Hi there! I’m Sangeetha—a web designer, developer, and SEO specialist based in Trivandrum. I’ve spent the past 15 years crafting websites that not only look great but perform brilliantly. But like most journeys, mine wasn’t a straight line—it was a winding path shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a whole lot of Googling. It began with animation dreams, detoured through design experiments, and eventually led me to the world of WordPress and SEO.
This blog is where I share the lessons, mistakes, and wins from building websites across industries and platforms. If you’ve ever struggled with SEO, WordPress customization, or unexpected website issues, this space is for you. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your workflow, I hope my experiences help you build better, smarter, and more meaningful websites.
From Animation Dreams to Web Realities
While pursuing my BCA degree, I also completed a one-year certificate course in animation and web development. At that time, my dream was clear — I wanted to become an animator.
The course was intensive and covered a wide range of tools and disciplines:
- Graphic Design: Illustrator, Photoshop
- Web Design & Development: HTML, CSS, Dreamweaver
- 2D & 3D Animation: Flash, Maya
- Video & VFX: Premiere, After Effects, Combustion
I worked hard during that phase, believing animation would be my long-term career. But life had other plans. Through my cousin, I was introduced to a company that needed a designer urgently—and I joined. That decision marked the beginning of my professional journey in web design.
My Early Days as a Designer
My initial responsibilities were a mix of creative and technical tasks. I worked on updating static websites and designed brochures, flyers, business cards, greeting cards, and small animations. I also created banners and visuals for various marketing needs.
Over time, my role expanded. I began designing newsletters, PPC landing pages, social media creatives, and trade show stall designs. Somewhere along the way, I realized I was naturally drawn more toward the web side of things than animation.
That shift wasn’t immediate or planned — it happened gradually, through hands-on work and curiosity.
My First Website & Lifelong Clients
My first real website project came through my uncle, who recommended me and my cousin to his friend — a respected musician in Trivandrum. That opportunity led to the creation of a website for Brehath Sangeetha Kendram, a classical music institution founded by Dr. Pushpa Krishnan, a renowned vocalist and former Professor at Trivandrum’s prestigious music college.
Later, Dr. Pushpa needed a personal website to showcase her musical journey, and we had the privilege of building PushpaKrishnan.com for her as well. Sixteen years later, they’re still our happy clients—a testament to the trust and relationships that have shaped my career.
That first project opened the door to freelance work. We began earning alongside our studies, building websites for small businesses, artists, and educators. It was rewarding — both financially and creatively. My cousin eventually branched out and founded her own digital marketing agency, Octadiz, while I continued to grow within the company and expand my skill set.
Takeaway: Strong client relationships last longer than any technology trend—and they’ve been the backbone of my journey.
From Tables to Themes: My Technical Evolution
My technical journey began with building HTML websites using table-based layouts, which was standard practice at the time. As web standards evolved, I transitioned to div-based layouts, CSS3, JavaScript, and jQuery.
Before responsive design became mainstream, we even built separate mobile websites. Later came Bootstrap, and I started creating layouts that worked seamlessly across devices.
Over time, I moved into custom theme development, premium theme customization, and plugin configuration—often through trial and error. I learned to troubleshoot server issues, work with VPS setups, and fine-tune performance across different hosting environments. Every mistake became a lesson, and every fix made me stronger.
Gradually, I moved into:
- Custom theme development
- Premium theme customization
- Plugin configuration
- Server troubleshooting
- VPS environments and performance optimization
Most of this learning happened through trial, error, and persistence. Every mistake became a lesson, and every fix boosted my confidence.
Learning by Doing (and Googling)
I didn’t have a senior developer guiding me during my early years. Everything I learned came from self-exploration. Google became my mentor, and that habit of self-learning turned into one of my biggest strengths.
As I transitioned from design tasks into full-fledged web development, I began building HTML websites and integrating WordPress blog sections. Before diving deep into WordPress, I even got hands-on experience with Joomla—creating themes and customizing layouts. Each new challenge pushed me to explore, experiment, and grow.
My work started gaining attention. Clients loved the results, and I was entrusted with redesigns, new builds, and even trade show banners and posters. It was a mix of creativity, technical problem-solving, and constant evolution.
SEO, WordPress, and the Power of Purposeful Design
Working in an SEO-focused company changed how I approached web design. Every page I worked on needed to be fast, structured, and search-friendly.
Before page builders became common, I built custom WordPress themes from scratch, using HTML, CSS, and PHP. Those early days taught me the importance of clean structure, semantic markup, and performance-first thinking. When something broke, I had to understand why — there was no shortcut.
As WordPress evolved, so did my workflow. I began working with different page builders as they emerged. I started with SiteOrigin Page Builder, at a time when free options were limited. Later, I worked with WP Page Builder, Visual Composer / WPBakery, and Elementor, adapting my approach based on project needs and client expectations.
Each tool had its strengths and limitations. More importantly, working across different builders helped me understand that tools will change, but strong fundamentals — structure, usability, performance, and SEO — always matter.
About three years ago, we adopted Divi as our primary builder. It allowed me to reduce plugin dependency and build custom layouts efficiently, while still maintaining control over performance and structure.
Today, my focus includes:
- Page speed optimization
- Image compression and lazy loading
- On-page and technical SEO
- Creating intuitive navigation and clear CTAs
- Designing with flow, clarity, and conversion in mind
When a client genuinely loves a layout I’ve crafted — knowing it also performs well — it’s the most satisfying part of my work.
Challenges That Shaped Me
One of the toughest challenges I’ve faced was recovering a WordPress site from a pharma hack. Back then, security plugins were limited, and we had to manually scan and clean infected files. It took months to fully restore the site and regain its rankings. We even had a dedicated virus removal machine!
Even more challenging was URL hijacking — malicious URLs appearing in Google’s index, replacing genuine pages. Every cleanup was followed by new infections. It took months of persistence, cleanup, and re-indexing to reclaim our rankings.
Those experiences taught me the importance of vigilance, structured recovery workflows, and proactive security.
Mentoring & Growth
Over the years, I’ve mentored several juniors who joined as trainees and worked under me. Watching them grow and move on to better roles in other companies has been incredibly fulfilling. I believe in sharing knowledge, encouraging curiosity, and helping others find their own path.
Although I didn’t have a senior WordPress developer early on, I’ve been fortunate to learn from experienced mentors in my current company — especially in SEO. Their guidance helped refine my strategic thinking and deepen my technical understanding.
Why I’m Starting This Blog
This blog is my way of sharing what I’ve learned — from design principles and SEO strategies to plugin recommendations and real troubleshooting experiences.
Whether you’re a student building your first site, a designer transitioning into SEO, or someone facing WordPress challenges, I hope you’ll find something useful here.
Thanks for stopping by — and stay tuned for more insights from behind the screen.
