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You run a business, not a web company.
Here's what you need to know about getting online, in about three minutes. No jargon, and no question is too basic.
Every website has three parts
Think of your website like a shop on a street. You need an address, a lot to build on, and the shop itself.
What it actually costs
There are two kinds of cost: building it once, and keeping it running. Here's a typical small business picture.
| Cost | What it's for | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Your web address, renewed yearly | $10 to $20 a year |
| Platform | Shopify, Squarespace or similar, which includes hosting | About $20 to $40 a month |
| Design and build | Planning, writing and building the site, once | From $1,800 |
| Care plan (optional) | Updates, backups and security, with edit time on bigger plans | From $75 a month |
You pay the domain and platform fees directly, in your own name, so the site is always yours. See my prices in the pricing section.
How people find you
On Google: a free Google Business Profile puts you on the map and in local results. Reviews, clear opening hours and photos make the biggest difference.
In AI answers: more people now ask ChatGPT or Google's AI where to buy something. Those tools pull from reviews, mentions on other sites and clear, detailed pages, so the same groundwork helps here too.
On your own site: pages that say plainly what you sell, where you are and how to buy help Google understand you. That's built in from the start.
Your own store, or a marketplace?
Many businesses do both: their own store for loyal customers, and marketplaces to be found by new ones.
Who packs the box?
A few words you'll hear
- SEO
- Search engine optimization: setting up your pages so Google can understand them and show them to the right people.
- SSL
- The padlock next to your web address. It keeps checkout safe, and it's included on every site I build.
- Listing
- A product page on a marketplace like Amazon or eBay, with photos, a title and a description.
- 3PL
- Third-party logistics: a warehouse company that stores your products and ships your orders for you.
- Care plan
- A small monthly fee for updates, backups and security, with time for changes on the bigger plans, so your site keeps working without you thinking about it.
What working with me looks like
- A free callBy phone or Zoom, we talk about your business and what isn't working. No charge, no pressure.
- A plan and a previewYou get a clear scope, a fixed price and a look at the new design before anything is built.
- The buildI build it behind the scenes, with two rounds of changes included.
- LaunchWe go live together, and nothing changes on your current site until you say yes.
Let's get your business moving.
Book a free 20-minute call by phone or Zoom. Tell me about your business, and I'll tell you honestly what I'd fix first.
No tech question is silly. Ask me anything.
Pick a time on my calendar