(FAQ)
Straight, jargon-free answers on how Peak8 Studio builds sites that customers — and AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity — can actually find. Still stuck? Get a free mockup or book a quick call.
Web design
What is AI-native web design?
AI-native web design means building your site so it performs in both traditional search and AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. In practice that's clean structure, clear content, and the schema and llms.txt signals that help AI tools understand and recommend your business.
Do I need to write all the website content myself?
No — content is part of the process, and you'll get guidance and drafting help so the site says the right things without starting from a blank page. You review and approve everything before launch.
What happens after my website launches?
Your website is yours, and your first 2 months of website care are included, so I keep it online, secure and up to date and make small changes for you. After that, care is $99 a month (cancel anytime), and you can add local visibility or Google Ads whenever you’re ready.
Do you build websites for Austin businesses?
Yes — Peak8 Studio is an Austin, TX web design practice serving small businesses across the metro, from South Congress and East Austin to Cedar Park, Round Rock, and Pflugerville. Every project is handled directly by one senior partner.
Who owns my website?
You do. Once your project is paid in full, your website, its design and its content are 100% yours, and I don’t keep any rights to them. If you ever stop website care, I’ll hand the site over to your own account.
Can you refresh my current website?
Yes. I build brand-new websites and refresh existing ones, whether your current site is on Wix, Squarespace, WordPress or something else. A refresh keeps what’s working, fixes what isn’t, and points your old page addresses to the new pages so existing links keep working. It’s priced like a new site: Starter $795, Business $2,500, or Custom from $4,500.
SEO & AI search
What is AIO, and how is it different from SEO?
AIO (AI optimization) is making your business easy for AI assistants to find, understand, and cite — the AI-era companion to SEO. SEO helps you rank in Google; AIO helps you show up when someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity for a recommendation.
Can you help my Austin business rank for local searches?
Yes — Austin sites are built to target local intent like 'web design Austin' and neighborhood searches, with local SEO and schema so you surface in both Google and AI answers. The goal is showing up right when nearby customers are looking.
What’s in the $149 Search Visibility Audit?
The Search Visibility Audit shows how your business shows up on Google, Google Maps and AI assistants like ChatGPT, who shows up instead of you, and exactly what to fix first, for $149 through December 31, 2026 ($195 after). It goes beyond the free SEO audit: I ask AI assistants 10 questions your customers ask, check your Google Maps ranking across your area, compare you with 3 local competitors, and give you a 90-day plan, ready-to-use files, a 30-minute walkthrough and a free re-check at 60 days. The full $149 comes off any website or monthly plan you book within 30 days.
AI for your business
I'm not technical. Can AI actually help my small business?
Yes — the goal is practical time and cost savings, explained in plain English with no technical background required. That might mean automating a repetitive task, answering customer questions faster, or getting found in AI search, and you only adopt what clearly pays off.
Will an AI assistant recommend my Austin business?
It can — AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity increasingly answer questions like “Who’s the best plumber in Austin?”, and they favor businesses with clear, well-structured, well-described websites. Building for that visibility is part of every AI-native site.
Ads & local visibility
What's the difference between SEO and digital ads?
SEO earns free, ongoing visibility in search over time, while digital ads — Google Search, Google's AI-powered ads, and Facebook and Instagram — buy immediate, targeted traffic you can turn on and off. Most local businesses benefit from a mix, and I'll help you decide where each dollar goes.
Can you help my business rank in local search?
Yes — local visibility comes from a properly structured website, local SEO, and a well-optimized Google Business Profile working together. That combination is what puts you in the map results and local 'near me' searches.
Pricing & process
How much does a website cost?
Websites start at $795 for a simple site of up to 3 pages, $2,500 for a business site of up to 8 pages, and $4,500 and up for larger custom sites, each a fixed price you approve before I start. My next 5 clients get founding-client pricing ($595 or $1,900), every site includes 2 months of website care, and you pay half to start and half at launch. If your budget or project is unusual, just ask; in some situations I can be flexible.
How long does it take to build a website?
Most sites launch in two to four weeks, and simple sites of up to 3 pages are usually live in about a week. Larger multi-page builds take a little longer, but every project gets a clear timeline before it starts.
Do you offer month-to-month marketing help?
Yes. Monthly plans start at $99 a month for website care, $595 a month for local visibility (showing up on Google Maps and in local searches), and $1,250 a month for local visibility plus Google Ads, all month-to-month with no contract. You can move up, down or cancel anytime, and a senior marketing partner option starts at $3,000 a month.
How fast can you build a website in Austin?
Most Austin projects launch in two to four weeks, working directly with one senior partner — no agency queue and no account managers. You get a clear scope and timeline before any work begins.
How much does web design cost in Austin?
In Austin, a simple small-business website typically costs $1,500–$3,500 from a freelancer and $4,000–$8,000 from an agency, and Peak8 Studio’s simple sites start at $795. A business website of up to 8 pages usually runs $3,000–$7,000 with a freelancer or $6,000–$12,000 with an agency (mine is $2,500), and monthly website care typically costs $70–$250 from freelancers or $300–$800 from agencies (mine is $99). These are typical published Austin prices as of October 2026. I can charge less because there’s no office, no account managers and no agency markup.
Do you offer referral credits?
Yes. When a business you refer books a project with me, you get a credit worth up to 10% of their first project. You can use it off your own website up front, during your build, or off your monthly website care after launch.
Still have a question?
Tell me about your business and I’ll send back a free homepage mockup — or book a quick call and just ask.
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