Who designs your new website?
I’m Paul Jackson, a European of British origin who lives in Germany. I designed and created my first website for a customer way back in 1999, with over 60 more following in the years since.
After a longstanding and initially lucrative professional diversion as a German–English translator, I have been replaced by artificial intelligence.
Because this was not totally unforeseeable, I few years ago I deliberately rekindled my passion for websites, thoroughly immersing myself in current theory, technologies and all the related stuff. As a result of this continuous professional development, my knowledge is growing like Japanese knotweed on a railway embankment.
With ChatGPT snapping hungrily at my heels, I’m hereby returning to the roots, with my head stuffed full of expertise and ideas.
You’re a:
- Musician, writer or artist
- Freelance professional (creative or consultant etc)
- Other type of self-employed service provider
- Small business owner
- Tradesperson
- Club, association or other organisation
- or similar
And looking for a smooth functioning small to medium-sized website that meets the following criteria:
- Visually appealing
- Well thought out and well structured
- Responsive (works on all screen sizes)
- Easy to navigate
- Loads as fast as possible
- Meets today’s standards
- and more
Your benefits at a glance
- A designer who’s not afraid of code …
- … or alternatively: an up-and-coming middle-aged developer with design ability
- Sound expertise in relevant areas – not quite a one-stop shop, but almost
- Over the course of the years, more than 60 websites successfully designed and created, for customers in various countries
“… Attractive and thoughtful design ideas”
“Paul’s attractive and thoughtful design ideas have created a colourful, modern and visitor-friendly website that I’m really proud of.”
Berlie Doherty
Award-winning author
“… A pleasure to work with Paul”
“It has been a pleasure to work with Paul in setting up my website. His patient advice and instruction have helped me to write about my work in a new way, based on Paul’s analysis of what my readers are actually searching for, and hopefully to attract new readers too.”
Berlie Doherty
Award-winning author
What do I offer whom?
Because I’m currently returning to the roots, I’m excitedly awaiting the first new customers, who will probably trickle in via word of mouth.
Instead of sitting here in my cosy office, thinking up detailed but purely theoretical services and prices that nobody’s interested in, I’ll be listening carefully to future customers and prospective customers, to find out exactly what their needs are.
Only in this way will I know precisely what to offer whom, and at what price.
There’s no point enthusing about exciting but in some cases relatively exotic content management systems if people like you – visitors to my website – just want a WordPress website more or less ‘off the shelf’. Or the other way round.
Nevertheless, below I’ve listed some possible scenarios for you.
These are purely examples, and of course don’t exclude any others! If you’re unsure whether I’d be a fit for your project, simply ask. I look forward to hearing from you.
Web design and website maintenance: Who benefits, and how?
You run a local, offline business or offer a service locally?
You’ve perhaps never really been interested in websites up to now, but finally want your own website? A small, perfectly formed, visually appealing, low-maintenance website that functions as an online business card? Which you can advertise in the local press if desired?
So prospective customers can get a better idea of you, you products or services, and easily get in touch with you?
You’re a service provider or small business owner and have realised it’s time to have a new website designed and created?
Perhaps you’re unsatisfied with your existing business website? Maybe it looks old-fashioned and can’t easily be used on phones, meaning it’s long since behind the times?
Should your new website also be easier to find online, so it can generate more enquiries?
But you don’t have any idea how to realise all this?
You provide a service or run a business, and are at home in the subjects of marketing and SEO?
But you’d like someone to create an appealing website for you, with which you can successfully implement your knowledge in these areas?
You’re more or less satisfied with your existing business website?
But you simply don’t have the time, interest or knowhow to add your news items, keep your content up to date or make any other changes? Whether these are one-offs or occur regularly?
What’s included in your web design project?
No two websites are the same. As a result, the work during website projects is also not the same.
However, if you engage me to plan, design and create your website, some things are always required:
- Jointly establishing your requirements
- Analysis of the current situation (if you are replacing an existing website)
- Conception and planning of the website structure
- Conception and planning of the website design (screens)
- Selecting the appropriate content management system for your website (not necessarily WordPress; for many kinds of websites, alternatives can be more suitable)
- Installing and configuring the content management system and any relevant extensions
- Implementing the website design
- Inserting your initial content (text, pictures and perhaps video, audio or downloads etc)
- On-page SEO (search engine optimisation), so your website can more easily be found in search engines
- Help with GDPR compliance (based on many years’ experience as a website owner – I’m not a lawyer!)
- Testing, inspecting and optimising your website
- Putting your website online
- Help and support over the course of your web design project
- If you will later be adding website content yourself: Teaching you how it’s done (method and scope depends on your website)
Also possible as part of your web design project
If required, I am also pleased to help in the following areas, and possibly also in others too (you’re welcome to ask).
- Keyword research, so you can create the right content for your target audience
- Setting your website up to be multilingual
- Translating your German or Dutch website into English (depending on your website’s subject matter – many years’ professional experience translating into English (GB)
- Looking after and maintaining your website in future; either its content, the technical stuff or both – from the minimum necessary to a more active role
Web design portfolio
Well, this is embarrassing. Nothing much happening here …
A supposed self-described web designer who doesn’t show many samples of his web design work on his own website.
Well, new beginnings are always difficult. Even though this isn’t a new beginning as such; more of a refocusing.
Nonetheless, the effect is the same. I don’t currently have any brand new sample projects to show.
As soon as any come my way, I’ll finish them and proudly present them here.
Oh! Of course, I designed and created this website you’re reading now.
And there’s this one, from a few years ago:
