Hi, I’m Shannon.
Squarespace Website Designer in Essex (UK)
I build websites that help independent businesses come across as well online as they do in real life. Whether you don’t have a website yet or you’ve outgrown the one you’ve got, I’ll design one that looks the part and can grow with your business.
Stuck on WordPress? Don’t worry, I’ll move you to a platform you can look after yourself.
"Shannon is a unicorn. She's got a designer's eye, a marketer's brain and she's super organised. Always two steps ahead." 🦄 Tamara Sword, Founder, ThoughtLDR | ★★★★★ Rated 5.0 on Google | Finalist, Best Creative StartUp, UK StartUp Awards
TRUSTED BY:
Your current website is holding you back, isn’t it?
Perhaps you built it yourself. Maybe you went for the cheapest option you could find years ago, or paid an agency and now pay them every time you want to change something. Either way:
• Your current website is outdated and no longer reflects your brand
• It undersells the experience people get they choose you, so anyone looking you up might not bother
• You dread logging into its confusing backend just to update it (I'm especially looking at you, WordPress!)
• It’s “there” but not really doing anything for you, other than gathering virtual cobwebs
• Deep down, you feel ashamed whenever you direct your audience to it
First of all: we've all got to start somewhere! But your website is often the first time someone meets your business, and people form a first impression of a website in around 0.05 seconds (yes, you read that correctly).
So whether you’re replacing an old website or starting from scratch, it should be your digital home: a place for people to fall in love with what you’ve built before they’ve experienced the real thing.
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"I have worked with Shannon for over 6 years, right from my initial web design to my brand new website and rebrand. Shannon understands my business and the way to market and position it to give me the strongest chance of success. Since working together, I have been approached by a journalist to contribute to an article for Stylist magazine, and my dream clients have started finding me. I can't recommend her highly enough."
Barbara Ayisi, makeup & hair artist (Bromley, Kent)
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"The new website is an absolute thing of beauty. Since launch, the site has helped reposition our brand. We're attracting more advertisers through the website itself, strengthening our partnerships, and building our email list properly. It's given us the foundations to explore expansion beyond Essex into neighbouring counties.
Shannon doesn't just design websites; she thinks commercially. I'm genuinely proud to share the site everywhere. I'd recommend Shannon to any business looking for a website that actually moves them forward."
Graham, Editor, Over the Edge Magazine (Chelmsford, Essex)
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"Shannon helped me develop a more functional website and got it appearing on search engines. My client base has grown thanks to the work she's done for my skin clinic in Colchester.”
Carla Pooran, SkinRenewal (Colchester, Essex)
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"The best and smoothest experience changing something that may seem daunting. I’m absolutely loving the new website. It looks really amazing - really professional. Enquiries have been really consistent. Couldn't recommend Shannon enough!"
Jonathan Day, Managing Director, Villiers Barn (Thorpe le Soken, Essex)
Custom Squarespace website design & development
Every website I build is a one-off investment, usually between £2,500 and £5,000, but can be more for bigger projects*. Here’s how it works:
1. A discovery chat
Usually over a cup of tea or coffee, we’ll talk about where your business is heading and who you want to reach. If you’ve already got a website, we’ll go through what’s working and what’s holding it back. This chat is part of every project, never an extra.
2. Strategy and planning
This is where my marketing background comes in (I was previously Assistant Director of Marketing and Operations at ThoughtLDR). Before anything is designed, I’ll work out how your business should come across and what your customers need to hear. Then I’ll map out the pages you need. You’ll get a clear plan showing what goes where and what each page should say.
3. Your website content
Using the plan, you’ll gather everything your website needs: your branding, photos, videos and testimonials. You can write the copy yourself, and I’m happy to edit it. Or if you’d rather, I’ll write it for you (priced into your quote).
4. Design and build
This is where it all comes to life. I’ll design your website around your content and branding, making sure it works just as well on a phone as it does on a laptop. I’ll also set up the basics Google needs to find you.
5. Launch and handover
Before anything goes live, you’ll see your whole website and we’ll make any changes together. It only goes live once you’re happy and you’ve signed it off.
Then it’s launch day. If you’re moving from WordPress, I’ll handle the move, redirecting your old links so nothing breaks and you don’t lose what you’ve built on Google. I’ll show you how to look after your new website yourself, and give you a few simple next steps so it keeps working for you long after launch.
After launch, it’s in your hands. Prefer to leave it to me? From planning your blog to adding new pages, I’m here whenever you need me, charged by the hour. Your only ongoing cost is your Squarespace subscription (and your domain, if you bought it separately).
*The cost depends on the size of your project. Only need part of it? Whether it's the website strategy, a design you'll build yourself, a build from a design you already have, or improving a website that already has good bones, I'll quote for just what you need.
"I'm absolutely over the moon with my website designed by Shannon. If you're thinking of getting one made, go for it. It's one of the best decisions and investments you'll make.” Mollie, Founder, The Hair Hut
Not ready to work together yet?
High Flying Design is the online magazine I founded and edit, full of real founder stories and practical advice for building a business in the UK. Think of it as a roadmap you can follow at your own pace. It’s free to read, and it’s ranked #7 in FeedSpot’s Top 50 Women’s Magazines, alongside Cosmopolitan and Glamour UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Not always. If your website has good bones, I can improve what you’ve already got so it looks more professional and feels more like you. If it’s holding you back more than it’s helping, I’ll tell you, and we can talk about starting fresh.
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Yes. If you’d like to build your website yourself, I can do the discovery and planning on their own, so you’ve got a clear plan of what goes where and what each page should say. Get in touch and I’ll quote for just what you need.
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I’ll set up the basics Google needs to find you, from page titles to descriptions, and if you’re moving from another platform, I’ll redirect your old links so you don’t lose what you’ve built. Nobody can promise you the top spot, but a well-planned website gives you the best start.
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Yes, of course. Once your website’s live, the next step is giving people a reason to keep coming back, and a blog is the easiest place to start. I can help you plan your blog content, so you always know what to write next, and edit your posts before they go out. New pages and other updates are charged by the hour.
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Of course. I’ve built websites for businesses outside the UK, and we can do everything over video calls instead of a cup of tea / coffee.
Shannon Kate Murray
Shannon Kate Murray is a Squarespace website designer based on Essex's sunshine coast, building digital homes for independent businesses.
She studied Fashion Journalism at the University for the Creative Arts, graduating with a first, then spent most of her twenties working in marketing, PR and communications, rising to Assistant Director of Marketing and Operations at ThoughtLDR. She started designing websites for small businesses in 2020, and some of those first clients still work with her today. In 2023, she was a finalist for Best Creative StartUp in the UK StartUp Awards.
Shannon is also the founder and editor of High Flying Design, the online magazine for female founders. She appears in Blatella Films' 2026 documentary redefining the Essex Girl stereotype, and donates to Kurandza, which works with women in Mozambique through education and business grants.
Don’t like forms? You can reach Shannon via email at hello@highflyingdesign.com.