Why people pick Signal Marketing for web design
Below is why ecom brands and service businesses pick us for web design — without the Shoreditch-studio markup or the corporate agency runaround. — Oliver Ball.
Reason 1. We design for conversion, not for award shows
There’s a category of UK web design studios who ship gorgeous portfolios and 1.2% conversion rates. The work wins design awards. The clients wonder why their traffic isn’t translating into sales. The gap is structure — IA, hierarchy, intent matching — which is invisible to a portfolio reviewer but felt instantly by a real visitor with a phone, a five-second attention span, and a credit card in their pocket.
We design the opposite way. Intent mapping first. Wireframes second. Visual design third. The visual layer matters — we’re proud of how the work looks — but it sits on top of structure designed around what real visitors actually do, not what looks good in a Behance grid.
If you want a beautiful site that doesn’t convert, there are agencies for that. If you want a beautiful site that does convert, we’re a fit.
Reason 2. Mobile-first, properly
Over 70% of UK web traffic is mobile. Google indexes mobile first. Yet most UK web design agencies still design desktop first and “responsively scale” to mobile. The result is sites that feel native on a 27″ monitor and broken on a phone.
We design the phone view first. Every section is laid out for a 375px viewport before we ever upscale. Type sizes, spacing, tap targets, content hierarchy — all decided for mobile, then expanded to tablet and desktop. The result is sites that feel right on the device 70%+ of your audience is actually using.
It sounds obvious. It’s still rare. Check the next portfolio site you visit on your phone and notice what’s broken.
Reason 3. We work in Figma. Files transfer. You own everything.
Figma is the standard for web design. Component libraries, design tokens, prototypes, dev handoff annotation. We work fully in Figma, deliver fully in Figma, and on full payment, ownership of the file transfers to you.
No locked design tools. No “we use a proprietary system” excuse. No third-party platforms you’d need to keep paying for to access your own design. The Figma file is yours, the components are yours, the prototypes are yours.
If you want to take the design to a different dev team than ours, the file is industry-standard and ready to hand over. We don’t try to lock you in. Service breakdown here.
Reason 4. Project-based pricing, transparent up front
Most UK web design agencies quote on a discovery call after qualifying you on budget. We do the opposite — we publish ranges. A typical UK small business site (5-10 pages, full mobile + desktop, design system) sits in the low-to-mid 4 figures. Ecom and custom apps scale up based on scope.
For comparison: the equivalent project from a Shoreditch design studio is typically 2-3x. The work isn’t 2-3x better — the rent is. We’re Manchester-based and our overheads aren’t an excuse to inflate quotes.
Light brand work (logo refresh, typography, colour) folds into web design projects. Full brand identity scoped separately.
Reason 5. We can build it too — or not
If you want us to design AND build, we offer that via our Web Development service. Custom WordPress, Shopify Liquid, React/Next.js — depending on what fits the use case. Bundle pricing applies.
If you have an in-house dev team or a preferred agency to build, we hand off. Annotated Figma file, component library, asset exports. Most dev teams prefer working from a clean Figma handover than being given a vague brief and a Photoshop file from 2014.
Either model works. We don’t push the build if you don’t need it.
Reason 6. Work you can actually look at
Real designed-and-built projects on the live site:
- King Productions — film production company, brand-forward design and build
- David Rozman salon — luxury Manchester hair salon, full rebuild
- Olympian Health — custom Shopify build with bespoke theme
- Nero Fabric — premium activewear brand, custom Shopify Liquid landing page
- Riverside Hub — children’s play centre site
- Save Kempston Rural — community campaign platform built in 3 days
“Flawless design. Delivered quicker than I expected.” — Reece King on Trustpilot.
FAQs
How long does a typical project take?
3-6 weeks from kickoff to final Figma file. Depends on scope, rounds of revisions, and how fast we get feedback.
Can you also build the site?
Yes via Web Development. Or hand off to your team.
Shopify or WordPress?
For ecom: usually Shopify. For service businesses: WordPress with custom theme. For tech-forward brands: React/Next.js. We design knowing the build target.
Do you work with existing brand identities?
Yes. Or we can refresh light brand within the project.
Where are you based?
Manchester. We design for clients UK-wide and internationally. Location pages: Manchester, London, Birmingham, Leeds.
What about SEO?
Design structure feeds SEO. We plan hierarchy, headings, and IA into the design phase. SEO itself is a separate service.
Who owns the files?
You, on full payment. All Figma files transfer ownership.
Do you only design websites or other things too?
Primarily web. Light brand work folds in. Full brand identity scoped separately.
“Flawless design. Delivered quicker than I expected.”
— Reece King, verified Trustpilot review
Let’s chat
Send over the brief — or what you’ve got now — and we’ll reply with a rough direction and quote within 48 hours.
Drop us a message