Web Design
I specialize in web design for creative small businesses.
What is Web Design?
Web design is how your website looks and functions.
It’s the way you present the info on your website (and how easy your site is to find in the first place). Web design is both technical and visual – the layout, page structure, and user interface of your website, and its look-and-feel, its vibe.
Why does your creative business need web design?
When a client is considering hiring your business, the first place they’ll usually look for information is your website. And they might not look for very long! So your website needs to do all the right things immediately:
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Be easy to navigate and read, so customers can find what they’re looking for
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Share clear info about what your business does and how much your services cost
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Be visually appealing and consistent with your brand’s identity
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Make it easy for potential customers to get in contact with you
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Look just as good (and work just as well) on a phone as it does on a computer
Good web design does all this by basing the look and structure of your website on how customers interact with it. Understanding that, and designing around it, can take a lot of experience and technical knowledge!
Your creative business needs professional web design to find the balance between a beautiful website and a functional one. I’ll use my expertise in visual design, effective web copy, and search engine optimization to make sure your website does and says all the right things from your client’s first click.
Why should you trust Bart & Pen Co. with your Web Design?
Within the past decade, web design has been largely taken over by user-friendly website builders (think Squarespace or Wix). These platforms are “drag and drop” and don’t require an in-depth understanding of domain registrars, web hosting, SEO, UI/UX, IA . . .
If you’re already overwhelmed by those terms, you’re probably the target audience for a website builder – and unfortunately, the perfect victim. Because even if you can create a pretty website with one of these platforms, there are a bunch of technical components to web design that they often don’t get right.
Web design not only needs to look good, it also needs accomplish a lot behind the scenes, like helping your website rank in search results so customers can find your business.
Bart & Pen Co. will help you build a more beautiful and functional website because . . .
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I build completely custom websites.
When you hire me to build a website for your business, you’re not limited to the “drag and drop” options of a website builder. I can build anything you dream up to make your website as unique as your business.
My approach to web design emphasizes consistency with your brand – the logos, colors, fonts, and overall look that helps customers recognize your business on every platform. And because I’m a graphic designer by trade, I can create custom icons, backgrounds, and other graphics for your website that match your brand.
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I understand the technical side of web design.
Not only will your new website look amazing, I’ll also handle all the technical stuff, like making sure your it’s built for SEO so customers find your business in search results. And because over 60% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices, I’ll build you a website that functions beautifully on every platform.
I’ll also use my years of experience creating user-focused web content to structure your site’s information architecture – the layout and organization of all the info on your website – so that it’s easy for readers to navigate and understand.
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You control your domain and hosting.
One big drawback of website builders like the ones I mentioned above is that they’re “all-in-one,” meaning your site’s domain registration, hosting, and content is all managed by the same platform. This might seem convenient, but it can cause serious problems if you decide to switch to a different platform later on – you could lose your domain name and be forced to start from scratch.
If I help you set up a brand new website, I’ll make sure your domain registration and web hosting are handled by the best in the business, and that you maintain control of your site even if you stop using my services.
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You can edit your own website.
I build websites using a WordPress.org backend and block editor that’s endlessly customizable but still user-friendly. When I’m finished building your website, you can easily edit and update your content without coding experience. And of course, I’m always here to help you make changes as needed!
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I do more than “just” web design.
Bart & Pen Co. also offers copywriting and branding services, which you can combine with a web design package to craft your brand’s identity from the ground up. Whether you need a logo, product packaging, and a website to match, or copy to fill all the pages of your new site, I’ll work with you to create a custom service offering that meets your business’s needs.
The packages in my pricing guide are examples of the levels of web design service I can provide, but I create a custom quote for every project to make sure you get exactly what you need. You can also read more about my copywriting and branding offerings that go hand-in-hand with a new website.
Web Design Services
Can’t find exactly what you’re looking for?
Reach out to me if you’re interested in any web design services not listed here!
Pricing
Website Design
Starting At$1,500
If you need . . .
Full Website Build
Starting At$3,000
If you need . . .
Web & Branding Suite
Starting At$3,750
If you need . . .
Website Components
Starting At$300
If you need . . .
Website Refresh
Starting At$1,000
If you need . . .
Website Management
Starting At$500
Per MonthIf you need . . .
Learn more about my web copy and branding packages:
Why do all my prices say “starting at”?
I don’t have a set price for my services because every project is different! When you inquire with me, I’ll create a custom quote and detailed scope of work based on your business’s unique requirements.
The prices listed on my site reflect the cost of a “simple” project in each of these categories. Complexity of design, volume of content, and rounds of edits required can all increase the cost of a project.
If you have a specific budget in mind, please let me know! I’ll work with you to make sure you get the most bang for your buck. I’m also happy to offer discounted pricing for multiple services and large projects.
Work Samples
Ginger Tea Tattoos
This web design project for a Denver-based tattoo artist included a portfolio page of the artist’s tattoos that readers can sort by subject matter, style, and fresh vs. healed work. I also built an inquiry form with a branching “decision tree” of conditional questions based on the type of tattoo a prospective client wants.
I used the tattoo artist’s original artwork to create the backgrounds and icons found throughout the site. This project also included a complete branding suite – check out my blog post see how I coordinated this website to match the client’s brand identity.
I designed the website to be user-friendly not only for readers, but for the client as well. They can add new work to their portfolio and open and close their booking form to entries with just a few clicks, and I provided instructions for these processes in their final file package.
Maye.Be Take A Photo
This web design project for a Colorado elopement photographer used the client’s existing web copy and branding and completely revamped the look-and-feel of her website.
We discussed a new page architecture based on how clients interact with her site, and added filterable blog and portfolio pages to showcase her work. I created several hand-drawn graphics and illustrations for the new website design, including a topographical map based on the client’s favorite mountain range and page dividers inspired by iconic geographic features across Colorado and Utah.
I also migrated blog content from the client’s old website into blog post templates that match the new site design and create consistency between both the client’s existing blog content and any posts she makes going forward.
