Exaltis has been named Web Design Business of the Year at the North East 2026 Local Awards, recognising a Gateshead-based web design and SEO company that helps small businesses get found on Google and turn their websites into something that genuinely brings in customers. Founded in 2017 by Elaine following redundancy, Exaltis was created with a clear purpose: to give small businesses honest advice, plain English support and affordable digital help without judgement, pressure or unnecessary costs. After hearing too many stories of local businesses being ripped off by agencies, Elaine decided to build a company that did things differently. For Exaltis, this award is a hugely meaningful milestone. Won through public vote and achieved against some much larger companies, the recognition reflects the trust, loyalty and appreciation of customers who have experienced Elaine’s personal, practical and genuinely caring approach to web design and SEO.

A Gateshead Web Design and SEO Business Helping Small Businesses Get Found

Exaltis is a web design and SEO company based in Gateshead, supporting small businesses across the North East with websites that look professional, work properly and help customers find them online. The goal is simple but powerful: help local businesses stop feeling invisible and start being discovered by the people already looking for what they offer. For many small business owners, websites and SEO can feel overwhelming. They know they need to be online, but they may not know why their current website is not working, why they are not showing up on Google or what they should do next. Exaltis helps make sense of that world without confusing people with jargon or pushing them into things they do not need. The business focuses on practical results. A website should not just sit there looking pretty. It should showcase who a business is, explain what it does clearly and help turn visitors into customers. Exaltis works with that purpose in mind, helping trades, therapists, salons, independent shops and other local businesses build an online presence that supports real growth.

Founded After Redundancy With a Mission to Do Things Differently

Exaltis was founded in 2017 after Elaine was made redundant. Rather than seeing that moment only as a setback, she used it as an opportunity to create something built around her skills, values and desire to help small businesses thrive. The inspiration behind Exaltis came partly from frustration. Elaine was tired of hearing about local businesses being ripped off by agencies, charged unnecessary costs or left feeling confused and judged. She knew there had to be a better way to support business owners who simply wanted clear advice and honest help with their websites and online visibility. That is why Exaltis was created to do things differently. The business is built around honest advice, plain English explanations, no judgement and no unnecessary spending. Elaine understands that small business owners do not have endless time or money, and they should never be made to feel daft for asking questions. That founding purpose continues to shape every client relationship today.

One Point of Contact From Start to Finish

What sets Exaltis apart is that clients deal directly with Elaine from start to finish. She is the owner, the designer and the person carrying out the SEO, which means customers are never passed around, left waiting for updates from different departments or unsure who is actually handling their work. That direct relationship makes a big difference. Web design and SEO are personal for small business owners because they are tied to reputation, income and future growth. Clients need to feel heard and understood. They need someone who takes the time to learn what their business does, who their customers are and what they need their website to achieve. With Exaltis, when a customer gets in touch, they get Elaine. That creates consistency, trust and accountability. It also means advice is tailored and practical rather than generic. The personal approach is one of the strongest reasons customers value the business and one of the key reasons Exaltis has been recognised as Web Design Business of the Year.

Honest Help in Plain English

Elaine is a small business owner herself, so she understands how it feels to run a business without unlimited time, money or technical knowledge. That understanding shapes the way Exaltis communicates with customers. Rather than confusing clients with technical language, Elaine keeps everything clear and in plain English. She explains what needs improving, why it matters and what can be done about it. This helps business owners feel more confident instead of overwhelmed. It also allows them to make informed decisions without feeling pressured. There is also no judgement. Some clients come to Exaltis with old websites, broken sites, no SEO, confusing content or no idea where to begin. Elaine’s response is not to make anyone feel bad about it. Her job is to make things better. That respectful, supportive approach has helped many customers feel comfortable asking questions, learning about their online presence and taking positive steps forward.

Nine Years of Helping Small Businesses Grow Online

Exaltis has now been running for nine years, and during that time Elaine has helped many small businesses improve how they appear online. From getting businesses found on Google to making sense of online marketing, building websites and training clients to be more self-sufficient, the work has made a real difference across the region. Every project matters because behind each website is a person trying to build something. A small business owner may be relying on their website to bring in enquiries, bookings, sales or local customers. When that website is not working, it can feel frustrating and discouraging. Exaltis helps turn that around by creating clearer, stronger and more effective online foundations. Winning this award is a huge milestone for the business. Because it was won by public vote, it represents customers telling the world what they think of Exaltis. To receive that support while competing against much larger companies makes the recognition especially powerful. It shows that personal service, honesty and results still stand out.

Rising From a Difficult Business Setback

Elaine has faced major challenges on her business journey. One of the biggest was having to close her previous business, Safer Date. That business had earned global recognition, led to appearances on a BBC documentary, Dragons’ Den and The Dr Phil Show in America, and was ready to fly. Then, after a very difficult experience with an app development company, Elaine had to close it. That was a hard setback to come back from. Losing a business that had so much promise can be deeply painful, especially when so much energy, emotion and ambition has gone into building it. But Elaine picked herself up, dusted herself down and kept going. That experience now informs the work she does with other small businesses. She understands the emotional side of entrepreneurship, not just the technical side. She knows that founders face good months and difficult months, and that resilience is often built quietly through showing up again and again. Exaltis has gone from strength to strength, shaped by everything Elaine learned along the way.

Supported by a Strong Circle of Female Founders

One of the things Elaine values deeply is the support of her circle of female founder friends. She describes them as her tribe: an incredible group of women who understand the highs, lows and realities of running a business. That kind of support network matters. Business ownership can be lonely, especially when difficult decisions, financial pressures or setbacks appear. Having people who understand the journey can make all the difference. They offer encouragement, advice, perspective and the reminder that no founder has to face everything alone. This support has been part of the Exaltis story too. While Elaine is the direct point of contact for clients and the person behind the delivery, she has a wider circle of encouragement that helps her keep going. Winning Web Design Business of the Year is therefore also a moment of gratitude for the people who have supported her through the ups and downs.

Quiet Moments That Make the Work Matter

The moments Elaine is proudest of are often the quiet ones. They happen when a client sends a message to say they have just had their first enquiry from Google, or that someone found them on the map and walked through the door. These moments may sound small from the outside, but for a small business owner, they can be huge. That first enquiry from Google can feel like proof that the business is finally being seen. A customer walking in after finding a business online can show that the website and SEO are doing their job. It turns digital work into real-world impact. Watching a small business owner go from feeling invisible online to genuinely confident never gets old for Elaine. It is the whole reason she does this work. Every one of those moments is a reminder that web design and SEO are not just technical services. They are tools that help real people grow, earn, serve customers and feel proud of their businesses.

Supporting the North East’s Small Business Community

Everything Exaltis does is focused on North East small businesses. Elaine works with trades, therapists, salons, independent shops and the people who help keep high streets and the local economy going. She is passionate about supporting the brilliant businesses across the region and wants to help them grow and thrive. That support comes through paid services, but also through free tools that help business owners see where they stand and start improving things even if they never spend a penny with Exaltis. This approach reflects Elaine’s belief that business should be about supporting each other. Exaltis offers a place where small business owners can come for honest advice without being confused by technical language or tied into contracts they cannot afford. It is the opposite of the agency experiences that first frustrated Elaine and inspired her to create something better.

Proudly Rooted in the North East

The North East is central to Elaine’s identity and to the purpose of Exaltis. Born and raised in the region, Elaine has lived there for 46 years and describes the place as being in her bones. She loves the people, the humour and the way everyone looks out for each other. For her, there is nowhere quite like it. That local pride is one of the reasons Exaltis is focused on helping North East businesses gain the recognition and visibility they deserve. Being based at the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead also reflects that desire to be part of a business community. Elaine enjoys being surrounded by other businesses, sharing ideas and feeling part of something rather than working everything out alone. She believes the North East is full of talent and brilliant small businesses, and when one local business does well, the whole area feels it and cheers them on.

Helping a Client Turn 17,000 Website Issues Into a Clear Strategy

One customer story that stands out involved a client who had no idea why she was not getting website traffic or sales. She had created an enormous amount of content, more than Elaine had ever seen from any customer, but the sales still were not coming. Elaine carried out an SEO audit and discovered more than 17,000 issues and errors. There was no proper SEO, broken links and no Google-friendly structure. The client was producing brilliant content, but almost nobody was seeing it because the website was not giving Google or users what they needed. Elaine built the client a completely new website and taught her how to run it going forward so she would never end up in that situation again. The client’s traffic is now improving month on month, and she has a clear online strategy for the first time. That story shows exactly what Exaltis does best: taking something overwhelming, making it understandable and turning it into a practical path forward.

A Genuine Surprise and a Proud Moment

When Elaine found out that Exaltis had won Web Design Business of the Year, her reaction was genuine surprise followed by a big grin. For someone who spends her days helping other businesses get noticed, it was a lovely feeling to be noticed herself. The award means a great deal because it recognises not only the quality of Exaltis’ work, but the way Elaine chooses to work. The business is built on plain English help, personal service, honesty and genuine care for customers. Winning through public vote showed that those values resonate with the people Exaltis was created to support. This is a trophy Elaine will proudly display. It represents years of resilience, client results and the trust of small business owners who took the time to vote. For Exaltis, the win is both recognition and encouragement to keep going.

What Winning Web Design Business of the Year Means

Winning Web Design Business of the Year means that the Exaltis approach is making a real impact. It shows that customers value the honest, direct and supportive way Elaine works. The award is especially meaningful because it came from customer votes. To be recognised by the very people Exaltis set out to help is one of the best feelings there is. Those votes reflect the experiences of business owners who have trusted Elaine with their websites, SEO and online visibility. For Elaine, the win confirms that small businesses do not need to be intimidated by digital marketing. They need someone who listens, explains clearly and cares about their success. Exaltis has built its reputation around exactly that, and this award recognises the strength of that personal, values-led service.

Recognition Built on Care and Consistency

Providing the best service possible is of paramount importance to Exaltis. Elaine is the one point of contact from the initial discussion, through the project and beyond. That continuity helps clients feel supported and understood throughout the whole process. Elaine takes the time to get to know customers and their businesses so she can build the best solution for them. She truly cares about their success, and this recognition shows that Exaltis stands out because of that care. Customer relationships are not treated as transactions. They are partnerships built around trust, honesty and practical support. Whether someone needs a new website, SEO guidance, a local visibility strategy or training to manage things themselves, Exaltis aims to make the process clear, useful and confidence-building. The award reflects the strength of those relationships.

Growing Local SEO Support From the Northern Design Centre

It is an exciting time for Exaltis. Elaine has recently moved into the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead, which feels like a real step up for the business. The move places Exaltis in a creative and professional environment surrounded by other businesses, ideas and opportunities. Elaine is also building out services, especially around local SEO. Rather than a website being a one-off project, the aim is to keep helping businesses climb and stay visible on Google month after month. For small businesses, this ongoing support can be incredibly valuable because visibility is not something that stays still. Competitors move, search results change and customers continue looking for trusted local options. The goal is simple: more North East businesses getting found by the customers right on their doorstep. Elaine does want Exaltis to grow, but never at the expense of what makes it special. The personal service, plain English advice and direct relationship with Elaine will remain at the heart of the business.

Thanking Customers, Supporters and the Exaltis Tribe

Elaine would first like to thank her customers for voting for Exaltis and for trusting her with their businesses. She does not take that trust for granted and truly appreciates every person who took time out of their day to vote. She would also like to thank her tribe, the amazing group of women who support her through everything. Their encouragement has been invaluable throughout the journey. To every business that has trusted Exaltis to get them online and get them found: thank you, truly. This award was made possible by your support, loyalty and belief in the way Exaltis works. As Web Design Business of the Year, Exaltis is proud to continue helping North East businesses gain the visibility they deserve, one honest conversation, one clearer website and one Google enquiry at a time.