Website design in Johannesburg: what to look for
Johannesburg has plenty of people who will build you a website. Choosing between them is harder than it looks, because most sites look fine in a portfolio screenshot. This guide covers what a good business website needs, what to ask before you hire anyone, and how we work.
Why local matters
You do not need your web designer to sit in the same suburb, but local knowledge helps. Customers in Johannesburg search in particular ways: by suburb, by area, and often with words like "near me". A designer who knows Sandton from Soweto from Parkhurst writes and structures pages that match how people really search.
Time zone and language matter too. If something needs fixing on a Monday morning, a message on WhatsApp should reach a real person who answers in plain English.
What a good business website needs
- A clear first screen. Within a few seconds a visitor should know what you do, where you do it and what to do next.
- Speed on a phone. Most visitors arrive on a phone, often on mobile data. Heavy pages lose people before they load.
- One-tap contact. A WhatsApp button, a call button and a form. Nobody should have to copy a number.
- Real content. Your own photos, your own words, your prices or a clear way to ask for them.
- Pages Google can read. Proper titles, descriptions and headings, so search engines understand each page.
- Trust. Your address or area, how long you have been going, and honest information about what you do.
Questions to ask any web designer
- Can I see sites you have built, and open them on my phone?
- What exactly is included in the price, and what costs extra?
- Who owns the domain name and the site files once it is finished?
- How do I get changes made, and what do they cost?
- How will people find the site on Google?
- How long does the build take, and when do I pay?
A good studio answers these without fuss. If you get vague answers, treat that as information.
Red flags
- A price that sounds too good, with no list of what is included.
- No examples you can open and click through yourself.
- Promises of "number one on Google" in a set time. Nobody can honestly guarantee that.
- Pressure to pay everything up front.
- A site that only looks good on a large screen.
How we work
BrandMasters is a web design studio in Johannesburg. We design each site around what you sell and who buys it, then build it to load fast on a phone and to be found on Google.
- We talk on WhatsApp. You tell us what you sell and who your customers are.
- You get a free preview, so you see an idea of your site before you spend anything.
- You pay a 50% deposit and we agree what goes on each page.
- We design and build, usually in one to two weeks, and you see progress along the way.
- You review and we refine until it is right.
- You pay the final 50% by EFT and the site goes live.
- If you want it, a monthly Care plan keeps the site updated and looked after.
Our packages run from R6,500 to R24,500, and every one includes a brand kit. You can see the full list on our packages section, or read how much a website costs in South Africa for the bigger picture.
Matching the site to the business
A restaurant, a panel beater and a law firm should not end up with the same website. A restaurant needs a menu people can read in a second and a way to order or book. A panel beater needs proof of good repairs and a quick way to ask for a quote. A law firm needs calm, clear pages that make the first call feel easy. A good designer starts from your customers and works backward, instead of pouring your logo into a template.
This is also why we suggest starting with a short conversation. The first message you send tells us a lot about what the site must do, and it costs you nothing.
Already have a website?
Then you do not start from nothing. Send us your link on WhatsApp. We look at what you have, keep what works, and show you a free preview of how it could be built better.