How much should a full website design cost?

A good church website should include service times, location details, upcoming events, online giving options, sermon recordings, and clear visitor information. It should also be mobile-friendly and easy for staff or volunteers to update.

How much does it cost to pay someone to design a website?

A professional web designer will charge around £2500 for a bespoke professional website.

How much is a professional website?

A basic website would be around £500-£2000. For a custom web design, with more strategy, it would be around £2500. Larger websites with more pages and features would be around £5000. A more advanced website with custom integrations range from £7500 upwards.

Is it cheaper to build a website myself?

A simple website can cost as little as £15 per month if you're creating it yourself, but more complex sites or sites involving the help of an expert designer can cost more than £10,000 in total.

Is it better to hire a freelancer or agency?

Freelancers or small studios typically offer more competitive rates compared to large agencies, reflecting the lower overhead costs of small operations. This can be a cost-effective option for clients looking for specialised services without the need for a full team.

What is the 3 second rule in web design?

Your website has three seconds to grab a visitor's attention before they decide to stay or leave. In those first 3 seconds, design, messaging, speed, and usability all play a role. If visitors don't get answers straight away, they often click away.

Optimisation

Why can’t my customers find me on Google? (and how to fix it)

You’ve built a website, posted a few updates, and told friends about your business, but when customers search for you on Google, nothing shows up

Glenn Drain

•

Nov 13, 2025

The good news is that most causes are fixable. Below, we'll look at the most common reasons customers can’t find your business on Google, what they mean, and practical fixes you (or we at Made For Web) can implement straight away.

Quick summary

If customers can’t find you on Google it’s usually because of one or more of these problems:

Your site isn’t optimised for the keywords people actually search for (search intent).
You haven’t claimed or optimised your Google Business Profile (local searches miss you).
Your content is thin, outdated, or not written for real users.
Your website is slow, confusing, or not mobile-friendly.
Technical issues prevent Google from crawling or indexing your pages.

Let's take a closer look.

SEO isn’t automatic — Google needs signals (and patience)

Google doesn’t magically know how to rank your site. To appear for relevant searches you need to give Google clear signals: relevant content, structured pages, links (authority), and a good user experience. These signals help Google decide who to show your site to and when.

What to do: start by making sure your main pages clearly explain what you do, who you serve, and where you’re located — with language your customers actually use (not internal jargon).

You’re not using the right keywords — match search intent

Many businesses write for themselves, not their customers. The result: you rank, but for the wrong terms. Good keyword work is about search intent — understanding whether people are looking for information, comparing options, or ready to buy. Create pages that match those intents (e.g., “best church website designer Northern Ireland” vs “how to accept donations online for my church”).

What to do: do a simple keyword check:

List 5 phrases customers would realistically type.
Check whether your pages answer those exact questions.
If not, create or rewrite pages to match the intent.

You’re invisible locally — claim and optimise Google Business Profile

Local searches (like “web design near me” or “church website designer Banbridge”) rely heavily on Google Business Profile (GBP — formerly Google My Business). If your profile is incomplete, unverified, or inconsistent with your website NAP (name, address, phone), you won’t show up in the map pack or local results. Complete your profile with accurate hours, photos, services and encourage real reviews.

What to do: claim or verify your GBP, add photos, services, correct category, and ask satisfied customers for reviews.

Thin or outdated content — give Google something useful

Google prioritises content that genuinely helps people — content written for users, not search engines. Thin pages, duplicate content, or pages that haven’t been updated won’t compete well. Focus on detailed, people-first pages that answer the questions visitors bring to Google.

What to do: expand shallow pages, add FAQs, create localised service pages, and write short blog posts that answer real customer questions (e.g., “How much does a church website cost in Northern Ireland?”).

Mobile-first and slow sites lose visibility

Google indexes the mobile version of sites first — so if your mobile site is missing content or is slow, your rankings suffer. Page speed and a simple, usable layout matter for both users and SEO. Optimize images, eliminate render-blocking scripts, and ensure the mobile layout mirrors desktop content.

What to do: run a page speed test, audit mobile layouts, and fix slow elements (large images, slow hosting, heavy plugins).

Technical issues block indexing

Sometimes the problem is behind the scenes: robots.txt blocks, noindex tags, broken sitemaps, or server errors that stop Google from crawling. If Google can’t reach or index your pages, you won’t appear in search.

What to do: check Google Search Console for indexing errors, ensure your sitemap is submitted, and fix any server or security (SSL) issues.

Here's a quick SEO action plan

On-page & content

Use customer-language keywords in titles and headings.
Add a clear H1, a short intro, and contact info on every service page.
Create 1 blog post answering a common question customers ask.

Local SEO

Claim & verify Google Business Profile; ensure NAP consistency.
Add 5-10 photos and at least 3 services/categories.
Ask satisfied customers for Google reviews.

Technical & UX

Test mobile layout (phone test) and fix missing content.
Run a page speed test and compress large images.
Check Search Console for crawl/index issues and fix them.

Authority

Get 2–3 local citations (local directories, chamber listings).
Earn backlinks from suppliers, partners, or local blogs.

How we can help

SEO is a mix of strategy, writing, technical fixes, and monitoring. We specialise in building websites that not only look great but are structured to be found by real customers — especially local organisations like small businesses, professional services, and churches.

We make sure your website is: