Web design for Rochdale businesses, from a local web designer in Heywood

I build websites for small businesses: tradespeople, shops, clinics, clubs and owner-run firms who want a clear site that tells people what they do and makes it easy to get in touch. I’ll also help with the other techy bits that come with it, like business email and getting your details right on Google.

I’m honest about where I am. My base is Heywood, not Rochdale town centre. Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow form an urban area with Rochdale, and the council that covers all of them sits in Rochdale town centre. That keeps things simple: you get a straight answer from one person who knows the area. I work with businesses in Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton and Bury.

Rochdale is the biggest town in its borough, and the borough around it is made up of towns that sit close together: Heywood, Middleton, Littleborough and Milnrow. That shapes what a good local website looks like.

• Say where you work. A plumber based in Castleton might cover Heywood and Middleton too. A cafe in the town centre might pull people from Littleborough. Your site should name the places you serve in plain words, and your Google Business Profile should match.
• Make the next step obvious. Most people visiting a small business site on a phone want one thing: to call, message or book. The phone number and enquiry button should be easy to find on every page.
• Show your real details. Your address (if customers visit you), opening hours, what you do and what you do not do. A short, honest page beats a long vague one.
• Look like you. A site should feel like your business, not a template with your logo dropped in.
• Work on a phone. Most of your customers will see your site on a small screen first, so I design for that from the start.

Working in the trades? My free quote template may help too.

Depending on what you need, we can work together on:

• The page plan. Which pages you need, and what each one should answer.
• A responsive design built around your own words, photos and services, and designed to work on phones and desktops.
• Clear service information and contact routes, so a customer who is ready to enquire can do it in a moment.
• The practical details to publish the site, including your domain.
• Business email to match. A new site is a good time to move from a Gmail or Hotmail address to one with your business name. I can set it up alongside your site with Google Workspace.

The exact deliverables are agreed before the build starts, and a project only begins once scope, price, timings and payment terms are agreed in writing. The price depends on how many pages you need and what is on them. See the current starting prices on the web design page, or ask me on a call.

• 1. A free 30 minute call. Tell me about your business and what you want people to do on your site.
• 2. A written scope and price. You know what you are getting and what it costs before any work starts.
• 3. Design and build. I plan the pages, shape the service copy around your input, and build the site.
• 4. Review and publish. You check it on your phone and your computer, then it goes live.

What to have ready. You do not need everything figured out before getting in touch. These help me start: your logo and any brand colours, the services or products you want to feature, existing text and photos, and your domain details if you have a domain already.

Who I work with in Rochdale. Owner-run businesses in and around Rochdale: trades, shops, food and drink, health and wellbeing, hobby and sports clubs, and people starting up who need a proper site from day one. If you are not sure what you need, ring me and we will work it out in a short chat.

This part is dull but it protects you, and I’ll help you get it right.

• If you run a limited company, GOV.UK says your website must show the company’s registered number, its registered office address, where it is registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland), and that it is a limited company.
• If you collect people’s details through a contact form, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) says you must tell people who you are, how to contact you, why you use their details, your lawful basis, how long you keep the details, and what rights they have. A short note by the form and a privacy page cover it.
• Cookies: if your site uses anything beyond the basics, check the ICO’s guidance on cookies and similar technologies before you publish.

I’m a web designer, not a solicitor, so for anything specific to your business, check with GOV.UK, the ICO or your own adviser.

I’ve built three live sites: this one, The Dog Geezer and JG Fitness. They are my own businesses, not client results, so you can look at the work and judge the design for yourself. Browse them on the projects page, or see all services.

Are you based in Rochdale? No. I’m based in Heywood, which is in the same borough as Rochdale. I work with businesses in Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton and Bury.

Do I have to meet you in person? No. Most of it can be done by phone and email, so you don’t have to travel anywhere.

How much does a website cost? It depends on the size of the site. The price is agreed before any work starts, and you can see the starting prices on the web design page.

Will it work on mobile phones? Yes. Phone screens are part of the design from the start, so pages and enquiry buttons are built to work on a small screen as well as a desktop.

Can you set up business email too? Yes. I can set up email with your business name on it using Google Workspace, connect your domain and get it working on your phone and computer.

Can I see websites you’ve built? Yes. Three live sites are on my projects page. They are my own businesses.

Do I own my website? Ask me this on the call and I’ll put the answer in writing with the scope and price. Ownership and your domain should be clear before anything is built. Whoever you choose, ask them the same question.

Stuck on something techy first? Send me one techy thing that’s bugging you and I’ll sort it free. Tell me what it is.