About Lori's Web Design

I've been a professional web designer in Spokane WA since 2000 but volunteered on websites a few years before that while learning to write HTML by hand. I worked as a computer tutor in computer labs for 4 years while attending community college in Spokane and EWU in Cheney pursuing an English/Creative Writing Degree (1996), 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 or follow the links to your inside pages) 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 don't have to upgrade a lot of web design software because I write code by hand, and thus my fees are very reasonable.

I currently have about 50 clients, several in Spokane and others across the USA, and I'm also available to evaluate other websites for keyword ranking problems. 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 and search engines. I also enjoy teaching clients what is needed to rank higher and what to avoid to prevent duplication problems in search engines.

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, adding a keyword here and there, etc.). I enjoy digging into 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 - sometimes called site builders) where the owner of the site can edit it themselves 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 that pg).

Lori Eldridge
Copyright © October 11, 2009 - updated 2011-11-19
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