Which platform should I choose — Squarespace, WordPress, or Shopify?

It depends on your business goals. Squarespace is ideal for service-based businesses and creatives who want an elegant, low-maintenance site. WordPress offers the most flexibility and scalability, perfect if you need custom functionality or advanced SEO. Shopify is built for e-commerce and product-based brands. During our discovery phase, we help you choose the platform that fits your needs and technical comfort level.

How much does a website cost?

Most of our custom website projects range between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the platform, page count, integrations, and content requirements. Squarespace builds are usually quicker and more affordable, while Shopify or WordPress projects can vary more based on complexity. If you’re unsure what fits your budget, we’ll guide you through options in our discovery call.

Do I need to know how to code to update my website?

Not at all. Whether your site is on Squarespace, WordPress, or Shopify, we make sure it’s easy for you to manage. We’ll walk you through how to update your text, images, and products without touching code. For clients who prefer a hands-off approach, we also offer ongoing maintenance and support packages.

Will my website include SEO setup?

Yes — all our websites are built with SEO in mind. That includes page titles, meta descriptions, optimized images, and clean URL structures. We also offer add-on SEO services like keyword research, blog setup, and Google Search Console configuration to help you start ranking faster.

What’s the process like from start to finish?

1. Discovery Call: We learn about your brand, goals, and target audience. 2. Proposal & Booking: You choose your package, sign the agreement, and make the initial payment. 3. Design & Build: We design your site layout and bring it to life with your content and imagery. 4. Feedback & Revisions: You’ll have review rounds to make refinements. 5. Launch & Training: Once approved, we handle launch and give you a walkthrough so you can manage your site confidently.

Can you redesign my existing website?

Absolutely. Whether it’s a WordPress site that feels outdated, a Squarespace site that needs a refresh, or a Shopify store that’s not converting, we can redesign your website while keeping your content and improving your layout, visuals, and SEO structure.

What if I don’t have branding or photos yet?

No worries — we can design your site using temporary placeholders and update it later once your assets are ready. We also offer brand design and photography add-ons or can connect you with trusted brand photographers and copywriters to round out your visuals and messaging.

Do you offer templates?

Not yet! We’re creating customizable website templates for Squarespace, WordPress, and Shopify — designed for small business owners who want a professional, launch-ready website without the full custom cost. Templates will be available soon through our shop.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes, we typically split payments into two or three parts — one to start, one during design, and one at launch. We also offer extended plans for template purchases or add-ons, making it easy to get started without a large upfront investment.

What makes working with a professional website designer worth it?

A professional designer brings strategy, structure, and user experience expertise that go beyond just visuals. We focus on how your audience uses your website — what they see first, how they navigate, and what makes them convert. The result is a website that not only looks great but actually grows your business.

Is Your Seattle Business Ready for the FIFA World Cup? Here's what to update on your website before June 15

May 28

Written By Aneet

On June 15, this city becomes a stage for the entire globe. Everyone I know has been talking about the FIFA worldcup and as a soccer fan myself, I can’t wait for it all to get started. But as a business owner, this time is even more important. For the next three weeks, tens of thousands of international visitors will be here, exploring neighbourhoods, discovering local businesses, and searching their phones for exactly the kind of thing you offer. The question is: when they search, will they find you? And when they land on your website, will it make them want to walk through your door? This isn't a drill. The first match kicks off at Seattle Stadium in 18 days. Here's what you can do right now to make sure your digital presence is ready for the global spotlight.

Why this matters for Seattle small businesses?

Seattle is hosting six matches, including the USA vs. Australia showdown on June 19, with fans flying in from Belgium, Egypt, Qatar, Bosnia, Australia, Iran, and beyond. These are sophisticated international travellers. They book restaurants on Google Maps, find studios and shops through Instagram, and make decisions based on what your website looks and feels like before they ever visit in person. During major events like this, searches for local businesses spike. People search for "florist Seattle," "yoga studio near me," "boutique shop Capitol Hill." If your site isn't optimised, isn't fast, or simply doesn't make a great first impression, they'll find someone else whose is. The good news: a few targeted updates can make a real difference, and most of them won't take you more than an afternoon.

5 website checks to do before June 15

1. Does your site load in under 3 seconds on mobile?

International visitors are often on roaming data and a slow website is an instant exit.
Run your URL through Google's PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev) and aim for a score above 70.

If your homepage hero image is a large uncompressed JPEG, that's often the first thing to fix. Compress it, or switch to WebP format.

Quick fix:
1. If you are on Squarespace Squarespace, check Settings → Performance and enable image optimisation if it isn't already on.
2. If you have videos on the site, Remove any video set to autoplay on your homepage, it significantly increases load time.

2. Is your Google Business Profile complete and accurate?

Before visitors even reach your website, many will find you through the Google Maps, and if you don’t appear in that row of local results that appears when someone searches "coffee shop near me" or "Seattle florist." , you will miss out.

If your Google Business Profile is incomplete, missing photos, or showing wrong hours, you're invisible to that search.

Update or create a Google Business Profile:
Log into business.google.com.
Confirm your address, update your hours (including any special hours during the matches), add recent photos, and make sure your business description clearly states what you do and where you are.

Bonus move: Post a Google Business update welcoming World Cup visitors. Something simple: "Welcoming fans from around the world this June.Come say hello!" with a photo of your space. It takes 5 minutes and signals to Google that your profile is active

3. Is it immediately obvious what you do and where you're located?

International visitors don't know Seattle neighbourhoods the way locals do. They don't know that Capitol Hill is close to downtown, or that Bellevue is across the lake. If your homepage hero says something like "Crafting moments that matter" with no location or service mentioned, you've already lost them.

Your homepage should answer three questions in the first five seconds:

1.What do you do?

2, Who is it for?

3. Where are you?

If any of those answers require scrolling to find, simplify your hero section.

Test: Hand your phone to someone who doesn't know your business and open your homepage. Ask them: what does this company do, and where are they? If they hesitate, your hero needs work.

4. Does your contact or booking flow actually work?

This one sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how often contact forms are broken, booking links are outdated, or inquiry emails go to an address nobody checks. International visitors may not want to call — they'll use whatever digital path you give them. Test your own contact form right now. Send yourself a test inquiry and confirm it arrives. Check that your email address, booking link (Calendly, HoneyBook, Acuity, whatever you use), and social DMs are all working and checked regularly through July.

5. Do your photos make someone want to experience your space?

First impressions happen in milliseconds, and photos drive them. Blurry images, outdated stock photos, or an empty "coming soon" gallery tell a story, and it's not a flattering one. International visitors are sophisticated consumers; they'll make a split-second judgment about whether your business is worth their time based on what they see. If your images are due for a refresh, even a few good photos taken on a recent iPhone can make a meaningful difference. Focus on your space, your work, and ideally, you. People connect with people.

One Bigger Opportunity: Local SEO

Beyond the quick fixes, there's a longer game worth thinking about. Searches for Seattle businesses during major events don't just spike on game days — they start weeks before and continue after visitors return home and tell their friends. If your business doesn't show up when someone searches your category in Seattle, no amount of great photography will help. The fundamentals: make sure your business name, address, and phone number are consistent everywhere online (your website, Google, Instagram, Yelp). Make sure your website has a clear title tag that includes your location — not just your business name. And if you haven't set up Google Search Console to track how your site is performing in search, now is a good time to start. These aren't glamorous tasks. But they're the difference between showing up when it counts and missing the moment entirely.

You've built something worth finding

Seattle is about to become a global stage. Fans from every corner of the world will be wandering our neighbourhoods, looking for places that feel genuine and local and worth their time. That's your business. You've worked hard to build something real.

The website is just the door. It needs to make people want to step inside.

Are you ready to be proud of sharing your brand and website with the work?

We help women business owners bridge the gap between sophisticated tech architecture and deeply empathetic, calm design. If you feel like your current website is something you’ve outgrown(the type that makes you think before sending that link , I’d love to help you design something you’re proud to show off.

Would you like to have a conversation about your next level? I invite you to explore my Portfolio or Get In Touch to see if we’re the right fit to build your digital home.

About me:

Hi I’m Aneet. I’m a website designer based in Seattle, WA. My love for design & code is only matched by my appreciation of classic novels, history, and music from eras before I was born (maybe I’m an old soul). I love solving problems through strategy, design, or code, and love 1:1 conversations that make you lose track of time. If you want to connect, feel free to reach out on Instagram @brandunpuzzled (Instagram is where I hang out, at least on DMs!). Thank You for stopping by :)