Latest posts from Ryan
There are three questions that come up in almost every first conversation I have. What will it cost? How long will it take? What do you build it with? They're fair questions, and they're usually asked slightly apologetically, as if it's rude to ask about money before we've talked about the creative work. It isn't. You're trying to work out whether this is worth your time, and you can't do that…
For a freelancer, "trusted by the NHS" is the kind of line that makes people look twice. And honestly, it should. Public sector and health work comes with a level of scrutiny that most commercial projects just never reach. Over the years I've worked on sites connected to the NHS, King's College London and the University of Edinburgh, including the Healthier You diabetes prevention programme run by…
I get asked about pricing a lot. It's usually the first question on a call, which is completely understandable - you're trying to work out whether this is even worth your time. The honest answer is that website costs vary enormously, and two quotes for the same project can be thousands of pounds apart. That's confusing, and it shouldn't be. As a freelance web designer based in London, I work with…
If your Eleventy site is starting to feel heavy on Netlify, a few small changes can make a noticeable difference. The biggest wins usually come from caching expensive work, cutting out deploy-time scans you do not need, and being more intentional about what Eleventy processes. 1. Persist the .cache folder between builds Eleventy Image and Eleventy Fetch both use the .cache folder to avoid…
I became a freelance designer because I wanted to create. Not just to make websites, but to build meaningful, thoughtful, and useful things. Something crafted with deliberation, not rushed off the assembly line. But what I didn’t realise back then was that freelancing would slowly, sometimes stubbornly, teach me something well beyond the boundaries of design itself. It would teach me what it means…
When I build websites, I'm not trying to chase trends or prove a point. I just want to create things that are fast, secure, easy to maintain, and feel good to use — both for the people building them, and the people browsing them. That's it. For me, the best way to do that right now is with Jamstack — specifically, using 11ty (Eleventy) for generating my sites, Pages CMS for editing content, and…
After months of refining, rethinking, and rebuilding, I’m excited to introduce the new iteration of my site for 2025—a platform that reflects not only the work I do, but how I think and build. This year’s design takes clear cues from Apple’s iOS 26 release—particularly its lighting effects and tactile depth. Subtle gradients and responsive lighting elements add dimension and mood, giving the…
Creating a strong project brief is one of the most valuable steps you can take to ensure your web design or development project runs smoothly. Whether you’re working with a freelancer or a full-service agency, a well-structured brief helps align expectations, avoid confusion, and keep everyone focused on what really matters. Below, we’ve outlined the key elements every client brief should include…
I wanted to create a post to explain a little bit about my approach to front-end website design and development in 2025. With the release of Tailwind v4, it's really helped with my end-to-end process. I recently hired a digital designer, and this process has also forced me to make sure my process is better, clearer, more consistent and documented. So, this post is dedicated to my findings and…
Hey there! If you’re working with Netlify, you might have heard the news: Netlify Large Media is being phased out. And with that, it’s time to say goodbye to Git Large File Storage (Git LFS) for my projects. Don’t worry; I'm here to guide you through this change smoothly. Let’s walk through how you can remove Git LFS from your repo and handle those large files in a new, efficient way. What’s Git…
In this article, we'll explore how I built a localised website for a client of mine using 11ty, Sanity, and Netlify. Recently, I had the task of converting the SLR website from a single global site to one with seven variations tailored to different regions (Europe, APAC, USA, etc.). This required a custom setup, so I wanted to share a bit about the process and the stack I settled on! 1.…
In the Heart of Barbados In the heart of the Caribbean, amidst the lush landscapes and crystal-clear waters of Barbados, lies a story of modern life's paradox – the pursuit of connection in a digital age. It was here, in this tropical haven, that I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, seeking respite from the chaos of everyday life and a chance to reconnect with the world around me. My Fellow…
Are you ready to dive deep into the world of web development and discover a game-changing tool that will revolutionise how you build websites? Well, grab a cup of coffee and get comfy because we're about to embark on an exciting journey with 11ty's WebC that will blow your mind and supercharge your skills! In this comprehensive guide, we'll take a closer look at the top 5 features of WebC and…
When it comes to creating a powerful online presence, the choice between working with a freelance web designer and a web design agency is a crucial decision that hinges on your business goals and unique requirements. In this blog post, we'll explore the advantages of each option and offer insight into the type of work best suited for either a freelance web designer or a web design agency. The…
In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is vital for businesses of all sizes. If you're a freelance web designer, you possess a valuable skillset that can significantly impact local businesses by creating websites that not only look appealing but also drive local traffic. In this article, we'll explore the synergy between local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and web design from a…
I've always found the most exciting time is when you start a new idea or brand/company. You sit down and search for the perfect domain for your new website! Let me share some thoughts on what I think you should be looking to buy. Something short My first piece of advice is to keep it short. Users sometimes have to remember your domain in certain circumstances, so the fewer characters they have to…
Having been a freelance web designer for many years, I often get asked for advice and support and to reveal my experiences. I recently took part in my very first ever podcast, on Being Freelance . I've received some great feedback and thought I'd try and create the 'ultimate guide' to becoming a freelance web designer that's freely available for everyone to access in a written format! So, let's…
Over the past year, I've been working on an iOS app called Showcase. It comes from a personal requirement to use an app that tracks my all movies and shows whilst supporting the latest iOS features. I recently Tweeted a small teaser: I wanted to share what I've been working on for the last few months. I've always wanted a pro-level movie and TV tracking app for iOS. So, introducing: Steamboat! 📽…
I've recently invested my time in building sites using a static site generator, specifically 11ty . Whilst coming from a typical front-end approach (using CMS' like WordPress/Perch/Craft), I've had to adapt a little in how I approach server-related tasks. Things can change as you scale the static site with specific client requirements. So I wanted to write a post to summarise how I've approached…
I've tried to find ways of coping with the enormous demands of being a freelance web designer whilst also balancing home, personal and work life. I've had many ups and downs within this time and always struggled to balance work with mental health and I quite often experienced burnout. Not only that, but I'd wake up, force myself to get to my desk at a certain time and quite often stare at a screen…
Just a quick tip today! I was asked by a client to create an old-school ticker that was fixed to the bottom of the screen, with latest alerts and information for visiting users. I knew immediately I wanted a CSS only implementation, which I managed with the following code: < aside class = " ticker " > < div class = " ticker__inner " > < p > Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.…
I often get emails from students and employed web designers about how to become a successful and established freelance web designer . I wanted to create a post I could direct people who contacted whilst also trying to help anyone searching on how to become a freelancer. I’ve listed the top 5 questions I get asked, with an attempt to answer them the best I can. How do I become a freelance web…
Being a freelance web designer offering a wide range of services means you can find yourself deep in projects for months and focusing on one specialist area. You are either doing front-end development work, back-end development work or digital marketing. I find that I never really have enough time to sharpen up on every area as much as I like with the high benchmarks I set and pride myself with. I…
I've recently made a switch from MAMP Pro, to Laravel Valet . There's several reasons for switching: Performance - MAMP Pro had started slowing down with every major version and it'd become pretty horrible to work with. Setup across machines - Valet makes it easier to setup a site from the terminal, major win Getting Started The Laravel Valet docs provide a good guide to get started, but here's…
I wanted to write about something I felt very passionately about, user experience. In everything I do, I need to think about who I'm designing for and almost second guess how they are going to use the pieces of technology I design. I wanted to share some thoughts and opinions and what good user experience is and how we can learn from others to improve our own products. Learning from Apple The new…
Since the introduction of the App Store, apps have been changing the world we live in. An average person has 41 apps on their phone, but here are 5 more apps that I’d recommend to any designer or developer for optimising your workflow. 1) Hours Time Tracking Hours is a superb app for keeping track of projects. Timers allow you to seamlessly and simply switch between projects, allowing you to track…
In the second of my SEO series, (see: What is SEO? ), I’m going to look at the way small businesses approach SEO, and why your business should be marketing online. Increased Traffic The obvious benefit to search engine optimisation is increased traffic. If you can appear on page 1 for a keyword, that really is great! However, if you can get to position 1, you can see huge benefits in the amount of…
In my post this week, I’m looking at what you should be looking for when hiring a web designer. As a business, you want someone who not only knows what they're doing in terms of coding, but you're looking for an all round package, someone who has the knowledge and experience to guide the website process. Do they have a credible portfolio? As with any industry, making sure they body of work…
As a business owner, you've come across the term SEO. It's an acronym that gets used often and it definitely is extremely important to get your website noticed. SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation is when a search engine, like Google, pulls up your website as a result for a specific phrase or word. As a business, it’s only natural you want to get found for the services you offer, either nationwide…
At the beginning of this year, I wanted to review my workspace setup, in terms of both physical and technical worlds, and try to become more productive, both when on the road traveling, and at home. During this process, quite a few tools have been changed to try and become more efficient, and make my transition between devices easier. Here are some of my tools: Visual Studio Code I’ve switched…
I’m quite active in the web design community and there’s always lots of discussions about trends. I’ll attempt to breakdown why trends happen and what that means for us web designers. Why do trends happen? Trends appear in web design on a yearly basis, that’s a fact. Sometimes trends are just purely aesthetic, for example the flat design trend, but sometimes they’re structural, going from a main…
Online marketing is growing year on year. Businesses are becoming worried about the state of their online presence. However, I think that search engine 'experts' are no longer needed and here's why. Google is getting more advanced and smarter with every updat and there's no quick way to rank for some keywords anymore. It takes blood, sweat and tears with lots of dedication, as well as knowledge on…
The end of the year is fast approaching and what a year it's been. It's always a good time to reflect as we prepare for Christmas, so here we go. A Learning Curve This year has been a huge rollercoaster, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I absolutely love what I do. I've been involved in some pretty awesome projects already and I've got some pretty huge things lined up. I'm improving all the…
A simple search on the internet will provide you with multiple choices when it comes to appointing a web designer or design firm to look after the development of your website. One of the choices you will have to make is whether to go with a local designer or to look further afield. Certainly, with the internet being so commonplace as a business tool nowadays, it may seem as though there’s no real…
Any business owner knows there’s more to web design than simply putting a website together with a Home page, an About Us page, a Contact page and a few pages worth of info about your products or services. But just what is it that your site needs in order to really generate quality sales leads and ongoing revenue? Of course you want a good looking site that converts well and fulfils the main…
One of the things I most hate about web design is “design for its own sake”. There are plenty of examples of what I’m talking about around the internet. The sort of sites where the designer has put together a great looking layout, with marvellous colours and beautiful design touches here and there. Sounds like exactly what you’d be after from your site’s web design, right? Wrong. What a website…
Anything that has the word “design” in it, is often considered to be a creative artform that requires some kind of magical inspiration before it can be embarked on. Which is where web designers can get a bit of a reputation for being “creative types” with their head in the clouds (quite literally in the popular perception of a type of skydiving web designer!). And anything that is based on…
As a business owner, let’s take a look at one of the biggest questions you’ll have to ask yourself when deciding to develop or redevelop your website – should I use a freelance designer or should I go with a larger agency? You probably already have an idea of some of the Pros and Cons involved in each choice, but let’s outline them in more detail here so you have all the information you require to…
In my last article, I started talking about the role of the user in web design, and how we should be basing the site around them. This article is a follow up to that, explaining the thorough process I go through with each and every website and mobile application. User Personas When starting to design a website, before I even pickup my scrapbook, I do some research on the clients business. This…
I love what I do, and I feel very privileged to be involved in so many exciting projects. But being a freelance web designer is hard. Here are just 3 reasons why: Dividing Your Time I constantly find myself checking emails, replying even when I am out and about, just because I am literally obsessed with work, I truly love what I do - being a freelance web designer . Keeping Focused With you being…
I hear lots of web designers/developers say, "I can't design", or "I let other people design". Some people are natural designers, and have a raw talent for design, others have the eye for it, and can learn very quickly, whilst others genuinely do struggle. Web design is hard, because of the complexity of the technologies, the browsers, the devices and getting the user experience right, as well as…
Since the introduction of the App Store, apps have been changing the world! An average person has 41 apps on their phone, but here are five more apps I recommend to any designer or developer to optimise your workflow. 1) Hours Time Tracking 'Hours' is a superb app for keeping track of projects. Timers allow you to seamlessly switch between tasks and track your workflow and time spent on each…