Evolution of Web Presence: JAKEJH and JJH DIGITAL

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A brief reflection on the strategic decision to split my merged website into separate personal portfolio and business sites, resulting in clearer branding and improved user experience.

The Merged Websites

For a period of time, I experimented with consolidating my personal and business web presence into a single site. This website—which served as both jakejh.com and jjhdigital.com—attempted to showcase my portfolio work while simultaneously functioning as the marketing hub for JJH Digital services.

While technically sound and aesthetically clean, the site presented an unexpected challenge: identity confusion. Visitors arrived with different expectations depending on which domain brought them there, and the merged content created a somewhat diluted experience for both audiences.

The Strategic Pivot

After evaluating user engagement and feedback, I made the strategic decision to separate these digital properties:

  • jakejh.com now serves as my personal portfolio and blog, where I share insights, project case studies, and professional growth
  • jjhdigital.com functions as a dedicated business site with clearer service offerings, marketing messaging, and client-focused content

This separation has created more focused experiences for both audiences—potential employers and collaborators visiting my personal site receive content relevant to their interests, while potential clients visiting the business site get a more tailored presentation of services and capabilities.

Lessons Learned

This experience reinforced a fundamental principle of web design: audience clarity drives effective communication. While consolidated sites can work in certain contexts, separate sites with distinct purposes often provide clearer user journeys and stronger branding.

The previous combined website remains a solid piece of work that effectively showcases my technical and design abilities. The decision to separate wasn't about quality but about strategic positioning and audience focus.

For digital professionals managing both personal brands and business entities, this experience highlights the importance of continuously evaluating how your web presence serves different audience needs—and being willing to evolve your approach when opportunities for improvement emerge.