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Web design · Edinburgh
Web design for Edinburgh businesses
Edinburgh has about 531,000 residents (National Records of Scotland, mid-2025), but its visitor numbers swing hugely through the year, peaking every August. A good Edinburgh website has to work for locals in January and for festival crowds in summer. We build them remotely; we do not have an Edinburgh office.
- Seasonal content planned around August and the winter festivals
- Scottish rules reflected properly, from licences to legal terms
- Fixed scope and price, previews you approve
01 / A seasonal city
Planning a website around Edinburgh’s calendar
Few UK cities change as much through the year. That affects what people search for and when.
August peak
During the Festival Fringe and the other August festivals, accommodation, food, tours and venues see a surge of searches from people who do not know the city. Directions, opening times and booking need to be impossible to miss.
Winter and Hogmanay
The run-up to Christmas and Hogmanay brings a second busy period for hospitality, retail and events.
The quiet months
Outside the peaks, local customers keep businesses going. Your site should still feel aimed at residents, not just tourists.
02 / Rules in Scotland
Edinburgh-specific details to get right
Copy written for English businesses can be wrong in Scotland. These points come up often.
- Short-term lets need a licence from the council, and the licence number must be included in adverts for the property (mygov.scot). Edinburgh also treats the whole city as a short-term let control area, so planning permission can be needed too.
- Solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland rather than the SRA. See websites for solicitors.
- A Low Emission Zone operates in central Edinburgh (Low Emission Zones Scotland). Delivery and trade businesses sometimes confirm compliant vehicles on their sites.
- Many Old Town and New Town buildings are listed. Builders and joiners who are experienced with listed-building work should explain it, because owners look for it specifically.
03 / Local economy
Edinburgh businesses and what their sites need
The capital’s economy leans on a few strong sectors.
Financial and professional services
Asset managers, insurers, law firms and accountants, where credibility and named expertise matter. See accountants.
Tourism and hospitality
Hotels, guest houses, restaurants and tour operators competing for visitors who search on their phones. See restaurants.
Universities, research and tech
Start-ups and spin-outs connected to the city’s universities, who need clear explanations of complex products.
Neighbourhood independents
Shops, cafés and salons in Stockbridge, Bruntsfield, Leith and Portobello, each with a very local customer base.
04 / Areas and searches
How people search across Edinburgh
Visitors search for landmarks; residents search for their own area.
- Residents use neighbourhood names such as Leith, Morningside, Corstorphine or Marchmont rather than “Edinburgh”.
- Visitors search near landmarks, “near the Royal Mile” or “near Haymarket station”, so directions from well-known points help.
- If you cover Musselburgh, Dalkeith or South Queensferry as well, say so. Many customers live just outside the city boundary.
05 / How we work
Remote projects for Edinburgh firms
No Edinburgh office: we collaborate by video and email, and you approve each page on a preview link first.
You get a written scope and price before work begins. Optional care plans from £99 a month can keep seasonal information up to date for you.
06 / Cost
What an Edinburgh website typically costs
Capital city, standard prices.
Essential, from £1,000
A single page for a guest house, independent shop or sole trader, with directions, opening times and contact options.
Business, from £2,500
Multiple pages for rooms, services or seasonal offers, plus team or venue information.
Bespoke, custom quote
Booking engines, multi-property licence information, ticketing or integrations.
Final pricing is agreed in writing before work begins. Inclusions, extras and monthly options are laid out on our pricing page.
We have design awards to our name, but in Edinburgh the real measure is bookings and enquiries through the seasons. Read about our awards.
Questions
Web design in Edinburgh: good to know
Do you have an office in Edinburgh?
No. We work remotely for clients in Edinburgh, the Lothians and right across the UK.
How should my website handle the August festivals?
Plan ahead: update opening times, booking availability and directions before the rush, and make sure pages load fast on a busy mobile network. We can build a section you can switch on for festival season.
I run short-term lets in Edinburgh. What must my website show?
Your short-term let licence number should be included wherever you advertise each property. It is also worth checking whether planning permission applies, because Edinburgh is a short-term let control area.
Will the site use Scottish legal and regulatory terms?
Yes. Copy is written for Scotland: solicitors here answer to the Law Society of Scotland, for instance, and we cite official guidance rather than English defaults.
How much does an Edinburgh business website cost?
Essential single-page websites start from £1,000, Business multi-page websites start from £2,500, and Bespoke projects are quoted. Everything is agreed in writing before work begins.
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