SiteGround

Celebrating Speed. Building Sites. Whole WordPress Support.

screenshot learning website

Visual Design by Heidi Grace
WordPress Theme Development by Scott Marlow

I am committed to fostering connections with clients so that I can solve unique marketing challenges with effective WordPress solutions. My approach to website design & development is based on measurable principles – including accessibility guidelines, performance benchmarks, security best practices, search engine requirements, and usability findings.

Clients can receive continued support post-launch to help guide them through technical and marketing challenges. I want to empower each client to manage their online web presence. Establishing trust is the first step towards helping clients achieve their online goals.

Julie Hannan had already worked with me on her first website – so she trusted me with her 2019 site refresh. Thru our interview and client discovery process, Heidi and I launched a mobile-first redesign that matches Sparkle Spot’s unique brand identity.

By working with the client to outline the goals and vision of their web presence, we can visually present the company’s ethos and service message. We place great value on the importance of usable design. A minimalist design emphasizes content and optimizes performance. We combine design aesthetic with an attention to usability to focus the visitor’s attention on the website’s service offerings. The new site features playful, custom cursive type for headlines – as well as custom mosaic illustrations – for a unique, but not trendy, look. The blue and green color palette has a Seattle Seahawks/Sounders feel to it, chosen to showcase local pride and also represent growth and stability for young learners.

Sparkle Spot Stats

Google PageSpeed Insights
Mobile: 97/100
Desktop: 97/100

WebPageTest Speed Index: 1,405 (median = ~4,493; top 10% = <1,388)

Yahoo YSlow: 85/100 (average score = 70)

Total Page Size: 389 Kb
In 2018, the average web page size was ~2.4 Mb; Google recommends a max page size of 500 Kb for mobile optimization
Total Web Server Requests: 26
Database driven websites, like WordPress, are faster when requests are < 20 – 40
Page Load Speed: < 1 second

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Create Your Own Content With WordPress

screenshot Klevens Capital Management website

Brand Consulting by Heidi Grace
WordPress Theme Development by Scott Marlow

This web project involved cloning a site from a proprietary Content Management System into WordPress. The former CMS was no longer usable for John Klevens’ staff, who wanted a more intuitive editing experience. Content had to meet strict regulatory compliance requirements.

The new mobile responsive website features an easy-to-update blog for Klevens’ weekly market commentary. The new homepage size is 452 Kb – 79% smaller the industry median 2.1 Mb. Server requests are optimized for database performance at 34. As a result, page load speed ranks in the top 10%, according to WebPageTest.

Google Lighthouse Audits

Performance: 98/100
Accessibility: 79/100
Best Practices: 87/100
SEO: 100/100

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Salmon Creek Cafe Serves Up WordPress

screenshot Salmon Creek Cafe website

Visual Design by Tyler Potts
WordPress Child Theme Development by Scott Marlow

A fresh mobile responsive WordPress website for Salmon Creek Cafe in Burien. This fun redesign, with custom photos by Tyler Potts, replaces a SquareSpace site that staff found difficult to edit.

My favorite feature of the new site is the easy to read (HTML) menus, formatted in simple single columns. Too many restaurants publish their menus via cumbersome, difficult to read PDFs; HTML content is mobile responsive and much more accessible. We also emphasized the contact information, which restaurant patrons should be able to find easily.

To add value, we chose to custom skin an existing template Theme, Dara, by Automattic. Built on _Underscores, the overall page size is 717 Kb, about 1/3 the industry median page size of ~2.1 Mb.

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Fast Websites Perform Better

screenshot Washington School-based health website

Visual Design by Heidi Grace
WordPress Theme Development by Scott Marlow

This state affiliate site borrows its brand identity from the national School-Based Health Alliance.

A map helps stakeholders locate over 50 Washington State School-Based Health Centers. A dynamic blog publishes information on advocacy activities, events, funding opportunities, and jobs; visitors can subscribe by email to automatically receive these updates.

Based on _Underscores, the WordPress Theme is only 590 Kb – 76% smaller than the national site’s 2.5 Mb page size – with 64% fewer web server requests (30). Database-driven websites, like WordPress, are more performance optimized when server requests are less than 40-60.

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Empowering Marketers. Strengthening Websites.

screenshot Exodus Housing website
Visual Design by Heidi Grace
WordPress Web Development by Scott Marlow

A mobile-first visual redesign for Exodus Housing–  a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports families fleeing domestic violence by providing access to permanent housing, tailored services and community resources.

With an overall page size of 336 Kb, 84% smaller than the industry median, and only 16 web server requests – this site receives a Pingdom performance score of 93/100.

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