are there any hidden costs for a website?
Spoiler: Not with shepx. A quick way to derail trust in any business relationship is to spring additional costs on someone after the budget has already been discussed. No one likes surprise expenses—especially when the investment is as significant and strategic as a new website. At shepx, we believe in radical transparency from day one. […]
ux is why visitors become customers
User Experience, often known as UX, is a key element in the digital landscape that transforms casual website visitors into loyal brand advocates. More than just a trendy term, UX embodies a wide range of interactions that potential customers experience with a brand online. To appreciate the true value of UX, we need to explore […]
how long does a website take to create?
Asking, “How long does it take to create a website?” will get the same answer as asking, “How long does it take to build a house?” It depends. That’s the worst answer, right? Yet, it’s true because websites, like houses, are entities of scale. Are we talking about a 5-page website or a 50-page website? […]
animate your website with helpful intent
tip: use animation on your website with helpful intent. we have all sat through a presentation that had way too much animation in the deck. it’s insufferable, a waste of everyone’s time, and detracts from whatever point is being made. yet when it comes to applying animation on websites, people with an otherwise cautious eye […]
how much does a website cost?
frequently asked… “how much should we budget for a new website?” a realistic starting budget range for a basic website designed and developed by shepx is $7,000 to $12,000. we frequently create websites with larger budgets. however, an entry-level website created by shepx has an average budget between $7k–$12k. Let’s Talk Continue reading
Why AI Has Targeted Creative Services
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® For a long time, I have wondered why that is. After much thought and research, I have determined three reasons AI has targeted creative services. First, I’d like to briefly set the context of where we are today with AI tools. […]
tip: don’t give away your hard-earned traffic to social media
you’ve done all the things. your website is well-written, expertly designed and developed, securely hosted, and optimized for search. traffic is rolling in. yet, what’s that at the very top of your website? social media icons?! what the… you have created a revolving door by placing social media icons in prominent places because as soon […]
Why We Design Websites for Desktop First
shepx assumes that many websites we build are going to be viewed on a mobile device first.Despite that, we design every website as a desktop-first experience. That may seem counterintuitive, but desktop-first design sets the foundation for the most effective user experience across all platforms – desktop, tablet, and phone. There are three reasons why […]
Is the WordPress Drama a Gift in Disguise?
The WordPress ecosystem has been thrown in disarray these last four weeks. A business dispute between Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, and a popular hosting service, WP Engine, has unsettled the web development community and eroded trust in Automattic’s leadership. If you need a brief catchup on the WordPress drama, you can find a timeline […]
Is Video Still Worth It For Brands?
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® Video is undergoing a major adjustment, and every brand needs to ask: Is video worth it anymore? Video used to be a premium, highly valued media that every brand aspired to include. However, the everyday role of video in our lives […]
more plugins = more risk
You know how phones and tablets have apps that add extra features and benefits? Likewise, plugins are like apps for your WordPress website. Websites built on WordPress use plugins to add features, specialized functionality, and specific experiences for visitors. Third-party developers make these plugins, so they cost less than had the same functionality been created […]
Let’s Be Clear: Brand Refresh vs. Brand Redo
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® When your brand needs fresh energy, you have two choices: a brand refresh or a brand redo. Let’s discuss the differences. A brand redo is easier to understand. It’s starting over but keeping the brand name and possibly some vital legacy […]
Let’s Be Clear: There Are 2 Types of Websites
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® This was originally published on my digital-focused brand’s website, shepx. When creating a website, one vital question is often not asked: Are we making a transactional or an informational website? The answer to this changes the entire process. transactional websites A […]
Let’s Be Clear: There Are 2 Types of Marketing
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® Clarity of brand messaging is most immediately valuable for marketing. Yet, what kind of marketing is best for your brand’s aspirational goals? What’s more, what is marketing expected to do for the brand? Where is marketing calling on people to go, […]
the most important website question
When creating a website, one vital question is often not asked: Are we making a transactional or an informational website? The answer to this changes the entire process. transactional websites A transactional website is what we see with e-commerce. Here, everything happens on the site, from curiosity to conversion. The brand uses marketing to bring […]
The Website Redesign Process: Three Crucial Steps for Success
Ask any seasoned website pro, AI chatbot, or search engine, “What is the website redesign process?” you will get a task list with a lot of agreement on what steps to take. The good news is that a website redesign process is agreed upon across many channels of authority, so you can trust that it […]
Brand Clarity Is Everything.
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® I sell clarity. It shows up in a brand’s website, product packaging, logo, etc., but the reason behind Brand Shepherd’s effective work is our process. After years of development, I’m elated to announce that our process is now a standalone product, […]
What Is A Brand?
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® A friend and I had been talking about this new post-pandemic economy and how marketing is now distinct from branding. The next day, out of nowhere, my friend texted me a simple question: What is a brand? Usually, I would have […]
top of the world: website hero area best practices
We all scroll. There exists no website in which a person lands and does not scroll. A better way to understand the top part of a webpage is to see it as a greeting between two people. It’s the “hello” followed by a handshake or fist bump. When we meet people, we give them time […]
How To Get And Stay Customer Focused
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® A guideline that helped me shift my focus to my clients’ tribe is to avoid using the words “we” or “I” in the main headline of content. A website hero area, ad copy, video intro, etc., are tempting spaces to make […]
It’s All Connected To Brand
Dan Crask Brand Consultant | Brand Strategist | Creator of Vibe, Tribe, & Why® It’s all connected. I believe in and help brands create a brand architecture where Brand is the center hub and the spokes connecting to and from Brand are things like marketing, sales, HR, investor relations, operations, etc. Everything connects to Brand. […]