What a Good Web Designer Does After Your Project Is Complete

Jun 17

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When I design a website for an author, I’m not just thinking about the day it goes live. I’m curious about what comes next: your early readers, your book launch, your growing mailing list, and your next book(s). I love staying in the loop as your career grows and evolves.

That’s why I see myself not just as your web designer, but as your long-term partner.

I work with only a small number of clients each year so I can offer personal attention and thoughtful support, long after your website goes live. Because in my view, the best author sites are living, breathing tools that evolve with you—not set-it-and-forget-it brochures.

So, what does that kind of ongoing support look like? Here are just a few of the ways I stay connected and keep your website working hard for you:

I’ve helped when domain names expired

In one case, I happened to notice that a website was down, and correctly suspected it was because the domain name had expired. This meant my client lost access to her domain email address, too. Happily, I was able to alert her using an alternate address, and she was in time to rescue the domain registration and get back to business.

For another client, sadly, not only did he lose his preferred domain name when it expired, but he missed the grace period for reclaiming it. I was able to advise him on his options, and he decided to pay a premium to get the original domain name back. Once that was done, I got everything back up and running again.

I promote my clients’ work

I love to celebrate my clients’ successes, book launches, and other milestones by spreading the word. My own audience isn’t huge, but there are plenty of ardent readers who enjoy the blog features, newsletters, and social media posts that I offer. I think it’s nice, too, for other authors to find inspiration in how my clients are using their websites to support their efforts to reach more readers.

I keep an eye on big-picture changes

From Squarespace updates and new features, to stricter rules affecting email deliverability, I make sure my clients know about important changes that could impact them. Often, there are appealing new features for their website or integrated online marketing, creating opportunities to explore. I keep a careful eye on book marketing trends and the website tech that can support it.

That’s not to say I’m constantly “upselling” and touting for repeat business. (I’m generally too busy to need to do that.) Generally, I’ll send a newsletter-style update, and it’s up to my clients if they’d like to explore a new feature. That said…

Twice a year, I offer complimentary a strategy call

This is something I began doing in 2025, and signs are, it’s here to stay. Twice a year, I block out two days in my calendar, and invite my past clients to schedule a complimentary catch-up chat. I enjoy these conversations immensely and I think my clients do, too. Sometimes, we’ll simply discuss what’s new and what they’re working on. Other times, we’ll identify a new feature that they are ready to implement, to ensure their author website continues to serve them well.

And when tragedy strikes…

I was reasonably new in business when, sadly, one of my clients passed away. We hadn’t finished her website all that long before, so I thought it was strange when Squarespace notified me that her website subscription had lapsed. I gently reached out to her family to ask what they wanted to do, and we made a few website changes to clarify her passing. I didn’t bill them for my time.

Since then, I’ve made a habit of asking every client if they would like to nominate an emergency contact for their website. Fortunately, this hasn’t been needed since, but I like to be prepared.

I only do “hourly” work for past clients (but they don’t pay me a retainer)

My business is busy and my project calendar is structured to work with one client at a time on their new website. This enables me to stick to a tight schedule, do my very best work, and keep dozens of project details straight in my head! As a result, I don’t offer hourly work or mini projects to anyone who hasn’t worked with me previously on their entire website.

But I don’t stay on retainer for past clients, either, because —honestly— Squarespace doesn’t need the constant attention and backups that we associate with WordPress sites. Instead, I ask my clients to get in touch when they need something, and I can usually fit in changes and enhancements quickly.

And I encourage my clients to be independent, too. They all get get complimentary access to a curated library of Squarespace training videos. I subscribe on their behalf, so that if they'd like to learn more about updating their website themselves, they have comprehensive, up to date tutorials at their fingertips.

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These might sound like small gestures, but they’re my way of nurturing what I hope will be a long-term relationship.

Too often, I hear about web designers who vanish, or don’t charge enough and have to juggle far more clients than they can truly handle. I’ve even heard sad stories from authors who didn’t own their own domain names, and were left stranded. In another case, an overseas website designer was forced to sell his computer in order to pay his family’s medical bills. Tragic though that is, it left his author client ghosted, with an incomplete website and no way to make progress.

Because I only work with a small number of authors each year, I am proud to offer a more thoughtful, high-touch service. That means I don’t just build your website and wish you luck. I cheer for your book launches, and I keep an eye out for anything that could affect your site’s success.

If that’s the kind of partnership you’re looking for—book marketing expertise, top-notch website design, and genuine partnership—schedule an introductory call and let’s see if we’re a good fit.

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