Websites Made Simple: How to have a successful website design business

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Sent the walkthrough video, chased twice, and still nothing back from your client? You're not on your own, and there's plenty you can do about it.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking you through how to get a website project back on track when a client is ghosting you. I'm explaining why it happens (it's usually overwhelm, not rudeness) and the boundaries I use so it rarely happens to me any more.

We get into:

Why getting everything up front makes a website project so much easier

Why gathering content is a whole extra job for your clients

Agreeing a content deadline, and the check-in email I send a couple of weeks before it

Why I ask for feedback within two working days of every walkthrough video

My sunset clause: what happens after two weeks of silence, and the friendly email I send

Archiving a project, reactivation fees, and why you should always build on a staging site

Re-quoting when a project goes past three months

What to do if your existing clients never signed a terms of service

Being firm, and still being genuinely helpful

If you've ever had a project stall because your emails are disappearing into the ether, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Got a ghosting story? Email me or leave me a voicemail through the contact form on my website. I might even read some out on the show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Website Designer's Contract Pack: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/website-designer-contract-pack/

And here's the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 When your website client ghosts you

01:51 Why clients go quiet (it's not you)

04:16 Step 1: Terms of service and a content deadline

07:24 Step 2: Set a feedback window

08:45 Step 3: The sunset clause

11:55 Step 4: Re-quote, and what if you don't have terms yet

14:23 Step 5: Be firm, be kind

If you've had a quiet month and you're tempted to drop your prices, please don't. There's usually money sitting in places you haven't looked yet.

Check out my group - https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm helping you work out a plan to make more money in your web design business right now. Some of it brings in cash quickly, and some of it builds a steadier pipeline, so web design doesn't have to be feast or famine.

We get into:

Why the website is only one part of what your client is paying for, and why you still stand firm on your prices

My payment terms, and why content deadlines stop you building next year's website at last year's prices

Why your previous clients are your quickest win, and when to ask them for a testimonial and a referral

How hosting and maintenance bring me steady monthly income, and what to offer if you design on Squarespace, Wix, Webflow or Shopify

Whether your niche is so tight that people can't find you

Why I tell web designers not to work at an hourly rate

What to charge for a power hour, and why mine often turn into website builds

How I deliver website audits, and my website glow-up

If you want more money coming in without cutting your prices, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Mentioned in this episode:

Website Designer's Contract Pack: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/website-designer-contract-pack/

My Website Clinic: https://thisdemandinglife.com/website-clinic/

Mike Cottam, WordPress specialist (white label site care): https://mike-cottam.com/

Jo Lott: https://joannalottcoaching.com/

And here's the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Feast or famine? It doesn't have to be

04:18 Your quickest win: past clients

05:41 Recurring revenue from maintenance

07:47 Is your niche too tight to be found?

11:31 Price properly, and show your prices

13:08 Power hours, and what to charge

15:17 Website audits and the glow-up

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

If you've ever had a client say yes, pay the deposit, and then go quiet for weeks, it's rarely because you did something wrong. It's usually because they weren't quite ready to work with you.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about how to attract the clients who come to you ready to buy, so you can save yourself all that back and forth. I also tell you the story of the time I was the person who wasn't ready, why I was never Hinge's ideal customer, and why it did not go well.

We get into:

Why niching means the right clients find you when they're ready, not just shopping around

The huge gap between "not quite ready" and "sign me up, here's the money"

What happens when a client pays the deposit and then goes quiet

Why I was never Hinge's ideal customer, and what that teaches us about clients who aren't ready

Why long, specific search phrases beat "web design London", and how I found a holiday cottage with ChatGPT

Three questions to ask your past clients about how they found you

How FAQs and blogs answer people's questions so you don't have to

Why you shouldn't hide your prices, and what to say about hosting, licences and renewals

Why case studies reassure the clients who are about to say yes

Why getting clear on your messaging takes patience, and why you shouldn't keep changing it

If you want clients who are ready to say yes and a lot less back and forth, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Mentioned in this episode: SEO F-ing What with Nikki Pilkington, episode 38, "Your Portfolio Page Title Is KILLING Your SEO": https://seofuckingwhatpodcast.co.uk/episode/your-portfoilio-page-title-is-killing-your-seo

And here's the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Why ready-to-buy clients make life easier

02:34 The gap between 'not ready' and 'sign me up'

04:16 My Hinge story: the day I wasn't the ideal customer

07:26 How your ideal clients actually search

11:03 Answer their questions before they ask

12:52 Don't hide your prices (or what's included)

16:24 Case studies that reassure

17:49 Anchor your messaging

If you're busier than ever, marketing harder than ever, and still turning over the same money year after year, it's usually not because you need a new skill.

It's because the thing holding your web design business back is you — the price you drop before the client has even spoken, the £38 jobs you're doing at £150 an hour, and the evenings you're working for free.

My Sparks group is a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm getting real about money mindset: why so many website designers get stuck at the same figure, how we quietly become the bottleneck in our own business, and what it actually takes to level up without burning out.

We get into:

Why “learn a new skill” is rarely the answer when your income has flatlined

The one thing to do the moment you've said your price: pause

What to say when a client says “that's more than I was expecting”

Why payment plans for hosting and maintenance are the recurring revenue most designers miss

Why £3,000 coming into the business is not £3,000 you've earned

How a £38-an-hour VA frees you up for £150-an-hour work

Just because you can do everything in your business doesn't mean you should

How working every evening quietly halves your hourly rate

Why letting go is how you build a business that runs without you

If you want to charge what you're worth, stop undercutting yourself, and finally get out of your own way, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:58 Inspired by the Sparks and Phoenix mentees

01:25 The money boundary

01:51 It's money mindset, not skillset

02:52 Hands up if this sounds like you

03:13 Dropping your price mid-call

04:29 Put the price out there and pause

05:36 What to say when it's more than they expected

06:27 Earning a bit more vs properly levelling up

07:04 Payment plans: the recurring revenue you're missing

07:47 Big jumps: higher prices, more sites, white labelling

08:07 Quick break

08:15 What's really stopping us is us

09:10 You quoted £3,000. That isn't your salary

10:17 Invest money to make money

10:54 The £38 VA vs the £150 hour

12:21 Just because you can doesn't mean you should

13:00 Working every night halves your hourly rate

14:10 Mentors, VAs and getting out of your own way

14:54 Letting go: a business that runs without you

15:24 Get out of your own way

15:41 Work with Holly

If you've started to fall out of love with web design, it's usually not the design that's the problem.

It's the invoices, the contract wording, the awkward client emails, and all the other bits that crept in and took over your week. Let's fix that.

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about how to work out which parts of your web design business you actually love, how to hand over the parts you don't, and why that usually costs a lot less than you think.

We get into:

Why getting stuck “in the weeds” makes good designers fall out of love with the work

How to identify the parts of the business you genuinely enjoy

Why not every web designer loves designing, and why that's completely fine

How designers and developers work brilliantly hand in hand

What to do if you're a techie who struggles with the design side

Why outsourcing makes you money rather than costing you money

Whether you're selling the website, or selling you as the person who builds it

How to bring team members onto a project without the client feeling dropped

Why there's a hard ceiling on how many websites you can build in a year

The five income streams I run, and the freelance team behind them

How to map what you love, what you don't, and what you could delegate

If you're busy but no longer enjoying it, this one will help you get the good bits back.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

And here's the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 How to do more of what you love

00:38 When you fall out of love with web design

01:40 Work out which parts you actually love

02:25 Not every designer loves designing

02:53 Why designers and developers need each other

03:44 What to do if design isn't your strength

05:22 Outsourcing is how you make more money

06:28 “But I don't charge enough to outsource”

06:54 Are you selling the website, or selling you?

07:49 Bringing in your team without losing the client

09:40 The ceiling on building websites alone

10:00 Holly's five income streams

10:43 The freelance team behind the business

11:51 Map what you love, delegate the rest

12:29 Where to find Holly

If accessibility has never really come up in your work, it isn’t because you’re careless — it’s because almost nobody teaches it. Not the courses, not the diplomas, and definitely not the platforms we all build on.

Check out my group offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode of Websites Made Simple, I'm joined by Rachel Mess of The Inclusive Design Company, a website designer and trainer who specialises in accessible websites. Rachel got into accessibility because her sister is visually impaired — and was mortified to realise that in years of web design training, not one course had mentioned it.

Together we cover the single biggest accessibility failure on the internet, why the drag-and-drop components you trust might be unreadable to both screen readers and Google, why “let the website breathe” is an accessibility decision, the argument that finally brings a reluctant client round, why “click here” hurts you twice over, and the free tools you should be running on every site before you hand it over.

🔗 Rachel Mess — The Inclusive Design Company: https://inclusivedesigncompany.co.uk

🔗 Sparks group mentoring: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

🌐 More from Holly:https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk

✉️ Email Holly: hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

🎙️ Podcast produced by Podknows Podcasting: https://podknows.co.uk/

Connect with Holly on LinkedIn: Holly Christie.

Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: Rachel Mess

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Rachel Meess, accessible web design specialist

01:08 How Rachel got into accessibility

01:50 Why accessibility never came up in her training

02:46 “I can’t charge for a website somebody can’t access”

03:09 Web design is a self-taught industry

03:40 Why the platforms are part of the problem

05:21 Accessibility has to be front of mind as you design

05:39 Colour contrast is the biggest issue on the internet

06:14 Dropdowns, div blocks and what a screen reader hears

07:03 If Google can’t read it, nobody sees your content

07:45 Holly’s pet hate: emojis as bullet points

09:07 When industry experts quietly ignore best practice

10:57 Lived experience is good for business

12:49 Consulting with Diversity Scotland

13:38 DEI, blog images and seeing yourself on a website

14:44 Accessibility is the infrastructure inclusion sits on

17:32 Accessibility in your blog posts

17:58 Let the website breathe

20:46 How to bring a reluctant client round

21:32 Why Shopify sites keep coming up

22:42 The contrast checker every platform should build in

24:06 Why “click here” is a problem

25:30 Stop stuffing keywords into alt tags

26:29 Test with Lighthouse and WAVE

27:36 Graphic designers are not website designers

29:04 Where to find Rachel

If your clients keep coming back with “How do I log in?” and “How do I change an image?”, it isn’t because they’re difficult.

It’s because nobody ever handed them a manual for the thing you just built them.

Check out my group offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I create a website user manual for every single client: what goes in it, how it’s built, and how it went from a job that ate my time to a template I barely have to touch.

There’s a free template to go with this episode, so you can start your own straight away: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/website-manual

We get into:

Why a user manual is the difference between a delighted client and endless “how do I…” emails

How to build yours in Canva and send it as a PDF, and why I never host it on my own site

What to tell clients about themes, plug-ins and premium licences before they’re your problem

The front page details that protect you months down the line

The five minute “Welcome to Your Website” screen recording that shows them the back end

Why a page speed screenshot on handover day saves you an argument with an SEO later

The dedicated log-in page that kills half your support emails

How to record your tutorial videos once and reuse them on every single website

The troubleshooting page that says “clear your cache” in ten different ways

Where to point clients for extra help, and how you want them to contact you afterwards

If you want fewer support emails, happier clients, and a handover you can repeat without thinking about it, this one will sort you out.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 How to create a website user manual

00:46 My confession about website handovers

01:33 Why user manuals became my biggest win

02:16 How web designers actually hand over websites

02:58 Why video and written content work best together

03:25 Build it in Canva, send it as a PDF

04:22 Themes, plug-ins and licensing

05:05 What clients need to know about premium licences

06:21 The front page: logo, date and screenshot

07:32 The table of contents

07:57 The “Welcome to Your Website” video

09:01 Page speed screenshots that protect you later

10:06 The log-in page everyone forgets

11:07 Keeping the site updated, and key things to remember

12:01 Record once, use everywhere

14:03 The troubleshooting page

14:53 Additional resources and knowledge centres

15:37 How clients get in touch after handover

16:21 Grab the free template

Mentioned in this episode:

Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

If you’re overworked, underpaid, and doing every single part of your web design business alone, the problem usually isn’t your skills.

It’s that no one ever showed you how to build the business around the work: how to price it, structure it, and share the load so it actually lasts.

In this episode I mention my Sparks mentoring community. You can join here: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m talking about how to build a sustainable web design business, one that pays you properly, doesn’t burn you out, and works for you and your clients, whatever stage of your career you’re at.

We get into:

How undercharging and “building a portfolio for free” quietly stalls your business

Why collaboration, not competition, with designers, copywriters and SEO specialists grows your income

Why every website project really starts with copy and brand, not the build

How to work out your offer and review it so it keeps working for you

Why going limited and separating your finances protects you through feast and famine months

Why the money from a website build is business income, not your salary

Where to outsource so you stop overworking and stop burning out

Why you have to step off the tools and spend time working ON your business

How to spot the money gap between what you charge and what you actually want to earn

Why a mentor is the single biggest lever for growing your business

If you want a business that earns well, runs smoothly, and doesn’t leave you exhausted, this one’s for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Chapters (So you can skip to the relevant bits):

00:00 Building a web design business that lasts

00:20 The undercharging trap

01:31 Collaborate, don’t compete

03:41 Why copy and brand come before the build

05:49 Inside Sparks Group mentoring

06:53 Work out your offer, and review it often

08:35 Go limited and separate your finances

10:24 Website payments are income, not your salary

11:13 Outsource what isn’t worth your hourly rate

14:15 Work ON your business, not just in it

18:54 Mind the money gap

Mentioned in this episode:

Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

Nobody handed most of us a manual for this.

Web design is a self-taught industry, so we all arrive from different angles, with different tools, and it's far too easy to decide you're "doing it wrong" the moment a louder voice tells you their way is the only way.

*whispers in your ear* - if this episodes sparks your interest, check out my mentoring group: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking directly to designers and developers in their first few years, sharing the practices that helped me build confidence, better websites, and a stronger business, without pretending there's one "right" way to do it.

We get into:

• How investing properly in your setup (themes, insurance, compliant contracts) slowly builds your confidence
• Why "spend money to make money" applies to web design more than you think
• Picking one area to go all in on each year, from accessibility to SEO
• Building a rigid onboarding process so content arrives before the build starts
• Getting known for one or two things instead of being "just another designer"
• Why staying in your lane beats watching the competition
• Collecting reviews properly (and actually following them up)
• Why a mentor pays dividends long before you feel you can "afford" one

If you're early in your web design journey and just want a bit more support in your corner, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at - https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

If you'd like to talk about mentoring for new website designers and developers, come and say hello.

Skip to the good bits (Chapters):

00:00 Who this episode is for

00:33 Web design is a self-taught industry (and tech shaming)

02:02 Invest in your web design business

05:57 Pick one area to master each year

08:54 Get your onboarding right — content up front

11:29 Marketing yourself and the know, like, trust factor

12:17 Get known for one or two things

14:36 Stay in your lane, ignore the competition

15:59 Collect reviews and actually use them

17:17 Why you should get a mentor

A messy sign-off leaves a messy memory — and it’s one of the easiest things to fix with the right checklist in place.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

Check out: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

In this episode, I’m walking you through my full website sign-off process — the checklist I use every single time to make sure projects end cleanly, clients are set up properly, and I can actually close the project and move on.

We get into:

• Holly’s website “pack-down” checklist and why you need one
• Cookie notices, GDPR, and what to check before you go live
• Why you should run a Page Speed Insights report and screenshot it every time
• Setting up admin accounts (the step Holly has forgotten more than once)
• Website manuals: why every client should get one and how to create them
• Hooking up analytics, pixels, and code tracking before handover
• How to test on incognito browser and mobile before you call it done
• Getting written sign-off from your client — and the wording that matters
• Migration, SSL certificates, and enforcing HTTPS after moving a site
• Contact form testing, SMTP, and GDPR-compliant database saving
• How to organise client training and what Holly’s personalised video manuals look like
• Setting up client logins and making sure they know how to run WordPress updates
• Asking for reviews at exactly the right moment
• What is and is not your responsibility once a project is signed off

If you want every project to end with a clean, confident handover — this one will help you build that process.

Grab Holly’s sign-off checklist at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sign-off-checklist

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

And here’s the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 The sign-off feeling and making sure clients come back for the right reasons

01:46 Build your website pack-down checklist

02:50 Cookie notices and GDPR compliance

03:53 Run a PageSpeed Insights report and save the results

06:20 Create an admin account for the client

06:55 Website manuals and why every client needs one

07:37 Hooking up code tracking before handover

08:48 Testing on incognito browser and mobile view

10:27 Getting written sign-off from your client

11:10 Tying sign-off to payment

11:35 Migration, SSL certificates and enforcing HTTPS

14:21 Contact forms, testing and GDPR compliance

15:39 Organising client training

16:17 Holly’s personalised video walkthrough manuals

17:12 Getting the client logged in

17:58 WordPress updates and making sure clients know how

18:40 Ask for a review at the right moment

19:09 Your responsibilities after sign-off

If you’ve ever been made to feel that your tech stack is wrong, or that using a page builder makes you less of a “real” developer, this episode is here to give you a reality check.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m talking about tech stacks, tech shaming, and why the platform you build on matters a whole lot less than what you’re actually delivering.

We get into:

• What we’re actually being hired to deliver — and why the tools are irrelevant
• Why client ease of use should drive every tech decision you make
• The difference between a proper handover and abandoning your client at the door
• Why locked-down websites cause problems for everyone, including you
• How imposter syndrome fuels tech shaming in the web design industry
• Why personality and trust win clients over tech stack every single time
• The disappearing developer problem and how to be the designer clients return to

If you’ve been tech shamed, or you’ve been second-guessing your tools, this will help you refocus on what actually builds a sustainable web design business.

Check out my mentoring group offer:

https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 What really matters about your tech stack

00:36 Welcome to Websites Made Simple

00:50 Holly’s experience of tech shaming on LinkedIn

01:50 Sparks Group Mentoring explained

02:36 It’s not about the platform — it’s about the results

03:41 Why client ease of use should come first

04:24 Page builders, locked-down sites, and client access

05:26 Clients should always be able to access their own website

06:25 The disappearing developer problem

07:11 How to sign off a website properly

07:48 Client training, Zoom handovers, and user manuals

08:24 Building for two people: your client and their visitors

09:11 Why tech shaming is really just imposter syndrome

10:03 Why clients choose you for personality, not tools

11:30 “In 20 years, I’ve never gone back to the same designer twice — until now”

If you're putting in the work, showing up, doing everything you can — and still turning over the same amount of money year on year — this episode is for you.

Check out my popular group mentoring programme: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Hi and welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about the money mindset patterns that can sometimes keep web designers stuck, what it actually means to outsource and invest in your business, and how to get out of your own way so you can finally start earning what you deserve.

We get into:

• Why so many web designers drop their prices before the client has even had a chance to respond
• The power of the pause
• Why payment plans for hosting and maintenance are non-negotiable recurring revenue
• What a money mindset ceiling looks like, and why it keeps you stuck at the same figure
• The real maths behind outsourcing to a VA
• Why website designers bottleneck their own businesses
• My personal story of working every evening after the kids went to bed
• How to get out of your own way, stop doing everything yourself, and start running a business that actually works for you

If you're working hard but not seeing the financial results to match, this episode will show you exactly what's holding you back — and it might just be you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 What's really holding back your web design business

01:17 Turning over the same money year on year — why it happens

02:00 What levelling up really means

02:44 Self-sabotaging behaviours — do any of these sound like you?

05:47 Why even getting a client on a call earns your seat at the table

07:27 Money mindset ceilings: stuck at the same income figure

10:03 Outsourcing to a VA: the real numbers

12:19 "You're halving your hourly rate" — the hard truth from a good friend

13:55 Get out of your own way and earn what you deserve

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

If a client has ever asked you "When will my website be found on Google?" — and you didn’t quite know how to answer — this episode is for you.

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m talking about where your role as a web designer ends and where an SEO specialist’s begins — and why knowing that difference could genuinely change the quality of the websites you deliver and the reputation you build.

We get into:

• The difference between building an SEO-friendly website and delivering SEO services
• What you ARE responsible for in every build (and where the line is)
• How to find an SEO specialist you actually like working with
• Why you should bring them in before the build starts, not after
• What an SEO specialist actually produces and how to show clients the value
• How to handle clients who don’t want to pay for SEO support
• Whether to build the SEO cost into your website price
• Why the relationship goes both ways — and how SEO specialists can become a referral source for you

If you’ve ever felt unsure about where SEO fits in your process, this will help you get clear, get confident, and start building better websites with the right people around you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

And here’s the link if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows: https://podknows.co.uk/

Skip to the good bits:

01:15 “When will my website be found on Google?”

01:41 What web designers ARE responsible for in SEO

02:34 SEO-friendly ≠ SEO services

02:57 Nikki Pilkington

03:44 Find an SEO specialist you vibe with

04:44 Bring them in before the build starts

05:03 What your SEO specialist will actually produce

06:14 When the client won’t pay for SEO

07:03 Build the SEO cost into your website price

08:24 It goes both ways: the referral relationship

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

If you’ve been tempted to move to a £99 a month website model — or you’ve been quietly cutting your prices just to get work through the door — this episode is a direct intervention.

Psst! Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m talking about why the £99 website model isn’t the sustainable business move it might look like on paper — and what to do instead when the market feels slow.

We get into:

• How the maths of volume pricing simply don’t add up
• The burnout that comes with trying the model
• Why ongoing payment plans are bad news
• The hidden costs that slowly erode client trust
• What to do instead

If you’re a web designer wondering whether dropping your prices is the answer, this episode will give you the confidence to hold firm.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Why the £99 website model doesn’t work

00:35 Meet Holly: Websites Made Simple

00:46 Who this episode applies to

01:45 The volume problem: you’d need 30 clients for £3,000

04:14 Burnout is baked into this model

04:38 Scope creep and the ongoing payment trap

06:32 Hidden costs and eroding client trust

08:34 Email hosting, DNS, and the chaos that follows

11:19 Content collection in a low-cost model

12:26 Hold your nerve: panic pricing makes it worse

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

AI is everywhere — and so is everyone telling you to use it for everything. But when it comes to your website, your plugins, and the work you ship for clients, the wrong AI shortcut can quietly become a serious liability.

Check out my Sparks Group Training for anyone and everyone involved in the publishing of websites, from copywriters to SEOs: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

Welcome to a special bonus episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie. (Quick note — my podcast mic was misbehaving for this one, so the audio is not quite up to our usual standard. My producer Neal at Podknows has worked his magic to clean it up, so please do stick with it. The conversation is genuinely worth your time.)

I am joined by senior developer Rob Fisher to talk about where AI actually helps in web design, where it absolutely does not, and the security and stability risks nobody is being loud enough about.

We get into:

Why vibe coding is not a shortcut, it is a stack of technical debt waiting to break

How LLMs really work, and why they hallucinate when you let them

Why your prompt boundaries matter as much as your prompt

The chatbot that gave a customer 85 percent off a 10,000 dollar order

What the October 2025 AWS outage tells us about AI first dev cultures

Why AI tools are junior developers, not senior ones, and what that means for your business

Why vibe coded WordPress plugins are a house of cards

How a “safe” plugin can become a Trojan horse with one auto update

What is actually changing in WordPress 7

If you are a designer or developer trying to work out where AI fits into your business without putting your clients at risk, this one is for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Bonus episode intro and audio note

01:18 Where AI fits in running a web business

02:34 Vibe coding and why it is a shortcut too far

05:12 The flip side, vibe coding as a learning tool

06:48 Tech debt: your vibe coded site is a liability waiting to break

07:45 What AI cannot do for user journeys and design psychology

09:20 How LLMs actually work, probability engines not brains

11:30 Hallucinations and the suspiciously short prompt

13:05 Prompt boundaries and staying on topic

15:10 What system prompts at OpenAI and Anthropic actually look like

17:00 The chatbot that gave away an 85 percent discount on a 10,000 dollar order

19:40 AI first dev houses and the October 2025 AWS outage

22:15 Microsoft layoffs and the AI replacement myth

24:30 Why generative AI is a junior developer, not a senior one

26:20 Vibe coded plugins, the house of cards problem

28:50 The WordPress plugin ecosystem and what it lets in

31:00 How a safe plugin becomes a Trojan horse overnight

33:15 WP Rocket, All in One Migration and the malicious update problem

34:50 WordPress 7 and the new AI APIs, and why it will not feel revolutionary

37:00 Block editor improvements and the abstraction layer problem

38:40 Final thoughts and how to get in touch

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

Imposter syndrome doesn’t care how good you are. It shows up anyway — making you hesitate before you send a contract, stumble over your words on a call, or scroll past someone else’s work and quietly wonder if you’re good enough.

In this episode of Websites Made Simple, Holly Christie gets honest about imposter syndrome in web design. Why it hits so hard in a self-taught industry. Why tech shaming on LinkedIn makes it worse. And what you can actually do to push through it, level up, and stop letting self-doubt quietly run your business.

We talk about:

• Why imposter syndrome affects experienced and award-winning designers too
• The problem with tech shaming (and why the tool you use doesn’t define your worth)
• Why there’s a seat at the table for every web designer
• How to stay in your lane and focus on your own growth
• What to do when your processes feel messy or your designs feel stale
• How to push outside your comfort zone and keep developing
• Why you’re probably doing much better than you think

Chapters:

00:00 Imposter syndrome — it comes for all of us

04:28 When LinkedIn chips away at your confidence

07:35 Stay in your lane and look forward

08:20 Tighten up your processes and onboarding

09:30 What to do when your designs feel stale

10:45 Pushing outside your comfort zone

12:05 You’re doing better than you think

💡 Want Holly’s Sparks Group Mentoring? Find out more here: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

🌐 Website: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk

📧 Email: hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollycchristie/

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

If you keep finding yourself building features your clients ask for that quietly make their websites worse, this one's for you.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about popups — why they're usually doing the opposite of what your clients think they're doing, what to say when a client is dead set on having one, and what to do instead to keep conversions high without frustrating visitors straight off the page.

We get into:

• Why popups interrupt the user experience in the worst possible way
• How popup design often looks spammy and quietly damages trust
• The SEO problem that popup plugins don't tell you about (hint: it's your H1)
• Why exit intent popups feel like surveillance — and why that's a problem
• How caching plugins can break popups entirely anyway
• What slide-ins are and how to use them without being annoying
• Floating buttons — how to use them properly (and what not to do on mobile)
• Dedicated signup sections that convert without the disruption
• How to push back when a client is dead set on having a popup

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/

It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Why popups might be hurting your clients' websites

01:11 Welcome and intro

01:39 Why popups interrupt the user experience

03:26 Popups block content and the SEO problem

06:01 Exit intent, popup frequency and the surveillance feeling

08:11 Slide-ins as a smarter alternative

10:30 Floating buttons done right

12:00 Dedicated signup sections that convert without disruption

14:23 How to push back when clients ask for popups

15:28 Wrap-up and how to get in touch

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

If you're not including links pages and custom 404 pages in your website builds, you're leaving money on the table — and doing your clients a disservice.

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about two of the most underrated pages in website design: the links page (your on-brand, SEO-friendly alternative to Linktree) and the custom 404 page.

Both are quick to build, easy to position as a value add, and a genuinely great way to stand out from designers who aren't sweating the details.

We get into:

• Why Linktree and similar tools can actually hurt your reach on social media platforms
• How a links page on your own website works with your SEO and drives traffic where you want it
• What to put on a links page to make it genuinely useful — and how to make it your own
• Why most 404 pages are a completely wasted opportunity
• How to design a 404 page that gets visitors back on track (and even puts a smile on their face)
• Why these pages should be built into your project cost, not offered as an upsell
• The one quick check you can do on your own website right now
• How showcasing these pages on your own site helps attract the right clients

If you want to impress clients, add real value to your builds, and start standing out from designers who aren't going the extra mile — this one is for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Stop leaving these pages out of your website builds

00:30 Why Linktree and Linke hurt your social media reach

01:02 Build a links page on your own website instead

02:00 What to put on your links page

03:10 Keeping links pages simple but effective on mobile

04:30 Links pages, SEO, and sending traffic to your own site

05:00 How to charge for links pages (don't make it optional)

05:44 The problem with generic 404 pages

06:20 How to check if your 404 page is customised right now

07:20 Adding personality and fun to your 404 page

08:14 Using 404 pages to redirect and re-engage visitors

10:02 Start with your own website first

Mentioned in this episode:

Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

If you're wondering why clients aren't buying from you or why the ones who do seem to undervalue your work, the answer isn't always more leads — it's the experience you're creating from the very first touchpoint.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I'm talking about what we are really selling when we are selling websites — and it's not the number of pages or the platform. It's the experience. From the first discovery call to the handover manual, every touchpoint either builds confidence or erodes it.

We get into:

• Why discovery calls convert better than email enquiries — and how to structure them
• How to follow up after a call so you stop losing warm leads
• What your contracts should protect you from (and why so many designers get this wrong)
• How to keep clients informed and feeling involved throughout the build
• When to refer out — and why knowing your boundaries makes you more professional, not less
• What good aftercare looks like (hint: it's not a two-hour Zoom dump)
• Why you should be checking on the results your websites produce for clients

If you want better clients, better money, and a process that makes people tell their friends about you, this one is for you.

Check out: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 What you're really selling (it's not a website)

01:30 Why discovery calls convert better than email

03:00 Screen sharing and building confidence on the call

03:41 Following up after the call — and why timing matters

05:00 The follow-up email template Holly uses

06:00 How many times to follow up before letting go

Mentioned in this episode:

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

Check out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ It’s a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments.

If you keep attracting bargain clients, it’s usually not because you need more leads.

It’s because your pricing model is less than optimal... mostly because your brand signals are a bit muddled, and your website is not doing enough heavy lifting before someone ever speaks to you.

Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.

In this episode, I’m talking about why charging hourly for your web design projects is holding you back — from better clients, better income, and a calmer business.

We get into:

• Why hourly pricing puts you in a race to the bottom
• How project pricing builds confidence on both sides
• Why clients feel cheated when hourly quotes run over
• How scope creep is easier to manage with project pricing
• What bundled pricing looks like in practice
• How to work with freelancers and white labellers without losing money
• Why the clients who can't afford you aren't your people
• How to quote higher and still win the work

If you want better clients, fewer arguments over invoices, and more peace of mind about your income, this one's for you.

Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.uk

Skip to the good bits:

00:00 Stop charging hourly — why it hurts your income

01:09 Why everyone has an hourly rate (and why that's the problem)

02:55 What project pricing actually looks like

03:42 How project pricing helps you prioritise your work

04:34 Scope creep and why hourly makes it worse

05:48 Bundled pricing: what goes into a project quote

07:23 Working with freelancers and white labellers

09:44 If they can't afford you, they're not your people

10:31 How project pricing creates better clients

11:43 Sparks Group Mentoring and how to join

Mentioned in this episode:

Websites Made Simple Courses

Remember to sign up for our blogging masterclass!

Go to https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/masterclass

Blogging masterclass

Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme