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ClickUp Dashboard for Client Management

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt swamped under the weight of managing multiple client projects, each with its own set of deliverables, deadlines, and client communications 🙋‍♀️I’ve definitely been ...
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E-E-A-T Essentials: Boost Your Brand’s Authority and Visibility

What does it take to get to the top of the search results pile? You’ve probably heard the big buzzwords in SEO – terms like “keywords” or “meta-descriptions.” But there’s ...
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interior designer connecting convertkit to wordpress website at home office.

How do you connect ConvertKit and WordPress?

Today, we’re delving into one of those techy website things that can seem super intimidating at first: connecting ConvertKit and WordPress. Embedding ConvertKit forms into WordPress sites is one of ...
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Business owner working at home on laptop.

Why you NEED a WordPress Child Theme

No two websites are alike. And yet…many different websites can be built using the same theme as a starting point. When it comes to WordPress, themes and templates are a ...
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Business owner fixing broken links on wordpress website at desk next to a podcast mic.

Wondering how to fix broken links?

Have you ever been browsing a website and clicked on a link, only to be greeted by the dreaded 404 error? If this has ever been you, then you know ...
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Custom Domain Email + 2024 Email Marketing Compliance Changes

Do you send emails and use email marketing in your business? If yes - this post is for you! The rules and regulations around email marketing are a-changin’ in 2024. ...
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business owner setting up lead capture form

Building a Lead Capture in Dubsado

So you’ve crafted a website that beautifully showcases your services, but what's the next step when visitors are ready to take the plunge and reach out to book services with ...
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Things to Check on Your Website Yearly

It's that special time of year again – time to give our websites a little TLC and gear up for a fantastic year ahead. Last year, I shared some of ...
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2023 In Review | What’s Next for Southern Creative

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of another year…and another year in business as Southern Creative 🥂!  As we wave goodbye to 2023 and welcome a bright future ...
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ConvertKit vs. FloDesk: Which Should You use?

Adding people to your email list is THE way to build up a plugged-in potential client base and stay in touch with your existing and past clients! But it falls ...
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business owner at desk looking at seo growth

How Long Does SEO Take?

In the world of digital marketing, SEO is like the backbone of your online presence. It's crucial, but it's also wrapped in a bit of mystery, isn't it? For instance, ...
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Making the Most of Google My Business

In today’s digital-first world, making your business visible online is crucial. One powerful tool at your disposal is Google My Business, aka Google Business Profile. If you’ve been wondering “what ...
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women working on business at coffee shop using Dubsado

What’s the Best CRM for Online Business Owners?

Keeping track of all your leads, contracts, invoices, and client info is HARD, y’all. The DIY way of doing things is okay for a season at the beginning of your ...
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business owner searching online with phone

SEO Terms You NEED to Know

SEO terms, backlinks, and indexing, oh my! If SEO is one of those things that leaves you like 🤔…this is the blog for you, my friend. SEO can be really ...
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dns-in-domain-host

What is DNS? | Everything You Need to Know

Have you ever typed in a website URL and wondered how the magic happens behind the scenes? That’s thanks to DNS! Or maybe you’ve tried to change your hosting provider ...
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How to Preview Your WordPress Website Before Going Live

Putting together a website is intensive work, y’all! And when you have your head down in the design phase, it’s easy to get so focused on what you’re doing that ...
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wordpress web designer using pinterest to promote blog posts

How to Optimize Your Blog for Pinterest

If you're not using Pinterest to drive traffic to your website, boost lead magnets, level up email marketing, and promote your brand…it's time to start! Pinterest is definitely still a ...
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best seo plugin, rankmath in wordpress dashboard

5 of the Best SEO Plugins for WordPress

SEO is a non-negotiable must-have for any WordPress website! In short, it’s the secret sauce behind driving organic site traffic to your website. But even though it’s incredibly important, SEO ...
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one page website design

Is a One Page Website Right for You?

When should newbie service-based business owners launch a website? Figuring out the answer can be challenging! There’s no hard and fast rule for the “right” time to launch your first ...
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seo checklist

9 Step SEO Checklist for WordPress Websites

Do you know you need SEO but you’re not sure what to do? I’ve been there! SEO is one of those big marketing concepts that everyone knows they need for ...
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8 SEO Website Speed Tips for Better Website Page Speed

Did you know that keyword research and on-page SEO are only one piece of the SEO optimization puzzle? Site speed is one of the most important factors in overall website ...
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semi custom wordpress website on coffee table

Why Semi-Custom Websites are a Game Changer for Small Businesses

Investing in a custom WordPress website can turn into an intense process that requires a considerable financial investment and can take months to complete. And yet, building your site from ...
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wordpress web designer, southern creative

Do I Need a WordPress Web Designer?

So it’s time to build a new website for your business, and you’re wondering if you should hire a WordPress web designer or if it's OK to DIY! If you’re ...
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photo of work at home desk researching wordpress website theme vs template

WordPress Theme vs. Template: What’s the Difference?

Choosing WordPress for your new website is one of the best decisions you can make for your business! It’s one of the top website platforms in the world for a ...
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How to Verify a Domain in Flodesk

Do you have a Flodesk account? If so, this blog post is for you! Flodesk is my go-to email marketing platform - they make it so simple to send gorgeous ...
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How to Audit Your Website for SEO

If you're wondering how to audit your website for SEO, better user experience, and more traffic, you're not alone. Optimizing your website is a little bit like baking the perfect ...
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Booked Out Designer Review

Do you ever feel like you're struggling to fully transition your business into the design world? Or are you *officially* booking design clients, but you never know where your next ...
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How To Get Started As a Virtual Assistant

Ready to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant? Everything you Need to Know (+ a FREE Workshop!)   If you have been around here for a while, you may have ...
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7 Things Your Brand Style Guide Must Have!

A strategically-designed website can be an absolute game-changer for leveling up your brand and connecting with more ideal clients. But before you can dive into creating a whole new website, ...
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best project management tools for small teams

The Best Project Management Tools for Small Teams

The world of business tools and resources is big, and there are SO many softwares and programs out there for freelancers. With so many options, how do you know the ...
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squarespace buying google domains

What does Squarespace Buying Google Domains Mean for WordPress Users?

The digital world moves fast, and sometimes things happen that take you completely by surprise! Just a couple of weeks ago, news hit of Squarespace buying Google Domains – and ...
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best seo practices for new website

The Best SEO Practices for New Websites

Over the years I've spent in the world of web design, I see website SEO pushed to the wayside all too often! Of course, a brand new, eye-catching website with ...
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best practices for about page for interior designer

3 About Page Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them!)

Did you know that the About Page is the second most often visited page on most people's websites, coming in second only to the homepage? Not only that - in ...
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8 Best Practices for Better WordPress Site Security

Picture this: you’ve just settled into your work chair with a fresh cup of coffee and logged into your WordPress site to start the day…only to find it’s been hacked! ...
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How to Switch to Google Analytics 4

If you’ve been using Google Analytics to track website traffic, there’s a big change coming soon - and you need to be prepared! Google is moving all analytics users to ...
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What is the Difference Between WordPress and Wix

So you're ready to create a new website for your small business, but where do you start? Let's be real; with so many website platforms out there, it's easy to ...
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Funnel Gorgeous Society Certification Review

Last year, I took the leap and invested in Funnel Gorgeous Society Certification, and it was, hands-down, one of the best investments I've ever made in my skills and my ...
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luxe-miami-final-wordpress-design-by-southern-creative

Launch Week Highlight | Luxe Miami Designs

Today I'm back with another sneak peek into Launch Week with our latest client, Luxe Miami Designs. I recently had the incredible opportunity to partner with Tamara, the amazingly talented ...
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why-you-need-brand-strategy

Why You Need Brand Strategy in Your Website

Want to hear a web design secret? The perfect color palette or website template won’t make a bit of a difference for your brand if they’re not paired with a ...
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do-i-need-a-crm-if-i-have-a-website

Do I Need a CRM if I Have a Website?

When clients come to me, they're looking for a streamlined website that will work better for their business - and that's my jam (link). But what most clients don't expect ...
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food-allergy-getaways-wordpress-website-design-by-southern-creative

Launch Week Highlight | Food Allergy Getaways

I am thrilled to share one of our most recent Launch Week success stories (and let me tell you, it's a good one!) I recently had the absolute delight of ...
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How-to-Do-a-WordPress-Backup

How to Do a WordPress Backup

Backing up your website regularly is one of the most important parts of WordPress site setup and maintenance. Just thinking about a potential site crash is enough to give most ...
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small-shop-desk

WooCommerce vs. Shopify: A Comprehensive Comparison

Whether you're starting a new online store or looking to expand your existing one, choosing the right platform to sell your products and services online can be an overwhelming task.  ...
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home-page-wordpress-website-for-virtual-assistants

Launch Week Highlight | Outside the Box

I recently wrapped a Launch Week with Emily, owner and lead assistant at Outside the Box Virtual Solutions. Working with Emily was a dream, and I’m over the moon with ...
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team-planning-website-launch

How to Promote a Website Launch: Do These 6 Things

The number one thing I hear before I work with clients is how they absolutely cringe at the thought of a potential client landing on their website.   Over the ...
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productivity-tips-for-wahm

7 Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs

Having my own small business and working from home is (literally) a dream come true for my family and me. In fact, it was so life-changing that my husband started ...
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how-to-write-website-copy-southern-creative

How to Write Website Copy: 5 Easy Steps (with writing prompts!)

Want to hear a surprising take from a website designer? The words on your website might be even more important than the overall design!  The visuals and flow of your ...
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how-to-do-keyword-research

How to Do Keyword Research

Whether you realize it or not, keywords are all around us - all the time - whenever we're using the internet. By now, whipping out our phones or laptops and ...
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how-to-get-started-with-wordpress

How to Set Up a WordPress Website

When it comes to building websites, WordPress is the best of the best, y'all. It's the framework that powers 43% of all websites…on the entire internet! If we're talking raw ...
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website-in-one-week

How I Create Your Website In One Week

You know that feeling when you need a new website for your business, like, yesterday? Well, what if you could create your website in one week? I LOVE working on ...
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website-refresh

7 Signs It’s Time for a Website Redesign

Have you found yourself looking around your website and wondering if now's the time for a good old-fashioned makeover? If you've been busy building your brand, going above and beyond ...
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website-pages-you-need

Four Pages You Need to Elevate Your Client Experience

Let's talk about secret website pages! When you're making a website page wishlist, the first ones that come to mind are probably the obvious must-haves that neatly fit into your ...
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Ten Must-have Plugins for your WordPress Website

One of the best things about building websites in WordPress is that you can customize almost anything and everything to get a website *just* the way you want it. While ...
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automate-your-website

Ways You Can Automate Your Website To Save Time

If you're a business owner, there's no doubt that you’re well aware that running a business takes a lot of time, work, and energy! As your company grows and you ...
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instagram-links-page

Benefits of Building Custom Links Page vs. using Linktree

Building an Instagram following is a fantastic way to build your brand and network with potential clients and other small business owners. It's also a great place to promote your ...
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southern-creative-designing-websites

Three Lessons I Learned my First Few Years as a Web Designer

In June, I was honored to be featured as a guest on Micala Quinn's The Live Free Podcast. Micala is a mom and former teacher who's built her entire business ...
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steph-southern-creative-celebrating-website-launch

Nine Ways to Update Your Website for the New Year

New Year's is a fantastic time to refresh website content, make some changes to boost overall performance and do a little prep work for the year ahead. Even if you ...
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website-for-service-based-brands

The 5 Main Pages You Need on Your Service-Based Business Website

When it's time to build your site, you might sit down and think, "wait…what do even I need to put here?!" Well, pull up a comfy chair because today, we're ...
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website-cookies-for-wordpress-site

The Best Free Cookie Consent Plugins for WordPress Sites

Let's talk about cookies! 🍪 Although I'm all ears for your favorite cookie recipes (feel free to DM those my way on the 'gram!), I'm actually referring to those little ...
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small-business-owener-working-at-cafe

Finding the Best WordPress Hosting for your Website

Building a website for your business is a HUGE part of building a brand. It's your virtual storefront to the world - but it's also so much more than that! ...
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Designing a Website that Converts

As a website designer, I love to dig deep into the ins and outs of making scroll-stopping websites that convert visitors into paying clients. If you're a numbers nerd like ...
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switch-from-wix-to-wordpress

How to Switch from Wix to WordPress

How to Transfer from Wix to WordPress Before partnering with me on a custom WordPress site, SO many of my clients built their "starter" sites in Wix. And I get ...
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The Best Tools for Small Business Owners

A quick disclaimer: All the resources listed below are things I use and love in my business! Some of the links below are affiliate links, and I'll receive a small ...
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increase-traffic-to-your-wordpress-site

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website After Launch – Part Three

Curious about more strategic ways to drive traffic to your website long after launch? Check out Part One and Part Two of this series! Fresh content, strategic SEO, and enticing ...
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Mobile-Optimization-for WordPress-websites

Mobile Optimization for WordPress Websites

Are you ready to hear a mind-blowing fact about your website? More than half of your site traffic will come from visitors on their phones! Did you know that over ...
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what-is-the-difference-between-wordpress.org-and-wordpress.com

The Difference Between WordPress.com and WordPress.org

So you’re ready to launch your website and have narrowed it down to WordPress as your platform of choice - but did you know that there are actually two versions ...
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Boost Your Site Traffic with Blogs

Why It’s Important to Build a Blog-Focused Content Strategy When I'm off-boarding clients after a website launch, I always advise them to keep their site content fresh by writing blogs. ...
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showitv-vs-wordpress

Showit vs. WordPress

Back when I was starting out in web design, I decided to build at least one site on each of the leading platforms - WordPress, Showit, and Squarespace - so ...
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WordPress Website Launch Checklist: 12 Steps for a Successful Launch

So you’ve been hard at work designing your website, and it’s almost launch day! The pages have been built, the images have been placed, and it’s nearly time to go ...
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website-button-design-effective-cta

How to Design CTA Buttons that Convert

Calls to action are a crucial part of your business and a vital part of a great brand website! And yet, over 70% of small business websites lack a call ...
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best-way-to-add-google-analytics-to-wordpress

The Best Way to Add Google Analytics to WordPress

Understanding what's working for your website - and what isn't - is crucial in setting up your business and content marketing for success! With 5.6 billion searches on Google daily, ...
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traffic-to-your-website

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website After Launch –
Part two

After your website has launched, with just a bit of intention, strategy, and valuable content - you will see increased traffic to your site and connect with aligned clients & ...
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brand-photography-for-your-business

Why Your Business Needs Brand Photography

Once you have your brand design and visual direction in place, what’s the next step to level up your marketing? Partnering with a professional photographer for personal branding photography! Custom ...
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website-traffic-after-launch

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website After Launch
Part One

Okay, so you've launched your new, beautiful site and announced it to the world on Instagram (because nothing is truly "official" until it's on one of your squares, right?!) But ...
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wordpress-vs-squarespace-which-is-best-for-my-business

WordPress Vs. Squarespace: Which platform is right for my business?

If you’ve made your way to my blog, then I’m betting you might be one of the savvy business owners who already know that having a website for your business ...
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renaming-photos-for-seo-on-wordpress

How to Name Photos for your Website on WordPress

Last month, I shared all about how you can avoid some of the most common mistakes I see on website homepages. But there’s another super common mistake I see when ...
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top-three-mistakes-on-your-website-homepage

Top Mistakes to Avoid on your WordPress Homepage

Building a stunning website and digital presence for your business is a no-brainer for truly standing out in an endless sea of online businesses. And putting the power of strategic ...
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Why you Need Brand Guidelines Before Investing in your Website

Today, I’m sharing all about the essential first step in my signature website building process: Brand Guidelines! When your business is growing, it’s inevitable that you’ll get to the point ...
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Podcasting for Educators | Brand & Website Design

I recently had the absolute pleasure of partnering with Sara over at Podcasting for Educators on her brand strategy, design, and website overhaul and the finished result is so fun ...
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Leah Bryant Co. | Brand Strategy and Custom Web Design

I recently partnered with Leah from Leah Bryant Co. on her company's rebrand and website redesign and absolutely love how her passions shine through the final designs! Leah Bryant Co. ...
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The Highpoint House | Custom WordPress Design

I recently had the absolute pleasure of partnering with Hannah over at the Highpoint House for a full WordPress Redesign, and we are in love with the finished piece! The ...
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