Web Design

Web design and website conversion, covered from the business side, not just the aesthetic one. These posts explain why most small business websites underperform, what AI-enhanced web design actually changes about the build process, and when a new website is worth the investment versus a targeted fix. Built for owners deciding whether now is the time for a new website, not designers debating font pairings. The through-line is conversion: a site that looks modern but doesn’t turn visitors into calls, forms, and booked work is a liability, not an asset. These pieces break down the specific reasons pages fail to convert — slow loads, unclear offers, weak calls to action, and trust gaps — and how an AI-assisted build shortens the path from idea to a fast, accessible, search-ready site. If you’re deciding between a full rebuild and a few high-leverage fixes, start here before you spend a dollar on design. Recent pieces dig into accessibility (we put our own site on trial and lost), what a Portland dental site should do, the case for retiring aging WordPress builds, and when a new tech stack beats a static rebuild. Each one ends with a practical test you can run on your current site in a few minutes. A few questions come up on nearly every web design call, so we answer them across this category. How long should a small-business site take to build? For a marketing site with real content, weeks, not months; the delays are almost always waiting on photos and copy, which is why we write and shoot when the client would rather we did. What should it cost? Less than most agencies charge and more than a template, because the expensive part is deciding what the site is for and then proving it converts; the articles on pricing and on what makes a site convert walk through the arithmetic. Do you need WordPress? Usually not, and increasingly the answer is a fast static build with a small editing layer, which is why several pieces here compare stacks honestly instead of defaulting to one. What about accessibility? It is a legal exposure and a conversion issue at the same time, and the trial article shows how a site that looked fine failed real users. Read the guide first if you are starting from scratch; read the conversion piece first if you already have a site and it is not producing calls. One more practical note: if you are getting quotes, ask each designer what they will measure after launch and how. The ones who answer with a number you care about, such as calls, forms, or booked jobs, are the ones who understand that a website is a business tool. The ones who answer with page views or design awards are selling something else. A note on process: we design and write at the same time, because a layout built around placeholder text always fights the real content later. Several pieces here show what that looks like on a real project.