Custom Business Website Design with Éclair CMS
Custom website design is the most direct way to be visible in Google and cited by AI engines: instead of patching an existing site, you start with a fast, well-structured site that search engines can read from day one. I build it with Éclair CMS, the CMS I designed for exactly this purpose, and I apply the same standards as on this site.
Which businesses is it for?
- SMEs, firms and freelancers who want a brochure or content site that reflects who they are, not a generic theme.
- Businesses whose WordPress site has become slow, expensive to maintain or fragile with every plugin update.
- Businesses active in several countries that need a clean multilingual site (reciprocal hreflang, localized content).
- Business owners who want to publish themselves, simply, without relying on a contractor for every change.
Beyond brochure websites, I also build online shops, training platforms (LMS), multilingual sites, complete redesigns and migrations from WordPress with Éclair. The prices for each project are on the Pricing page.
Why Éclair CMS rather than WordPress?
Éclair is an open-source PHP CMS with no database: the archive weighs less than 900 KB and every page is served from a static cache. SEO and GEO are built into the core, with no plugins: structured data, a sitemap with hreflang, redirects, llms.txt, a Markdown version of every page and a live GEO score in the editor. It runs on standard shared hosting, such as o2switch.
| Metric | Éclair CMS | WordPress 7.1.4 + Cache Enabler |
|---|---|---|
| Median response time | 1.11 ms | 1.80 ms |
| Requests served per second | 1,997 | 1,060 |
| Page weight downloaded | 10.8 KB | 97.6 KB |
| Installation size | 2.5 MB | 150 MB |
These figures come from a public, reproducible benchmark. I go through them, limits included, in the article Éclair CMS or WordPress. And to be frank: for a shop with a cart, a members' area or bookings, WordPress or a specialized solution is still the right choice, and I will point you to them.
What does building your website include?
Scoping and architecture
Goals, audiences, the questions your customers ask Google and AI engines. From these I derive the site structure, the pillar pages and the internal linking.
Custom design
An Éclair theme designed for your brand, fast and accessible, mobile-first. No page builder, no off-the-shelf theme.
GEO-ready content
Writing or rewriting of the key pages: direct answers, verifiable facts, question-style subheadings, FAQ. After that, the editor's GEO score guides you.
Built-in technical SEO
Structured data, tags, sitemap, hreflang for multilingual sites, Markdown version and llms.txt, all checked with Arachnide SEO Spider before launch.
Migration without losses
If you already have a site, every old URL is 301-redirected. From WordPress, the Eclair Export plugin brings your content across.
Launch and handover
Installation on your hosting, then a session to learn to publish on your own. The site belongs to you: code, content and access.
How does the project run?
- Scoping call (30 minutes): your business, your goals, the scope. You receive a fixed quote.
- Architecture and mockup: the site structure and the home page design, approved together.
- Build and content: theme, pages, structured data, migration if needed.
- Checks and launch: a full crawl with Arachnide, checks on redirects and performance, then the switchover.
- Handover: a session to publish and edit your pages on your own.
How much does a custom website cost?
From €4,900 excl. VAT for a custom brochure site in one language. The price depends on the number of pages and templates, the number of languages, how much writing is involved and any migration. The timeline is stated in the fixed quote you receive after the scoping call. Since Éclair CMS is free, you pay no license fees, and the site runs on standard shared hosting. All services are listed on the Pricing page.
Frequently asked questions about custom website design
Will I be able to edit my site myself?
Yes. Éclair has a simple editor with a live SEO and GEO score. You publish and edit your pages without me, and a handover session is included in every project.
Do I own my website?
Yes. The code, content and access belong to you. Éclair CMS is open source, the site is installed on your hosting and you can change provider whenever you like.
Do I need special hosting?
No. Éclair runs on standard shared hosting with PHP 8.1 or later, with no database. This site runs on o2switch, a French hosting provider.
Can you take over my WordPress site?
Yes, when it makes sense. The free Eclair Export plugin brings the content across, and every old URL is 301-redirected so you don't lose your rankings. If your site needs features Éclair doesn't offer, I'll tell you before we start.
Let's talk about your new website
30 minutes to understand your project, then a detailed fixed quote.