Built on Astro
Lightning-fast loads on a framework built for speed Google rewards.
Web Design / Shakopee, Minnesota
Custom Websites Built to Convert
A great website works for you around the clock, quietly turning interest into conversations.
It helps the right people find you, tells your story, and makes getting in touch feel easy. Lead generation helps you build a contact base that you can use to send value adds like a newsletter or seasonal specials — it is what happens naturally when a site is clear about who you are, what you do, and how to reach you.
In the last 9 months, search has evolved quickly and modern websites are visible to people (SEO) and AI search (GEO/AIO). Yours will have a foot firmly planted in both!
What goes into a build?
Four things, in the order that affects whether the page works.
Custom front end
SEO, GEO, and AIO intent baked into every template.
Speed as a feature
Sub-second loads, because a slow page loses the visitor first.
Measurement
Calls, forms, and bookings tracked as outcomes rather than pageviews.
Why we build on Astro
Every 2% and Whole site is built on Astro, a modern web framework built for speed. It ships zero JavaScript to the browser by default — your pages load as pure HTML and CSS, which is why our sites hit sub-second load times and score 98–100 on Google PageSpeed. Most website builders and legacy frameworks ship hundreds of kilobytes of JavaScript the visitor never asked for. Astro sends only what the page actually needs.
A faster site ranks higher, converts more visitors, and costs less to host. Speed is not a feature we add — it is the foundation everything else sits on.
Astro also supports every front-end framework — React, Vue, Svelte — so when a page does need interactivity, we drop it in without rebuilding anything. The Calendly embed on our contact page is a good example: one interactive widget on an otherwise static, lightning-fast page. For a small business site, this is the right architecture. Your visitors get a fast experience. Google rewards you for it. And you are not paying a monthly fee to a page builder that fights you on every edit.
This site is built on Astro, and you can see why.
Will AI search assistants recommend your business?
AI search assistants recommend a business only when they can find clear, consistent facts about what it does and where it does it. ChatGPT, Google's AI answers, and Perplexity build recommendations from structured, crawlable text, so a business that reads clearly to a machine gets named and one that does not gets skipped.
That is the work: making your services, service area, and proof legible enough that an AI search assistant repeats them accurately to someone who never visits a search results page.
Who should replace their site?
Anyone whose current site cannot be edited without calling somebody.
Law offices carrying a template that undersells the practice see this immediately. Medical and dental practices with no online booking lose patients to whoever has it. Real estate teams whose listings load slowly on a phone lose the buyer mid-scroll. Bakeries with great sweets but an outdated website that doesn't capture the sugar rush of deliciousness.
How does a site get built?
Content first, because layout decisions made without copy get redone.
Discovery Chat
We have a chat over a cold glass of milk, hand you a magic wand and listen to your story — colors, branding, your likes and wishes, and then we start to create.
Write
Page copy is drafted and approved before design begins.
Design and build
Layout is drawn around real text rather than placeholder blocks.
Launch and watch
We monitor the first weeks and adjust against real behaviour.
What do people ask about a new site?
Your site will be optimized for mobile and look absolutely amazing on any mobile phone as well as an iPad or computer screen.
Completely, including the code, the domain, and every account involved. Nothing is licensed back to you and nothing stops working if you decide to work with someone else.
Not if redirects are mapped properly, which is a standard part of launch here. Rankings usually wobble for a week or two after any migration and recover once the new pages are crawled.
Most of our clients opt for a nominal monthly fee that completely covers changes, hosting, upkeep etc. You have peace of mind this way and can concentrate on your business. Our pricing is fair based on quality, as always. For those clients with a little more DIY in their giddy-up, we can discuss monthly upkeep pricing on an individual basis.
Astro is the modern framework we build every 2% and Whole site on. It ships zero unnecessary JavaScript, which means sub-second load times and near-perfect Google PageSpeed scores out of the box. A faster site ranks higher, holds visitors longer, and converts more of them into calls. It is the reason our sites score 98–100 while most small business sites built on legacy frameworks land in the 40s on mobile.
What happens after my site goes live?
Every MilkHat Media build launches with a ten-day sequence that gets the site indexed, tracked, and measured against a documented baseline — matched to the tier, and you own every account we create.
On a 2% or Whole build
Day 1 — Search engine ownership
Site launches. We set up Google Search Console (domain-level property), Bing Webmaster Tools (imported from Google), GA4, and Vercel Analytics. Sitemap submitted to both engines. You own all four logins; we are added as a user.
Day 2 — Structured data
We add Organization, LocalBusiness, Person (you), and Service markup so Google and AI engines read your business facts from code, not just prose. Also an llms.txt file, a plain index we publish for AI crawlers, and a robots.txt that explicitly allows GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and Google-Extended. Verified with Google's Rich Results Test, zero errors.
Day 3 — Off-site entity
Google Business Profile verified, Bing Places imported, Apple Business Connect, and a LinkedIn company page, all using one canonical description and identical NAP (name, address, phone). Each profile URL gets added to the site's sameAs markup so the engines connect them as one entity. This is what AI assistants check before they will recommend a business, and it is the step most agencies skip.
Day 4 — Baseline
Rank tracking on 30–40 keywords (your services plus your service area), 3 competitors, and a monthly check of 20 AI prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews to record whether you are mentioned. Domain authority and backlink count exported with today's date. Expect near zero. That is the baseline.
Day 5 — Technical plumbing
Search Console indexation report reviewed; anything Google will not index gets fixed or removed. IndexNow wired into the deploy pipeline so every site change is pushed to Bing within hours. PageSpeed Insights run on home and one service page; red items fixed. Internal links checked so every service page connects to supporting content.
Day 6 — Conversion tracking
GA4 key events for form submissions and booking clicks, firing on the thank-you page, not the form load. A saved segment for AI-referral traffic (chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, gemini.google.com, copilot). UTM naming convention documented so every email and social link is attributable.
Day 7 — Template service page
Your highest-value service page rebuilt: direct answer in the first 80 words (what, who, starting price), question-phrased headings, a comparison table, five real FAQs with FAQPage markup, visible last-updated date. Test: we paste the URL into ChatGPT and ask what you charge and who you serve. It should answer correctly from the page alone.
Day 8 — Citable content
One article built around a question your customers actually ask, with Article markup, named author, publish and modified dates. AI engines cite specific passages, so the structure is built for extraction: one idea per paragraph, data in tables, answer first.
Day 9 — Third-party trust
3–5 Google reviews requested from real customers, phrased around the service they bought. Listings on the directories AI engines retrieve from for your category. A decision on whether Reddit or YouTube is worth your time (only if you will keep it up).
Day 10 — Measurement plan
A monthly report built from Search Console and GA4: impressions, clicks, average position, key events, AI-referral sessions. AI prompt mentions tracked and reviewed monthly. Written decision thresholds — for example, if nothing ranks in the top 50 by day 60, the problem is content, not tech. You get this report monthly from here on.
What we will not promise: page one in a week. The honest range is 60–90 days for organic movement. AI mentions often show up sooner and are the better early signal.
On a Skim build
The site is live. These ten days focus on its organic search visibility and on making its content easier for search engines to understand.
Day 1 — Search engine ownership
Connect Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Verify the site, submit the sitemap, and establish the baseline for indexing, impressions, clicks, and search queries.
Day 2 — On-page SEO foundation
Review and optimize page titles, meta descriptions, headings, URLs, image alt text, and page content around the site's primary services and search intent.
Day 3 — Site architecture and internal links
Review navigation and internal linking so important service pages are easy for visitors and search engines to discover. Connect related service, location, and supporting content where appropriate.
Day 4 — Search baseline
Establish a baseline for the site's primary service and location keywords. Record current rankings, impressions, and search visibility so future progress can be measured against today's starting point.
Day 5 — Technical SEO review
Review Search Console for indexing issues and inspect the sitemap, robots.txt, per-route canonical tags, mobile experience, and page performance. Fix what the review turns up — robots.txt, canonicals, and metadata are all directly editable. Server-side redirects are supported and written in code — a later URL restructure is change-request work, not a settings toggle.
Day 6 — Analytics and conversion tracking
Verify GA4 and analytics tracking. Configure important visitor actions such as form submissions, phone clicks, or booking clicks as measurable conversion events.
Day 7 — Highest-value service page
Optimize the site's most important service page for search intent. Put the clearest answer near the top, strengthen headings and supporting content, answer common customer questions, and improve internal links and calls to action.
Day 8 — Search-driven content
Optimize one existing page or piece of content around a real customer question. Structure it with a direct answer, descriptive headings, concise sections, and factual information that search engines and AI systems can readily understand and extract.
Day 9 — Local and third-party visibility
Review the Google Business Profile and other relevant business listings for consistent business information. Identify important directory, review, and third-party opportunities that can strengthen the business's online presence.
Day 10 — Measurement and next steps
Document the starting baseline — organic impressions, clicks, rankings, conversions, and where measurable, traffic from AI platforms — and identify the next content and optimization priorities. Your monthly traffic report starts from this baseline.
What we do not promise: page-one rankings in ten days. SEO is an ongoing process. The first ten days establish the foundation and correct immediate opportunities; meaningful organic movement typically takes considerably longer.
What does a website cost with MilkHat Media?
A MilkHat Media website is $1,999 for Skim, $5,500 for 2%, or custom-scoped for Whole.
Skim
$1,999$199/mo · 2 weeks
What you get
- Up to 5 pages — Home, About, Services, one supporting page, Contact
- Built on the MilkHat Platform, our AI-assisted build system, on a proven layout styled to your brand: colors, type, logo, imagery
- Mobile responsive, fast-loading
- One round of homepage revision, then build
- Contact form with routing and click-to-call
- SSL, hosting, security, daily backups
- Technical SEO foundation — title tags, meta tags, image optimization, XML sitemap, clean crawlable structure, Google Analytics, Search Console, search engine submission
- Google Business Profile claim and setup
- Stock or AI-generated imagery
- Simple self-service editing for your text and photos; we handle everything technical
- Monthly: hosting, security, updates, 1 hour of change requests, traffic report
What's not in this tier
AI-search optimization and schema markup, conversion copywriting, blog or resource library, CRM and calendar integration, advanced lead routing, service-area pages, trust and credibility module. Skim is a presence, not a lead-generation platform — if you need the site to actively bring you business, start at 2%.
Ownership
Your domain is registered in your name and stays yours. Your content and imagery are yours. The site runs on our platform; if you leave, we export your content and assets and help you move. The build itself doesn't transfer to another host.
Your full $1,999 build fee credits toward 2% if you upgrade within 12 months.
Most clients land here
2%
$5,500$299/mo · 4 weeks · built in Astro
Everything in Skim, plus
- Up to 12 pages — full build-out of every service area, plus audience paths for who you serve
- Custom design, unlimited homepage revisions until you approve it
- Custom conversion copywriting across the site
- Built in Astro — a static-site framework that ships near-instant load times and clean semantic HTML, readable by search engines and AI without executing JavaScript. Most local agencies build on WordPress page builders. This is measurably faster, and you can verify it yourself with Google PageSpeed.
- AI-search optimization (AIO/GEO) — schema and structured data markup, AI-friendly FAQ and answer-formatted content, semantic page structure, and entity consistency across your site, Google Business Profile, and citations, so your business can be found and recommended when people ask ChatGPT and Perplexity
- Lead capture on every page — full form with routing logic by state and area of interest, wired into your scheduling, CRM, and email marketing so no inquiry slips through
- Blog, Learning Center, and FAQ framework built and ready to fill
- Trust and credibility module — testimonials, licenses, certifications, carrier or partner relationships, team photos, compliance disclosures
- Local SEO buildout — optimized Google Business Profile, core citations, one service-area landing page
- Architecture built to expand: additional location or state pages add later without a rebuild
- Monthly: hosting, security, updates, 4 hours of change requests, and a monthly report covering traffic, keyword positions, conversions, and AI-referral visits
What's not in this tier
Off-site SEO and backlinks, automated content publishing, competitive intelligence, e-commerce and payments, custom system integrations, AI operations build.
Ownership
Domain, content, imagery, and code are yours. The site is standard Astro — any competent developer can host and maintain it. You are not locked to us.
Whole
Custom · 8–12 weeksbuilt in Astro
Discovery: $2,500 — required first step. We map your systems, architecture, and integrations, then deliver a written scope with a fixed quote. The full $2,500 credits toward your build when you move forward. If we're not the right fit, you keep the scope document and owe nothing further.
Everything in 2%, plus a menu of components scoped and priced to your build.
Whole is not a fixed package. You choose what you need from the list below, and the scope and price are set from there.
Available components
- Full scope architecture — multi-location and multi-state page structure, member or client portal
- Commerce and payments — Stripe, cart, POS connection, subscriptions and recurring billing, automated invoicing, and sync with your preferred accounting software
- Custom CRM — built on Supabase, wired into Gmail, Google Calendar, and Slack. Lead routing, pipeline, and notifications in one place.
- Lead generation systems — automated capture, follow-up sequences that turn visitors into booked consultations, plus cold outbound infrastructure through your preferred data provider
- Content creation — marketing content that educates, nurtures, and moves potential customers closer to taking action:
- Email campaigns
- Newsletters
- Case studies
- Lead magnets
- Downloadable guides
- AI Operating System — a custom setup handling follow-ups, scheduling, common client questions, and internal admin, so your time goes to clients instead of busywork
- Custom integrations — APIs, third-party platforms, and the systems you already run
- 30-day post-launch stabilization — we run alongside your existing process, verify the numbers match, then hand it over
Ongoing
Automation maintenance, hosting, security, monitoring, and visibility reporting — scoped to what you actually use and quoted with the build. Social and blog publishing runs on a separate monthly plan.
Ownership
Everything is yours — domain, code, content, database, and integrations. Built on standard tools your own team or another developer can take over.
How the three tiers compare
| Skim | 2% | Whole | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | $1,999 | $5,500 | Custom |
| Monthly | $199 | $299 | Scoped |
| Timeline | 2 weeks | 4 weeks | 8–12 weeks |
| Pages | Up to 5 | Up to 12 | Unlimited |
| Platform | MilkHat Platform | Astro | Astro |
| Monthly changes | 1 hr | 4 hrs | Scoped |
| Monthly reporting | Traffic only | Included | Included |
| Technical SEO | Included | Included | Included |
| AI-search (AIO/GEO) | Not included | Included | Included |
| Conversion copywriting | Not included | Included | Included |
| CRM integration | Not included | Included | Included(Custom option) |
| Commerce & payments | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Automation & AI ops | Not included | Not included | Included |
Change-request hours beyond your package are $200 per hour.
Monthly plans run month to month. Cancel any time with 30 days notice.
The Skim build itself doesn't transfer to another host.
Want a look at what your current site is costing you?
Send the URL and we will point out where visitors are giving up.
Minnesotans will always give you directions to anywhere, but we will never share your contact info. Ever.
You're in.
Milk's on the way — check your email to confirm.