I few years ago I took a class in web design, and created a beautiful site thinking (foolishly) it was so beautiful it didn’t matter it was going to be a pain to update. Each time I wanted to add a new photo or change some text, it took a long time to make the new element fit in with what was already there. After a few updates it became clear I needed to redesign my site because I was spending so much time updating it.

There have been several versions of my site since then. The first was really easy to update, but very difficult to add code to get information about the number of visitors. The next was better for adding the code, but it wasn’t very attractive. The latest version is the site you find yourself on right now!
In the mean time I had been building sites for other projects, and found a new way to create sites that looked attractive, were easy to add code to, and were easy to update.

I experimented with a number of ideas, and finally found a way to create sites that I could rearrange, recode and recolor to my designer heart’s content! It occurred to me that if I wanted an easy to edit and maintain site, then I probably wasn’t alone.

I had met Linda Ott at Valerie Young’s Changing Course Workshop, where I was working on developing my graphic design business, and Linda was dreaming of a flower and gift shop business. We kept in touch, and last year Linda opened her shop. She said that she wanted a website, but didn’t want to have to have every change sent through a webmaster. As we talked around what she needed, I suggested a site like the ones I had been experimenting with, as she could add photos and change the text herself. After thinking about it, she agreed to let me design her site.

Now I am getting ready to offer easy to update and maintain five page sites for other small business owners and people with passions they would like to tell the world about! The sites have a fixed cost that includes the domain name, hosting for the first year, and a design that you want based on a phone or Skype discussion! It also includes a phone tutorial to walk you through how to update text and add photos, a handbook and additional phone or email help. There will be a la carte options if you want a bigger or more complex site, either from the outset or within the first year. I hope to launch this offer in mid March 2010, and if it is something you would like to consider, please sign up in the box to the right to let me know.