Web design agency

We are Chameleon Studios an established Cambridge web design agency specialising in custom designed websites

The ‘web design first’ agency

Web design is the core service at Chameleon Studios. Our in-house team are a dedicated bunch offering help, advice, creativity and technical know-how to our valued clients.

If you are after a team that:

Has expert knowledge of web design, user experience and development
Can work directly with your team using a proven step-by-step process
Has years of experience working in a wide variety of sectors
Has a perfect balance of in-house planning, creative and technical skills
Can offer professional and reliable ongoing support

Then we might be the team to work with you, read on…

What you can expect during a project

Websites can be large, technical projects covering a wide range of elements and requirements. Every project can be very different but we approach them in the same way to achieve the best results.

Discovery
Without planning there is little chance that the design will be right and that the website can be managed in the way that is needed. Using in person or Zoom based workshops we discuss and clarify your objectives, audience, position, branding and existing marketing offering. We ask lots of questions, and using experience and advice, make suggestions or propose various solutions. This process ensures we fully understand the brief and the product that will be delivered.
Content review
We also review your existing content and ideas for the new website. Using online collaboration tools we define what the sitemap will look like to determine the key templates that will need designing in the next step of the process. This gives the whole web team a clear idea of what content will be supplied so it merges seamlessly with the layouts.
Design process
We believe that successful projects are best achieved by collaboration. We offer an iterative approach to design, blending creative ideas with technical functionality. We do not limit the number of revisions but we actively request your feedback as we work on the overall concept, then expanding and refining the key design templates.
Development
Only once you have signed off the key template designs do we start to develop the website platform. This is crafted locally in the studio at first, then when it’s ready, deployed to a secure testing server so that you can review progress and make sure the website is functioning as expected.
Content migration
Using a content management system like WordPress, will enable you to manage the content and assets on the website as set out in the planning discussions. In this phase we work with you to populate the website and layout the content as designed. We can help with bulk importing content from existing websites, image management and layout refinements.
Testing
Adding content and checking website functionality will give the website a thorough health check to ensure it matches your requirements. Depending on the scope and complexity of the project we can use online issue tracking tools to systematically log, resolve and sign-off any issues that arise.
Training
The content migration phase is the perfect time to train our clients on how to manage the website moving forwards. We run training sessions to get the web managers up to speed with all the tools, functions and knowledge they need to operate the new website. We work hard to make sure the content management system is easy to use but with all technical products there will always be questions which is why we are on hand to support you after the website has launched.
Hosting
A great website needs an equally great hosting solution. We can manage this for you if you wish, make suggestions for you to purchase hosting yourself, or we can use an existing setup. We’re happy with any configuration so long as the hosting is fit for purpose, has a solid backup process, technical support and we have the access we need to support the system moving forwards.
Deployment
Once the website has been approved for launch, we systematically work through our ‘golive checklist’ to make sure we have everything covered before we deploy the website to the production server. Once live there are usually some refinements to make on the system, but this is all handled safely by our web development team.

How do we support clients?

We like to continue our relationship long after launch, we have the following optional services to work with you going forwards

Ongoing support
After all our efforts with the creation of your website, we want to ensure that the system is being looked after once it’s been launched. We offer a variety of optional ongoing support options that we can discuss during the project planning phase. This includes our full support package and a ‘software update’ service too. Whatever your preference on support, we want to make sure your website is being looked after.
Search optimisation
Having a great looking website is the first step but making sure it is found and is generating traffic and ultimately leads is important too. There are many factors that help with optimising website SEO but a fast, optimised and well constructed website that focus on your business key phrases is core to great search results.
Performance reviews
It is very common for websites to evolve over time, with content added wherever it will fit, and what used to look like a clean, focused website has become cluttered and overgrown. Rather than starting all over again having a performance review every year will make the website investment last longer. We can look into performance, traffic, search rankings, the organisation of content and refocus the website to align with your current business goals.

Why choose us?

The benefits of working with Chameleon Studios

Sure, there are lots of freelancers and agencies in our industry but we like to think we are pretty good at what we do. Here are a few reasons why:

Experience
We opened our doors in 2004 so we are an established web design agency. We’ve created many websites in all sectors over this time, and have the experience and ideas to add to your project.
In-house
All our work is crafted in-house by the people that you will be speaking to directly. There are no middle level project managers or Chinese whispers here. We plan, design and build websites with passion, looking after you at every step.
Honesty
We really value our work and want to be proud of each project we deliver. If we don’t think we’re a good fit for your project we’ll let you know right form the start. We provide friendly advice all the way through the project and hope you will enjoy the process as much as we do.

The big questions

Everyone always asks how much and how long, so here we go…

How long will it take to build my website?

We always say average projects take 3 months. Split equally in 3 parts of a month each for (1) planning & design (2) development and (3) content & refinements.

Of course projects can be shorter with a small business website taking a month or so and at the other end of the scale larger projects such as e-commerce or really content heavy websites taking 6 months plus.

How much will it cost to build my website?

Again this will vary dramatically based on the project requirements and the complexity of the website. Our projects are commonly in the £5k – £15k range. But we don’t have a minimum project size (especially for start-ups) and we are often working on much bigger projects too.

How long before you can start?

We can get the ball rolling pretty quickly but all projects start with a kick off meeting, discussions around the brief and asking lots of questions. Once this has all been agreed we can schedule the project promptly and the design process begins.

A sample from our portfolio

A selection of custom designed and developed websites we have delivered and currently support

new

Business

Meteor Inkjet

Meteor is the world’s leading independent supplier of industrial inkjet electronics, software, tools and services. Known for technical expertise and innovation, Meteor is trusted by printhead manufacturers and print system builders alike.

Conservation

Oryx—The International Journal

Oryx is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed journal of biodiversity conservation, conservation policy and sustainable use, and the interaction of these subjects with social, economic and political issues.

Property

RM Construction

RM Construction, established in 1997, are an experienced building contractor who operate almost exclusively in the Cambridge area.

Really impressed

“We commissioned Chameleon to build a Content Management System and responsive design based on our existing website. Chas and Garth were extremely responsive at each stage of the process, and were always available to respond to our requests. The final website was delivered within budget, and to a high standard. Following our website update, Chameleon continue to remain on hand to assist us in a supportive role. Overall, we were really impressed with the final result.”

Costello Medical