Web Design
9 min read
Why Cardiff Businesses Are Ditching Big Upfront Website Costs
Why web design quotes in Cardiff run into thousands, why most small firms cannot find that upfront, and what paying monthly changes.
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Web Design and Local SEO Advice for Small Businesses
No jargon and no sales patter. Just what we have learned building and looking after websites for tradespeople and small firms across Wales and the UK.
Written by the people who build the websites
Every article here is written by Robert Dicks, who runs Forte Web Solutions from Cardiff. We write about the questions we get asked on the phone every week: what a website should cost, why quotes vary so wildly, how to get found in local search, and what actually turns a visitor into an enquiry. If you want the short version on price, our web design prices page lists every plan in full.
Local SEOWeb DesignAI & AutomationBrandingUser ExperienceMarketing
Local SEO
7 min read
5 Local SEO Tips to Rank Higher in South Wales
How to get into the Google map pack in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, starting with the five things that move the needle most.
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Web Design
7 min read
Subscription Website vs Ownership: Which Suits Your Business?
One of the biggest calls a small business owner makes. Here is an honest look at where each model wins, and where it does not.
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Web Design
6 min read
Managed Pay Monthly Web Design in South Wales
What managed actually means, who it suits, and when you would be better off paying once and walking away.
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Web Design
7 min read
Pay Monthly Website Ownership: What You Actually Own
The question every provider dodges. What happens to your website, your files and your domain if you stop paying.
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Web Design
6 min read
Pay Monthly Web Design vs Upfront: Which Is Better?
A straight comparison of the two ways to pay for a website, including the five year cost and the hidden extras.
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Web Design
8 min read
Web Design Tips That Improve Your Conversion Rate
Seven practical changes that turn more of the visitors you already have into phone calls and enquiry forms.
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Web Design
6 min read
What Is a Pay Monthly Website?
What you get, what it costs, what to check before you sign, and the kind of business it suits best.
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Web Design
7 min read
Why Pay Monthly Websites Work for Welsh Small Businesses
Why the monthly model fits the way most Welsh sole traders and small firms actually manage their money.
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AI & Automation
6 min read
AI Chatbots for Small Business Websites: What They Really Do
Where an AI chat assistant genuinely helps a small business, where it annoys customers, and what it costs.
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Branding
6 min read
Branding for Small Businesses in Wales: Where to Start
How to build a brand that local customers trust, including when Welsh language matters and when it does not.
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User Experience
6 min read
Mobile-First Design for Local Service Businesses
Most people who need a plumber are standing up holding a phone. Here is what that should change about your website.
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Marketing
7 min read
How to Spend a Small Business Marketing Budget
Where to put your first few hundred pounds a month, in the order that usually pays back fastest.
Read the articleFrequently asked questions
Who writes the Forte Web Solutions blog?+
Robert Dicks, who founded Forte Web Solutions in 2012 and runs it from Cardiff. Everything here comes from client work rather than from a content agency.
How often do you publish new articles?+
Roughly once or twice a month. We would rather publish something useful occasionally than something thin every week.
Can you write blog posts for my website too?+
Yes. Our Professional plan at £249 a month includes one to two blog posts a month, written for you and published to your site.
Do I have to be a client to use this advice?+
Not at all. The guides are written so you can act on them yourself, whoever builds your website.
How much does a website from Forte Web Solutions cost?+
Starter is £74 a month, Professional £249 and Business £649. Every plan covers the build, hosting, SSL, security and ongoing support.
Want a website that earns its keep?
Tell us about your business and we will reply within one working day with a clear monthly price.