design
Most small business websites look borrowed. A template here, a stock photo there, a logo awkwardly dropped into a header that was built for someone else's business. Your customers notice — even if they can't say why. We design websites from scratch, around your actual business and your actual customers. No page builders. No recycled themes. Just a site that earns trust the moment someone lands on
the honest truth
Here's something a lot of web designers won't say out loud: good design isn't about how your site looks. It's about what your site does.
Does it convince a stranger in thirty seconds that you're the right choice? Does it make them pick up the phone, fill out the form, book the appointment? Does it answer the questions they're actually asking — before they give up and click on your competitor?
That's the bar. Everything else is decoration.
When we design a site for a Cincinnati small business, we start with one question: what does this person need to believe before they'll take action? The design, the copy, the page structure — all of it works backward from that answer.
what you actually get
"Custom website" is one of the most abused phrases in the industry. It usually means: we picked a premium theme, swapped out the colors, and handed you a login. Ours means something different.
Every layout we design starts with a blank canvas and a real conversation about what you do, who you serve, and what action you want visitors to take. We look at your competitors. We look at your best customers. Then we build something that fits.
No Red Cedar client has ever looked at another Red Cedar client's site and said "wait, that looks exactly like mine." That's by design.
More than 60% of local service searches happen on a phone. If your site loads slow, looks cluttered on a small screen, or buries your phone number three scrolls down — you're losing jobs before you even know someone found you.
Every site we build is designed on mobile first, then scaled up. Not the other way around.
Design without words is just colors and shapes. We don't hand you a wireframe with "lorem ipsum" and tell you to figure out the writing — we help you get the copy right, too. Clear headlines. Benefit-driven service descriptions. A voice that sounds like you, not a corporate brochure.
If you already have copy you love, we'll work with it. If you're starting from scratch, we've got you.
Websites go stale. What looked fresh in 2022 looks dated in 2025. Most agencies charge you again when that happens. We don't.
Every Red Cedar client gets a full design refresh every 24 months, included in their plan. Same team, same attention, new look. You'll never be stuck with something embarrassing just because you can't afford to redo it.
how it works
We know handing off your website feels like a lot of trust to extend. So we keep the whole process visible, straightforward, and free of surprises.
{ Week 1–2 }
We start with a kick-off call, not a questionnaire. We want to hear how you describe what you do, who your best customers are, and what's working (or not) with your current site. We look at your competitors, your reviews, and your market. Then we ask the questions that most agencies skip.
{ Week 2–3 }
Before we open a design tool, we map out the page structure: what goes where, what story the site tells, what actions we're guiding visitors toward. You see this as a simple outline and approve it before we proceed. No surprises downstream.
{ Week 3–5 }
We present a full visual mockup of your homepage first. You see exactly how the site will look — colors, fonts, photos, layout — before we write a single line of code. Two rounds of revisions are included. If you want something different, we want to know.
{ Week 5–7 }
Once you approve the design, we build it in WordPress on a staging environment. We handle the hosting setup, SSL certificate, speed optimization, and mobile testing. You get a link to review the live staging site. You click around, request any changes, and we finalize.
{ Week 7–8 }
We migrate your domain, run a full pre-launch checklist (broken links, form tests, load speed, cross-browser), and flip the switch. Then we brief you on how to make simple updates yourself — or you just text us and we handle it. Either way, we're not going anywhere.
what's in the box
Some agencies charge a flat fee to design your site, then bill you separately for copywriting, stock photos, mobile optimization, SEO setup, and the plugin that makes your contact form work. By the time you're done, you've paid double what you expected. Here's what's included in every design engagement at Red Cedar:
