domain name (url) is a yearly cost that's usually in the $10-20 range. Occasionally, you may choose to use integrate a paid product into your site - such as a Loxi calendar at $8/month. Otherwise, that's it!
+ Do you specialize in websites for certain clients?
I find that I'm most engaged when I'm building websites for many different types of organizations. I'm happy to work with anyone! Aside from churches, my skills and experiences are most suited to law firms, authors, bloggers, digital entrepreneurs, and musicians.
