Headlines that carry the page
Large, confident display type with a real point of view, set like a magazine cover rather than a banner.
Editorial website design that reads like a magazine and works like a brand.
Some businesses are bought on their point of view: how they think, write and see. We design editorial websites where type, images and story carry the brand, and every page still leads to an enquiry, at a fixed price agreed before we start.
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People don't remember features. They remember how a brand made its case.
An editorial site treats each page like a spread: a strong headline, a considered image and words worth reading. It suits brands whose work is hard to reduce to a list of services, and it turns the site from a brochure into a reason to get in touch.
What makes a website editorial
Each part below is there because it changes how much of the story a visitor takes in.
Layouts with rhythm
Varied spreads, pull quotes and image sequences, so long pages stay interesting to the end.
Type as the brand
A display face, a reading face and a clear hierarchy, so the brand is recognisable even without the logo.
Stories, not service lists
Case studies written as stories: the situation, the thinking and the result.
A journal that builds authority
A place for essays and notes that search engines and AI assistants can find and quote.
An enquiry that follows the story
A short form at the end of every story, while the reader is still interested.
- Copywriting
- Rebuild
A brand we did this for: Gary Does Copy
A copywriter who is genuinely one of a kind, with an outdated site that made him look like everyone else. The site had to work as a CV, a portfolio and a demonstration of the way his mind works, all at once.
A copywriter’s site that sounded like everyone
For a copywriter, the website is the work sample. A generic site does not just fail to sell, it actively contradicts the pitch, because a writer whose own site sounds like everyone else’s has already answered the only question that matters.
Gary’s personality is the product: playful, sharp, unmistakably his. The previous site flattened all of it into a services page, which is the one thing a personal brand cannot survive.
The site as an extension of the man
Build the site as an extension of the man rather than a container for his work. Let the writing lead everywhere, with the design creating room for the voice instead of competing with it.
Structurally it works as a CV with a pulse, who he is, what he does, what he has made, how to hire him, but every section written and designed so the personality is doing the persuading.
Six decisions that shaped the build, each made for a reason rather than an aesthetic.
- Voice leads everywhereThe writing does the selling on every page, with the design creating space for it rather than competing for attention.
- Playful without being tweePersonality expressed through wit and unexpected detail, held together by a structure serious enough to be hired from.
- A CV with a pulseWho he is, what he does, what he has made and how to hire him, the usual structure, none of the usual flatness.
- Work as evidenceProjects presented so a prospective client can see the range of voices he can write in, not just the one he uses for himself.
What changed afterwards
- Sounds like himThe site is now a work sample rather than a contradiction of the pitch
- DistinctNothing on it could be lifted onto a competitor site
- 4 weeksFrom kick-off to live, including the full redesign
- Self-runNew work and writing published without a developer
“Mikkel literally answered the call when I put out a post around building a website. There was no way I was going to achieve what was in my mind's eye on my own. He showed up and delivered beyond all expectations.”
Gary L.Gary Does CopyDoes your site tell your story as well as you do? Start with a free audit.
See what the audit checksEditorial website design, priced up front
Two fixed-price projects to get the site right and two monthly partnerships to keep it working. Most clients start with one project, then add one partnership.
Rebuild
We find the story behind the business, then write, design and build the site around it, page by page.
- 8 to 16 weeks typical
- Rankings protected
- Any platform
From$9,500
- Discovery: your buyer, competitors and search demand
- Positioning and message agreed before design
- Copy written for every page
- Custom design, built from a blank canvas
- Dedicated mobile layout
- Full migration with rankings protected
- Structured so AI answers can cite you
- Training walkthrough and 30 days of support
Launch
We build your new site from a settled design and content, with editorial layouts set properly on every device, and move everything across without losing rankings.
- 4 to 8 weeks typical
- Fixed price
- No downtime
From$5,000
- Structure and sitemap agreed before build
- Your design built custom in Squarespace
- A separate layout built for phones
- Existing content moved across by hand
- Every URL redirected so rankings hold
- CRM, booking and marketing tools connected
- Cross-browser and cross-device QA
- Training walkthrough and 30 days of support
Grow
Each month we add journal pages and essays for the questions your clients ask, written in your voice.
- Quarterly builds
- Always on
- Judged on enquiries
From$2,000/mo
- A content plan built on real commercial demand
- Pages published every month, written by us
- Existing pages improved as well as new ones added
- Technical health watched continuously
- Structured and marked up to be quotable by AI
- Authority built deliberately, month over month
- Reports built around enquiries
- Quarterly reset on what is actually working
Maintain
Send us new stories, projects and changes and we publish them within 48 hours, set as carefully as the rest.
- A standing weekly slot
- 48-hour turnaround
- No contract
From$1,500/mo
- Send a change however suits you and it gets done
- A standing weekly slot for your site
- We work in your channels, not a ticket queue
- Problems caught before you notice them
- New sections and campaign pages on request
- Uptime, speed and integrations watched
- Quarterly review of what is losing you enquiries
- A real person, replying within 48 hours
Grow and Maintain can run together after any project, with 10% off the combined fee. Not sure which you need?
How your editorial website gets built
Four stages, in the same order every time. How long each takes depends on the size of the site, and you get the timeline in writing before anything starts.
Discovery
One call and a short form. What you believe, what clients remember about working with you, and the stories that prove it.
Copy first
We write your homepage copy first and show it on a mockup, then every other page. You see the words in place before we design.
Design and build
Designed custom from a blank canvas, desktop and mobile, with type, image sequences and long-form layouts set for your brand. SEO, schema and analytics are wired in as we go.
Launch and handover
Every URL redirected so existing rankings hold, then training, 30 days of support, and full ownership in your name.
3 to 4 hours That is all the time it takes from you: a discovery call, a copy review and a site review. Gathering content and images is usually the longest part, and it can run in parallel.
Rated 5.0 by every client we've built for
Real reviews from real clients, with their names and their websites attached.
Read all reviews“He’s a businessman himself who made it a point to understand my business. If you can articulate it, he can make it. He is perhaps the clearest communicator of any web designer I have ever worked with.”
Reed B.YGT Management“He has a rare combination of design artistry, technical depth, and human intuition that makes a brand feel alive.”
Brett L.Ajarro“He listened carefully, asked the right questions, and consistently delivered work that captured exactly what I was hoping for.”
Duncan M.Not Just Another Shark“He offered clarity and a path forward at a time of uncertainty, and he turned my website into something that truly represents my vision.”
Charli T.EduVentura“Mikkel truly went above and beyond in creating a great website for me. Will definitely recommend to others in the future.”
Michael K.Stratamaki Studio
Have a question about your brand's site first?
Safe to switch, easy to run, yours to keep
Rankings held
Every URL is mapped and 301-redirected before launch, and rankings are measured either side so anything bringing in enquiries keeps working.
Updated in-house
Journal posts, case stories and pages are all editable in-house, with a recorded walkthrough of your own site.
Yours outright
The domain, the website account and every piece of content are in your name from day one, with no agency lock-in.
Guides on editorial websites
All guidesQuestions about editorial websites
Straight answers before you book anything.
Still have a question?Ask us directly, or talk it through with us on a free 15-minute call.
What is an editorial website?
One designed like a good magazine: strong headlines, considered images, varied layouts and words worth reading. It sells by making the brand's case rather than listing services, which suits businesses bought on their thinking or taste.
Will we lose our current search rankings?
No. Every URL is mapped and 301-redirected before launch, and rankings are measured either side so anything bringing in enquiries keeps working. Some movement in the first two weeks is normal while Google recrawls the site, and a lasting drop only happens when a migration is not mapped.
What will our brand's site be built on?
Squarespace, on Launch and Rebuild. We build only on Squarespace, so we know it inside out: the design is custom, the site ships in weeks, and your team can change text and add pages without paying a developer. Hosting and security are handled.
Do we need a lot of content for an editorial site?
Less than you might think, but it has to be good. A homepage, a handful of strong case stories and a few essays are enough to start. We write them with you, and Grow can add more each month.
Will long pages put people off?
Not when they are designed for reading. Clear hierarchy, short paragraphs, pull quotes and images break long pages into a rhythm. Visitors who want the detail read it, and those who don't can find the next step at any point.
Does an editorial design help with search?
It helps with the kind of search that brings considered buyers. Essays and case stories answer real questions in depth, and with proper structure and structured data, search engines and AI assistants can find and quote them.
Who writes the content, and can we review it?
We write every page and share it for your review before design begins. On an editorial site the words are the design, so this stage gets the most attention. You can correct anything at document stage, and nothing goes live without your approval.
Can we add pages without a developer?
Yes. Journal posts, case stories and pages are all editable in-house, with a recorded walkthrough of your own site. If nobody has time, Maintain handles every change within 48 hours.
How much of our time will this take?
Three to four hours: a discovery call, a copy review and a site review. Gathering photography is usually the longest part, and it can run in parallel. Reviews are scheduled around your busiest periods, so nothing needs your attention when you are stretched.
What does it cost, and who owns the site?
Projects start from $5,000, with the exact figure set by page count, functionality and whether existing content is being migrated. You get a fixed number in writing before anything begins, no hourly billing and no scope surprises. You own the result outright: the domain, the website account and every piece of content are in your name from day one, with no agency lock-in. Full detail on the pricing page.
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