Nick Simard

Imagine having your entire online business stack all in one place, behind one login.⁣ ⁣ No more juggling between multiple platforms like Calendly, Wix, Squarespace, Teachable, Shopify, and Asana.⁣ ⁣ Well, you can do just that with WordPress.⁣ Because WordPress is open source, it’s infinitely extensible, with thousands of plugins allowing you to do pretty much anything. E-commerce, online courses, membership sites, community forums, event registration, scheduling apps for your Zoom calls, and lots more!⁣ ⁣ But what if your business needs something that existing plugins can't provide?⁣ ⁣ That’s where custom WordPress development comes in. Here are two custom website solutions I’ve delivered for my clients:⁣ ⁣ 𝟏. 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫⁣ ⁣ For a wedding venue in Portland, Oregon, we built a custom wedding calculator as a lead magnet. Website visitors could enter their guest count, menu choices, and desired dates to receive an instant cost estimate. An automated email was then sent inviting them to schedule a tour of the venue. ⁣ ⁣ As you can imagine, this lead magnet brought in very warm leads, as couples could self-qualify and determine if the venue fit their budget before even contacting it.⁣ ⁣ 𝟐. 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬⁣ ⁣ For a client who trains Allstate agents nationwide, we built an online learning academy on WordPress to supplement their in-person training. Since the agency paid the membership fees for their agents, they needed to track engagement. ⁣ ⁣ Which required a custom plugin that automatically generated and emailed reports to each agency at the beginning of each month. These reports tracked agent enrollment, course progress, and engagement metrics, allowing agencies to effectively monitor their investment and the progress of their agents.⁣ ⁣ These are just two examples that I believe demonstrate the power of WordPress, showing that you really can have your entire online business stack in one place.⁣ ---⁣ As a WordPress web designer and developer, I specialize in creating integrated solutions that simplify your online business processes.⁣ ⁣ 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦?

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I’m excited about Shopify “OS 3.0”, but… From what I’ve seen so far, I feel like it’s more like OS 2.5. The changes to the theme architecture and editor are a good start in the right direction—theme blocks and more unified/normalized section styling are going to be great, if done right. It still has some ways to go from what I’ve seen before it empowers (and superpowers) theme developers, merchants and content and marketing teams. I think Shopify needs to be taking a more marketing-driven approach—that “enables” leaner, nimbler, and more flexible development to make it easier for brands to react and adapt more quickly to the needs and objectives of marketing drivers. What I would love to see is true separation of design, content, and business logic (loosely modeled on Rails’ MVC approach). The editor and underlying data architecture will need to support staging and split-testing changes as well as conditional and repeating logic. That certainly won’t come in OS 3.0 but I fear that the way we’re heading, it’s going to be even harder to support more dynamic logic in the future as it’s going to get too complex and unwieldy and there’s an *increase* in the mashing up of layout and design and structure in the settings. What I’d love to see is a clearer separation of design (visual), layout (structural), functional/contextual, and content. What would it look like if Shopify more thoughtfully and fully used both the left and right sides of the editor—with a clearer separation between visual, structural, and content. I believe a true OS 3.0 will require a rethink of the JSON architecture so that section and block design, content, layout, and functionality aren’t all mashed together into one group of settings. I see a world where there are separate schemas and settings. After all, in addition to front-end contextualization, it’s not going to be long before we absolutely need more contextualization and separation in back-end functionally between designers, developers, and content managers. It’s already brittle and will just get more so as more people are using the tools simultaneously.

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I developed a custom password page for a Shopify store! Designed in Figma and brought to life in Shopify, it’s not just a placeholder—it’s a brand-building moment. A custom password page sets the tone for your brand, engages early visitors, and builds anticipation for your launch. If you're looking to elevate your Shopify store with custom pages or bring your Figma designs to life, let's chat! #ShopifyExpert #CustomShopifyBuild #FigmaToShopify #EcommerceDesign #ShopifyDeveloper

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I have a question for my Shopify industry friends, associates, and wider network: how could I better help you help your clients profit and grow? What would I need to improve to help you comfortably intro/refer clients to me who need expert guidance—or for you to consider bringing me into your fractional team? Is there some other way I could help superpower your team or your clients’ teams? I am exploring building a partnership program and am curious if a referral commission would make a difference. Or, would simply having a better understanding of what I do and how I could help your clients be more successful be helpful to you?

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My bestie teammate Ben Crompton is running a FREE webinar: Accessibility for Designers & Marketing Professionals! 🌟 If you're free between 10 -11am AEST May the 9th, tune in to learn the essentials of building accessible communication and to brush up on your design skills. Register for the event through the Eventbrite link Accessibility for Designers & Marketing Professionals. #accessibility #a11y #freelearning

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𝟓 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 I wish someone had spilled the beans when I first started. These tips? They’re game-changers! 1️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅-𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 Ever notice how people skim pages? It’s usually in an F-shape. Pop your key info along this pattern and watch your engagement skyrocket! 2️⃣ 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 Your content needs some room to breathe. A cluttered page sends visitors running faster than you can say “bounce rate.” 3️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬-𝐭𝐨-𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞) Bigger buttons don’t always win. It’s all about contrast—those eye-catching colors will draw attention quicker than a giant button. 4️⃣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬...) Every extra field is a conversion killer. Keep it simple, or go with multi-step forms to keep things smooth. 5️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟑-𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡 People will click more if the journey makes sense. Don’t stress over the number of clicks, focus on making the path crystal clear. Mind-blowing, right? 🤯 These aren’t just theories—I’ve seen them work wonders for my clients. But I’m sure you’ve got your own secret sauce too! Drop your web design secrets in the comments. Let’s swap tips and learn from each other! And if you found this helpful, give it a repost. Let’s spread the love! P.S. Having trouble with your website’s performance? 𝑰’𝒎 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 15-𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒌. DM me to grab a slot before they’re all gone! Haoma Worgwu #TuesdayTips #WebDesignSecrets #WebDesigner #WordPress #Shopify #20DayLinkedInChallengeWithHaoma

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Great insights! I'm currently reviewing portfolios of Designer candidates and I'd highly recommend taking a peek at Maria's post if you are thinking about updating your portfolio before applying. While this is focused on UX, many of the principles apply to all types of portfolios. A couple of notes I'd add to Maria's insights: 1. Navigation and clear structure is important across the board. This attention-to-detail will make it easy for us to see your work, understand where your strengths lay, and where there may be room to grow. 2. Don't just show your work, tell us about it. We're looking for ideas as much as we are looking for design skills; utilize your portfolio to tell us about your work. Leave out just enough that we're curious and reach out to learn more. 3. Self-Edit. We don't need to see everything you've done, but we do want to see a variety. Really understand the types of roles you are applying for, the work you love to do, and where your strengths lay (and where you have room to grow). Use this as a basis for the work you're sharing. 4. Tell us about yourself! Whether that's through text, animations, doodles, etc. Show us a bit of your personality where you can. 5. And finally, proofread! Have a pal take a look, review it yourself. We won't fault you for a couple of mistakes here or there, but if your main headline has a spelling mistake, we will wonder about your overall attention-to-detail (and why someone hasn't kindly pointed it out to you before!). I'm still relatively new to the portfolio review process, but I've reviewed them daily now for well over a year. I'd love thoughts and feedback from others in the industry too, feel free to share thoughts below ⬇

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Does your software project need a designer? 🖍️ I’m a bit biased, but hear me out. A designer can always improve a software product. Maybe users have a particular frustration point. While some might respond “we need better docs and more training,” a UX designer might help optimize for discoverability and a clear path that actually solves the problem. Or maybe your buttons just feel off, and you don’t know why. A UI designer might run some accessibility tests and find that your brand color really shouldn’t be paired with white text. Those examples are clear. But where a good designer will really add the most ROI is when they’re given a seat at the table, early and often, where the actual business goals are being discussed. Because to design good software, context matters. And the more thorough context a designer has, the better the software will be. Creative problem solving is what makes a designer’s job interesting. But more importantly, a designer’s creativity applied to proper, thorough business context is what makes your software better. https://lincolnloop.com/

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Just announced! This month's UX Salon Halifax meetup is all about... User Experience of course. That's it. Back to the basics. Ever wonder why some things just work so.... nice? Or why some other experiences are so frustrating? We can answer that. :) See you in two weeks! #uxsalonhalifax #halifaxux #userexperience #halifaxtech #uxdesign #uxresearch

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Zig when everyone else zags ... You can apply this thinking to a lot of different areas... One in particular that came up during IgnitePOST's BFCM panel at Shopify is the surprising impact of plain text emails! Ashley Ismailovski from SmartSites 💡spoke about how she's seen simplicity in design lead to meaningful user engagement. If done well, plain text emails can come across as much more authentic and can really advocate for your brand. #DigitalMarketing #CustomerEngagement

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#JobAlert: UX Designers - Shopify wants you BAD! We've got an open call for all you architects of intuitive and delightful user experiences. (Note: please don't DM me, as I am not the hiring manager... but please do apply, folks! Follow the job posting link in the comments.) What will you do? Ideate and craft elegant designs that transform complex problems into accessible solutions that just work. With expertise in visual, interaction, and product design, our #UX #Designers work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure that every touchpoint is not only usable but also a joy to interact with. They push the boundaries of #design, leveraging insights and product goals to create impactful experiences that empower merchants and their buyers globally. #remote #shopify #nowhiring #hotjob #hiring

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Remote work enabled me to hire an expert team of UX designers and researchers dispersed across Canadian cities. It allowed me to support employee wellbeing so that precarious child care situations, creative passions and needs at home could be balanced with flexible work. We never missed a deadline; our work was always of a top quality. I could hire for the best talent and recruit from outside government. I couldn't offer the pay of private sector, but I could offer a healthy work environment and flexibility - something which many creatives (and folks in general) covet more than money. A slow creep to the end of remote work will make this impossible for many managers working in the federal government in IT. And equally, it will make it hard to retain managers and executives who are also subject matter experts in the field. It's really disappointing to see, and I hope there will be flexibility given so that we can retain the best talent in house. When you foster a work environment that is enticing to IT talent, you build real functional IT capacity within the government. Haven't we learned from ArriveCan? #DigitalGov #IT #remotework #returntowork

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I don't build websites and promise to 20X your sales in 30 days. Or capture, convert, and capitalize like some web designers suggest. But I can help you create a website that: ✦ Inspires trust with your visitors. ✦ Makes them feel seen, heard, and understood. ✦ Helps you build relationships with those you work well with. This naturally expands your potential client base and helps your business thrive. How I do this: 1️⃣ I get to know you really well. Not just a 1-hour discovery call where I then hand off your project to outsourced workers, but weekly meetings with you as we create your brand story, write your web copy, and then bring it all together in your website. 2️⃣ I develop a cohesive strategy that builds on your strengths. Working 1-on-1 with 75+ clients over the last 15 years, every single project and website was unique, because every single client was unique. I excel at tuning into your unique essence and beautifully reflecting that in your website. 3️⃣ I build a relationship journey (some call it a marketing funnel) on your website that inspires trust, speaks to your ideal client, and organically nurtures that relationship. Creating an integrated path that leads your ideal client from a visitor to a subscriber to a client. Sure, you can build a website in a day, but it takes time to intentionally create a website that truly represents you and your work. If your current site doesn't quite hit that mark, what's one aspect you'd like to improve?

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Scope creep nearly killed my business. Here's how I turned it into my biggest advantage. The first 8 years as a web designer were really hard. Low pricing and endless client revisions were draining my passion, and I was ready to quit. Then, I joined Nathan Ingram's coaching program (link in comments). It changed everything, but one piece of advice stood out: "You like to give. It's who you are. Embrace it, but set clear boundaries. Build 'extras' into your business model, separate from what the client has agreed to pay for." And so I did. I started clearly defining each project while naming my 'extras' as a Lagniappe line item – separate from the project scope. Which eliminated scope creep and satisfied my innate desire to give.  This small change transformed my mindset and my bottom line. Struggling with scope creep? Redefining how you 'give' could transform your business AND your mindset. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, '𝘓𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦' 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢, 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 😊

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How I Gained 10 Hours a Week with AI Automation I used to spend a huge chunk of my day on repetitive tasks—following up with clients, scheduling meetings, managing projects. It was exhausting, and I knew there had to be a better way. That’s when I decided to put my skills to the test and automate my daily workflow. Using AI tools, I set up systems that handled these tasks for me. For example, I created automated follow-up emails that go out at just the right time, appointment scheduling that works without my input, and even automated onboarding processes for new clients. The difference was night and day. I ended up saving about 10 hours every week—time that I now use to focus on the things I love, like brainstorming new ideas, working closely with clients, and, yes, even taking a break now and then! What’s more, the quality of my service actually improved. My clients noticed how smooth everything became, and that’s reflected in the feedback and reviews I’ve been getting. Automation doesn’t just make life easier—it helps you deliver better results. #WorkSmarter #AIToTheRescue #TimeSaver #BusinessGrowth #AutomationMagic

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Lawsuits against businesses are real and on the rise for their website's accessibility! I've had to experience this first-hand... 😰   Over these last couple months, I have been in the middle of a raging fire of an intense legal claim against a client whose website wasn't WCAG & ADA complaint. They pleaded to a partner of ours for help! 😱 ❌ They tried to bandage an open wound, but no matter what this client did - it wasn't good enough for the plaintiff... After being referred to us, we got their website compliant within 24 hours of them giving us access to their website. We then sent them all the documentation they needed to dispute further claims. Then, everything went silent... 🤐 A couple weeks had gone by, and we hadn't heard anything! ✅ Yesterday though, I just got news that the plaintiff was satisfied with our work and documentation - and have now finally reached a settlement with the client! I was literally jumping up & down for joy when I heard we stopped the bleeding. Wahoo! Do you know what would have been an even better scenario though? If they had been compliant to begin with, they: 1) Most likely wouldn't have gotten sued 2) Spend thousands on legal work 3) Be stressed out of their minds! and... 4) Pay a $10,000 settlement for not being compliant to begin with. My only question for you is... Are your websites compliant? Find out now by going to this free resource and scan your site within seconds! https://lnkd.in/gzYdR2mS Please, do me a favor and just become compliant and spend $10K+ on other things like growing your business! I could care less if you go with Arctic Marketing Solutions, I care more about you not wasting you funds in legal battles that can be avoided.

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I see a lot of website bashing here on LinkedIn. As in: websites are "old school" and no longer needed. Here's a real-life example from last week that underscores why websites are still crucial for solopreneurs. This isn't from my 20+ years experience as a web designer, but from my perspective as a LinkedIn user. Recently, two people with impressive LinkedIn profiles reached out to me via DM after seeing one of my comments. Their services seemed valuable, but since I didn't know them, I naturally looked for their websites to learn more. Neither had one. Their LinkedIn 'About' sections provided some insight, but not enough to help me decide if their offerings were right for me. This scenario made me think of Donald Miller's recommendation to include two types of CTAs (Calls to Action) on your website: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: These build trust and nurture relationships, like asking someone on a date. Whether you offer a free discovery call or give users an option to sign up for your email list, these CTAs help build relationships with potential clients. 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁: These are the "hire me now" or "buy now" calls to action, akin to asking someone to marry you—used only after you've built trust and credibility. Without a website, these LinkedIn users were essentially proposing on the first date. There was no opportunity for me to warm up to them, to see what made them the right fit for my needs. If they'd had a website I could explore, I likely would have signed up for their newsletter, giving them a chance to establish a relationship and earn my trust... Instead, I had to play detective, trying to figure out what they offered and how much it cost, only to find out they had just one option — the big "will you marry me" option. A website can help you bridge the gap from "date to marriage" and build on your LinkedIn momentum—nurturing relationships and facilitating conversions long after your LinkedIn post has faded from the feed. And make it easier on your potential clients. Which is always a good thing! Do you have a website, or have you thought about building one for your business?

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When's the last time you actually read a website? Yeah. Me neither. Here's how to make yours scannable: 👇🏽 Follow the PowerPoint rule: 35 words or less per section. Embrace white space. Slash 70% of the words on your existing site. Right now. Yes, I know you worked hard. But nobody cares to read all that. Go delete, delete, delete. Have fun with it. Throw a party. It'll be like spring cleaning. Here's to feeling light and airy. The hero image, that prime real estate at the top of your website before anyone scrolls, is crucial. 👀 I ONLY want to know: Who you help, what you can do for me, and how you'll help me, in 5 seconds or less. Should I repeat that? YES. 👉🏽 I ONLY want to know who you help, what you can do for me, and how you'll help me, in 5 seconds or less. Use this sentence stem and be specific! I specialize in helping (SUPER SPECIFIC NICHE OF PEOPLE) achieve (SOMETHING AWESOME), and here's my unique approach: (YOUR UNIQUE WAY). Place this sentence on your website hero image, that very first section before you scroll down. Why here? Because this is the most valuable real estate on your website. Every single visitor will see it. Not everyone will make it all the way down. Remember, you have 15 seconds to impress. That's the average website view time. So this part of your website needs to look as good as a Times Square billboard. You must be damn proud of this section. In fact, if you don't get this part right, nothing else really matters. If you need help, book a call with me. Okay, now that's all the tips for today. Go like, comment, or buy me a coffee. You're welcome. 😎 #marketing #sales #webdesign #entrepreneur #branding #branddesign

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