Category: Client Stories

Real examples of how thoughtful design, development, and collaboration have helped clients solve challenges and better serve their audiences.

  • A Simple Subscribe Button Isn’t Always Simple

    A Simple Subscribe Button Isn’t Always Simple

    As many of you may know, WordPress is my go-to website builder. Clients often ask me to integrate or embed features I am not familiar with. Today, a client sent me a link from Beehiiv and asked me to add it as a Subscribe button in the main navigation of her WordPress website.

    At first glance, that sounds simple enough.

    But when I clicked the link, it asked me to log in or create a Beehiiv account. That told me right away that this was not the public subscription link. It was an internal Beehiiv Website Builder link.

    That matters because visitors to client website.com should not need a Beehiiv account to subscribe to a newsletter.

    After logging into the client’s Beehiiv account, I saw that clients-newsletter.beehiiv.com already had subscription forms on the public Beehiiv page. Those forms work there, but they are part of the Beehiiv-hosted website. They are not the same as an embeddable subscribe form for the WordPress site.

    So the solution was to clarify the options to the client:

    • The Subscribe button in the WordPress navigation can link directly to the public Beehiiv newsletter page.
    • Or, if the client wants the subscription form to appear directly on clientwebsite.com, she needs to create an external subscription form in Beehiiv and send me the embed code.

    This is one of the things I enjoy about website work. I do not need to be an expert in every platform my clients use, but I do need to understand how to ask the right questions, test the link, and make sure the visitor experience is clear.

    A small detail like using the wrong link can create unnecessary friction for the audience.

    The goal is always simple: make it easy for people to take the next step.

  • AI for Clarity, Not Shortcuts

    AI for Clarity, Not Shortcuts

    As a web designer, I spend a good deal of my time communicating with clients by email.

    Because much of what I share, recommend, or propose is technical, my emails need to be detailed, clear, and precise. That takes time.

    In the past, I spent a lot of time writing, reading, and rewriting client emails. It often felt like a chore, but it was necessary. Not every website request needs a meeting. If a client wants to change font sizes, add new text, update a layout, or turn a paragraph into a bullet list, a clear email is often enough.

    That is one of the ways I use AI: AI for clarity.

    I usually write the email first as a draft, in my own words. Then I use AI to help me organize the message, clarify my ideas, and make sure the final version accurately reflects what I want to say.

    Because AI already has context about my work as a WordPress web designer, my communication style, and my preference for clarity, it helps me turn technical details into client-friendly explanations.

    And yes, AI has included steps I forgot to add in my detailed how-to email. Thank goodness.

    For me, AI is not about replacing my judgment or my voice. It is about saving time, communicating better, and giving clients information they can actually use.

    And honestly, I like having my weekends off. If AI helps me work more efficiently while still serving my clients well, I am all right with that.