Answers that name a competitor

• Duo Consulting - 20 W Kinzie St, Ste 1510, Chicago, IL 60654
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• AttorneySync - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 300, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Market JD, Inc. - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• dNOVO Group | Law Firm Marketing Agency - 545 N McClurg Ct Ste 1808, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Forward Lawyer Marketing - 3553 W Peterson Ave Ste 30, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Forward Lawyer Marketing - 460 N Main St Unit 209, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, United States
• OVC Lawyer Marketing - 750 Warrenville Rd Ste 203, Lisle, IL 60532, United States
• Attorney Web Design | Chicago - 233 S Wacker Dr Ste 4400, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• BSPE Legal Marketing - Chicago - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60610, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a midsize Chicago law firm, I’d shortlist these rather than going with a generic web shop:

1. Duo Consulting — best if the CMS migration is the hard part. They have a strong Drupal/migration background and have done award-winning legal-site work, including a Much Shelist project. Their process is particularly methodical, which is valuable if you have a large content library, attorney profiles, practice areas, publications, etc.
2. Solid Digital — best overall for a sophisticated midsize firm. They're downtown at 100 N LaSalle and focus on strategy, UX, development and CMS work rather than simply making a prettier site. Their experience includes full rebuilds and CMS migrations, so I'd put them high on the RFP list.
3. AttorneySync — best if legal-industry expertise matters most. They're at 211 W Wacker and work exclusively with law firms. Their focus is more marketing/conversion-oriented, with website development commonly using WordPress.
4. Market JD, Inc. — another good legal-specific option, conveniently at 20 N Wacker. They position themselves as being built around the legal industry and combine website rebuilds with SEO and intake/conversion considerations.
5. dNOVO Group | Law Firm Marketing Agency — worth talking to if you want the redesign tied closely to SEO, lead generation and ongoing digital marketing. They're at 545 N McClurg Ct.

One non-downtown option I'd definitely include

Orbit Media is probably the strongest pure website contender I'd add to the RFP even though its office is in Ravenswood rather than downtown. They specifically offer law-firm website redesigns, CMS implementation, migration, accessibility/browser QA, SEO and ongoing CMS support. They also say their typical full redesign runs 10–30+ weeks, which is a useful benchmark for a substantial midsize-firm project. Orbit Media Studios

My recommendation

If I were running the selection process, I'd invite Duo + Solid Digital + AttorneySync + Orbit to pitch.

The important distinction is that you don't merely need a "responsive redesign." For a law firm, I'd make the RFP explicitly require:

• URL-by-URL content migration and redirect mapping
• Preservation of existing SEO equity
• Responsive/mobile-first UX
• A CMS your marketing team can actually maintain
• Attorney/practice-area/location content models
• Accessibility testing
• Analytics/Search Console continuity
• Form/intake integrations
• Performance/Core Web Vitals
• Staging environment and rollback plan
• Full ownership of the CMS, code, content, domain and analytics
• Post-launch redirect/crawl monitoring

That migration piece matters enormously: a redesign that looks fantastic but destroys years of search visibility is a bad redesign. Dedicated migration specialists emphasize URL mapping, redirects, crawlability and post-launch monitoring for exactly this reason. SEO Design Chicago

If you tell me your current CMS (WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore, proprietary, etc.), approximate page count, and whether you're primarily B2B/corporate or consumer-facing, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to the pitch and give you a suggested budget range.

• Pivot Design - 321 N Clark St #600, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• One Design Company - 230 W Superior St #700, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Evolve Healthcare Marketing - 1 E Erie St Ste 525 Unit, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Abelson Taylor - 33 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603
• AbelsonTaylor, Inc. - The Old Post Office, 433 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Core-Rx Communications - 525 W Van Buren St Ste 450, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Topin & Associates - 205 N Michigan Ave, Ste 2315, Chicago, IL 60601
• PatientUp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza Suit 1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• ROOT3 Marketing & Business Development - 2035 W Wabansia Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• MERGE Chicago - 200 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Simple Truth - 314 W Superior St Ste 201, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• HiveSourced - 230 E Ohio St, Ste 410, Chicago, IL 60611

If you want one agency to handle both brand strategy/identity and the website, I’d put Pivot Design at the top of the list.

• Pivot Design — River North, 321 N Clark St. This is probably the strongest fit if your startup is in healthcare/life sciences. They specialize heavily in healthcare branding, communications, and digital/omnichannel work. The big advantage is that they understand the regulatory and credibility issues that come with healthcare rather than treating it like a generic startup brand. Yard Brand Co.
• One Design Company — River North, 230 W Superior St. A more design-led option. They combine brand strategy, identity, web/interactive design, and development, and could be particularly good if you're looking for a modern, startup-y brand rather than a traditional healthcare look.
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — Downtown/Loop, 211 W Wacker Dr. Strong option if you want branding and digital experience tightly integrated. They cover brand strategy, visual design, UX/UI, and web development.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Downtown, 30 N Michigan Ave. More of an integrated branding + web/marketing shop. Worth considering if you want the agency to stay involved beyond launch.
• Evolve Healthcare Marketing — River North, 1 E Erie St. Healthcare-focused and particularly interesting if the startup will need ongoing healthcare marketing/acquisition in addition to its initial brand and website.

My shortlist

For a healthcare startup, I'd take these three into pitches:

1. Pivot Design — best healthcare-specific choice
2. One Design Company — best design/startup feel
3. ArtVersion — best branding + sophisticated digital execution

One caveat: if by “healthcare startup” you mean healthtech/SaaS selling to hospitals or clinicians, rather than a patient-facing healthcare company, I'd weight the choices differently. Pivot Design and One Design Company would still be strong, while Solid Digital is also worth a look: it is downtown and specifically cites healthcare technology work, including a case study for IMO Health. Solid Digital

If you tell me what the startup actually does, approximate budget ($25k / $50k / $100k+), and whether the brand is starting from zero, I can narrow this to 2–3 agencies and compare their likely fit, style, healthcare experience, and pricing level.

• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• RedShark SEO - 65 W Erie St #1901, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SEOLEVELUP, LLC Website Design SEO Company - 1S183 Summit Ave, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Search Squad SEO Services & Web Design - 2700 Patriot Blvd, Glenview, IL 60026, United States

For a professional-services firm in the Loop, I’d put The Loop Marketing at the top of the shortlist.

My top 3

1. Operation Technology — Best fit for a Loop-based firm

• Actually located on Wacker Drive in the Loop.
• Combines website redesign/development with SEO, content, analytics, and digital marketing.
• Their positioning suggests they can handle a redesign as a broader lead-generation project rather than treating SEO as an afterthought. Running Start Digital
• Why I'd interview them: good match if your firm wants a polished, corporate/professional look while preserving organic traffic.
• The Loop Marketing — Strongest evidence for professional-services SEO

• Their portfolio specifically includes professional-services clients, including a Chicago law firm and an engineering company.
• They describe combining website design with search-friendliness and have a documented case study where SEO/content work substantially increased organic traffic. The Loop Marketing The Loop Marketing
• theloopmarketing.com
• Why I'd interview them: particularly compelling if content strategy, thought leadership, and organic lead generation are important.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Best if positioning/brand is part of the redesign

• Downtown Chicago location on Michigan Avenue.
• Combines brand strategy, visual identity, web redesign, and SEO.
• Their work is oriented toward credibility-heavy professional services and clearer practice/service-page architecture.
• Why I'd interview them: useful if the current website feels dated and the firm's positioning needs to be sharpened.

One specialist worth adding

Running Start Digital looks particularly relevant on paper for a Loop professional-services redesign. Their Chicago/Loop offering explicitly discusses professional-services information architecture, practice-area/service pages, case studies, technical SEO, Core Web Vitals, structured data, and SEO migration/301 redirects. Running Start Digital Running Start Digital

runningstart.digital

What I'd require in the RFP

Don't just ask, "Do you do SEO?" For a redesign, I'd specifically ask each agency to demonstrate:

• A pre-redesign SEO audit identifying pages/keywords/backlinks worth preserving.
• A URL-by-URL 301 redirect/migration plan.
• Proposed information architecture for practice/service pages, industries, attorneys/consultants, case studies, and thought leadership.
• How they will preserve or improve existing rankings during launch.
• Technical SEO: Core Web Vitals, crawlability, schema, canonicalization, XML sitemap, internal linking.
• A content strategy that targets high-intent B2B searches, rather than stuffing the site with generic "Chicago" pages.
• Search Console/GA4 tracking and a 90-day post-launch monitoring period.

My choice: I'd start conversations with Operation Technology, The Loop Marketing, and Running Start Digital. If brand repositioning is a major component, swap in Brand Vision for one of them.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Penguin E-Commerce - 20 Danada Square W #222, Wheaton, IL 60189, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Fresh Design Studio - 53 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 256, Chicago, IL 60604
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

Yes. I’d narrow the field quite a bit for a boutique retailer moving to Shopify, because you want both strong visual/brand work and a migration process that protects SEO, product data, customer accounts, and merchandising.

My shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for a premium boutique

Downtown at 203 N LaSalle St, Praella is a Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist and a strong fit if the store needs to feel highly polished rather than like a generic Shopify theme. It focuses on Shopify migrations, design, optimization, and growth, and is a Shopify Platinum Partner. Fueler

• The Chicago Web Co. — best design-led option for fashion/beauty/lifestyle

This is probably the most interesting fit if your boutique is brand-driven and visually sophisticated. Their Shopify portfolio includes Maria Pinto, a Chicago-based fashion designer, and Mielle Organics, which they migrated from WordPress to Shopify Plus. Their Shopify Partner profile shows a 4.9/5 rating from 50 reviews. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

Their portfolio also specifically describes migration work, including preserving the customer experience while rebuilding on Shopify. The Chicago Web Co

• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — best if brand identity is a major part of the project

Located at 211 W Wacker Dr, ArtVersion combines brand strategy, UX/UI, creative direction and web development. I'd consider them if you're effectively doing a brand refresh + Shopify migration, rather than simply moving platforms. Their strength appears more creative/brand-oriented than migration-specialist.

• SITE IT NOW — good smaller local option

At 1016 W Jackson Blvd, this is a more general Chicago web/e-commerce agency with Shopify development, branding and SEO capabilities. I'd put them behind Praella/Chicago Web Co. for a complicated migration, but they could make sense for a smaller boutique with a relatively straightforward catalog.

One important caveat

I wouldn't limit the search strictly to downtown. For this particular project, migration expertise matters more than having a Loop address.

For example, Uncap is in Chicago but not downtown, and is particularly strong on complicated Shopify migrations and integrations. Their specialty is more complex commerce—ERP/PIM, wholesale, B2B, large catalogs—so they may be overkill for a small boutique. Visibility Labs

There's also HoneyWired, which explicitly lists WooCommerce, WordPress, Webflow and Wix → Shopify migrations, including URL/redirect mapping, and combines branding/design with Shopify development. HoneyWired

How I'd rank them for a boutique retailer

If this is a fashion, jewelry, home, beauty, or lifestyle boutique, I'd start with Chicago Web Co. and Praella. The former looks particularly compelling for the combination of boutique aesthetics + Shopify migration; the latter is stronger if the migration has significant technical/Shopify Plus complexity.

If you tell me what platform you're migrating from (WooCommerce, Magento, Squarespace, custom, etc.), approximate SKU count, and whether you're on Shopify or Shopify Plus, I can narrow this to the 2–3 agencies I'd actually request proposals from and give you questions to use in the RFP.

• Promet Source - 3322 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr, Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States

For a public-facing government redesign in the Chicago Loop, I’d prioritize firms with demonstrated public-sector work and accessibility embedded in UX, content architecture, and development—not agencies that simply bolt an “ADA widget” onto a finished site.

My shortlist

1. Promet Source — strongest overall fit

• Particularly compelling for government: Promet explicitly specializes in public-sector and higher-ed websites, with WCAG/Section 508 experience.
• Has led digital-transformation work for the City of Rochester and U.S. Government Accountability Office, among others.
• Strong Drupal/WordPress capability, UX, accessibility, content governance, and ongoing support. Promet Source
• My pick if accessibility + government complexity are the primary criteria.
• Clique Studios — best Loop-based design/strategy option

• Literally in the Loop, with capabilities spanning strategy, UX research, information architecture, design, engineering, and accessibility.
• Better fit if the project is a major experience redesign rather than primarily a compliance remediation.
• Their accessibility practices are described as WCAG-aligned.
• Oak Theory — strongest public-sector design specialist to investigate

• Their government practice is unusually explicit: WCAG 2.2 AA, plain-language information architecture, procurement/RFP experience, Section 508 awareness, design systems, and consolidation of sprawling departmental sites.
• They specifically describe working with federal, state, municipal, public-authority, and statutory-body clients. Oak Theory
• I'd put them on the RFP shortlist even though they're less obviously a traditional “Chicago web shop” than Promet.
• Sandstorm Design — best for research-heavy UX

• Strong option if the redesign needs substantial user research, usability testing, information architecture, and service/experience design.
• Particularly interesting for a government site where residents' actual ability to find services matters as much as visual accessibility.
• DigiSavvy — strong government-specific alternative

• Explicitly offers government website development, WCAG 2.1 AA, VPAT documentation, real-user testing, accessibility remediation, security reviews, and public-sector procurement experience.
• It also cites a City of Chicago project. DigiSavvy
• Particularly attractive if WordPress is acceptable.

One important distinction

For this project, I would not select purely on “ADA-compliant website” claims. I'd require finalists to demonstrate:

• WCAG 2.2 AA design and development methodology
• Keyboard-only and screen-reader testing with actual assistive technologies
• Testing with people with disabilities, not just automated scanners
• Accessible PDFs/documents and a sustainable document workflow
• Accessible forms, search, maps, calendars, and public-meeting content
• Plain-language/content-design expertise
• A component/design system so accessibility survives future departmental content changes
• Accessibility acceptance criteria in the contract and QA process
• Post-launch monitoring and remediation
• Experience with government procurement, security, records, and content governance
• A clear approach to Illinois/Chicago public-sector accessibility requirements, rather than generic ADA marketing

I'd also seriously consider pairing the web studio with an independent accessibility evaluator. The Chicago Lighthouse, for example, provides accessibility consulting, audits, WCAG/508 compliance work, and certification-oriented services, giving you an independent accessibility perspective rather than having the developer grade its own work. The Chicago Lighthouse

If I were issuing the RFP, my first three calls would be Promet Source, Oak Theory, and Clique Studios, with Sandstorm as the UX-research-heavy alternative and DigiSavvy as the WordPress/government specialist.

If you tell me roughly the agency/department, CMS (Drupal/WordPress/other), budget range, and whether this is a Chicago city project vs. another government entity, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms and compare their relevant government case studies, accessibility credentials, Loop proximity, and likely fit for the RFP.

For a small clinic on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d focus less on a “pretty website” agency and more on firms that understand healthcare workflows: EHR/EMR connections, patient portals, online scheduling, secure forms, HIPAA considerations, and staff-friendly content management. Here are some Chicago-area options worth evaluating:

Questions I’d ask before hiring

For a clinic, I’d put these at the top of the discovery call:

1. “Which EHRs and patient portals have you integrated with?”

• Examples: Epic MyChart, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, NextGen, DrChrono, Kareo/Tebra, etc.
• “Are you building a portal or connecting patients to our existing portal?”

• Most small clinics should avoid creating a new medical-record portal unless there is a strong reason. Linking securely to an established system is often simpler.
• “How do you handle HIPAA-related requirements?”

• Ask about secure forms, vendors, BAAs where applicable, hosting, analytics, and whether PHI will ever pass through the website.
• “Can my front desk staff update hours, providers, services, and FAQs without calling you?”
• “Can you integrate scheduling without creating duplicate calendars?”

My shortlist for a small Near North Side clinic

• Best overall healthcare website partner: Orbit Media Orbit Media Studios
• Best if you need custom integrations/workflows: Radical Software or Taction Software Solutions The Radical Software
• Best small-practice-oriented options: Medico Growth or Flamingo Agency Medico Growth Flamingo Agency

If you tell me your specialty (primary care, dental, behavioral health, specialty medicine, etc.) and your current EHR/patient portal, I can narrow this to firms that are most likely to have relevant integration experience.

• ColorJar - 1000 W Fulton Market #213, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Design B&B - 833 W Jackson Blvd Fl 7, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Landor - 333 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• BatesMeron Sweet Design - 1006 S Michigan Ave #601, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SO Dsgn - 1719 S Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• One Design Company - 230 W Superior St #700, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Betty Chicago - 1 S Wacker Dr Ste 300, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Suite Creative Studio - 1564 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States

Yes. For a new fashion e-commerce brand in the West Loop, I’d prioritize agencies that can connect naming → positioning → visual identity → campaign → e-commerce launch, rather than hiring a logo designer and a separate marketing shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. ColorJar — strongest overall fit

• Based right in Fulton Market/West Loop.
• Particularly relevant if you want a strategy-led fashion/lifestyle brand, not just a visual identity.
• Their capabilities span naming, messaging, identity, campaign direction, web, packaging and experiential.
• I'd contact them first if the goal is to build a distinctive brand from zero.
• Design B&B — strong creative/identity choice

• Also in the West Loop.
• More design-forward, with brand identity, visual systems, packaging and experiential/activation work.
• Good choice if you're envisioning a highly visual, culturally relevant fashion brand.
• Design In Chicago — good end-to-end option

• West Loop at 159 N Sangamon.
• Offers positioning, naming, verbal identity, visual identity, guidelines, web and marketing execution.
• Attractive if you want the brand and e-commerce experience developed together.
• ALL FOR™ — particularly interesting for a founder-led launch

• They're actually in Fulton Market/West Loop, at 160 N. Elizabeth.
• Explicitly offer strategy/positioning, naming, messaging, identity, web/e-commerce, packaging and campaign design. ALL FOR™ ALL FOR™
• Their positioning suggests a more hands-on boutique relationship than a giant agency.
• Contact: Julie Woertz — julie@allfor.agency. ALL FOR™
• Landor — premium/high-end option

• Their Chicago studio is in Fulton Market at 333 N Green.
• This is the option I'd investigate if you're building a serious premium/luxury brand with ambitions beyond Chicago.
• The tradeoff is likely a larger-agency process and budget.
• Studio Brück — boutique premium-brand specialist

• Particularly interesting for a fashion/lifestyle founder: they describe 30+ years of experience in positioning, identity, brand marketing and go-to-market work for premium lifestyle brands, including direct-to-consumer businesses. Daymon Bruck
• They explicitly offer brand naming + identity + campaign creative/content.
• Contact: Daymon Bruck — day@daymonbruck.com. Daymon Bruck

One specialist I'd add for the name

Seedhouse is worth talking to if the brand name itself is still wide open. Their specialty is strategic naming, including trademark/database and domain checks, and they say typical naming engagements run 3–6 weeks. Seed House

You could either hire them for naming first or ask a full-service agency such as ColorJar/ALL FOR™ to handle naming as part of the larger engagement.

Who I'd contact first

If I were in your position, I'd send briefs to these four:

And I'd keep Seedhouse in the mix specifically if naming is the biggest unresolved question.

What I'd ask them for

Don't approach them saying "I need a logo and a website." I'd frame the project as:

Brand strategy + naming + verbal identity + visual identity + launch campaign + e-commerce creative direction

That forces the agency to think about the brand people will remember, rather than simply designing the Shopify site.

For a fashion startup, I'd want the engagement to produce:

• Brand positioning and target-customer definition
• Competitive/category positioning
• Brand name + trademark screening
• Tagline / brand story / tone of voice
• Logo and complete visual identity
• Typography, color, photography/art direction
• Packaging, labels, hangtags and shipping experience
• Shopify/e-commerce art direction
• Social launch system
• Launch campaign concept
• Campaign photography/video direction
• Influencer/creator launch concepts
• Paid-social creative system
• Brand guidelines

Most importantly: ask each agency to show you 2–3 fashion, beauty, lifestyle or DTC launches they've actually done, not just their best-looking branding work.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($25k, $50k, $100k+), target customer, and whether the brand is contemporary / luxury / streetwear / women's / men's / accessories, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually interview and tell you exactly who to contact at each one.

And I'd keep Seedhouse in the mix specifically if naming is the biggest unresolved question.

What I'd ask them for

Don't approach them saying "I need a logo and a website." I'd frame the project as:

Brand strategy + naming + verbal identity + visual identity + launch campaign + e-commerce creative direction

That forces the agency to think about the brand people will remember, rather than simply designing the Shopify site.

For a fashion startup, I'd want the engagement to produce:

• Brand positioning and target-customer definition
• Competitive/category positioning
• Brand name + trademark screening
• Tagline / brand story / tone of voice
• Logo and complete visual identity
• Typography, color, photography/art direction
• Packaging, labels, hangtags and shipping experience
• Shopify/e-commerce art direction
• Social launch system
• Launch campaign concept
• Campaign photography/video direction
• Influencer/creator launch concepts
• Paid-social creative system
• Brand guidelines

Most importantly: ask each agency to show you 2–3 fashion, beauty, lifestyle or DTC launches they've actually done, not just their best-looking branding work.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($25k, $50k, $100k+), target customer, and whether the brand is contemporary / luxury / streetwear / women's / men's / accessories, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually interview and tell you exactly who to contact at each one.

Yes. For a law-firm client portal, I’d bias toward agencies with real product/UX depth rather than a conventional branding/web shop. The portal has to handle documents, matters, messaging, billing, deadlines, permissions, and sensitive information without feeling like legal software from 2012.

My Chicago shortlist:

My top 5

• TXI — best if the portal is a serious product.

This would be my first call if you're contemplating more than a visual redesign. TXI combines product strategy, user research, UX, prototyping and software engineering, which is valuable when the agency needs to understand the underlying workflows rather than simply make screens prettier.

• UX 4Sight — best pure UX/UI fit in the Loop.

Their offering is unusually aligned with your problem: UX research, UX/UI, usability testing, wireframes, responsive web apps and design validation. They're at 111 W Jackson Blvd in the Loop. Clutch

• Solid Digital — best for portal + implementation.

They specifically work on B2B digital experiences and web apps/portals, including complex customer-facing workflows. I'd put them high on the list if you want one partner to take you from UX through development rather than handing Figma files to another vendor.

• Clique Studios — best larger-agency option.

They bring UX/UI, information architecture, usability/accessibility, content strategy, engineering and digital transformation together. I'd consider them if this is part of a broader modernization of the firm's digital client experience.

• Design In Chicago — best Fulton Market-local option.

They're actually in the West Loop/Fulton Market area at 159 N Sangamon and offer branding, digital design, development and UI work. I'd favor them if the portal needs to feel like a natural extension of a broader firm rebrand.

One wildcard I'd seriously investigate

ALL FOR™ is in Fulton Market at 160 N. Elizabeth and explicitly offers UI/UX, custom web design and design systems. They're more of a design/brand/web studio than a deep product consultancy, so I'd use them if the goal is “make our client experience dramatically more modern and premium” rather than “rethink a complicated legal workflow.” ALL FOR™ ALL FOR™

There's also a particularly interesting non-Chicago-local option: Convex explicitly specializes in legal UX and lists client portals, intake, document sharing, case-management workflows and legal SaaS among its work. That's unusually close to your brief, although I'd want to establish whether having the team local is important to you. The Convex Agency

If I were running the RFP

I'd invite TXI, UX 4Sight, Solid Digital, and Convex to pitch.

And I wouldn't ask them to pitch a generic “portal redesign.” I'd give them 3–4 representative journeys:

1. New client: invitation → account setup → intake → engagement letter.
2. Active matter: see status → communicate with attorney → upload/review documents → upcoming deadlines.
3. Billing: invoice → payment → billing history.
4. Multiple matters: one client with several matters/attorneys, with appropriate permissions.

Then ask each agency to redesign one journey in a short workshop/prototype. You'll learn far more about their UX thinking that way than from looking at polished homepage case studies.

The biggest thing I'd screen for is whether they understand “client portal UX” rather than “website UX.” Those are very different problems.

If you tell me roughly your firm size, practice areas, existing portal/platform (Litify, Clio, Salesforce, custom, etc.), and whether you want design-only or design + development, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and give you a suggested RFP/budget range for each.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• RedShark SEO - 65 W Erie St #1901, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Digital Marketers Chicago - 2835 N Sheffield Ave #209, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Sunlight SEO Web Design & Signs - 4501 N Cumberland Ave, Norridge, IL 60656, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• The Loop Marketing Inc - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a sole proprietor accountant in River North, I’d avoid agencies that mainly do big-brand sites. You likely need a 5–8 page credibility + lead capture site: services, industries served, testimonials, about page, contact/consultation form, Google Business Profile support, and basic local SEO.

Here are Chicago-area options that look like a good fit for an affordable professional-services site:

My shortlist for your situation

For a one-person accounting practice, I’d probably start with:

1. Flamingo Agency — if you want something professional enough for high-value tax/accounting clients without going enterprise. Flamingo Agency
2. Winthrop Designs — if you mainly need a clean brochure site with a strong contact funnel and want to keep costs down. Winthrop Designs
3. Lizardo Agency — if you want the site built with more SEO/lead-generation thinking from day one. Lizardo Agency

What I’d ask for in the quote

Send each agency roughly this scope:

• 6 pages: Home, About, Tax Services, Accounting Services, Industries Served, Contact
• Copywriting help (accountants often undersell themselves online)
• Consultation form + calendar integration
• Google Business Profile optimization
• Basic local SEO for searches like “River North CPA” / “Chicago small business accountant”
• Analytics + conversion tracking
• Ownership of domain, hosting, and website files

A reasonable budget range for this type of site is often about $1,000–$3,000 depending on copywriting, SEO setup, and design depth. I’d be cautious about paying $8k–$15k+ unless you’re also getting a full marketing system, ads, ongoing SEO, or a client acquisition strategy. Lizardo Agency Flamingo Agency

I can also narrow this to agencies that specifically have CPA/accounting/financial-services experience if that’s your priority.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and selling fashion/boutique products, I’d prioritize studios that can combine editorial visual design + Shopify/ecommerce UX + measurable CRO, rather than a general-purpose web design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Strong if you want a sophisticated, strategy-led redesign with conversion optimization, SEO, content, and analytics baked in. They’re more of a full-service digital agency than a boutique Shopify specialist.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — My pick if you want a serious Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce partner. They specialize in ecommerce builds, migrations, UX/UI, and optimization, with a Chicago office downtown.
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Particularly interesting for a fashion/lifestyle boutique. Their positioning centers on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands, with brand identity, UX/UI, ecommerce experience design, and digital creative.
• Design In Chicago — A West Loop option, which makes them especially convenient from Fulton Market. They handle strategy, wireframes, high-fidelity design, development, integrations, testing, and launch rather than just handing you pretty Figma screens.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Probably the most directly aligned with your brief. They're Shopify-focused, explicitly offer conversion optimization and UX audits, and have fashion experience including work for Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy, A3 Performance, and Sophia Forero. Their portfolio also emphasizes mobile-first design and conversion improvements. The Chicago Web Co Shopify
• Forix — Worth getting a proposal from if conversion performance is the priority. Their Chicago Shopify practice combines UX, CRO, performance optimization, and redesign, and they specifically position themselves around conversion-focused Shopify stores. Forix

Who I'd interview first

For a modern, fashion-forward Fulton Market boutique, I'd narrow it to:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — best combination of fashion/ecommerce aesthetics + Shopify + CRO.
2. Elevate Studios — strongest candidate if brand image and premium visual identity are especially important.
3. Praella — strongest if you're expecting substantial ecommerce complexity, Shopify Plus, integrations, or future scaling.
4. Design In Chicago — attractive if you want a local West Loop/Fulton Market-adjacent partner that can handle the whole digital project.

One useful distinction: don't let “conversion-focused” mean simply adding bigger Buy buttons. For a boutique, I'd ask each studio to show how they'd improve mobile product discovery, collection filtering, PDP photography/storytelling, sizing confidence, sticky add-to-cart, checkout friction, email capture, and post-purchase retention—and ask what metrics they'll establish as the baseline before redesigning.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 firms and compare them on likely fit, portfolio, pricing level, and what I'd ask each in the pitch.

• Angle180 - 141 W Jackson Blvd #4236, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• LoSasso Integrated Marketing - 4853 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• FlyDesign - 111 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Fresh Design Studio - 53 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 256, Chicago, IL 60604
• A&B Consulting Group | Digital Marketing, Web Designer & Branding - 352 River St, Lemont, IL 60439, United States
• Beyond Design, Inc. - 3759 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design Integrity, Inc. - 1528 W Adams St Unit 1, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Tangent Design Group, Inc. - 2701 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• idX Corporation - Chicago Creative Services Team - 208 S Jefferson St #100, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Beyond Design - 4515 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

Yes. For a small Chicago manufacturer that wants a modern B2B site, I’d prioritize agencies that understand industrial buyers, technical capabilities, RFQs, and long sales cycles—not a generalist “make us a pretty website” shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Angle180 — my first call for a smaller/mid-sized manufacturer.

They’re Chicago-based and specifically focused on B2B industrial manufacturers and construction companies, with website redesign, UX/UI, lead generation and inbound marketing. That makes them a particularly good fit if the goal is modern site + more qualified inquiries, rather than design alone.

• LoSasso Integrated Marketing — strongest if you want marketing strategy around the redesign.

They have a substantial focus on industrial/manufacturing and technical B2B businesses, including website redesigns, UX and lead generation.

• Solid Digital — good for a more sophisticated B2B digital experience.

They're downtown and specialize in B2B web design/development and UX. I'd consider them if the site needs integrations, sophisticated CMS work, or a more polished brand transformation.

• Marcel Digital — good if SEO/analytics are a major part of the project.

They're in River North and combine B2B web development with digital marketing and performance measurement.

• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — capable, but probably bigger than you need.

They can handle complex B2B sites, integrations and large redesigns, but I'd only put them on the list if this is becoming a substantial digital-platform project.

One specialist I'd also interview

orbitmedia.com is worth a serious look. They're a Chicago agency with an explicit manufacturing/B2B practice and talk specifically about manufacturing SEO, conversion optimization, UX, and lead generation. Their Chicago office is at 4043 N Ravenswood. Orbit Media Studios

There's also flamingoagency.com, which is positioned specifically around smaller industrial/manufacturing companies. They emphasize capability pages, RFQ forms, certifications, SEO and relatively affordable WordPress builds. Flamingo Agency

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd send the same brief to Angle180, LoSasso, and Orbit and compare the proposals. For a small West Loop manufacturer, that's probably a better starting set than hiring a large branding agency.

I'd specifically ask each one:

1. Show me 3–5 manufacturing/industrial sites you've actually redesigned.
2. How would you restructure our capabilities/products so engineers and procurement people can find what they need quickly?
3. How would you handle RFQs, technical drawings/spec sheets, certifications and CAD uploads?
4. What will you do to preserve/improve our existing Google rankings during the redesign?
5. Who actually writes the technical copy?
6. What will the site cost all-in, including copy, photography, development, hosting and post-launch support?

That's important because manufacturing sites often fail by looking modern while still being essentially digital brochures. A good redesign should make it immediately obvious what you manufacture, what processes/capabilities you have, which industries you serve, and how a prospective customer gets a quote. That's also the approach emphasized by manufacturing specialists such as Orbit. Orbit Media Studios

If you tell me roughly what the company manufactures and your expected website budget (e.g. <$10k, $10–25k, $25–50k), I can narrow this to 3 Chicago firms I'd actually contact, with estimated fit, strengths/weaknesses, and links to relevant work.

For a Fulton Market fitness studio, I’d prioritize firms that understand both premium/boutique branding and the operational side of class scheduling + booking, rather than a generic Chicago web agency.

My shortlist

1. Design In Chicago — probably my first call.

They're actually in West Loop, at 159 N Sangamon, and handle strategy, branding, web design/development, integrations, testing and launch support. That's a particularly good match if the redesign is as much about repositioning the studio's brand as rebuilding the site.

2. SITE IT NOW — strong local option.

They're on W. Jackson Blvd and position themselves as a brand-first Chicago web agency with custom development, e-commerce, SEO and ongoing maintenance. I'd consider them if you want a polished site without necessarily hiring a huge agency.

3. Orbit Media Studios — best if growth/SEO matters heavily.

Orbit is a more established Chicago agency with a strong emphasis on websites that generate measurable business outcomes, rather than just visual redesigns. It could make sense if you want the new site to substantially improve local search, trial-class acquisition and conversion.

4. Cybernautic Web Design — worth talking to for integrations.

They specifically highlight third-party integrations, including scheduling and other business systems, alongside custom web development. That's useful if your scheduling platform has requirements beyond simply embedding a widget.

One important wildcard

I'd also get a proposal from Loupes, even though I wouldn't restrict your search to Chicago-based firms. They specialize specifically in fitness websites and say they integrate Mindbody, Acuity, Pike13 and other scheduling platforms, while designing the site around getting visitors to book. Loupes

Likewise, IPSTUDIO is highly specialized in fitness studios and says it has designed sites for 200+ studios, with integrations for Mariana Tek, Mindbody and WellnessLiving. IPSTUDIO

What I'd ask each firm

Don't just ask, "Can you redesign our website?" Give them a concrete brief:

• Live class schedule directly on the site
• One-tap booking on mobile
• Integration with your existing scheduling platform
• Easy staff-side updates to classes/instructors
• Membership/pricing and intro-offer flows
• Strong Fulton Market / West Loop local SEO
• Premium visual identity appropriate for a boutique studio
• Analytics for trial → booking → membership conversion
• Ability to add additional locations later
• Clear ownership of the website, code, content and booking integration

If you tell me which scheduling platform you currently use (Mindbody, Mariana Tek, Glofox, WellnessLiving, etc.) and roughly what you want to spend, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies for your specific setup and compare them on likely fit, capabilities and pricing.

• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• VisualFizz - 875 N Michigan Ave 31st floor, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• VisualFizz - 875 North Michigan Ave, Fl 31, Chicago, IL 60611
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• RSXigital | B2B Lead Generation & Performance Marketing Agency in Chicago, USA - 71 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

If your priority is “professional + credible + actually generates qualified leads,” I’d shortlist agencies that understand B2B buying cycles rather than picking purely on visual design.

My shortlist

• Solid Digital — Best overall fit for B2B

• Downtown at 100 N LaSalle.
• Their specialty is explicitly B2B website strategy, design, UX and development. They emphasize research, positioning and tying the website to business/revenue goals. Solid Digital
• Best for: A consulting firm selling relatively high-value services where credibility and a sophisticated sales funnel matter.
• My pick if: You want the site to feel like a serious B2B firm rather than a generic small-business website.
• VisualFizz — Best for B2B positioning + brand

• At 875 N Michigan Ave.
• Particularly interesting if your consulting firm needs help clarifying its positioning, messaging and differentiation in addition to the website. Their work spans B2B strategy, branding, web and performance marketing.
• Best for: A firm whose current problem is as much “we don't communicate our value clearly” as “our website looks dated.”
• Design In Chicago — Best boutique-style option

• In the West Loop at 159 N Sangamon.
• They handle strategy → sitemap/wireframes → design → development → CMS → testing and launch, with branding and content capabilities too.
• Best for: A smaller consulting firm wanting a more hands-on agency relationship rather than a huge enterprise engagement.
• Operation Technology — Good conversion/marketing-oriented option

• In the Loop at 211 W Wacker.
• They combine web design with SEO, content, paid media and analytics, and specifically position their websites as conversion-oriented.
• Best for: If you want the agency to remain involved after launch and help turn traffic into leads.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Good for brand + website

• At 30 N Michigan Ave.
• More appropriate if you're looking for a combination of brand identity, website design and marketing/SEO, rather than a pure B2B web-development specialist.

One I'd seriously consider even though it's not downtown

Orbit Media Studios isn't downtown, but I'd still put them on the interview list. They're one of Chicago's established website agencies, with a strong emphasis on B2B websites, SEO, content strategy and conversion optimization. Clutch currently lists them at 5.0 from 36 reviews, with a $50K+ typical project minimum. Clutch

What I'd do in your position

I'd request proposals from Solid Digital, VisualFizz and Design In Chicago.

For a small B2B consulting firm, I wouldn't simply ask “How much for a 10-page website?” Instead, give them your business goals and ask them to propose:

1. Positioning/messaging — what should a prospective buyer understand in the first 10 seconds?
2. Conversion strategy — what constitutes a qualified lead and what should the primary CTA be?
3. Proof — case studies, client logos, testimonials, credentials and results.
4. Information architecture — how the site guides someone from “Who are these people?” to “I should talk to them.”
5. SEO/content strategy — particularly if you're trying to generate leads beyond referrals.
6. Analytics/CRO — how they'll determine whether the new site actually performs better.

That's important because a beautiful consulting website that doesn't make your expertise, outcomes and differentiation obvious is basically an expensive brochure.

If your budget is roughly $15K, $25K, $50K+, or you're not sure yet, tell me which range you're in and what kind of consulting you sell. I can narrow this to 2–3 agencies and tell you what I'd expect each one to charge and which I'd hire.

• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Internet123 - 620 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a boutique CPA firm in downtown Chicago, I’d avoid large “brand agency” shops unless you have a sizable budget. You can get a credible B2B/professional-services site for roughly $1,500–$4,000 if you keep the scope focused.

My shortlist

• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — best downtown budget option. They’re at 10 S Riverside Plaza and publish web-design pricing around $2,500, with redesigns around $1,500. Their emphasis on lead generation and SEO is particularly relevant for a CPA firm.
• Windy City Web Solutions — best small-business/WordPress fit. Based in the South Loop, they specialize in WordPress sites for small businesses and professional organizations. I'd shortlist them if you want something straightforward that your team can update without paying an agency every time.
• Solid Digital — best B2B specialist, but probably not the cheapest. They're actually downtown at 100 N LaSalle and explicitly focus on B2B website design, UX and lead generation. I'd get a quote from them if your firm serves sophisticated middle-market businesses and the website needs to sell advisory services rather than just tax/accounting services.
• Operation Technology — worth getting a quote. They're in the Loop and offer custom, conversion-oriented websites plus SEO/local SEO. Their downtown location also makes them convenient for an in-person project.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — good if you want website + marketing. They're on Michigan Avenue and work with small businesses/startups, with web development and HubSpot capabilities. I'd consider them if CRM/lead-generation integration matters.

Some particularly cheap alternatives

If price is the overriding constraint, these are worth comparing:

• Intuico Digital — Chicago-based, with managed plans starting at $199/month and custom builds from $2,500. Intuico Digital
• Lizardo Agency — Chicago-based affordable websites starting at $1,499. Lizardo Agency
• Prismatics Digital — publishes a $1,999+ Starter and $3,499+ Growth tier. Prismatics Digital
• Mauve Verse — advertises packages from $199–$1,949, although I'd vet portfolio quality carefully before choosing the lowest tier. Mauveverse

One interesting CPA-specific option

Flamingo Agency is particularly relevant because it explicitly markets website design to CPAs, accountants and small accounting firms. Its published range is $3,000–$8,000, so it isn't the cheapest option, but the specialization could reduce the amount of industry education/messaging work you'll have to pay for. Flamingo Agency

What I'd do with a tight budget

I'd solicit three proposals:

1. Chicago Website Design SEO Company — target ~$1,500–$2,500.
2. Windy City Web Solutions — ask for a lean 5–7 page WordPress site.
3. Solid Digital — ask for their smallest B2B engagement; use this as the “premium” comparison.

For a CPA firm, I'd spend the money on messaging and conversion structure, not fancy animations. A good ~$2,500–$4,000 site should probably have:

• Homepage aimed at your ideal business clients
• Services: tax, accounting, advisory/CFO, etc.
• Industries or client types
• Partner/team bios
• Case studies/testimonials
• Contact/consultation CTA
• Strong local SEO foundation
• LinkedIn integration
• Analytics + conversion tracking

I would not pay for a 15–30 page site initially unless you have a specific SEO strategy for those pages.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. under $2k, $2–5k, or $5–10k), I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare their pricing, B2B/CPA experience, reviews, and likely value.

• Logical Media Group - 445 W Erie St #208, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Thirdwave - 15 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• AttorneySync - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 300, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Market JD, Inc. - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• OVC Lawyer Marketing - 750 Warrenville Rd Ste 203, Lisle, IL 60532, United States
• BSPE Legal Marketing - Chicago - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60610, United States
• dNOVO Group | Law Firm Marketing Agency - 545 N McClurg Ct Ste 1808, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Forward Lawyer Marketing - 3553 W Peterson Ave Ste 30, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Forward Lawyer Marketing - 460 N Main St Unit 209, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Proceed Innovative - 520 W Erie St Apt 440, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Yes. For a mid-sized River North law firm doing both a CMS migration and a substantive redesign, I’d avoid treating this as a generic “web design” RFP. You want an agency that can simultaneously handle legal-industry UX, CMS architecture, content migration, SEO/redirect preservation, accessibility, analytics, and attorney/stakeholder management.

Based on current Chicago agencies and their demonstrated capabilities, I’d interview 5–6 firms, with this shortlist:

My Chicago shortlist

1. Logical Media Group — strongest local generalist

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-465-2911)

They're actually in River North, at 445 W Erie St, and offer the kind of broader digital capability I'd want for a mid-sized firm: UX, website development, SEO and marketing rather than simply designing pages.

Why interview them: Good candidate if the redesign needs to integrate with your broader marketing/lead-generation operation.

Watch for: Ask specifically for two or three comparable law-firm CMS migrations, not just attractive website examples.

2. Thirdwave — strongest technical/CMS candidate

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-329-1960)

Thirdwave is also in River North, and its positioning is much more technology/development-oriented: CMS-driven sites, integrations, engineering, hosting and ongoing support.

I'd put them high on the list if you're migrating from something like Sitecore, Drupal, Joomla, an old custom CMS, or a heavily customized WordPress installation, rather than simply moving a brochure site.

Why interview them: They look particularly appropriate when the CMS architecture and integrations are as important as the visual redesign.

3. Solid Digital — strongest B2B/strategy alternative

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 877-899-9981)

Solid Digital is downtown and specializes in B2B website strategy, UX/UI and development.

A law firm is somewhat analogous to B2B professional services: complex offerings, multiple audiences, credibility-heavy buying decisions and lots of stakeholders.

Why interview them: I'd consider them if your goal is a premium, strategic redesign rather than a legal-marketing-template website.

4. Orbit Media Studios — strongest law-firm-specific contender

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 773-348-4581)

This would be my must-interview.

Orbit has a dedicated law-firm website practice and explicitly describes work spanning strategy, design, development, CMS implementation, accessibility, SEO, QA, migration and ongoing CMS support. Their current legal portfolio/process is unusually well aligned with what you're describing. Orbit Media Studios

They also say a full redesign typically takes 10–30+ weeks, which is useful context for evaluating proposals that promise a suspiciously fast turnaround. Orbit Media Studios

Why interview them: Probably the best all-around fit if you want legal-industry experience + sophisticated UX/content strategy + SEO + CMS implementation.

5. Hype Legal — strongest specialist for a polished legal brand

Hype Legal has a Chicago law-firm case study for Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge that is particularly relevant: its scope included strategy, branding, UX/UI, website development, CMS implementation, SEO, hosting, site migration, maintenance and CMS training. Hype Legal

That's essentially your project in miniature.

Why interview them: I'd strongly consider them if the firm wants the new site to feel distinctive and premium rather than like a conventional law-firm website.

6. Builden Partners — worth adding if stakeholder management is a major concern

Builden explicitly markets its redesign process around minimizing the time burden on law-firm leadership and keeping projects on schedule and budget. It is headquartered at 150 S Wacker. Builden Partners

Why interview them: Particularly attractive if partners are going to have strong opinions and you need an agency capable of shepherding a relatively political/complex approval process.

The wildcard: a law-firm SEO specialist

I'd also consider interviewing AttorneySync or Market JD, Inc. as a specialist benchmark.

AttorneySync is Chicago-based and works specifically with law firms, with an emphasis on qualified consultations/cases rather than generic traffic metrics. Market JD likewise focuses on attorney/law-firm websites and digital marketing and is located at 20 N Wacker.

I wouldn't automatically choose a legal-marketing specialist over the larger web agencies. Instead, I'd use one in the RFP to answer an important question:

Does the generalist agency actually understand law-firm SEO and intake, or are they just good at making websites?

That's a very useful competitive check.

Who I'd actually invite to the first round

If this were my RFP, I'd make it:

Then I'd probably narrow it to three finalists.

One important point about the migration

Don't let agencies give you a proposal that says essentially “we'll migrate the content and launch the new site.”

The RFP should explicitly require a migration/SEO plan covering:

• Complete URL inventory and redirect mapping
• Preservation of organic rankings and backlinks
• Metadata migration
• Attorney/practice-area/location taxonomy
• Canonicals, XML sitemap and robots.txt
• Structured data/schema
• Image/document migration
• PDF and legacy-content handling
• Analytics/GTM/Search Console continuity
• Staging and QA
• Crawl-before/crawl-after comparisons
• 301 testing
• Launch-day monitoring
• Rollback plan
• CMS training and documentation
• Accessibility testing
• Content ownership and portability after termination

This matters because a CMS migration can destroy years of accumulated search equity if URL architecture and redirects are handled poorly. SEO Design Chicago, for example, specifically offers CMS migration work centered on preserving rankings, redirects and site structure. SEO Design Chicago

My initial ranking for your particular situation: Orbit → Thirdwave → Hype Legal → Logical Media → Solid Digital → Builden.

If you tell me what CMS you're on now, what you want to migrate to (if known), approximate page count, and whether SEO/lead generation is a major objective, I can turn this into a much tighter Chicago agency shortlist with estimated project tiers, relevant case studies, interview questions, and an RFP scorecard.

Solid Digital is downtown and specializes in B2B website strategy, UX/UI and development.

A law firm is somewhat analogous to B2B professional services: complex offerings, multiple audiences, credibility-heavy buying decisions and lots of stakeholders.

Why interview them: I'd consider them if your goal is a premium, strategic redesign rather than a legal-marketing-template website.

4. Orbit Media Studios — strongest law-firm-specific contender

This would be my must-interview.

Orbit has a dedicated law-firm website practice and explicitly describes work spanning strategy, design, development, CMS implementation, accessibility, SEO, QA, migration and ongoing CMS support. Their current legal portfolio/process is unusually well aligned with what you're describing. Orbit Media Studios

They also say a full redesign typically takes 10–30+ weeks, which is useful context for evaluating proposals that promise a suspiciously fast turnaround. Orbit Media Studios

Why interview them: Probably the best all-around fit if you want legal-industry experience + sophisticated UX/content strategy + SEO + CMS implementation.

5. Hype Legal — strongest specialist for a polished legal brand

Hype Legal has a Chicago law-firm case study for Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge that is particularly relevant: its scope included strategy, branding, UX/UI, website development, CMS implementation, SEO, hosting, site migration, maintenance and CMS training. Hype Legal

That's essentially your project in miniature.

Why interview them: I'd strongly consider them if the firm wants the new site to feel distinctive and premium rather than like a conventional law-firm website.

6. Builden Partners — worth adding if stakeholder management is a major concern

Builden explicitly markets its redesign process around minimizing the time burden on law-firm leadership and keeping projects on schedule and budget. It is headquartered at 150 S Wacker. Builden Partners

Why interview them: Particularly attractive if partners are going to have strong opinions and you need an agency capable of shepherding a relatively political/complex approval process.

The wildcard: a law-firm SEO specialist

I'd also consider interviewing AttorneySync or Market JD, Inc. as a specialist benchmark.

AttorneySync is Chicago-based and works specifically with law firms, with an emphasis on qualified consultations/cases rather than generic traffic metrics. Market JD likewise focuses on attorney/law-firm websites and digital marketing and is located at 20 N Wacker.

I wouldn't automatically choose a legal-marketing specialist over the larger web agencies. Instead, I'd use one in the RFP to answer an important question:

Does the generalist agency actually understand law-firm SEO and intake, or are they just good at making websites?

That's a very useful competitive check.

Who I'd actually invite to the first round

If this were my RFP, I'd make it:

Then I'd probably narrow it to three finalists.

One important point about the migration

Don't let agencies give you a proposal that says essentially “we'll migrate the content and launch the new site.”

The RFP should explicitly require a migration/SEO plan covering:

• Complete URL inventory and redirect mapping
• Preservation of organic rankings and backlinks
• Metadata migration
• Attorney/practice-area/location taxonomy
• Canonicals, XML sitemap and robots.txt
• Structured data/schema
• Image/document migration
• PDF and legacy-content handling
• Analytics/GTM/Search Console continuity
• Staging and QA
• Crawl-before/crawl-after comparisons
• 301 testing
• Launch-day monitoring
• Rollback plan
• CMS training and documentation
• Accessibility testing
• Content ownership and portability after termination

This matters because a CMS migration can destroy years of accumulated search equity if URL architecture and redirects are handled poorly. SEO Design Chicago, for example, specifically offers CMS migration work centered on preserving rankings, redirects and site structure.

My initial ranking for your particular situation: Orbit → Thirdwave → Hype Legal → Logical Media → Solid Digital → Builden.

• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Digital Third Coast - 2540 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a full website overhaul for an IT services company, I’d prioritize agencies that understand B2B positioning, complex service offerings, lead generation, UX, and technical SEO—not just firms that make attractive brochure sites.

My downtown Chicago shortlist

• Solid Digital — 100 N LaSalle St

• My first call. They specifically focus on B2B website design and development and have experience with B2B SaaS and technology companies.
• Their process covers brand/digital strategy → personas and wireframes → WordPress development → ongoing optimization. Solid Digital
• Particularly attractive if the goal is to turn the site into a serious sales/lead-generation platform, not simply modernize the look.
• Marcel Digital — 20 N Wacker Dr

• Strong option if SEO, analytics, conversion optimization, and measurable pipeline matter as much as design.
• They're a B2B-oriented agency with web development, UX, SEO, paid media and analytics under one roof, with an in-house Chicago team. Chicago Web
• I'd put them high on the list if your current site gets traffic but doesn't convert well.
• Operation Technology — 211 W Wacker Dr

• Particularly worth talking to for an IT/technology company, since they combine web design/development with SEO and digital marketing.
• Their downtown office and Chicago focus make them a straightforward local contender. Operation Technology
• Digital Authority Partners — River North

• A broader digital/product agency rather than a pure web-design shop.
• Interesting if your overhaul could involve custom functionality, integrations, portals, or a more sophisticated digital experience in addition to the marketing site. Their Chicago practice specifically discusses complete redesigns for professional-services companies. Digital Authority Partners
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — 211 W Wacker Dr

• Good candidate if brand repositioning and visual sophistication are major parts of the overhaul.
• They handle strategy, design and development under one roof and have experience with WordPress redesigns.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — 200 W Jackson Blvd

• The heavyweight option. Their Chicago office handles end-to-end website/application work, including discovery, UX, development and larger-scale digital projects.
• I'd consider them if you're talking about a large site, complex integrations, enterprise CMS, or substantial internal stakeholder requirements rather than a straightforward marketing-site redesign.

If it were my RFP

I'd start with Solid Digital, Marcel Digital, and Operation Technology. They give you three useful perspectives:

1. Solid Digital: strongest apparent fit for B2B technology positioning + website experience.
2. Marcel Digital: strongest fit if organic acquisition, analytics and conversion are central.
3. Operation Technology: potentially the most natural conversation with an IT-services business.

Then I'd add Digital Authority Partners if you anticipate custom functionality, and Americaneagle.com if this is an enterprise-scale project.

One thing I'd not do is send a generic "we need a new website" RFP. For an IT services company, I'd ask each agency to specifically address service positioning, industry/solution architecture, lead qualification, case-study strategy, technical SEO migration, conversion paths, CMS ownership, and integration with your CRM/marketing stack. That will make the proposals much easier to compare.

If you tell me roughly your current website size, budget range, and whether you're looking for a rebrand as well as a redesign, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch and give you the specific questions I'd ask each one.

• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Eventlify - 150 N Michigan Ave Unit 2800, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Events - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Ticket Falcon - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Technical Registration Experts, Inc. - 1932 S Halsted St #413, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• GSS Inc - 8 S Michigan Ave Ste 802, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
• Conference Technology Enhancements - 1460 Renaissance Dr #209, Park Ridge, IL 60068, United States
• Expo Pass - 1395 W Jeffrey Dr, Addison, IL 60101, United States
• CharityGiving - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Chicago Association Management - 400 E Randolph St Apt 3115, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• IMPACT365 Event and Marketing Agency - 1512 N Fremont St #104, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
• Creative Events Solutions - 4416 S Saint Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60653
• Philanthropy500 - 118 N Clinton St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60661, United States

If the goal is a polished Chicago nonprofit-gala website that handles registration, ticketing, sponsorships, seating, donations, and possibly auctions, I’d shortlist these rather than hiring a generic web-design shop.

My top picks

1. Orbit Media Studios — best overall for the website

• Chicago agency with a substantial nonprofit portfolio.
• Has worked with organizations including the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Goodman Theatre, and other mission-driven organizations.
• Explicitly offers event registration, nonprofit integrations, donations, accessibility, UX/UI and custom development. Orbit Media Studios
• Contact them if: you want the gala experience to be part of a larger, sophisticated nonprofit website rather than just a ticketing page.
• EDUCO — best for brand + website

• Specializes in nonprofit branding and web design and says it has 20+ years of nonprofit experience.
• Its Chicago nonprofit clients include LISC Chicago, Women Employed, Housing Forward and BUILD Chicago. Educo Web Design
• Contact them if: the gala is important to your organization's overall brand and you want the site redesigned around fundraising and donor engagement.
• Flamingo Agency — best smaller/WordPress-oriented option

• Focuses specifically on nonprofit and foundation websites.
• Offers event/volunteer pages and says it can integrate event registration and membership systems. Flamingo Agency
• Contact them if: you want a manageable WordPress site that your staff can update without constantly going back to a developer.
• Cybernautic Web Design — worth an RFP for a custom build

• Chicago web agency with custom online forms, including event registrations, and workflow-oriented development. Cybernautic Web Design
• Contact them if: your registration requirements are unusual and you need custom integrations rather than an off-the-shelf gala platform.

But there's an important distinction

For a gala, I wouldn't automatically ask a web agency to build the ticketing system itself. I'd have the web studio build the branded experience and integrate a proven nonprofit event platform.

Two Chicago options particularly worth evaluating are:

• Eventlify — branded event websites/registration plus payments, attendee management, check-in and fundraising workflows.
• Events — particularly relevant to nonprofits: ticketing, sponsorships, tables/seating, custom registration questions, donations and fundraising. EveryEvent Chicago
• Auction & Event Solutions — especially interesting if your gala includes tables, sponsorships, auctions, mobile bidding, donations and on-site event support.

There are also Chicago-based specialists such as Ticket Falcon for ticketing/seating and Technical Registration Experts, Inc. if registration itself is a major operational requirement. Registration123

Who I'd contact first

If this were my RFP, I'd start with:

Orbit Media + EDUCO + Flamingo Agency for the website/build side, and ask each whether they have a preferred integration with Events.org, Eventlify, or Auction & Event Solutions.

Then I'd separately demo the event platforms.

That's because your requirements probably aren't simply "sell 500 tickets." A good gala system needs to handle things like:

• Individual tickets and tables
• VIP/early-bird/different ticket levels
• Corporate sponsorship packages
• Guest names and meal selections
• Seating/table assignments
• Promo codes
• Donations during checkout
• Auction/mobile bidding, if applicable
• QR-code check-in
• Automated confirmations/receipts
• CRM/donor-data integration
• Accessibility and mobile checkout
• Post-event reporting

My strongest recommendation: Orbit Media for the website + a specialized nonprofit event platform underneath it. Orbit has unusually clear evidence of nonprofit/event-registration experience, while a dedicated platform should handle the messy transactional side of the gala. Orbit Media Studios

If you tell me roughly how many gala attendees you have, whether you need tables/sponsorships/auction, your current website/CMS, and what system holds your donor data (Salesforce, Bloomerang, Blackbaud, etc.), I can narrow this to the 3 best firms and tell you exactly what I would put in the RFP.

• Neoteric Design - 29 E Madison St, Ste 450, Chicago, IL 60602
• What A Great Website - 50 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• Firebelly Design - 1402 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• LimeRed Studio, Inc. - 4611 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Studio Blue - 800 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60622
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Advocate Creative - 320 N Damen Ave d301, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States

Yes. If this is specifically an education nonprofit website redesign, I’d narrow the Chicago field considerably rather than just picking a generic “best web agency.”

My shortlist

1. Oak Theory — my first call

This is the strongest match I found for your particular brief. Oak Theory redesigned the site and brand for One Million Degrees, a Chicago nonprofit serving community-college students. The work included stakeholder workshops, UX/UI, website redesign/development, brand strategy, and SEO. Most importantly, they report a 236% increase in donation sessions after launch. Oak Theory Oak Theory

OMD is actually at 180 N. Wabash in the Loop, so this is very much a relevant Chicago education-nonprofit reference rather than a generic nonprofit case study. One Million Degrees

I'd choose them if: you want a more contemporary, strategic, mission-driven redesign and may also need brand/messaging work.

2. Orbit Media Studios — strongest established nonprofit specialist

Orbit has been doing nonprofit websites since 2001 and has a particularly deep Chicago nonprofit portfolio. Their work includes Erikson Institute's Early Math Collaborative, Illinois Action for Children, Pat Tillman Foundation, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Goodman Theatre, and others. Their Off the Street Club redesign produced a reported 15% increase in the donation conversion rate. Orbit Media Studios

They're not actually in River North/downtown—they're at 4043 N. Ravenswood—but they serve Chicago extensively. Orbit Media Studios

I'd choose them if: SEO, content strategy, accessibility, fundraising/conversion, and long-term website performance matter as much as visual design.

3. EDUCO Web Design — especially worth considering for education

EDUCO has unusually relevant education experience. Their published work includes the University of Chicago Pozen Center, and Clutch has a verified review describing an education website redesign that made the site easier to use and maintain. Educo Web Design Clutch

They're in Oak Park rather than downtown, so I'd put them behind the first two if physical Chicago location matters.

I'd choose them if: the website has lots of programs, stakeholders, institutional content, or complicated information architecture.

If you specifically want River North / Loop

The location requirement makes the pool much smaller, and I wouldn't sacrifice relevant nonprofit/education experience just to have a downtown address.

Two local options that caught my attention:

• Neoteric Design — in the Loop at 29 E Madison. They have a long Chicago history and documented work for Friends of the Chicago River and Urban Gateways, an education/arts nonprofit.
• What A Great Website — Gold Coast rather than River North, but a small boutique studio with nonprofit experience. I'd consider them if you want a more hands-on boutique relationship rather than a larger agency.

Who I'd actually contact

If I were running the nonprofit, I'd send an RFP/brief to three agencies:

Oak Theory + Orbit Media + EDUCO.

Then I'd make them all answer the same five questions:

• What would you change about our information architecture and navigation?
• How would you design separate journeys for students/program participants, donors, funders, volunteers, and partners?
• Show us 2–3 nonprofit/education sites you personally worked on, not just agency portfolio pieces.
• How will you measure success after launch—donations, applications, engagement, program inquiries, SEO, etc.?
• What will our staff be able to change ourselves without calling you?

My ranking for an education nonprofit specifically would be:

🥇 Oak Theory — best combination of education nonprofit + brand + UX + measurable fundraising result
🥈 Orbit Media — deepest nonprofit/web/SEO capability and strongest established Chicago track record
🥉 EDUCO — particularly compelling if the site is institutionally complex or education-heavy

If you tell me the name of the nonprofit and your approximate website budget (e.g. <$25k, $25–50k, $50–100k, $100k+), I can go one level deeper and compare 5–7 agencies by actual relevant client work, likely budget, location, strengths, and who I think you should hire.

• TXI - 10 S Riverside Plaza Ste 875 - #7670, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Dom & Tom - 625 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1800, Chicago, IL 60611
• Vault Innovation - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Productive Edge - 205 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Simpalm | App & Web Development Company - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Grand Studio - 444 N Wells St #501, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Evolve Healthcare Marketing - 1 E Erie St Ste 525 Unit, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Taction Software Solutions - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Pivot Design - 321 N Clark St #600, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• product council - 5547 N Ravenswood Ave Unit 406, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Beyond Design, Inc. - 3759 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Abelson Taylor - 33 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603
• Beyond Design - 4515 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
• TEAMS Design - 1812 W Hubbard St #200, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Odeza Health - 117 N Jefferson St Ste 306, Chicago, IL 60661, United States

If you mean downtown Chicago specifically, I’d shortlist agencies that can do more than a pretty website: product strategy + UX/UI + engineering + accessibility + healthcare/privacy considerations.

My shortlist

1. TXI — strongest overall for a complex healthcare MVP

• Downtown at 10 S Riverside Plaza.
• Strong product strategy, research, design, and software engineering.
• Their experience includes digital health and biopharma, and they focus on complex/high-stakes workflows.
• Best if the MVP involves clinicians, patient workflows, integrations, or complicated business logic.
• I'd put them near the top if you expect the MVP to become a serious production product.
• Dom & Tom — strong design + engineering combination

• 625 N Michigan Ave.
• Full digital-product strategy, UX/product design, and full-stack development.
• Good fit if you want one team to take an idea through design and into a functioning web/mobile product.
• Particularly attractive if the MVP needs APIs, integrations, or a sophisticated backend.
• Vault Innovation — good startup/MVP-oriented option

• 20 N Wacker Dr.
• Custom software, responsive web applications, UX/UI, prototyping and product development.
• Their positioning around moving quickly from planning into phased execution makes them worth interviewing for an MVP.
• I'd investigate them if speed and pragmatic scope control matter more than a large strategic consulting engagement.
• Productive Edge — strongest healthcare-specific downtown option

• 205 N Michigan Ave.
• Specifically focused on healthcare technology, including digital products, strategy and software engineering.
• Particularly compelling if your startup will touch health-system workflows, healthcare data, or enterprise healthcare buyers.
• Potential downside: they may be more enterprise-oriented than what a very early startup needs.
• Simpalm | App & Web Development Company — worth considering for a leaner build

• 205 N Michigan Ave.
• Custom web/app development with UX/UI and responsive product development.
• Their positioning is more directly compatible with startups and smaller custom-product engagements.
• I'd include them in an RFP if budget efficiency is important.
• Grand Studio — excellent if UX/research is the hardest part

• 444 N Wells St in River North.
• Strong human-centered research, product strategy, UX/UI and MVP definition.
• Particularly good if you're still figuring out the product and need to validate workflows before committing to engineering.
• I'd ask explicitly how much hands-on engineering they provide versus design/strategy.

One Chicago firm I'd consider even though it's not downtown

LaunchPad Lab is particularly relevant to your requirements. They're Chicago-based and explicitly combine product strategy, design and development; they say they follow WCAG standards and accessibility testing from the beginning rather than treating accessibility as a final QA exercise. LaunchPad Lab

For a healthcare startup, that's a meaningful differentiator.

There's also Distilled Strategy, which is outside the downtown constraint but has unusually relevant healthcare-MVP evidence. They worked on a pediatric remote-monitoring product for Elevance Health/Lurie Children's, taking it from prototype through MVP definition and development-ready UX/UI. Distilled Strategy Distilled Strategy

If accessibility is a hard requirement

I'd make this a selection criterion rather than simply asking whether they "do accessible design."

Ask each agency:

• Do you design and test to WCAG 2.2 AA?
• Who actually performs accessibility testing—your designers, engineers, or an independent accessibility specialist?
• Can you show me an accessibility audit from a previous product?
• Do you test with keyboard-only navigation, screen readers, focus management, zoom/reflow, color contrast, forms, error states and touch targets?
• Is accessibility included in the acceptance criteria for every component?
• Can you demonstrate how your design system handles accessible states?
• How do you handle accessibility for both patients and clinicians, who may have very different workflows?

This is especially important because healthcare accessibility isn't just a compliance checkbox. Poor information hierarchy, ambiguous controls, tiny targets, confusing error states, and excessive cognitive load can directly affect whether someone successfully completes a healthcare task.

For comparison, some healthcare-focused firms explicitly advertise WCAG 2.2 AA as a baseline—for example, Devowise—and healthcare UX firms such as Anyday describe accessibility and privacy/compliance as constraints incorporated from the beginning. Devowise Anyday

My ranking for your specific project

If I were sending out 5 RFPs, I'd probably do:

My first three calls would be TXI, Dom & Tom, and Productive Edge. I'd then use Vault or Simpalm as a lower-cost comparison point.

One caveat: I would not choose solely based on their downtown address. For this kind of startup, I'd much rather hire a great Chicago-area healthcare product team that is 20 minutes outside the Loop than a mediocre agency because it's on Michigan Avenue.

If you tell me your rough MVP budget (e.g. $50k, $100k, $250k+), web-only vs. web + mobile, and what the product actually does, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and tell you what I'd expect each to charge and what I'd ask them to include in the SOW.

• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• One Design Company - 230 W Superior St #700, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Designer and Gentleman - 2653 W Hollywood Ave, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Nicer Collaborative: A Creative Studio - 1361 N Ashland Ave Storefront, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Glantz Design - 1881 Oak Ave, Evanston, IL 60201, United States
• MNML - 170 N Sangamon St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• SO Dsgn - 1719 S Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States

If your goal is brand identity + a first product/marketing website that actually helps acquire users, I’d shortlist these Chicago firms rather than looking at generic web-design shops.

My top picks

1. Design In Chicago — best overall fit

• Combines brand strategy/identity, UX, web development, marketing, and content.
• Particularly interesting if you expect the initial site to evolve into product/app work later.
• Their process covers positioning, wireframes, design, development, launch, SEO and ongoing growth. Design In Chicago
• Best for: a startup wanting one partner from positioning → brand → site → acquisition.
• One Design Company — best design/product-oriented option

• Strong combination of branding, interactive/web design, UX and full-stack development.
• Their work is positioned around research and human-centered design rather than simply making a marketing site look attractive.
• Best for: a tech/product startup where the website needs to establish the product experience and could eventually connect closely to the actual application.
• Designer and Gentleman — best startup/design-first option

• Focuses on digital-first brand experiences, UX/UI, branding and digital products.
• Particularly relevant if you want the brand identity and product interface to feel like one coherent system.
• Best for: consumer startups, SaaS, and founders who care heavily about differentiation and design quality.
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — best established multidisciplinary agency

• Chicago-based since 1999, with branding, UI/UX and full web design/development.
• Explicitly works with companies ranging from emerging startups to large organizations. ArtVersion
• Best for: a startup that wants a polished, sophisticated brand and expects the site to carry significant credibility with investors/partners.
• Solid Digital — best for B2B/SaaS growth

• Stronger emphasis on B2B websites, UX/UI, measurable outcomes and ongoing digital marketing.
• Can incorporate brand refreshes and identity work alongside the website.
• Best for: B2B SaaS or tech startups where the initial website's job is primarily demo requests, leads and conversions, rather than pure brand expression.
• Nicer Collaborative: A Creative Studio — interesting boutique option

• Small Chicago studio doing brand identity plus custom web/app development.
• Their portfolio includes projects combining identity, copywriting and custom digital experiences.
• Best for: founders who want a smaller, hands-on creative partner rather than a larger agency.

One I'd investigate specifically for SaaS

Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding is worth a conversation if your priority is brand + website + initial acquisition. Its offering spans brand strategy/identity, web design/development and SEO, and its Chicago presence is particularly geared toward integrating positioning with digital acquisition. Brand Vision

How I'd narrow it down

For an early-stage startup, I'd probably talk to three agencies:

One other option stands out if budget and speed matter: Chicago Brand Studio / B. McAdams publishes a brand + website package at $9,500, delivered in roughly 5–8 weeks, including the identity system and a custom Squarespace site. Chicago Brand Studio That's more of a launch-presence solution than a sophisticated SaaS product-design engagement, but it could be attractive for a very early startup.

My main advice: don't ask agencies simply for a "website." Ask them for a zero-to-one brand and acquisition system: positioning → identity → messaging → homepage narrative → signup/demo funnel → analytics → launch. That's much more likely to produce a site that attracts users rather than just an attractive brochure.

• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Grand Studio - 444 N Wells St #501, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• IDEO Chicago - 626 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
• Primal Design - 1623 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
• MNML - 170 N Sangamon St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Beyond Design, Inc. - 3759 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Beyond Design - 4515 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
• Wielgus Product Models Inc - 1435 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• EVE - User Experience Design Agency - 7135 N Merrimac Ave, Chicago, IL 60646, United States
• CUX Studio - 122 S Michigan Ave suit 1390, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
• TEAMS Design - 1812 W Hubbard St #200, Chicago, IL 60622, United States
• product council - 5547 N Ravenswood Ave Unit 406, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Tangent Design Group, Inc. - 2701 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, United States

If you’re an early-stage startup in Fulton Market and the priority is “get something in front of users quickly, learn, iterate, repeat,” I’d bias toward a small product-design team rather than a traditional branding or enterprise UX agency.

My Chicago shortlist

• UX 4Sight — Probably the strongest fit if this is primarily a digital product. They cover UX research, flows, wireframes, UI, usability testing and design validation, so they can stay involved through iteration rather than just hand over Figma files.
• Grand Studio — Strong choice if the product is complex or AI/workflow-heavy. They combine product strategy, research, UX/UI and rapid prototyping. I'd expect a more strategic/structured engagement than a scrappy startup studio.
• IDEO Chicago — Excellent for ambiguous problems where you need to discover what the product should be, prototype it and test concepts. But I'd only call them if you have a meaningful design budget; they're likely overkill for a very lean MVP.
• Highland — Particularly interesting for your stated need. Their Chicago team explicitly offers rapid prototyping, design sprints, UX research and iterative testing, and says its design sprints can produce/test interactive prototypes in days. Highland Solutions Highland Solutions
• Toimi — Worth talking to if you want a smaller, UX-first engagement. They specifically advertise startup MVP work, 2–4 week prototypes and flexibility with edits. Toimi
• Primal Design — This is the standout if by “prototype” you mean physical/hardware, rather than a clickable digital prototype. They're actually at 1623 W Fulton St, and specialize in rapid physical prototyping and product engineering. Primal Design

One I'd investigate first

For a software startup, I'd start with UX 4Sight + Highland + Toimi and ask all three essentially the same question:

“We don't need a giant UX engagement. We need a senior team that can take a rough product concept, turn it into a testable prototype in 1–3 weeks, put it in front of users, and iterate with us weekly. Can you work that way?”

That's a much better screening question than asking for their “UX capabilities.”

Also, if speed is genuinely the #1 criterion, there are newer Chicago-oriented studios explicitly selling rapid MVP/prototype models. For example, Idea Factory advertises 24-hour prototype delivery and monthly plans, while Bolder Apps says startup MVPs can launch in ~10 weeks and offers paid discovery before a larger engagement. I'd scrutinize the actual quality of their recent product work before choosing them purely on speed. ideafactory.agency bolderapps.com

If you tell me whether you're building B2B SaaS, consumer, fintech, AI, marketplace, etc., and roughly whether your budget is $10–25k, $25–50k, or $50k+, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually interview.