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

If you’ve ever delivered a well built, SEO friendly website and then found yourself being blamed when it doesn’t rank or generate leads, this episode will feel very familiar.
Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.
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 real questions, tricky client situations, fuzzy boundaries, and those moments where you’re thinking, “This isn’t actually my job, is it?”
In this episode, I’m joined by SEO specialist Nikki Pilkington to talk about the difference between SEO friendly and SEO optimised, and why that distinction matters so much for web designers.
We dig into how good websites end up being labelled “not working”, how easily expectations drift, and why web designers often carry responsibility for outcomes that sit firmly outside their role.
We get into:
• What SEO friendly actually means from a web design and build perspective
• Why SEO friendly is a baseline, not a ranking strategy
• How “just add the keywords” quietly sets you up for problems later
• Where your responsibility as a designer genuinely starts and ends
• Why selling SEO as a one off is a trap, even when clients ask for it
• How blurred roles damage trust between designers, SEOs, and clients
• The conversations that protect you before a project even begins
• How to stop your work being judged on results you were never hired to deliver
If you want clearer boundaries, more confident explanations, and fewer projects where everyone looks bad six months later, this episode will help you put language around things you probably already feel.
Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk
or email me at [email protected]
Skip to the good bits:
00:00 Why designers get blamed for SEO results
01:21 SEO friendly vs SEO optimised (what you are actually delivering)
02:40 How client expectations quietly drift
03:49 What is and isn’t a web designer’s job
08:10 Why SEO can never be “done”
11:00 Where projects start going wrong
15:24 The danger of saying yes to everything
17:13 What good SEO collaboration looks like
20:40 Protecting trust in your work
Mentioned in this episode:
Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

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 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 how to level up in your web design business by building a stronger brand, showing up with more intention, and making more money without trading time for money.
We get into:
How to make your website properly represent the work you want more of
Why constantly rebranding can quietly damage trust
How to show up consistently without spreading yourself thin
What strategic content looks like (not just personal updates)
How to use FAQs and pre call emails so clients arrive already informed
Why your network matters, and how to grow it without cold pitching
How to get known for one or two things so you stop being “just another designer”
Why podcasting and email can support long term marketing, without the daily noise

If you want better clients, better boundaries, and fewer awkward sales calls that start from scratch, this will help you tighten things up.
Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at [email protected]
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 Level up your web design business
01:09 Brand consistency and your website signals
03:41 Showing up consistently on social media
04:42 Strategic content that makes your work obvious
08:00 FAQ content that answers buyer questions
09:00 Let your website do the heavy lifting before the call
09:56 Networking without cold pitching
12:35 Get known for one or two things
16:01 Why web designers should start a podcast
17:34 Use your email list properly
19:00 Start now, not “after this project”
Mentioned in this episode:
Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

Check out my new offer - https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ - a supportive group mentoring session created specifically for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments
Podcasting can be a powerful marketing tool for website designers — but only if it’s done with intention.
Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie!
In this episode, I share what I’ve learned from nearly two years of podcasting for my web developer mentoring and website design business. I cover strategy, production, audio quality, SEO, and, honestly, the expectations you should have.
Most importantly, I share where I learned what I could have done better, what I did wrong and where I’ve seen others stumble, too.
I talk about how to plan before you hit record.
I explore the stuff I underestimated, like how much audio quality matters.
I explain why relying on Zoom hurts listener retention, how podcast SEO is a thing, and why downloads grow slowly (spoiler: that’s normal).
I’ll also show you how podcasting fits into a long‑term marketing strategy rather than a quick win.
If you’re a website designer thinking about starting a podcast — or wondering why yours hasn’t gained traction — what I’ve learned should help you reset your expectations and do it properly.
Come and find out more at websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at [email protected]
Here are the links if you want to learn more about Neal and Podknows:
https://podknows.co.uk/
Skip to the good bits:
00:00 "Podcasting: Consult, Plan, Produce"
06:19 "Engaging and Concise Podcasting Tips"
07:14 "Podcasting Goals and Advertising"
10:45 "Boost Your Podcast with SEO"
Mentioned in this episode:
Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

Check out my new offer - https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/ - a supportive group mentoring session created specifically for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and “is it just me?” moments
You ever hear a new tech term and immediately feel… tired?
Like you’re supposed to be impressed, but something doesn’t quite add up?
Yeah. That’s how I felt the first time I heard “vibe coding”.
Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie!
In this episode, I’m talking about what vibe coding actually is, why it’s suddenly everywhere, and why I’m really not here for the idea that AI-generated websites are a shortcut to doing things properly.
I share what I’ve been seeing behind the scenes — clients in a panic because AI-written code doesn’t work, websites that look fine on the surface but fall apart when you try to use them, and designers whose confidence gets knocked after someone else tears their work apart.
This isn’t an anti-AI rant. I use AI in my business. But I keep it on the periphery — not at the heart of the products I hand over to clients. Because websites need to be robust, usable, and something people can actually manage once they’re live.
We’ll talk about where AI does make sense, why user journeys still need human thinking, and why vibe coding doesn’t replace experience, judgement, or good website practice.
If you’re a web designer wondering whether you should feel threatened — or a business owner tempted to let AI “just build the site” — this episode is here to steady the nerves.
Come and find out more at websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at [email protected]
Skip to the good bits:
00:00 What “vibe coding” actually means
01:34 Why AI-built websites keep breaking
04:51 Where AI helps — and where it doesn’t
07:56 Page builders, usability, and admin access
09:19 Client confidence and human-led design
10:00 Why you don’t need to feel threatened
Mentioned in this episode:
Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme
Free Resources

You ever land on a website and instantly feel… irritated?
Like something’s off, even if you can’t quite put your finger on it?
Yeah. Your users feel that too.
In this episode, I’m calling out the website design habits that quietly push people away — the unnecessary animations, the chaotic menus, the inconsistent images, the confusing links, and all the things we think look clever but actually make visitors hate being on our sites.
And I’m not ranting for the sake of it. These choices cost you enquiries, sales, and trust.
We’ll talk through why these habits creep in, what they’re doing to your user experience, and the simple fixes that make your site feel cleaner, calmer, and more professional (without stripping out your creativity).
If you build websites for clients — or you’re guilty of “just adding one more animation” — this one’s for you.
Come and find out more at websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at [email protected]
Skip to the good bits:
00:00 "Over-Animating Websites: A Problem"
04:54 "Traditional Header Menus Matter"
08:36 "Clear Clickable Navigation Tips"
13:34 Create a Brand Kit Now
14:37 "Website Design and SEO Insights"
Mentioned in this episode:
Join the Phoenix Programme
Find out more about joining the Phoenix Programme
Phoenix Programme