Web design services
- Custom web design for small business, organizations, and individuals.
- Serving Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Chicagoland since 1996.
Web design services
- Custom web design for small business, organizations, and individuals.
- Serving Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Chicagoland since 1996.
Web design services
- Custom web design for small business, organizations, and individuals.
- Serving Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Chicagoland since 1996.
What types of websites do I build?
WordPress
Most of the websites I create are based in WordPress. This makes it very easy for you to edit copy, change menus, add new pages, delete old ones, insert photos, and so on.
Responsive design
All websites I build these days employ mobile-responsive web design, meaning that their sizing and layout are designed to adjust to whatever device a visitor is using — whether a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop or desktop computer. Mobile-responsive websites also show up more prominently in search engine results.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
23 years of studying web traffic statistics has given me some knowledge about how websites get found — especially websites for small businesses without big SEO budgets and thousands of pages. I take special pride in making sure that the many details involved in basic website optimization are correctly executed.
- Restaurant websites
- Contractor websites
- Auto repair websites
- Medical practice websites
- Author websites
- Nonprofit websites
- Legal practice websites
- Driving school websites
- Photographer websites
- Consultant websites
- Special event websites
- Musician websites
- Band websites
- Salon websites
- Bakery websites
- Restaurant websites
- Contractor websites
- Auto repair websites
- Medical practice websites
- Author websites
- Nonprofit websites
- Legal practice websites
- Driving school websites
- Photographer websites
- Consultant websites
- Special event websites
- Musician websites
- Band websites
- Salon websites
- Bakery websites
- Restaurant websites
- Contractor websites
- Auto repair websites
- Medical practice websites
- Author websites
- Nonprofit websites
- Legal practice websites
- Driving school websites
- Photographer websites
- Consultant websites
- Special event websites
- Musician websites
- Band websites
- Salon websites
- Bakery websites
InTu Mobility
Three new pages showcasing a diesel aftertreatment solution for trucks and fleets offered by InTu Mobility of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Falcon Aviation
Website design for Westosha Central High School STEM Aviation Project in Salem, Wisconsin. Mobile responsive, PayPal donations, social sharing optimization, video background loop.
Hair & Company
Web redesign for Racine’s Hair & Company tanning / hair salon — mobile responsive, WordPress based.
Marble & Granite Sources
Website for Marble & Granite Sources in Kenosha, Wisconsin, featuring a photo gallery of their stunning custom countertops.
23 years as a web designer
Running a small business, you have to compete with bigger companies that can get away with offering less service because of their size. You learn your business more deeply. You figure out how to get the most for your money, because there is no company budget for extravagance.
I understand — because this is my small business.
Why choose me to build your new website?
Your personal web architect, not a roomful of cubicles
You’ll have a 23-year web design pro listening to your objectives, translating them into code and graphic design, offering recommendations, and making adjustments. Your website will not be built by interns answering to an an account representative who answers to a sales manager.
Custom solution for your business
Every business is different. Every owner has different priorities. Rather than forcing your priorities into a template, I’ll use them to select the best solutions, and to guide the use of my time.
Get in the race — with a head start
No matter what the “do-it-yourself website” services tell you, there’s a steep learning curve to building your site the right way. I have been on this track every day for 23 years, so let me take the first leg, then pass you the baton.
You hold the keys
You have ultimate control of your website. It’s your domain, your hosting account, and everything is accessible to you. You’re not locked into a “web design dungeon.”
“We would highly recommend Mark to any organization that needs experienced and affordable web development.”
“After meeting with him the first time, we knew he was the man for the job! We would definitely recommend him!”
“Mark is a man of tremendous integrity, who does this work because he genuinely wants to help people. I recommend him without reservation.”
What you get:
- A real website, not a facade.
- Control of everything. You hold the keys.
- Custom installation of WordPress and plugins.
- High quality theme / website builder.
- Complete, custom website buildout.
- Content optimization, editing, and layout.
- Social share / follow configuration.
- Email list setup (if desired).
- Solid fundamental SEO.
- Basic Google Analytics configuration / filtering.
- Hands-on tutorial time.
What it takes:
- Full, finished sites average $3,000.
- Typical timeline is 3 weeks to launch.
- Half paid in advance, remainder upon completion.
- Smaller jobs, tweaks, etc. at $75 per hour.
Your best marketing value
The cost of a website depends on how many working hours are required to build it. But let's say a high-quality website for a restaurant takes 40 work hours, costing $3,000. Spread over one year, that's just $8.22 per day. Two years? Just $4.11 per day.
What does a newspaper ad cost for one day? Imagine that your website averages a mere 50 visitors a day — many of them specifically searching for a restaurant in your area. What's your profit if just one couple comes in for a meal? What if they enjoy it so much that they share your website with their friends from their phone at the table?
What's included? (Click to find out.)
Of course, each website is unique — but a typical website requires about 40 work hours spent on tasks like the following:
- Set up hosting account
- Configure email addresses
- Install & configure WordPress
- Install & register WordPress theme
- Create WordPress custom child theme
- Install/register/configure WordPress plugins
- Install/register/configure website security systems
- Set up & configure Google Analytics
- Create Google Analytics filters
- Conduct fundamental SEO research
- Build SEO guidance spreadsheet
- Plan & create initial page set
- Design initial navigation menus
- Optimize & install website logo (SVG if possible)
- Design website color palette using color psychology & color wheel
- Select website fonts
- Customize website typography parameters
- Configure social media sharing
- Design each individual page for desktop, tablet, & smartphone
- Edit & organize SEO-friendly headlines & copy
- Choose (and perhaps purchase) each image
- Optimize (correct levels/crop/resize/sharpen/rename) each image
- Upload & install each image
- Write SEO-friendly alt text for each image
- Embed any videos
- Title page for proper SEO
- Write SEO-friendly meta description
- Optimize page's featured image(s) for social media sharing
- Design & configure contact form(s)
- Set up & configure email list subscription
- Install & configure Google Map(s)
- Design website footer
- Write/install/test/debug website schema markup
- Register website & submit XML sitemap to Google Search Console
- Register website & submit XML sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
- In-person tutorial: Teach website owner how to administer the site, add or edit pages
"One of the best features of being Mark's client is that he is always there to help even after his work is done. I can email him with a wide range of questions and he answers quickly and thoroughly. It's been a good experience."
At your service
Your new website is mobile responsive, so it displays properly on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. It is optimized for social sharing, and with fundamental local SEO for search engines. It is built in WordPress, making it very easy for you to edit, add, or remove pages.
Suppose you need a landing page (like this one) for people who click an advertisement. Or maybe you want a shareable detail page for a special event. Perhaps you need to add a bio page for a new staff member, or news releases, or testimonials. It's all pretty easy — and if you need help, I have been here for my clients for 20 years.
Up and running in 3 weeks
We discuss what you need. I write a proposal. You accept and pay half up front. I gather raw materials from you and build your new website. You preview it. Final revisions are made, and the website goes public. We meet for a couple hours of tutorial time so you can learn the basics of running the site. I bill you for the second half. This whole process takes an average of three weeks.
Reserve my time for your project today
Being a freelancer means I have lower overhead and a lower hourly rate than many web design agencies in the area. It also means I take on a limited number of new projects per month.
Let's talk about yours today.