MCR. UK. Rise 08:04

A Manchester Web Design agency focussed on creating websites that outshine the competition.

Web design + development

Bespoke builds

Based in South Manchester, we are a brand-led creative agency, and web design is a huge part of what we do. Our Manchester-based web designers and developers create bespoke WordPress websites with fully flexible functionality so you can easily add or edit content regularly.

Ready to get started?

Recent projects

Bespoke website builds tailored to your needs. Start the conversation and we’ll guide your way to a website that converts.

Start your journey

Our web design and development process

3 Phases

Tailored to you

Our web process is designed to optimise your outcome, with consultation and guidance broken down into clear steps for you to follow.

18^°

Learning +
Planning

Our first phase of the web design project will be a collaborative meeting which can be at a location of your choice, our Manchester studio or a video chat. We’ll understand your objectives and your target audiences, then we’ll map out user journeys and a clear path to conversion.

12^°

Designing +
Developing

We’ll apply our findings from the planning stage, wire framing and concepts will be drawn up where necessary before we move on to fully formed desktop and mobile designs. Once approved, a comprehensive development stage will ensure the a pixel perfect outcome.

06^°

Testing +
Launching

To make sure your new website is ready to go, we go through vigorous testing and refinement. We’ll implement speed optimisation, security, training, SEO measures, Google Analytics and finally launch your website into the world.

We can improve your business online with a unique website tailored to you, fully editable and SEO ready.

Meet your web team

Bio

Dave O’Hearns

Managing Director

Bio

Karen Harwood

Operations Director

Bio

Oli Furze

Design Director

Bio

Craig Farrall

Digital Director

Bio

Will, the new Digital Design Lead for Dawn, smiles whilst looking off-camera, with a pink and orange glow over his face from the projected colours, filling the background with pink and orange colour.

Will Tarpey

Digital Design Lead

Bio

Wayne Peacock

Senior Developer

Bio

Amy Gleave

Marketing Manager

Bio

Henry Crompton

Designer

Bio

Alice Milner

Designer

Dave O’Hearns

Managing Director

Dave is our founder and managing director, and has worked within the creative industry for 25 years.

Starting as a graphic designer following his graduation from Newcastle University, Dave went on to start up his first creative agency in 2006. Following multiple successes with the likes of Bentley Motors, Adidas and Swiis Foster Care, he founded Dawn in 2014.

Aside from running the agency, Dave does a lot of actual running too.

Karen Harwood

Operations Director

Karen, the Operations Director at Dawn, is the ultimate multitasker. She’s all about paying invoices on time and keeping projects on track. She’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to managing the team’s workflow and the overall capacity of the studio.

But, that’s not all – Karen is also the hero behind all our work socials and horizon days. And if you catch her running around the office, it’s probably because she’s training for her next 10k race – she’s another one of our resident runners.

Oli Furze

Design Director

Oli, our design director, leads the design team.

He has been at Dawn since… the Dawn, really. Specialising in branding projects, Oli will ensure your web design is aligned with your overall brand, and if it’s not, he’ll take you on a journey to make sure it is.

Oli believes web design should be simple. Over-complication won’t convert your customers. After all, people leave a poorly designed website within a few seconds.

Craig Farrall

Digital Director

Craig is our digital director, heading up the web team.

Craig specialises in Bespoke WordPress builds – this could be anything from a small brochure website, to an eCommerce website, to a custom plugin development. He crafts pixel perfect websites that are compliant, easily readable for other developers to work on and providing clients the full edit-ability that they require.

His favourite kind of web project to work on is something that contains a very technical bit of functionality such as a calculator or a quoting system. He says “I really enjoy having to problem solve a development issue to try and reach a solution”.

Will Tarpey

Digital Design Lead

Will is our Digital Design lead, and focusses on all things web design.

A couple of his greatest achievements in his career so far have been designing the logo for the sponsor of Bradford City FC, and seeing it on FIFA. He also designed the BBC knockout tournament tables for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, which was used by over 5 million people in a month.

He’s been designing websites for years, and is also a self-taught animator. In his spare time, Will loves hiking, travelling and drone photography. He can also solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 60 seconds!

Will, the new Digital Design Lead for Dawn, smiles whilst looking off-camera, with a pink and orange glow over his face from the projected colours, filling the background with pink and orange colour.

Wayne Peacock

Senior Developer

Wayne has been a web developer at Dawn since 2017, having worked in a variety of sectors across B2B and B2C.

Before Dawn, he led a web team for one of the UK’s largest software providers within the travel industry.

Over the past 25 years, Wayne has been empowered to make a difference, creating successful responsive websites that are fast, easy-to-use, and built with best practice using modern front end development. Whether it’s a custom built website in WordPress or bespoke, the attention to detail is always at the forefront.

Amy Gleave

Marketing Manager

Amy is our Digital Marketing Manager.

Her day to day includes writing blogs for Dawn, developing and activating our marketing strategy, including planning social media, content, and PR activity.

Amy loves travelling, having lived in Australia for two years, and reading. Currently on her TBR list is Moby Dick, Meditations, and In Search of Schrodinger’s Cat.

Henry Crompton

Designer

This is Henry, one of our designers specialising in motion graphics.

Motion and animation is an important part of web design that many don’t consider. It gives a website that edge that puts you ahead of the next competitor. When nearly every brand touchpoint is through a screen of some kind, it makes sense to take advantage of the digital experience, and make it move.

Henry has created animations for Apadmi, Zen Internet, DMFA and more, helping our clients showcase what they do through the power of motion.

Outside of the 9-5, Henry loves cooking, hanging out with his niece, and travelling the world.

Alice Milner

Designer

Alice is one of our designers here at Dawn. She joined the team in 2022, previously having worked for Pretty Little Thing and The Hut Group.

When asked what she liked most about her role here, she said: “Being creative daily and my work being something I genuinely enjoy doing, it’s exciting seeing ideas come to life and being surrounded by creatives that love doing the same. Dawn is also very different to places I have previously worked so I am always learning new things so it is exciting to see what is next!”

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