Generated by Rank Math SEO, this is an llms.txt file designed to help LLMs better understand and index this website. # Thomas McKee Website Design & SEO Solutions: Thomas McKee — Web Designer & SEO Expert Springfield MO | Since 1996 ## Sitemaps [XML Sitemap](https://www.thomasmckee.com/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages. ## Posts - [Custom WordPress vs Website Builders in 2026: Which Is Right for Your Business?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/custom-wordpress-vs-website-builders-2026/): Custom WordPress website vs Wix and Squarespace in 2026: a clear comparison of control, SEO, ownership, and cost to help your business choose the right foundation. - [How Small Businesses Can Rank Higher on Google in 2026: A Local SEO Guide](https://www.thomasmckee.com/local-seo-for-small-businesses-2026/): A practical local SEO for small businesses guide for 2026: optimize your Google Business Profile, earn reviews, create local content, and rank higher in your area. - [How to Choose WordPress Hosting in 2026: A Small Business Guide](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-choose-wordpress-hosting-2026/): Choosing WordPress hosting for small business in 2026? Learn the hosting types, what actually matters for speed and SEO, and why the cheapest plan usually costs more. - [Why Your Business Website Needs a 2026 Redesign Strategy](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-redesign-strategy-2026/): A website redesign strategy 2026 ties your new site to real business goals — leads, SEO, and conversions — not just a fresh look. Here is what a results-focused redesign plan includes. - [Website Design Trends for 2026: What Small Businesses Need to Know](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-design-trends-2026/): The website design trends 2026 small businesses can't ignore — from speed and accessibility to tasteful AI personalization and conversion-first layouts — plus how to apply them without a full rebuild. - [Springfield MO Web Design: 2025 Buyer’s Guide for Small Businesses](https://www.thomasmckee.com/springfield-mo-web-design-2025-buyers-guide-for-small-businesses/): Published: September 5, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [LiteSpeed WebAdmin Settings Checklist (WordPress + Redis)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/litespeed-webadmin-settings-checklist-wordpress-redis/): WordPress Performance · Springfield, MO - [LiteSpeed Plugin Settings: Fast WordPress with Redis](https://www.thomasmckee.com/litespeed-plugin-settings-fast-wordpress-with-redis/): Meta Title: LiteSpeed Plugin Settings: Fast WordPress with Redis - [Redis Object Cache Setup Guide for LiteSpeed Cache in WHM/cPanel](https://www.thomasmckee.com/redis-object-cache-setup-guide-for-litespeed-cache-in-whm-cpanel/): Meta Title: Redis Object Cache Setup for LiteSpeed Cache in cPanel - [The Real ROI of SEO for Springfield MO Businesses](https://www.thomasmckee.com/the-real-roi-of-seo-for-springfield-mo-businesses/): Published on July 25, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [Why Your Business Needs a Google Business Profile (and How We Optimize It)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/why-your-business-needs-a-google-business-profile-and-how-we-optimize-it/): Published: August 04, 2025 - [How Fast Should Your Website Be in 2025? (And How to Get There)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-fast-should-your-website-be-in-2025-and-how-to-get-there/): Published: August 03, 2025 - [Top 5 Web Design Mistakes Springfield Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/top-5-web-design-mistakes-springfield-businesses-make-and-how-to-avoid-them/): Published: August 2, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [Case Study: How We Boosted Traffic 3X for a Republic MO Small Business](https://www.thomasmckee.com/case-study-how-we-boosted-traffic-3x-for-a-republic-mo-small-business/): Published: August 01, 2025 - [SEO vs. Google Ads: What’s Best for Your Small Business in Missouri in 2025?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/seo-vs-google-ads-whats-best-for-your-small-business-in-missouri-in-2025/): Published: July 31, 2025 - [What Makes a Website Convert Visitors Into Customers in 2025?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/what-makes-a-website-convert-visitors-into-customers-in-2025/): Published: July 30, 2025 - [Affordable SEO Services in Springfield MO: What You Really Get](https://www.thomasmckee.com/affordable-seo-services-in-springfield-mo-what-you-really-get/): Published: July 29, 2025 - [Website Design Trends for Missouri Businesses in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-design-trends-for-missouri-businesses-in-2025/): Published: July 28, 2025 - [How Local SEO Can Help Your Nixa or Ozark Business Get More Customers in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-local-seo-can-help-your-nixa-or-ozark-business-get-more-customers-in-2025/): Published: July 27, 2025 | Author: Thomas McKee - [Top 7 Reasons Your Springfield MO Business Needs a WordPress Website in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/top-7-reasons-your-springfield-mo-business-needs-a-wordpress-website-in-2025/): TL;DR: A WordPress website is scalable, SEO-friendly, mobile-ready, secure, and affordable—making it the perfect fit for any Springfield MO business looking to thrive in 2025. - [Understanding Google Analytics: What Every Business Owner Should Track in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/understanding-google-analytics-what-every-business-owner-should-track-in-2025/): Published: July 25, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [5 Affordable Ways to Improve Your Website Design in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/5-affordable-ways-to-improve-your-website-design-in-2025/): Published: July 24, 2025 - [7 Signs Your Springfield MO Business Needs a Website Redesign (ASAP)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/7-signs-your-springfield-mo-business-needs-a-website-redesign-asap/): Published on July 24, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [How to Create Calls to Action That Actually Convert in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-create-calls-to-action-that-actually-convert-in-2025/): Published on July 23, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [The Ultimate Guide to Google Business Profile Optimization in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-google-business-profile-optimization-in-2025/): Published on July 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM CST - [Top 5 SEO Myths That Cost Small Businesses Money in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/top-5-seo-myths-that-cost-small-businesses-money-in-2025/): Published on July 21, 2025 at 2:51 PM - [Blogging for Business: Why It Still Matters in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/blogging-for-business-why-it-still-matters-in-2025/): Published on July 20, 2025 at 1:20 PM - [7 Signs It’s Time to Redesign Your Website in 2025](https://www.thomasmckee.com/7-signs-its-time-to-redesign-your-website-in-2025/): Published on July 19, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your Business](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-choose-the-right-keywords-for-your-business/): Keywords are the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. Choosing the right ones ensures your website shows up for searches that actually convert. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to choose effective keywords for your business. - [Why Your Website Needs an SSL Certificate (and How to Get One)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/why-your-website-needs-an-ssl-certificate-and-how-to-get-one/): Your website’s security isn’t optional anymore. If you don’t have an SSL certificate, you risk losing rankings, customer trust, and even sales. In this post, I’ll explain why SSL matters for SEO and visitors—and how you can get one today. - [How to Improve Your Website Speed (Without a Developer)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-improve-your-website-speed-without-a-developer/): How to Improve Your Website Speed (Without a Developer) A slow website frustrates visitors, hurts SEO, and costs you sales. The good news? You don't need to be a developer to make your site faster. Here are simple, effective steps anyone can take. 1. Optimize Images Large images slow down your site. Before uploading, compress them using free tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim. This reduces file sizes without losing quality. 2. Minimize Plugins If you’re using WordPress, too many plugins can slow things down. Deactivate or delete any you’re not using. Fewer plugins mean fewer conflicts and faster load times. 3. Use Browser Caching Enable browser caching in your site settings or through a plugin. This lets returning visitors load your pages faster by storing parts of your site locally. 4. Clean Up Your Database Over time, your database can fill with spam comments, old drafts, and unnecessary data. Use a plugin like WP-Optimize to clean things up safely. 5. Choose Fast Hosting Not all hosting is equal. Budget hosts often overload their servers. Investing in quality WordPress hosting can dramatically reduce load times. 6. Lazy Load Images Lazy loading means images only load when they’re visible on-screen. This reduces initial load time, especially for image-heavy pages. Why Site Speed Matters for SEO Google uses site speed as a ranking factor. Faster sites provide a better user experience and reduce bounce rates, both of which can improve your rankings. Learn more about page speed on Wikipedia. Infographic: How to Improve Your Website Speed Ready to Make Your Site Faster? A fast website is essential for SEO, user experience, and conversions. Whether you need Custom WordPress Design, eCommerce Website Design, or help with SEO Services, I’m here to help. Don’t let a slow site hold you back. Schedule a Free Strategy Call today! Frequently Asked Questions Why is my website so slow? Common causes include large images, too many plugins, cheap hosting, and unoptimized code. Does website speed really affect SEO? Yes! Google uses speed as a ranking factor. Slow sites can lose rankings and frustrate users. Can I really speed up my site without coding? Absolutely! Simple steps like compressing images and cleaning your database make a big difference. - [10 Ways to Get More Local Customers with SEO](https://www.thomasmckee.com/10-ways-to-get-more-local-customers-with-seo/): Want to reach more customers in Springfield and surrounding areas? These 10 local SEO strategies will help your business rank higher, get noticed, and grow sustainably. - [What Is Responsive Web Design and Why It Matters for SEO](https://www.thomasmckee.com/what-is-responsive-web-design-and-why-it-matters-for-seo/): What Is Responsive Web Design and Why It Matters for SEO Responsive web design means your website automatically adjusts its layout and content to fit any screen size, whether it’s a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. It's not just a design trend—it's essential for SEO and user experience. What Is Responsive Web Design? A responsive website uses flexible layouts, images, and CSS media queries to adapt to different screen sizes. Instead of creating separate mobile and desktop sites, you have one design that works everywhere. Why Google Cares About Responsive Design Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your content for ranking and indexing. If your site isn't mobile-friendly, it will hurt your visibility in search results. Improved User Experience Responsive design ensures visitors can easily read, navigate, and interact with your site regardless of the device. A better user experience leads to lower bounce rates and higher engagement—two factors that can help your SEO rankings. Faster Load Times Mobile users expect fast-loading pages. Responsive design includes optimized images and layouts that load quickly, improving both user satisfaction and SEO. One Website to Manage Instead of maintaining separate mobile and desktop sites, responsive design gives you one site to update. This simplifies content management, improves consistency, and reduces costs. Boosts Your SEO Rankings Google rewards sites that offer a seamless experience across devices. A responsive site lowers bounce rates, increases time on site, and ensures your content is accessible to all users. Infographic: Why Responsive Design Matters for SEO Ready to Make Your Website Responsive? Responsive design is essential for modern SEO and user experience. Whether you need Custom WordPress Design, eCommerce Website Design, or expert SEO Services, I’m here to help. Don't lose customers to outdated design. Schedule a Free Strategy Call today! Frequently Asked Questions What is responsive web design? It's an approach that ensures your website adapts to any device, providing an optimal experience for all users. Why does responsive design help SEO? It improves user experience, reduces bounce rates, and aligns with Google's mobile-first indexing for better rankings. How do I make my website responsive? Work with an experienced designer or developer to update your site with flexible layouts, images, and mobile-friendly features. - [WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace: What’s Best for SEO?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/wordpress-vs-wix-vs-squarespace-whats-best-for-seo/): Published on July 14, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [On-Page SEO Checklist: 12 Essentials for Every Website](https://www.thomasmckee.com/on-page-seo-checklist-12-essentials-for-every-website/): Published on July 13, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [Case Study: How We Helped a Missouri Business Triple Their Leads](https://www.thomasmckee.com/case-study-how-we-helped-a-missouri-business-triple-their-leads/): Published on July 12, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [How Long Does SEO Really Take to Work?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-long-does-seo-really-take-to-work/): Published on July 11, 2025 by Thomas McKee - [Web Design Trends for 2025: What’s In and What’s Out](https://www.thomasmckee.com/web-design-trends-for-2025-whats-in-and-whats-out/): Web Design Trends for 2025: What’s In and What’s Out The world of web design continues to evolve at lightning speed. As we head into 2025, new design priorities are emerging, while some older styles are finally falling out of favor. Staying ahead of these trends is essential if you want your website to remain competitive, engaging, and effective. What’s In for 2025 Dark Mode Enhancements: User-controlled dark mode options continue to grow in popularity. They reduce eye strain and give designers room to highlight bold color palettes. Voice User Interfaces (VUIs): With more users searching hands-free, integrating voice commands into site navigation can improve accessibility and convenience. 3D Elements & Microinteractions: Subtle animations and interactive 3D visuals delight users and make a website more memorable. Bold, Accessible Typography: Big, legible typefaces are replacing cluttered, overly decorative fonts to ensure your message is clear. Accessibility-First Design: Designing with accessibility in mind is not just ethical—it expands your audience and improves SEO. Optimized Page Speed: Google continues to prioritize fast-loading pages in search rankings. Visitors expect speed; don’t disappoint them. What’s Out for 2025 Skeuomorphism: Overly realistic, cluttered designs that mimic physical objects have largely fallen out of favor in favor of sleek minimalism. Chatbot-Only Interfaces: Automated chat support is helpful, but sites relying on bots alone risk frustrating users who want a human option. Flat, Overly Simplistic Designs: While minimalism is here to stay, ultra-flat designs with no feedback or interactivity can feel lifeless. Overly Decorative Fonts: Hard-to-read typefaces can alienate users and damage brand trust. Neglecting Accessibility: Websites that don’t follow accessibility guidelines are being left behind—and could face legal consequences. Enormous Network Payloads: Bloated sites with heavy images and scripts will see users bounce and rankings drop. Infographic: Web Design Trends for 2025 Ready to Update Your Website? Staying on top of these trends will ensure your website delivers the best experience possible in 2025. Whether you need a Custom WordPress Design, an eCommerce Website, or help with SEO Services, I can help you navigate the changes and make smart choices. Don’t fall behind. Schedule a Free Strategy Call today and let’s make your website work harder for your business! Frequently Asked Questions What is dark mode design? Dark mode replaces bright backgrounds with dark ones to reduce eye strain and highlight key elements. Learn more on Wikipedia. Why is accessibility important in 2025? Accessibility ensures everyone can use your website and can improve your search rankings while protecting you legally. How do microinteractions help UX? Subtle animations and feedback make websites feel more interactive and guide users through your content. - [What’s the Real Cost of a Cheap Website?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/whats-the-real-cost-of-a-cheap-website/): Choosing the cheapest option for your website might seem smart at first—but it can cost you far more in the long run. Let’s explore why investing in quality website design matters for your business. - [Springfield, MO SEO: A Local Business Guide to Ranking on Google](https://www.thomasmckee.com/springfield-mo-seo-a-local-business-guide-to-ranking-on-google/): Want your Springfield, Missouri business to show up when local customers search on Google? This guide explains how local SEO works and gives you simple, actionable tips to help your business rank higher and get noticed. - [Top 10 Mistakes Small Business Websites Make (And How to Fix Them)](https://www.thomasmckee.com/top-10-mistakes-small-business-websites-make-and-how-to-fix-them/): Most small business owners know they need a website, but what they don’t realize is that common mistakes could be quietly hurting their traffic, conversions, and search engine rankings. Here's a list of the top 10 issues — and how to fix them. - [How To Have Websites Built For You The Cheap Way](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-have-websites-built-for-you-the-cheap-way/): Normally, if you want to have professional designers custom build your site, you must be prepared to dish out at least a few hundred dollars. All this can change if you know where to find the best deals, the best designs for the lowest price. Here's a rough guide: - [Good Design Practices](https://www.thomasmckee.com/good-design-practices/): Your website is where your business resides -- it's like the headquarter of an offline company. Hence, it is important to practice good design principles to make sure your site reaches out to the maximum number of visitors and sells to as many people as possible. - [Generating Revenue with Good Planning](https://www.thomasmckee.com/generating-revenue-with-good-planning/): For anything to work well, care must be taken to make firm, workable plans to execute it and the same goes for website designs. With a well thought out website design, you will be able to create a site that generates multiple streams of revenue for you. In fact, may websites turn into online wasteland because they are not well planned and do not get a single visitor. Gradually, the webmaster will not be motivated to update it anymore and it turns into wasted cyberspace. - [5 Ways to Keep Visitors Coming Back](https://www.thomasmckee.com/5-ways-to-keep-visitors-coming-back/): A lot of successful websites depend on returning visitors to account for a major part of their traffic. Returning visitors are easier to convert into paying customers because the more often they return to a site, the more trust they have in that site. The credibility issue just melts away. Hence, keep your visitors coming back to your site with the following methods: - [5 Important Rules in Website Design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/5-important-rules-in-website-design/): When it comes to your website, extra attention should be paid to every minute detail to make sure it performs optimally to serve its purpose. Here are seven important rules of thumb to observe to make sure your website performs well. - [Web Design Tips For The Experienced Programmer](https://www.thomasmckee.com/web-design-tips-for-the-experienced-programmer/): Have you always wanted to design a website but never knew where to start? Do you want to get your business online, but can't afford to hire someone to help? This article will be a great start for you, as it contains many great ideas to aid you in creating the website of your dreams! - [Web Design Elements You Should Avoid Having on Your Site](https://www.thomasmckee.com/web-design-elements-you-should-avoid-having-on-your-site/): As a web designer, you should design your websites to give your visitors the greatest ease of use, the best impression and most important of all a welcoming experience. It doesn't matter if you had the greatest product in the whole world -- if your website is poorly done you won't be able to sell even one copy of it because visitors will be driven off your website by the lousy design. - [Tools You can Use in Creating a Web 2.0 Design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/tools-you-can-use-in-creating-a-web-2-0-design/): Although Web 2.0 design is different from its predecessors, practically the same programs are still used in creating them. Newer versions of course have different features, but these programs remain essentially the same. - [Tips On How To Get Better At Web Design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/tips-on-how-to-get-better-at-web-design/): Most of us do not have the time, money or skill to build custom cars or choppers. But we all have the tools necessary to design custom websites. As long as you can grasp how web design works, you will be able to design stunning pages that attract people instantly. If you want to know more about web design, read through these tips below. - [3 Tips on How to Become a Better Web Designer](https://www.thomasmckee.com/3-tips-on-how-to-become-a-better-web-designer/): A good web designer is able to create great designs long after the phenomenon called Web 2.0 has passed. It is true that becoming good at web designing takes years of experience. - [The Key to Better Websites Design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/the-key-to-better-websites-design/): Introduction - [Read On For Crucial Website Design Advice](https://www.thomasmckee.com/read-on-for-crucial-website-design-advice/): Have you ever visited a website and asked yourself how they could have made it so great? From layout to graphic design, there are many elements which turn a website from good to great. This article will help you to learn many tips and tricks which the pros are already using. Read on to find secrets you can only learn here! - [Looking To Design A Website Try These Ideas](https://www.thomasmckee.com/looking-to-design-a-website-try-these-ideas/): Website design can be intimidating if you don't know much about the field. After you complete a few projects, you will improve your skills and find that it is not as difficult as it seemed. The tips which follow can help you to learn what you need to know to get started. - [Learn Web Design Quickly And Easily](https://www.thomasmckee.com/learn-web-design-quickly-and-easily/): Creating an effective website can seem like a huge job. It does not matter what your level of experience is, whether beginner to expert, it is still going to be overwhelming. There is so much to take into consideration such as the color scheme, and layout. Information regarding web design is forever changing. The selection of tips below, however, will help you to become a successful website designer. - [How to choose a web designer](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-choose-a-web-designer/): There are two important things to remember when looking for a web designer: - [Selecting a Search Engine Optimization Company](https://www.thomasmckee.com/selecting-a-search-engine-optimization-company/): A Search Engine Optimization Company can be an invaluable asset in your Internet marketing campaign. They specialize in knowing how to raise your search engine positions, monitoring those positions on the regular basis, and adjusting their strategies to account for undesirable results in any given month. Since this takes a lot of time, effort, and specialized knowledge, it can be in your best interest to go to an outside source rather than try to maintain high search engine positions on your own. - [How relevant is your E-Commerce Web Site Design?](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-relevant-is-your-e-commerce-web-site-design/): E-commerce web site design can spell either success or doom for any business. In this internet age it is imperative to have an online site for advertising, selling or buying a product or service. There are numerous e-commerce websites doing business on the World Wide Web. Your website's e-commerce design must be relevant to all the different elements needed for designing a good website. - [Search Engine Keywords Selection](https://www.thomasmckee.com/search-engine-keywords-selection/): Search engines are the vehicles that drive potential customers to your websites. But in order for visitors to reach their destination - your website - you need to provide them with specific and effective signs that will direct them right to your site. You do this by creating carefully chosen keywords. - [Great Web Design For The Beginning Webmaster](https://www.thomasmckee.com/great-web-design-for-the-beginning-webmaster/): Designing a website that promotes your business in the best way possible is all about the design. You don't need a degree in web design to make effective websites; you just need the right information to know what works well and what does not. Keep reading for some tips that take the design of your site to the next level. - [Protecting Your Search Engine Rankings](https://www.thomasmckee.com/protecting-your-search-engine-rankings/): Your website's ranking on search engines is a vital element of your overall marketing campaign, and there are ways to improve your link popularity through legitimate methods. Unfortunately, the Internet is populated by bands of dishonest webmasters seeking to improve their link popularity by faking out search engines. - [Do it yourself web design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/do-it-yourself-web-design/): Do it yourself web design - [Pay Per Click Advertising](https://www.thomasmckee.com/pay-per-click-advertising/): Another essential element of pay-per-click advertising is that you constantly monitor your bid. It is very important that you bear in mind that the results of the top search engines providing pay-per-click advertising, which are Overture and Adwords Select, usually appear on other popular search engines. Because of this, the competition for top ranking is intense, and very often you will find that the bidding price balloons too high for pay-per-click to yield a profit. - [Designing Your Social Network Marketing Website](https://www.thomasmckee.com/designing-your-social-network-marketing-website/): When building an online business website, you want a particular website that will work for you and your business. You will want a website, which is attractive, as this will draw in internet visitors. Your website must be easily navigated within as well as functional. - [Paid URL Inclusion](https://www.thomasmckee.com/paid-url-inclusion/): A search engine that offers a paid URL inclusion uses an extra spider that is programmed to index the particular pages that have been paid for. The difference between the spider that indexes pages for free and the spider that indexes only pages for a fee is speed. If you have paid for inclusion, the additional search engine spider will index your page immediately. - [Monitoring Search Engine Positions](https://www.thomasmckee.com/monitoring-search-engine-positions/): Since search engines are the first stop for people on the Internet looking for goods or services, the position your website appears in search results is an important factor. If your URL shows up far down the results list, the chances of the consumer never finding you increase incrementally. Once you achieve a high search engine position, it is essential that you make sure you maintain the high ranking you have worked so hard to achieve. - [Designing Your E-Commerce Website](https://www.thomasmckee.com/designing-your-e-commerce-website/): With an increase in consumers using the internet to shop and perform business transactions, e-commerce has become the future of the online community. It is estimated that shoppers are spending billions of dollars online each year, with a few stores even outselling their offline parallels. Benefitting completely from the ecommerce boom can be achievable. To keep consumers coming back, you need to create a unique e-commerce site, one that reaches beyond all levels of excellence. - [Increasing Your Search Engine Ranking](https://www.thomasmckee.com/increasing-your-search-engine-ranking/): The title bar is the colored bar at the top of the page. Look at the words that appear there when you access your home page. To increase search engine rankings, the words on your homepage's title bar should include the most important keywords or phrases, one of which would include your company name. - [Design Your Web Site Like A Pro](https://www.thomasmckee.com/design-your-web-site-like-a-pro/): With an economy in shambles and no jobs on the horizon, a lot of people today are turning to the internet in order to start up a home business. In order to have a flourishing business online, however, web design plays a large role. Read up on some great web design tips you can use to ensure that your business is successful. - [Increasing Link Popularity](https://www.thomasmckee.com/increasing-link-popularity/): Search engines are the gateway to the Internet; they are the first tool that potential customers use to find the products and services they need. This is why link popularity is so imperative. If the customers do not find your website, you have no possibilities of making any sales. - [Evaluating Website Performance](https://www.thomasmckee.com/evaluating-website-performance/): Setting up a website is the very first step of an Internet marketing campaign, and the success or failure of your site depends greatly on how specifically you have defined your website goals. If you don't know what you want your site to accomplish, it will most likely fail to accomplish anything. Without goals to guide you in developing and monitoring your website, all your site will be is an online announcement that you are in business. - [Tips on Choosing Fonts for Your Website Design](https://www.thomasmckee.com/tips-on-choosing-fonts-for-your-website-design/): The font is a critical factor in creating a website. For one, it will either make it easy or difficult for your readers to read the content of your website. - [Analyzing Website Traffic](https://www.thomasmckee.com/analyzing-website-traffic/): Analyzing your web traffic statistics can be an invaluable tool for a number of different reasons. But before you can make full use of this tool, you need to understand how to interpret the data. - [6 Tips to Boost Your Website Traffic in 2020](https://www.thomasmckee.com/6-tips-to-boost-your-website-traffic-in-2020/): Whether you’re building a business from scratch or expanding an already existing one, you have to compete for traffic. While paid advertising on Google is one of the fastest ways of getting traffic, it comes at a price. With a bit of work and dedication, you can easily cut your expenses. Here are the best ways to increase your website traffic. - [Six-step Formula for Livening Up Boring Content](https://www.thomasmckee.com/six-step-formula-for-livening-up-boring-content/): You're probably under the illusion that you're writing the best content. You spend hours drafting up a seemingly perfect blog post, only to be disappointed when the social shares and reads are nonexistent. You give it a few more stabs, only to find that the same issue still occurs. - [How to Add a User to a Google Analytics Account](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-add-a-user-to-a-google-analytics-account/): Follow these simple steps to add a user or an administrator to your Google Analytics account while still maintaining the confidentiality of your Google login information. - [The Importance of SEO for Webmasters](https://www.thomasmckee.com/the-importance-of-seo-for-webmasters/): Personal web development platforms have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Anyone can now make a website with no training necessary. However, making a website that shows up high in the search engine results pages (SERPs) is another story. This is why every webmaster needs to implement search engine optimization (SEO) tactics. - [5 November 2018 Website Design Trends](https://www.thomasmckee.com/5-november-2018-website-design-trends/): Although search engine optimization is not new, SEO is more important than ever. Indeed, if you do not have your site optimized, then you won't receive much traffic from the search engines. Your website can live or die based on search, and how you respond will profoundly impact your bottom line.Whether you are building your first website from scratch or are looking for a fresh plan for your web design in Springfield, MO, it is crucial to understand current website trends and consider implementing them as part of your project. Think of your website as a living tool that your site visitors look to for fresh information and a modern design. Because a cutting edge website is necessary to remain competitive online, it is important to make sure you keep up with what is popular in web design - not only each year, but each month, as well. Here are 5 website design trends to consider trying out this November.A squeeze page is a subset of the landing page, and it has been very popular with many companies as of late. You can use this simple, straightforward page on your website to gain initial contact information from potential customers right from the get go. In other words, a squeeze page serves as what is traditionally known as a funnel, and can be very beneficial to quickly capture contact details online.Minimalism is huge in web design right now. It is common for designers to use white backgrounds and large white margins, and the end result tends to look very clean and crisp with a modern sensibility. This type of design can add a hint of luxury to your site and might even help you highlight certain services or products on your web pages.On the other side of the color spectrum are dark backgrounds, which are also widely popular this fall. Dark images and overlays in the foreground also seem to be gaining popularity. If you want to make your website appear more sophisticated or solve readability issues, adding dark elements may be the way to go.Businesses of all sizes are simplifying their landing pages to appeal to a wider audience on a visual level. Straightforward pages also improve the chances of a visitor responding to an organization’s CTA. Utilizing clear, intuitive graphics can help smaller companies provide important details to potential customers without sacrificing on brevity and appealing design.From enticing water effect graphics to full-screen video, animated elements have been big in web design this year, and the trend does not seem to be going anywhere as 2018 comes to a close. If you really want to wow your audience, and have the budget and skilled developers to accomplish such a task, consider implementing some animation into your overall website design. - [6 SEO Strategies for Website Success](https://www.thomasmckee.com/6-seo-strategies-for-website-success/): Although search engine optimization is not new, SEO is more important than ever. Indeed, if you do not have your site optimized, then you won't receive much traffic from the search engines. Your website can live or die based on search, and how you respond will profoundly impact your bottom line.What is the subject of your website? It is essential that it has a relatively narrow focus on a single topic. For instance, if you cover the automotive sector, where the field is vast, you can concentrate on classic cars, new cars, car reviews or a particular brand, such as Kia or Buick. - [5 Keys to Selecting the Proper SEO Company](https://www.thomasmckee.com/10-keys-to-selecting-the-proper-seo-company/): Even If you’re armed with an abundance of knowledge in SEO, You might still want the services of a professional SEO company. Possessing solid understanding of SEO is barely sufficient sometimes. Even when you're doing your very best to try to get a good rank for your website, you may still end up wondering why your website is not really performing well. For starters, you must realize that your website might need to be optimized in a lot of areas. Not only that, but your website needs to be regularly updated. SEO is a constant process that contains a good deal of time and energy. To make matters easier, you'll be better off using the services of a qualified SEO company to do the job for your website. - [5 Web Development Frameworks to Search](https://www.thomasmckee.com/5-web-development-frameworks-to-search/): The constant evolution of mobile technology has shifted the pathway of web technology. Gone will be the days where a very simple UI website or web application yields you results. The present tendency of Mobile websites requires some complex web frameworks to satisfy the competitive demands of customers. The web frameworks that have strong features and functionalities may encourage the intricate surroundings have gained the elite positions in "Web Development" category. We're not certain about the expected date of a tech, there could be a possibility that a new technologies may emerge within time and you need to rework in your whole web development plan. With this ever-evolving web technology, we recommend you go through the very best and necessary web development technologies that will satisfy the requirements of your customers. Let's take a peek at the called 5 web technologies. - [Facebook Fan Pages – Crucial to Social Media Marketing](https://www.thomasmckee.com/facebook-fan-pages-crucial-to-social-media-marketing/): The term "Social Media" is everywhere these days, and in 2004, you might have been somewhat uncertain about what it really is... the infamous phrase "I will know it when I see it" comes immediately to my head! - [How to (Automatically) Backup Your Website to Dropbox](https://www.thomasmckee.com/how-to-automatically-backup-your-website-to-dropbox/): As owners of websites, one of the more important things you should do is to regularly backup the website. Most web hosting providers will enable daily or weekly backups, mainly for their disaster recovery purpose only. If you want to personally oversee a backup of your website, you can do it by yourself using the Backup function in hosting control panels like cPanel, Plesk and DirectAdmin. As a webmaster or domain owner, you are responsible for this task. ## Pages - [Web Design Republic Mo](https://www.thomasmckee.com/web-design-republic-mo/): Explore our website design services and SEO services in Springfield, MO and Republic — or contractor web design for trades businesses. - [Web Design Nixa Mo](https://www.thomasmckee.com/web-design-nixa-mo/): See our full website design services, SEO services in Springfield, MO and Christian County, or contractor web design if you run a trades business. - [Contractor Web Design Springfield Mo](https://www.thomasmckee.com/contractor-web-design-springfield-mo/): Part of our full website design services — pair your build with SEO services in Springfield, MO and fast LiteSpeed web hosting for the complete package. - [Free Website SEO Audit Springfield Mo](https://www.thomasmckee.com/free-website-seo-audit-springfield-mo/): A generic "SEO score" tells you nothing. Your audit is reviewed by a real person with 29 years of experience and covers the areas that actually determine whether Springfield customers find you on Google. - [Thank You](https://www.thomasmckee.com/thank-you/): Next step: keep an eye on your inbox. - [Terms and Conditions](https://www.thomasmckee.com/terms-and-conditions/): Effective Date: October 17, 2018  ·  Last Updated: October 17, 2018 - [Refund Policy](https://www.thomasmckee.com/refund-policy/): Effective Date: October 17, 2018  ·  Last Updated: October 17, 2018 - [Privacy Policy](https://www.thomasmckee.com/privacy-policy/): Effective Date: October 17, 2018  ·  Last Updated: October 17, 2018 - [Book a Virtual Meeting](https://www.thomasmckee.com/book-a-virtual-meeting/): If you don't see a time that works for you, message us and we'll find something that does — or call (417) 812-6313 directly. - [Website Hosting](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-hosting/): Does your hosting provider answer the phone? - [Website Maintenance](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-maintenance/): Has your WordPress site gone months without an update? - [Social Media Management Services](https://www.thomasmckee.com/social-media-management-services/): Need social media that actually generates leads — not just likes? - [Search Engine Optimization](https://www.thomasmckee.com/search-engine-optimization/): Most SEO companies hide behind vague terms like "monthly improvements." Here's specifically what we work on every month for our Springfield, Missouri clients. - [Website Design Services](https://www.thomasmckee.com/website-design-services/): Pretty layouts are easy. Websites that produce calls, leads, and sales are not. Here's what 600+ clients have gained by hiring senior web designers instead of a template mill. - [Get In Touch](https://www.thomasmckee.com/get-in-touch/): Send a quick note and we'll respond within one business day — usually the same day. Prefer to skip the form? Book a virtual meeting directly, or call (417) 812-6313. - [Our Portfolio](https://www.thomasmckee.com/our-portfolio/): Hover any project to view it live. Filter by category to narrow the list. Want something specific to your industry? Ask on the strategy call — we have hundreds more. - [Pricing](https://www.thomasmckee.com/pricing-plans/): From a fast starter site to a full enterprise WordPress build — every package is mobile-responsive, Core Web Vitals optimized, and SEO-ready. Have questions? Call (417) 812-6313 or get in touch online. - [Acceptable Use Policy](https://www.thomasmckee.com/acceptable-use-policy/): Acceptable Use Policy This Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”) outlines the rules and responsibilities for all users of our services and is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service. By using our website or hosting, you agree to abide by this AUP. 1. Lawful and Responsible Use Our services must only be used for legal activities. Uploading, storing, or distributing data that violates any applicable law (including federal, state, or local regulations) is prohibited. We may suspend or terminate accounts that create legal risk for us or disrupt our ability to serve other customers. You agree to indemnify us against claims resulting from activities on your account. 2. Prohibited Uses Illegal, Harmful, or Fraudulent Activities: Disclosure of private or sensitive personal information Distribution of malware or malicious code Unlawful sale or promotion of drugs, prescription medicines, or weapons Gambling, Ponzi/pyramid schemes, fake investment programs, or deceptive financial offerings Child exploitation or any content harmful to minors (will be reported to law enforcement immediately) Intentional deception or fraud (including linking to known scam sites) Anonymous proxies or tools for evading the law Infringement of copyrights/trademarks or third-party intellectual property Money laundering, phishing, or identity theft Unauthorized System Access & Network Abuse: Gaining access to other networks or accounts without permission Denial of Service (DoS) attacks or other network assaults Running file-sharing or IRC network software without consent Automated scraping, bots, or any activity that undermines server security/performance Resource Abuse: Consuming excessive server resources, running scripts that disrupt systems, or using hosting primarily for backup storage (unrelated to website hosting) No adult content, pornography, or escort services are allowed. 3. Zero Tolerance Spam Policy No sending, assisting, or enabling unsolicited emails (“spam”) from our network is permitted. Using “safe lists,” purchased email lists, or engaging in any kind of spam-related promotion is strictly prohibited. Violators risk account suspension or termination without notice, and websites advertised via spam are not allowed. Review the CAN-SPAM Act for compliance guidelines. 4. Defamation and Objectionable Content We respect freedom of expression but do not actively monitor client content. If notified of content that is illegal or harmful, we will review and may disable or remove it at our discretion, sometimes after a valid court order if it involves alleged defamation. 5. Enforcement If a reseller’s user violates this policy, we may suspend the user’s account and notify the reseller. For direct customers, services may be suspended or terminated, with or without prior notice, upon any AUP violation. Serious infractions (e.g., criminal activity) will be reported to appropriate authorities. Failure to respond to compliance requests within 48 hours may result in service suspension. We reserve the right to enforce this AUP at our discretion. 6. Reporting Violations & Abuse If you witness behavior or content that violates this AUP, please let us know using the options below: Complete our Report Abuse form Email our Abuse Team: abuse@thomasmckee.com For copyright infringement: Use our abuse form or email to notify us of unauthorized use of your intellectual property. 7. Grievance Officer If you have unresolved concerns or believe an issue needs special attention, you may contact our Grievance Officer: Email: grievance-officer@thomasmckee.com 8. Changes to This Policy This AUP may be updated at any time. Please review this page regularly for the latest terms. This policy was last updated on 22 December 2022. This summary is for convenience only. For full legal details, please refer to our complete Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service. - [What We Do](https://www.thomasmckee.com/what-we-do/): Web design and SEO in Springfield, MO backed by 26 years of experience and 600+ satisfied clients. From stunning websites to powerful search rankings—we deliver full-service internet marketing that drives real results for Southwest Missouri businesses. - [Website Design Springfield Mo](https://www.thomasmckee.com/): Springfield MO Web Design: 2025 Buyer’s Guide for Small Businesses Published: September 5, 2025 by Thomas McKee TLDR If you’re a small business in Springfield, MO (and nearby towns like Nixa, Ozark, Republic, and Branson), here’s how to buy a website the right way in 2025: know the must-have features (Core Web Vitals, accessibility, security, on-page SEO), understand realistic pricing and timelines, avoid red flags (no contract, theme bloat, no maintenance), and choose a partner with proven local results. This guide shows exactly what to look for, what it should cost, and how to launch faster—with better rankings and conversions. - [blog](https://www.thomasmckee.com/blog/) ## ## Team Member - [Iliena Brown](https://www.thomasmckee.com/team/iliena-brown/) - [Robert Aberson](https://www.thomasmckee.com/team/robert-aberson/) - [Michal Smart](https://www.thomasmckee.com/team/michal-smart/) - [Naidan Smith](https://www.thomasmckee.com/team/naidan-smith/) - [Jhon Martin](https://www.thomasmckee.com/team/jhon-martin/) ## Portfolio - [Protect your business](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-analysis/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Add a verifiable trust](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-devlopment/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Live traffic analysis](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-branding/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Access to security](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/cloud-devlopment/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Advanced Hosting](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-marketing/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Alerts with real-time](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-flexibility/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Find out what’s working](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/website-optimization/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Web Hosting Service](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/decision-making/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Friendliness Guarantee](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/data-processing/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Redundant Network](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/data-preparation/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available. - [Instant Scalability](https://www.thomasmckee.com/portfolio/data-collection/): Here are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available.