About Lori's Web Design

I've been a professional web designer in Spokane WA since 2000 but volunteered on websites for a few years before that while learning to write HTML by hand. I worked as a computer tutor in computer labs while attending community college in Spokane and EWU in Cheney in 1996 pursuing an English/Creative Writing Degree, where I had to learn software on both Mac and PC and also took several Internet courses. The rest of my education was self taught and through experience.

I learned to write HTML by hand before WYSIWYGs were widely available, which is a plus because my websites are very clean, devoid of code bloat and load fast on any browser. I can take a site designed in Flash (search engines can't read anything in Flash) and set it up as HTML, often keeping the same layout. You will loose moving components in the Flash but your website will be totally indexed.

I own my own web design business and have no employees so you get personal service from Lori's Web Design. I'm also a former business owner and understand the needs of budgeting the design and ranking of a website for small businesses. I'm also very frugal, even make my own sticky notes, and thus my fees are very reasonable. I've built several websites at no charge for non-profits.

I currently have about 50 clients, some in Spokane and others across the USA, and I evaluate several other sites for keyword ranking problems each month. I check the traffic on all client websites each week and let the clients know when there is something wrong. I also keep watch over domain renewals and remind the clients if they haven't renewed them.

I also read webmaster forums every day to keep up with the latest developments in web design.

SEO Services

I don't charge extra for SEO services (Search Engine Optimization) because everything I do is related to SEO. I tweak the keywords as I redesign a website. When a client sends me text to put on a site, if I see it could be enhanced by changing a few words then I do so (switching pronouns for nouns, etc.). I enjoy cleaning up code so much that I often start cleaning up the code on sites before I even get the deposit.

I don't encourage use of CMS (Content Management Systems where the owner of the site can edit it themselves) which are sometimes called site builders, because these programs usually produce a lot of code bloat and deprecated code so the HTML will not validate and they usually won't let you put in unique titles and descriptions which is very important for ranking purposes. People who don't understand HTML or SEO can effectively destroy their website with these programs. Most of the sites I redesigned were built with these programs because they weren't going anywhere in the search engines.

I don't work with flash, frames or image maps because search engines cannot index their content. I'm also not a programmer because I want to keep my focus on my area of expertise which is SEO. I can refer these jobs out however if needed.

Graphics

I wouldn't call myself a professional graphic artist but did take graphics courses in college and was an artist in oils before I got so busy with web design. I'm also an amateur photographer. Artistic skills are very helpful when designing the layout and balancing elements of a website. I know how to use Fireworks and Photoshop to manipulate photos and make simple logos and landscape banners (see bottom of pg).

More information is available on my web design experience and testimony and Web Design Portfolio pages and Christian Statement of Faith page where I list several Christian sites I have worked on.

Call me at (509) 443-8693 if I can help you with your website.