Steve Blackmore - freelance web designer, Caterham, Surrey
20 years in digital - from in-house SEO at national retailers to running my own businesses. Now I build fast, hand-coded websites for trade businesses and small companies across Surrey and the UK.
20 years of digital, applied to your business
I started out in content and SEO doing digital marketing for eBay sellers - back when Google's algorithm was simpler and getting ranked meant writing decent copy and earning links that made sense. That grounding in how search engines think has stayed with me through everything that followed.
From there I moved into in-house roles. SEO and content at Anderton's Music in Guildford, then web and digital at a series of established online retailers: Snow & Rock, Cotswold Outdoor, and Nestlé Nescafé Dolce Gusto. Working inside large e-commerce operations taught me how the commercial side of the web actually functions - conversion rates, acquisition cost, what a ranking position is actually worth to a business's bottom line, and how technical decisions upstream affect revenue downstream.
I also spent time at a web agency in Brighton, working across a varied mix of clients from small local businesses up to larger regional accounts. It gave me a clear view of how agencies operate at different scales - how projects are scoped, where budgets go, and the gap between what clients are sold and what they actually need. That perspective has been useful ever since.
Later I ran my own businesses in the vehicle wrap and signage industry. That chapter was the most instructive of all - not because of the technical skills it added, but because it put me on the other side of the table. I was the small business owner trying to get found online, dealing with agencies who overpromised and underdelivered, paying for websites that looked fine but brought in nothing. Every site I build now is shaped by that experience.
Alongside the web work, I've developed a thorough understanding of Google Business Profiles and local SEO - the side of digital that most web designers ignore entirely. A well-optimised GBP listing, a steady stream of genuine customer reviews, and a strategy for responding to and managing those reviews can drive as much enquiry as a website for a trade business. I handle the full picture: setting up and optimising profiles, building review acquisition processes that actually get responses, and managing ongoing reputation across Google and other platforms.
I now work independently from Caterham, Surrey, building websites and handling digital for small businesses across the UK. I cover Surrey, West Sussex, South London, and clients nationwide. No account managers, no juniors, no handoffs. You deal with me from the first conversation to the finished site - and afterwards through a WordPress care plan when something needs changing.
Where the 20 years came from
Content & SEO - eBay sellers
Started in digital marketing doing content and SEO for online sellers. Learned the fundamentals of search - how rankings work, how content drives traffic, and how to write copy that converts.
Anderton's Music, Guildford
SEO and content at one of the UK's leading music retailers. Developed structured SEO processes for large product catalogues and built content strategies around commercial intent keywords.
Web agency, Brighton
Worked across a varied client base at a Brighton web agency - from small local businesses to larger regional and national accounts. Gained hands-on experience across the full build process: scoping, design, development, and launch, as well as seeing first-hand how agencies operate at different client levels.
Snow & Rock / Cotswold Outdoor
Web and digital roles at established outdoor and sports retailers. Large e-commerce operations with serious traffic and conversion requirements - where performance really matters to revenue.
Nestlé Nescafé Dolce Gusto
In-house digital at Nestlé's Nescafé Dolce Gusto brand - a high-volume e-commerce and subscription operation. Enterprise-scale web, CRM, and digital marketing at a globally recognised FMCG brand.
Wrap & sign businesses
Ran my own businesses in the vehicle wrap and signage trade. Learned what small businesses actually need from a website - and the hard lessons about agencies that oversell and underdeliver.
The businesses I build for
Trade businesses
Landscapers, builders, roofers, signage companies, vehicle wrap specialists. Businesses that win work through local search and word of mouth - and need a website that supports both. Fast, direct, built to generate enquiries.
Small e-commerce
Independent online retailers who are tired of slow Shopify themes and WooCommerce installs buried under plugins. I've worked inside large e-commerce operations and know what performance actually costs you in lost sales.
Professionals & consultants
Solicitors, accountants, therapists, consultants - anyone who needs a credible, fast, well-ranked presence online without the budget or inclination to deal with a full-service agency. Clear scope, fixed price, no surprises.
What you get that an agency can't give you
I spent time working in a web agency. I understand how they operate - how projects are staffed, where the margin goes, and what happens to your account once the initial enthusiasm wears off. It's not cynical to say that most small businesses are not well served by agencies. The economics don't stack up.
An agency needs to spread its senior talent across many accounts. Your project gets scoped by someone experienced, built by someone junior, and managed by someone whose job is to keep you from complaining. By the time your site launches, the person who understood your brief may have moved on entirely.
Working with me is different. I scope, design, build, launch, and maintain every site myself. I don't subcontract the parts I find less interesting. I don't hand you off to an account manager after sign-off. If you email me on a Tuesday afternoon about something that needs fixing, I'll deal with it - not log it as a support ticket.
That's not a pitch. It's just an honest description of how I work, and why clients who've used agencies before tend to prefer it.
Principles, not promises
Speed first
A slow website costs you customers and rankings. Every site I build targets 95+ on Google Lighthouse from day one - not as a bonus, as a baseline.
No lock-in
No page builder subscriptions, no proprietary platforms you can't leave. You own the code. If you ever want to move on, everything comes with you. On Wix or Squarespace and not ranking? Read this.
One person
I build your site, know how it works, and answer when something needs changing. No account managers, no handoffs, no junior contractors.
From conversation to live site
- Brief
Every project starts with a proper brief. I need to understand your business, your customers, and what a successful website looks like for you before I write a single line of code.
- Audit
If you have an existing site, I audit it. Lighthouse scores, Core Web Vitals, SEO signals, mobile performance. This tells us exactly where the problems are before we fix anything.
- Build
Clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - hand-written, not generated by a page builder. Static sites or content-managed, the approach is the same: no bloat, no unnecessary dependencies, built to perform.
- Launch
Domain setup, SSL, sitemap, Google Search Console submission. I handle the technical side of going live so your new site is indexed and performing from the moment it goes public.
- Maintain
Ongoing managed hosting includes daily backups, CMS and plugin updates, uptime monitoring, and monthly performance reports. Your site stays fast and secure after launch, not just on day one.
What I work with
Web
- HTML / CSS / JavaScript
- Static site frameworks
- CMS (custom themes)
- PHP
- Flask & Python
Performance
- Google Lighthouse
- Core Web Vitals
- Nginx / Redis caching
- CDN configuration
- Image optimisation
Infrastructure
- Linux server admin
- VPS setup & hardening
- Cloudflare
- PostgreSQL
- Git & CI/CD
SEO & Local
- Local SEO
- Google Business Profile
- Review acquisition & management
- Structured data (Schema.org)
- Google Search Console
- Technical SEO audits
- On-page optimisation
Things people ask before getting in touch
Do you only work with businesses in Surrey?
No - I work with clients across the UK. Everything is handled remotely, so location rarely matters. Initial consultations, project discussions, and ongoing communication all happen by phone, email, or video call.
How do I know you're the right person for my project?
The honest answer is that I'm not right for every project. If you need a large team, complex custom software, or a full-service agency relationship, I'm not the right fit. If you want a fast, well-built website from someone who understands both the technical and commercial sides - and who will deal with you directly throughout - then we're probably a good match. The free initial consultation is there exactly to figure that out.
What's your background in SEO?
SEO has been part of my work for 20 years - starting with content and link building for e-commerce sellers, through in-house roles at Anderton's Music, Snow & Rock, Cotswold Outdoor, and Nestlé Nescafé Dolce Gusto. I've done keyword research, technical audits, content strategies, and site migrations at scale. These days I focus on technical SEO and on-page fundamentals - the parts of SEO that a well-built website should handle from day one.
Can you take over a site someone else built?
Yes. I regularly inherit sites built on various platforms and CMSs. I'll start with a full audit before touching anything - Lighthouse scores, Core Web Vitals, security, bloat, SEO signals. That tells us what we're working with and what the realistic options are.
Do you offer ongoing support after launch?
Yes - managed hosting through a WordPress care plan includes CMS and plugin updates, daily backups, uptime monitoring, and monthly performance reports. For static sites I offer a maintenance retainer covering content updates, performance monitoring, and priority support. Details are on the pricing page.
Do you manage Google Business Profiles?
Yes - and it's something I know thoroughly. A properly optimised Google Business Profile is often the highest-return thing a trade business can invest time in. I handle the full setup and optimisation, build review acquisition systems that get real customers leaving real reviews, write response templates and manage ongoing replies, and keep the profile active with posts, photos, and updated information. Most businesses set up a GBP once and never touch it again - which is exactly what their competitors are counting on.
What areas do you cover for local SEO work?
Primarily Surrey and West Sussex - Caterham, Redhill, Reigate, Croydon, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Horsham, Guildford, Dorking, and surrounding towns. I also work with clients further afield on technical SEO and web builds where location isn't a factor.
Got a project in mind?
Free initial consultation. I'll take a look at what you need and come back with a clear scope and fixed price.