How Agencies Handle Web Design Overflow Without Hiring
The email comes in on a Thursday afternoon. A client wants to rebuild their website. Full redesign, new CMS, the works. Your team is already…
Web Design for Professional Service Firms
Before they hire you, they Google you. Let’s make that count.
Website Hosting &
Ongoing Website Management
Ongoing Website Management
Logo Design
& Brand Identity
& Brand Identity
Web Design for Professional Service Firms
Before they hire you, they Google you. Let’s make that count.
Website Hosting &
Ongoing Website Management
Ongoing Website Management
Logo Design
& Brand Identity
& Brand Identity
Your website is someone’s first impression of your business. It’s either earning their trust or costing you the call. I’m Justin Merrell — I build sites that do the former. Custom-designed, fast-loading, and built to reflect the quality of your work. Based in Greenville, SC. Working nationwide for 25 years.
Why professional firms choose Ghost Runner
Most professional service websites have two problems. I fix both.
I build sites that solve both. Visually sharp enough to match your professional reputation. Technically built to be found — clean code, fast load times, proper on-page SEO, and schema markup so Google understands who you are and what you do. The foundation has to be right before anything else can work.
Why The “Ghost Runner”?
The name comes from backyard baseball. The business model followed.
In backyard baseball, when your team is short a player and the runner on second needs to bat, you put a ghost runner on second — a placeholder that keeps the game moving. Nobody sits out. The game continues.
I’ve been a ghost runner since I was a kid. Turns out it’s a pretty good way to run a business.
When a business needs a website that actually represents the quality of their work — or when a team needs someone to step in and fill a gap — I’m the call. I show up, I do the work, and the project moves forward.
No hand-offs. No overhead. No explaining your vision to someone who wasn’t in the room.
I’ve been a ghost runner since I was a kid. Turns out it’s a pretty good way to run a business.
When a business needs a website that actually represents the quality of their work — or when a team needs someone to step in and fill a gap — I’m the call. I show up, I do the work, and the project moves forward.
No hand-offs. No overhead. No explaining your vision to someone who wasn’t in the room.
yrs
In marketing and advertising
yrs
Building professional websites
+
Sites built across multiple industries
Point of contact, start to finish
Direct clients. Agencies without in-house web design. Teams that need backup. One person. Every project handled directly.
You talk to the person doing the work.
Not a project manager, not an account rep, not whoever picked up the phone. Every conversation, every revision, every decision — directly with me.
The scope is clear before anything starts.
Flat-rate pricing. Written proposal. Defined deliverables. No hourly billing surprises, no scope creep invoices. You know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs before you sign anything.
The relationship doesn't end at launch.
I host and maintain the sites I build. When something needs attention six months after launch, you reach out to me — the same person who built it — and it gets handled.
What I build & what’s included
Everything your company needs. Nothing You Don't.
No packages. No tiers. Every project is scoped to what your business actually needs — from a five-page foundational site to a full rebrand with custom functionality.
Thirty-minute discovery call. Flat-rate proposal. I handle every part of the build. You’re not abandoned at launch.
For Agencies
Running a project short on website help?
I work with marketing agencies, PR firms, communications companies, and creative shops that need a trusted WordPress designer — without adding headcount.
White-label or credited. Flat-rate pricing. One point of contact. And your clients stay yours.
White-label or credited. Flat-rate pricing. One point of contact. And your clients stay yours.
Tips Straight From the Trenches
Articles & Insights
Why Isn’t My Website Showing Up on Google?
An Honest Diagnosis. If you’re asking this question, you’re probably in one of two situations: You built or redesigned a website recently and expected it…
How Much Does a Website Cost? A Straight Answer.
This is the question everyone has and almost nobody answers directly. Most “web design pricing” articles spend 1,500 words explaining why it’s complicated before quietly…
Freelance Web Designer vs. Agency: An Honest Answer From Someone Who’s Been on the Inside
Ghost Runner Creative Services | 25+ years in web design and development There’s no shortage of articles comparing freelance web designers to agencies. Most of…
The Hidden Cost of a Bad Website
What slow, outdated, and broken websites are quietly costing Upstate SC businesses—and most owners have no idea it’s happening. 53% of mobile visitors leave if…
Will AI replace web designers?
An honest answer from someone who's been doing this for over 20 years.
DIY Website Builders vs. Hiring a Pro: What’s Best for Your Business?
Every week, a business owner asks me some version of this question: “I was looking at Wix or Squarespace — is it worth hiring someone…
The 5 Most Common Website Mistakes and How I Fix Them
After 16 years and over 100 websites, I’ve stopped being surprised by what I find when a new client sends me their current site. The…
Your Brand’s First Impression
Logos & Branding
A great logo isn’t just something that looks good on a business card — it’s the thing people remember when they can’t remember your name. I design marks that are simple enough to recognize at a glance, strong enough to last a decade, and flexible enough to work everywhere from a billboard to a favicon.
No templates. No clip art. Just a logo built around your brand, your story, and the audience you’re trying to reach.
Contact Me Today
Ready to have a website that actually works as hard as you do?
Most projects start around $3,500. If that fits your budget and you’re tired of sending people to a site that doesn’t reflect the quality of your work, let’s talk. The discovery call is free, and there’s no obligation to move forward.