Domain
Your domain is the address, such as yourbusiness.com. You register it through a domain provider and normally renew it each year. You should own the account and keep access to it.
Plain-language design guide
What the design terms actually mean.
You do not need to know every technical term before requesting a project. This guide explains the website, image, social media and print choices that affect scope and cost.
Before design
What you are actually choosing.
Hosting
Hosting is where the website files live. WordPress and Shopify require paid plans. A simple static portfolio can use GitHub Pages hosting at no cost.
Platform or CMS
This is the system used to build and update the site. WordPress works well for flexible business content. Shopify is designed for stores. Static sites are fast and need fewer updates.
Optional Figma prototype
See the website before it is built.
A prototype is a visual model of the website. It is an optional $160 add-on for clients who want to approve key layouts before development.
What we approve in Figma
- Page structure and visual hierarchy
- Typography, colour and image direction
- Desktop and important mobile layouts
- Buttons, forms and the main customer path
- Three rounds of agreed design revisions
Figma is not the live website. It gives us a clear reference before development, which reduces surprises and prevents expensive rebuilding later.
After design
What keeps the website useful.
Responsive development
The layout is built and tested for phones, tablets and larger screens. Responsive does not mean every screen looks identical. It means the content remains clear and usable.
SEO foundations
Search-friendly page titles, descriptions, headings, image text, clean structure and sitemap basics are included. SEO supports discovery, but no honest designer can guarantee a search ranking.
Maintenance
Every website includes two free months. Essential Care covers monthly checks and small updates. Growth Support adds up to two hours of content, SEO or performance work each month.
Images, social and print
Useful definitions before you choose.
Image preparation
Correction improves colour, exposure and crop. Web optimization resizes and compresses the file so it loads faster while still looking clear.
AI-assisted image
I plan the concept, create or source options, select the strongest result and refine it for the brand. The final file is not an untouched generated image.
Social-ready image
One finished visual concept counts as one image. When included, post and story versions are exports of that same concept. Each carousel slide counts as one image.
Print-ready PDF
A file prepared for professional printing with the correct size, colour setup, image quality, bleed and crop marks when the printer requires them.
Revision round
One organized list of changes sent together. Three rounds are included in packages. A completely new direction or new content is a scope change.
Source file
The editable working file, such as an InDesign document. Whether it is included depends on the project brief because fonts, stock images or licences may have restrictions.
Ownership and handoff
Your website should not become a mystery.
The written project brief records what is included, who provides each item, the timeline, the price and the handoff plan. Both of us approve it before work starts.
When the project is complete, you receive the agreed files and access. Third-party accounts such as your domain, hosting or Shopify subscription should remain in your name whenever possible.