Accepting 2 new projects · May 2026

Websites built
for South African
small business.

A one-person studio in the Overberg. I design, build, and look after websites for SMEs who want the work done properly — not outsourced, not templated, not forgotten. English en Afrikaans.

Book a free discovery call ↗ See what I do →
◆ Hermanus, Western Cape
Est. 2025 · Solo studio
Clients across ZA
What makes PDS different

Most agencies sell you a website. I build you an asset.

There's a lot of noise in the web design market right now. AI tools, drag-and-drop builders, big studios outsourcing to the cheapest freelancer they can find. Here's what you actually get with Protea Digital Studios.

01
You talk to the person building your site.
No account managers. No offshore dev team you've never met. You brief me, I build it, I maintain it. That's the entire supply chain.
02
I understand small business economics.
Before PDS, I worked in financial services. I know what cash flow pressure feels like, and I know that a website is only worth what it brings in. Every decision is weighed against what it actually returns for your business.
03
Built for how Google actually works.
Fast-loading, properly indexed, mobile-first, structured so search engines can find you. Not a pretty shell hiding broken SEO underneath.
04
Afrikaans or English, whichever you prefer.
Geen probleem. Tweetalige klient-kommunikasie, tweetalige webwerwe. Built for businesses whose customers live between two languages.
05
Transparent pricing. No surprise invoices.
You get a fixed quote before we start. Monthly care plans are optional and priced clearly. No retainer traps, no "variation" charges halfway through.
Services

Two things. Done properly.

I deliberately keep the offer narrow. A solo studio that tries to do everything ends up doing nothing well. Here's what I actually build.

01 / Build
From R2,500

Custom websites
for small business.

A website designed around your actual business, not a template borrowed from someone else's. Fast, clean, mobile-first, built to rank on Google, and handed over with everything you need to run it confidently.

  • Custom design, built from scratch
  • Mobile-first responsive layout
  • SEO foundations & Google indexing
  • Contact forms wired to your inbox
  • Hosting & domain setup
  • Handover training call
02 / Care
From R500 / month

Monthly care
& content updates.

A website is not a set-and-forget asset. The care plan keeps things working, updated, secure, and actually performing — so the investment you made on day one is still paying you back in year two.

  • Monthly content updates
  • Security & uptime monitoring
  • Performance & speed checks
  • Google indexing health
  • Priority response on issues
  • Monthly performance snapshot
How a project runs

Four steps. No mystery.

Most clients I work with have never commissioned a website before and don't know what to expect. Here's exactly how it goes from first call to going live.

STEP 01
Discovery call
We get on a call, you tell me about the business and what you want the site to do. No pitch deck. No pressure.
30 min · Free
STEP 02
Quote & plan
I send you a fixed quote, a timeline, and a short scope doc. You approve it before we start. No hidden costs.
Within 48 hours
STEP 03
Design & build
I design, I build, I keep you in the loop. You see progress at clear checkpoints and give feedback as we go.
2–4 weeks typical
STEP 04
Launch & handover
We launch together. I walk you through everything on a call, hand over the keys, and stay available for questions.
Day of launch
Declan Smit — founder of Protea Digital Studios
Declan Smit · Founder
The studio

I started Protea Digital Studios because most SMEs in this country are getting overcharged for websites that don't work, or undercharged for templates they regret six months later. I wanted to build something in the middle — honest work, priced fairly, done by hand.

My background isn't typical for web design. I work in financial services, which means I understand both sides of the table — the craft of building software, and the cold reality of what it costs a small business when that software underperforms. Every site I build is shaped by that dual perspective.

Based in Hermanus in the Western Cape. Serving clients across South Africa. Bilingual English and Afrikaans. One person, no middlemen.

Declan Smit
Founder · Protea Digital Studios
Before you ask

Questions I get a lot.

How much does a website cost?+
Most small business sites I build land between R2,500 and R12,000 depending on scope — the number of pages, whether you need e-commerce, how much custom design is involved. You'll get a fixed quote after our discovery call. No hourly rates, no surprise invoices. If it's outside your budget, I'll tell you upfront rather than waste your time.
How long does it take from start to launch?+
Most projects launch 2–4 weeks from sign-off, depending on how quickly I get copy and images from you. I keep the calendar deliberately narrow — usually 2 active builds at a time — so your project gets proper attention rather than being stuck behind twenty others.
Do I own the site when it's done?+
Yes. You own the domain, the code, the content, everything. I hand over full credentials at launch. If you decide to work with someone else next year, nothing stops you — no lock-in, no hostage data.
Can you help with existing sites, or only new builds?+
Both. If you've got a site that's underperforming — slow, not ranking, ugly, broken on mobile — I'll take a look and give you an honest read on whether it's worth fixing or rebuilding. Sometimes the right answer is "don't rebuild, do these three things first." I'll say that if that's the case.
Where are you based, and do you work nationally?+
Based in Hermanus, Western Cape. I work with clients across South Africa — most of the relationship happens on calls and email anyway. If you're in the Overberg and prefer meeting in person, that's easy to arrange.
Why is the portfolio section so short?+
Because PDS is a new studio and I'd rather show you nothing than show you someone else's work pretending to be mine. Real case studies are being added as current client projects go live. In the meantime, I'm happy to walk you through work-in-progress on a discovery call.
Let's talk

A 30-minute call. Zero pressure.

Tell me a bit about your business and what you want the site to do. I'll come back within 48 hours to book a time. If PDS isn't the right fit, I'll tell you that — and I might know someone who is.

Email
declanenron.smit@gmail.com
WhatsApp
079 280 3854
Based
Hermanus, Western Cape
Serving
All of South Africa
Languages
English · Afrikaans
Social
Instagram  ·  Facebook