Brick & Mortar
Shops, salons, studios, restaurants, nonprofits. Local places that need an online welcome mat that actually works.
Don't settle for a stock template.
Custom Web Design
for the Dayton Metro& beyond.
If your website has been on the back burner or has never felt like it truly represents what you do, that is exactly where I come in.
13+
Years of hands on experience
building custom websites.
102+
Businesses and partners
served across greater Ohio
and beyond.
5
STARS ON
Google Business Profile from
happy clients.
Core areas of focus
The folks I build for.
Trades
Hauling, HVAC, roofing, landscaping. Sites that pull in same-week jobs, not tire-kickers.
Speciality
Makers, boutique shops, and family businesses with a story worth telling right.
Municipalities
Cities, townships, and civic groups that need a plainspoken, trustworthy public site.
Don't see your line of work?
Maybe you don't sell to walk-in customers. Maybe you sell to other businesses, or you're something I haven't even listed here. Give me a call anyway. I love variety, and great websites aren't limited by my core focus.
Who I work with
Designed by John builds custom websites and digital identities for businesses that believe depth, intention, and craft are worth investing in.
Agency level work
What I am not.
I'm not a freelancer or an agency.
Designed by John is an one-man show and ex-agency* designer with 13+ years of experience. And a genuine interest in whether your business grows, because of the work we do together.
*I've been there and done that. I've worked in marketing and creative agencies and honed those skills. I started Designed by John with a clear focus on custom websites and digital identity. In a nutshell, you get all the experience and more, as an extended part of your team. I'm your direct line.
Services
Specialized in
the work that
earns the call.
WEB DESIGNDEVELOPMENTUI/UX DESIGNPERFORMANCEMAINTENANCEANALYTICSECOMMERCEBRANDING + IDENTITY
Custom Websites
Hand-built websites that fit your business and your customers. Made to bring in work.
✓Custom design
✓Responsive build
✓CMS training
✓Launch day support
LOGOCOLORTYPEVOICEGUIDELINESASSET LIBRARY
Branding + Identity
A real look for a real business. Logos, color, type, all drawn from your actual story, not a stock library.
✓Logo system
✓Color & type
✓Brand guide
✓Asset library
LOCAL SEOON-PAGEGBPCITATIONSMONTHLY REPORTING
Strategic SEO
Get found on Google by people in your service area. Foot traffic and phone calls, not vanity rankings.
✓Keyword strategy
✓On-page optimization
✓Google Business Profile
✓Monthly reporting
HOSTINGBACKUPSEDITSMONITORINGSECURITY
Ongoing Support
Launch is the start, not the finish. Hosting, edits, security, SEO monitoring. You email me directly.
✓Managed hosting
✓Daily backups
✓Security monitoring
✓1 hr / mo edits
Clients + Partners
The businesses I have had
the honor of working with.
Every client on this list trusted me with something that matters, their online presence, their brand, their first impression. I do not take that lightly.
I recently worked with John to develop my new website, and he did a truly fantabulous job. I know enough about the technical aspects of web development to appreciate how complex the backend can be, and John was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful...
Sarah Kirkpatrick
Petite Pups
John has done fantastic work for us, from redesigning our website to making occasional updates. His work is creative and lively. We really enjoy working with him!
Brian & Michelle Coleman
Cruisin' with the Colemans
News + Blog + Resources
Things worth knowing
before you build.
I write about what I have learned building websites for Ohio small businesses. No filler. Just honest takes on SEO, web design, and what actually works for businesses like yours.
Questions I get asked
before we start.
You are busy running a business and you don't have time for guesswork. I believe in total transparency from day one. Here are the most common things people ask me before we start working together.
Every business has different needs, so I don't believe in one-size-fits-all pricing. A basic site for a local startup requires a different strategy than a complex platform for a growing corporation. I provide custom quotes based on the specific goals we set together, so you only pay for the features that actually earn their keep for your business. Think of it as an investment in a tool that works for you 24/7.
Most projects run six to twelve weeks from kickoff to launch. A focused essentials site for a single-location business is closer to six. A full brand identity paired with a larger website, custom photography, and content development runs closer to twelve. I give you a real timeline at the start, not a guess.
Yes. Every site I build runs on a content management system you can log into and edit yourself: text, photos, blog posts, services, all of it. I walk you through it after launch and leave you with a written guide.
Most of my clients are in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus because being local is part of how I work: coffee meetings, site visits, a real face across the table. But I have built sites for businesses across Ohio and a handful beyond it.
Launch is the start, not the finish. My Ongoing Support and Hosting plans cover security updates, backups, plugin maintenance, small content edits, and SEO monitoring. You get a real person to email (me), not a ticket queue.