Butterfly Effect DigitalButterfly Effect Digital, home

Raleigh web design and development. Websites humans can’t forget. Your free demo, built up front.

Your website should pay for itself, and then some. Advancing the digital presence of any business, person, or idea. From $99 a month if you keep it.

Transmission 01: the money part

Websites that pay for themselves

Your website should work for you. The research is blunt about which sites do.

That is what I build. Pages that load fast on a phone. Booking and lead forms wired straight into the CRM you already use. The setup Google needs to send people your way. At Heritage Jiu Jitsu, every free week signup lands in the owner’s CRM and starts her follow-up texts on its own. No one copies a lead out of an inbox, and no one falls through the cracks.

Transmission 02: the work

Real sites you can check yourself

Around Raleigh, Wake Forest, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, and remotely. Scores: Google Lighthouse, a free speed and quality test.

Client sites look like the client, not like me.

My own store

Firefly Medaka

It sells live medaka, teaches care, and maps where the fish landed.

fireflymedaka.com
Firefly Medaka’s home page on a desktop browser: fireflies drift over the hero, then Helper Fish opens and answers a typed question
Firefly Medaka’s map of the United States on a desktop browser: a glow for each city its fish have reached, pulsing softly
Firefly Medaka’s Create Your Own page on a desktop browser: fish are added one by one and the count climbs
Firefly Medaka’s fish lines on a desktop browser: the variety grid, then pack sizes are changed
The same Firefly Medaka home page on a phone: Helper Fish opens and answers a typed questionThe same Firefly Medaka map on a phone: the glows pulse softlyThe same Create Your Own page on a phone: fish are added one by one and the count climbsThe same fish lines on a phone: pack sizes are changed
  • A map where a firefly glows in each city its fish reached.
  • Helper Fish answers care and shipping questions, no AI fees.
  • Card, Venmo, Cash App, or Bitcoin, with prices rechecked on the server.
  • Shoppers build their own mix.

Under the hood

  • 49care guides
  • 825Helper Fish answers
  • 31verified reviews
  • 110pages
  • 100Performance
  • 100Accessibility
  • 100Best practices
  • 100SEO

Lighthouse, mobile, median of 3 runs, Oct 29, 2026, 12:37 to 12:59 PM ET.

Check it yourself on PageSpeed Insights for fireflymedaka.com (opens in a new tab)

New projectIn progress

J217

Churches post activities, people find ways to help. No listings yet, so recordings use labeled samples.

j217.org
J217’s post-an-activity form on a desktop browser: a church name and activity title are typed and a kind of activity is picked
J217’s activity board on a desktop browser with labeled sample listings: filtered by kind of activity, then by place, then cleared
J217’s prayer board on a desktop browser with labeled sample requests: the first one is prayed for and its count goes up
J217’s page for churches on a desktop browser, scrolling through what a church gets
The same J217 form on a phone: a church name and activity title are typedThe same J217 board on a phone with labeled sample listings: filtered, then clearedThe same J217 prayer board on a phone: the first request is prayed for and its count goes upThe same J217 page for churches on a phone, scrolling
  • Churches post in minutes, with no account.
  • A person reviews every listing first.
  • Filter by activity, place, and date.
  • Street addresses, emails, and phone numbers stay private.

Under the hood

  • 22towns
  • 17kinds of activity
  • 3ways to help
  • 0accounts needed
  • 99Performance
  • 100Accessibility
  • 100Best practices
  • 100SEO

Lighthouse, mobile, median of 3 runs, Oct 29, 2026, 12:37 to 12:59 PM ET. Desktop: 100, 100, 100, 100.

Check it yourself on PageSpeed Insights for j217.org (opens in a new tab)

Client, Wake Forest

Heritage Jiu Jitsu

Heritage came to me with a site someone else built. I took it over, rebuilt it from the ground up, and still look after it.

heritagejiujitsu.com
Heritage Jiu Jitsu’s weekly class schedule on a desktop browser: the cursor taps Adults No-Gi and matching classes light up while the rest fade, then Kids 1, then the filter clears
Heritage Jiu Jitsu’s free-week signup form on a desktop browser: a first name and email are typed in and the consent box is ticked
Heritage Jiu Jitsu’s gear store on a desktop browser: a size is picked on a rash guard and it is added to the cart
Heritage Jiu Jitsu’s questions on a desktop browser: two answers open under their questions and then close
The same class schedule on a phone: Adults No-Gi is tapped, then Kids 1, then the filter clearsThe same free-week form on a phone: a first name and email are typed in and the consent box is tickedThe same gear store on a phone: a size is picked and the item is added to the cartThe same questions on a phone: two answers open and then close
  • Signups reach the CRM and the owner’s inbox at once, so no lead is lost.
  • A live schedule of today’s classes.
  • A gear store with card, Venmo, and Cash App checkout.
  • The whole site in full Spanish.

In a client’s words

Highly recommend Butterfly Effect Digital! Chris went above and beyond to understand my business and to build the website in the most effective way for my school. I’ve had so much good feedback from my clients about how they love the website. Chris added a ton of special effects that i didn’t even know could be done, and he did everything so quickly! If I wanted something added, he did it same day. I’m extremely happy with it, and it has already increased the number of people finding my business and coming to trial classes.

Jamie, owner of Heritage Jiu Jitsu heritagejiujitsu.com (opens in a new tab)

Under the hood

  • 99speed on a phone, up from 80 on the old site
  • 3xlighter pages than the old site
  • 44real reviews
  • 18redirect rules
  • 99Performance
  • 100Accessibility
  • 100Best practices
  • 100SEO

Lighthouse, mobile, median of 3 runs, Oct 29, 2026, 12:37 to 12:59 PM ET.

Check it yourself on PageSpeed Insights for heritagejiujitsu.com (opens in a new tab)

This site

butterflyeffect.digital

Built to fit my personality.

butterflyeffect.digital
butterflyeffect.digital on a desktop browser: the hero, then how it works, then what it costs
The free demo request on a desktop browser: it opens, a sample name and email are typed in, Text is picked, and it is closed unsent
The questions section on a desktop browser: the answer about what starting at $99 a month covers opens, then another, and both close
The stack section on a desktop browser with soft green digital rain, then a quote decoding out of the rain
The same site on a phone: the hero, then how it works, then what it costsThe same free demo request on a phone: it opens, a sample name and email are typed, Text is picked, and it is closed unsentThe same questions section on a phone: two answers open and then closeThe same stack section on a phone with soft green rain, then a quote decoding out of the rain
  • Request a demo from any section.
  • Easy read: a calmer, higher contrast page.
  • A butterfly cursor and hidden Easter eggs.
  • Uptime checked twice a day, speed and accessibility three times.

Under the hood

  • 5hidden eggs
  • 2uptime checks a day
  • 3speed tests a day
  • 4sites watched
  • 99Performance
  • 100Accessibility
  • 100Best practices
  • 100SEO

Lighthouse, mobile, median of 3 runs, Oct 29, 2026, 12:37 to 12:59 PM ET.

Check it yourself on PageSpeed Insights for butterflyeffect.digital (opens in a new tab)

Transmission 03: what runs underneath

Your site runs on Cloudflare, not WordPress

My sites run on Cloudflare, so there is little to patch.

What I use Cloudflare

  • Served near your visitors. Pages load fast.
  • SSL and DDoS protection included.
  • Nothing to patch. No plugins to update.
  • Hosting is in the plan. No separate bill.

What I leave out, and why

  • WordPress plugins. A common way sites get hacked.
  • Heavy page builders. Extra code that slows pages.
  • Autoplay sliders. They bury your message.
  • Slow shared hosting. Neighbors slow you down.
  • Piles of tracking scripts. More weight, little gain.

Automated checks alert me if anything goes down.

Payments and a gym’s CRM use dedicated services: Stripe, Venmo, Cash App, Bitcoin, and LeadConnector.

I am a customer of Cloudflare, not a partner, reseller, or affiliate, and not affiliated with Stripe, Resend, or LeadConnector. Scores are lab data from my scheduled mobile tests.

Transmission 04

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Tell me what you need

    Form or email.

  2. Step 2

    A call, then your free demo

    Your content, your style.

  3. Step 3

    Approve it, and it goes live

    From $99 a month.

    If you keep it, there is a one year minimum, billed monthly or paid for the year up front, then month to month. If not, you owe nothing.

The name

Why Butterfly Effect Digital?

I’m a little obsessed with the butterfly effect: the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings can set off a storm on the other side of the world. Small changes, big outcomes.

That’s how I work on your site. A clearer headline, a phone number that actually dials, a Google listing that’s finally right. Each one is small. Together they add up to more calls, more bookings, and more customers.

So that’s the deal: let’s make the small changes, and chase the big outcomes.

What it costs

Built to cover my fee, and then some. My goal is a site that brings in more than it costs, then keeps going. I work on that every month, not just at launch.

  • 2new members usually cover it for a studio or gym.
  • 2new regulars a month covers it for a salon or barber.
  • 1booked job covers months of it for a contractor or repair shop.
  • 1to a few new customers usually cover it, whatever your business is.

Examples, not promises: every business is different. Everything past those first customers is profit, yours to keep.

Starting at $99 a month

Billed monthly, with a one-year minimum that covers the hours I put in before launch. Covers most sites; bigger needs are quoted before you approve.

The plan covers

  • Hosting
  • SSL
  • Uptime monitoring
  • Updates
  • Unlimited edits by text or email: flyers, news, and schedule changes, usually live within 5 minutes
  • Dynamic, not static: events take themselves down when they end
  • Email support
  • Automation: alerts when someone writes in, uptime watching, live sections

No setup or launch fee.

How the year works

  • Nothing is billed before you approve your demo.
  • Why a year: most of my hours go into your site before it launches, getting every detail right. Year one covers that work, plus the care after.
  • Year one is twelve months from launch day, billed monthly, $99 a month at the starting rate. Rather pay the year up front? That is $1,188, the same price.
  • I confirm your price by email before you approve, and it holds for year one.
  • If you leave in year one, the remaining months are still due (or covered if prepaid, with no refund; see the terms), and your site stays up until the year ends.
  • If I fail to deliver what I promised and don’t fix it within 30 days of written notice, you can leave without owing the rest of the year; unstarted prepaid months are refunded.
  • After year one, it continues month to month.
  • You own your name, logo, content, and domain. Who owns my site?

Read the full terms

Social media package

Priced on request, added to a website plan.

Short reels from your photos and phone videos, with captions and hashtags for Instagram and Facebook. You approve every one.

  • A set number of reels a month
  • You post, so your passwords stay yours

I can’t promise followers, views, or sales.

Read the full package

Logo design and refresh

Quoted per project.

A new logo drawn from scratch, or your current one cleaned up without losing what customers already recognize.

  • Vector files that stay sharp at any size
  • Ready for shirts, hats, signs, and banners, not just screens
  • Light and dark versions, plus a square profile mark

See logo work

Online store build-out

Quoted per project, added to a website plan.

A store on a site you own, built around how you sell, with no platform fees stacked on top.

  • Products, sizes, shipping rules, and gift cards
  • Card, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, or crypto at checkout
  • Merch printed and shipped on demand, so there is nothing to stock

See my own store (opens in a new tab)

Site audit

$29, one time, and it’s credited back if you hire me.

Sign up for your site within 30 days and the full $29 comes off your first month.

A deep-dive written report on the site you have now, with fixes in priority order, so you know exactly what to change, whoever does the work. What I check:

  • Speed on phone and desktop, with the real scores
  • Phone layout on real screen sizes
  • Every link, button, phone number, and form, tested
  • Google search: your titles, descriptions, and what shows for your name
  • Your Google Business listing: hours, photos, and reviews
  • AI search: whether ChatGPT and others name you
  • Security and accessibility basics
  • The top fixes ranked, in plain words

Paid up front and non-refundable once the report is delivered, because the work is done either way.

Email me to order one

After launch

How I look after your site

Watched 24/7

Checked every 5 minutes, day and night, with an alert the moment anything goes down.

Measured

Speed and accessibility tested three times a day.

Protected

Cloudflare hosting, SSL, and DDoS protection.

Software keeps watch around the clock: every 5 minutes it checks that your site is up, and twice a day it tests your contact form and checkout and flags out-of-date announcements. I review every alert and every change myself.

Overheard

  • nothing changes until something does

  • everything is connected

  • small things add up

  • the right page, found at the right time

  • make it easy to find you

  • a clear site is a kind welcome

Is the free demo really free?

I build your demo first, and you pay nothing until you approve it. If you don’t want it, you owe nothing, and on request I delete the build and your material. If you do, it goes live, your plan starts that day, and there is a one year minimum.

Do I have to pay anything up front?

No. You pay nothing until you approve your demo. There is no setup or launch fee. Your plan starts the day your site goes live.

How much does a small business website cost?

Starting at $99 a month with a one year minimum, so $1,188 for the first year at the starting rate, then month to month. Bigger needs, like an online store, are quoted before you approve. You can also buy the site outright for $4,900 whenever you decide.

What does starting at $99 a month cover?

Hosting, SSL, uptime monitoring, updates, email support, and unlimited edits. Text or email me flyers, photos, hours, prices, or layout tweaks. Most changes are live within 5 minutes, and every request is handled within two business days at the latest. There is no setup or launch fee. New pages, redesigns, new features, logo design or refinement, and social promos are quoted separately and agreed in writing before I start.

Can I update the site myself, like posting flyers or news?

You don’t have to do it yourself to keep it fresh. Text or email me the flyer, photo, schedule change, or announcement, and I post it for you, usually within 5 minutes. Edits are unlimited and included, so post as often as you like. If you’d still rather post some things yourself, I can build a simple updates board you control, quoted before you approve.

Is my site static, or does it keep itself current?

It keeps itself current. Events and announcements take themselves down when they end, so nothing stale lingers. A gym’s site can show what’s on right now and the next class, with holiday closures appearing on their dates, all from one schedule. Heritage Jiu Jitsu’s site works this way today. You tell me once, and the site handles the rest.

How does the one year minimum work?

Why a year? I put a lot of hours into every site, and most of them come before launch: the design, the writing, the speed and search work, and testing until every detail is right. The first year covers that work, plus the care that keeps your site running after. The first year is twelve months, $1,188 at the starting rate, from the day your site goes live. Pay monthly or in one payment, same price. If you cancel during the first year, the remaining months are still due (or already covered if you prepaid, with no refund), and your site stays up until the year ends. If I fail to deliver what I promised and don’t fix it within 30 days of your written notice, you can cancel without owing the rest of the year, and I refund unstarted prepaid months. After the first year, the plan goes month to month. Read the full terms

Who owns my site?

You own your domain and your content: your business name, logo, and trademarks, plus the text, photos, and video you give me. Your domain stays in your account or is registered in your name. The design, code, and layout I build stay mine, so when your plan ends, the site comes down. To keep it for good, you can buy it outright for $4,900 whenever you decide. I then hand over the files, and hosting and upkeep are yours.

I already have a website. Can I still get a demo?

Yes, a redesign is the same offer. I build the new site first, you compare it with your current one, and you pay nothing until you approve it. One client moved from WordPress to a site I built and look after.

Who do you build for, and where?

Any business, first of all, and churches, ministries, and nonprofits too. I design around the people you serve, so no two sites look alike. Personal sites are welcome as well. Based in Raleigh, I serve Raleigh, Wake Forest, Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill, and clients anywhere, remotely. Around the Triangle, I can meet in person.

Will it show up on Google?

I work to get you found on Google and in AI search: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google’s AI answers. Every site gets structured data (name, place, offer), fast phone loading, clear titles and descriptions, a sitemap, a robots.txt that lets AI crawlers in, and image alt text. When I rebuild a site, old pages redirect to the closest new page. I test how AI tools answer about the sites I build. I can’t promise a ranking, visitors, sales, or that the plan will pay for itself, because nobody can. I can recommend what helps, like ongoing posts.

Should I just use a website builder?

A builder can work for a simple site you plan to build and update yourself. The catch is that you work inside its templates: features it does not offer are hard or impossible to add, the ones it does often cost extra through apps or higher plans, and builder sites tend to look alike. A custom site starts from your business instead. If your customers need it, I can build it: a live class schedule, a store with the checkout options your customers actually use, pages in a second language, or a sign-up form that drops leads straight into your CRM. You can be as involved as you like: I advise, you decide, and I do the work. Read the comparison

Chris, the web designer behind Butterfly Effect Digital

I’m Chris, a web designer in Raleigh

I treat every client’s site like it’s my own.

Send a few lines. If it’s a fit, I’ll set up a call.

Get my free demo

Or email chris@butterflyeffect.digital

Get my free demo