Bernadot Studios

What Bernadot Studios does

Bernadot Studios is a founder-owned, bootstrapped web design and local online marketing agency founded in 2003 by Scott Bernadot in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The firm serves 100+ service-based small businesses and nonprofits within a 60-mile radius spanning western Wisconsin (La Crosse, Onalaska, Holmen, Viroqua, Sparta, Tomah) and southeastern Minnesota (La Crescent, Houston, Winona, Rochester). All client work is performed in-house by founders Scott and Meghan Bernadot, with no outsourcing. Client longevity is a defining characteristic: Colgan Air Services has been a client since 2000, Firefighters Credit Union since 2004, and Cary Heating since 2006.

The core product is a custom 5-page WordPress website starting at $1,000, layered with a recurring Service Suite ($99/month annual or $1,188/year) that bundles hosting, security, daily backups, software updates, email services, and priority support. The technology stack is centered on WordPress with the Divi theme, WP Rocket for performance, Gravity Forms for lead capture, UserWay for accessibility, and Google Analytics for measurement. The firm has built proprietary service products around online reputation (5 Star Engine automated review system at $65/month or $600/year), Google Business Profile management ($25/month or $300/year), and citation submission to five major data aggregators (Foursquare, Data Axle, Neustar, GPS Network, YP Network) for $350/year to improve local SEO and AI-search visibility. All websites are built to WCAG 2.0/2.1 accessibility standards. AI tools are used internally for content drafting, image generation, SEO optimization, and accessibility auditing, but the firm has no proprietary AI models.

The business model combines one-time project fees (website design, logo design, pay-per-fix) with a growing recurring subscription base across the Service Suite, 5 Star Engine, Google Business Profile, Citation Submission, and WordPress Support+ plans. All services carry a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Go-to-market is founder-led direct sales combined with self-serve website quote forms, supported by local SEO, Google Business Profile presence, content marketing, and client referrals. The firm has executed two small tuck-in acquisitions (Mader Web in 2017, Leum Tech in 2022) to extend its geographic footprint and client base.

Name

Bernadot Studios

Legal name

Bernadot Studios

Website

https://bernadot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bernadot Studios is a founder-owned, in-house web design and local online marketing agency in La Crosse, WI, serving 100+ service-based small businesses and nonprofits within a 60-mile radius of western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota since 2003.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Crosse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Website Design: One-time project fee for custom website design including 5 essential pages. Additional pages available at $200 each. Includes hosting, support, security, and maintenance as part of ongoing service suite.
2. Service Suite / Support Plans: Recurring monthly or annual subscription for ongoing website hosting, security, updates, support, and email services. Includes priority phone and email support, daily backups, and site restoration.
3. 5 Star Engine Online Review System: Monthly subscription ($65/mo) or annual subscription ($600/yr) for automated review collection and management system. Includes auto-posting of positive reviews to websites.
4. Google Business Profile Management: Monthly subscription ($25/mo) or annual subscription ($300/yr) for Google Business Profile optimization and ongoing management.
5. Citation Submission Service: Annual subscription ($350/yr) for submission to data aggregators and directory networks. Includes re-submission as needed when business info changes.
6. WordPress Support+ Plan: Monthly subscription ($59/mo billed annually) for ongoing WordPress maintenance, security, updates, and support for non-client websites.
7. Pay-Per-Fix Service: One-time fee ($100/30 minutes) for ad-hoc website fixes and troubleshooting for non-contracts clients.
8. Logo Design: One-time fee ($500) for custom logo design with multiple iterations and money-back guarantee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bernadot Studios designs and builds custom WordPress websites for local service businesses and nonprofits, and bundles them with ongoing local marketing services: Google Business Profile management, automated online review generation (5 Star Engine), citation submission to major data aggregators, and a Service Suite covering hosting, security, updates, support, and email. Services are sold individually or as a suite, with mix of one-time project fees and recurring subscriptions.

Product overview

Bernadot Studios offers a suite of integrated digital marketing services for La Crosse-area service businesses and nonprofits. The core offering consists of Custom Website Design (built on WordPress, starting at $1,000), complemented by the 5 Star Engine for automated review generation ($65/month), Google Business Profile Management ($25/month), Citation Submission Services ($350/year) via five major data aggregators, and WordPress Support+ Plan ($59/month) for ongoing maintenance. The company leverages AI tools internally for content creation, image generation, and SEO optimization. Additional services include logo design ($500) and pay-per-fix support for non-clients. All services include local support from the La Crosse-based team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Websites load in under 3 seconds for fast user experience and SEO benefits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Leum TechminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Acquired in 2022, expanding service area into Greater Viroqua, Westby & West Salem communities.
• Mader WebminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Acquired in 2017, expanding service area and client base into Greater La Crosse community.
• FoursquarecoreTechnology or IntegrationData aggregator partnership for citation submission services. Foursquare distributes business information to hundreds of directories, apps, and AI tools including ChatGPT and Siri.
• Data AxlecoreTechnology or IntegrationData aggregator partnership for citation submission services. Data Axle distributes business information to extensive network of directories and platforms.
• NeustarcoreTechnology or IntegrationData aggregator partnership for citation submission services, contributing to local SEO and AI search visibility.
• GPS NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationData aggregator partnership for citation submission services, distributing business data to GPS and navigation applications.
• YP Network (Yellow Pages)coreTechnology or IntegrationData aggregator partnership for citation submission services, distributing business information through Yellow Pages directory network.
• Divi Theme (Elegant Themes)coreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite design platform licensing. Divi is used as the primary theme for WordPress website builds. Licensing costs included in Service Suite.
• WP RocketcoreTechnology or IntegrationPerformance optimization plugin licensing. Used to achieve fast loading pages (under 3 seconds). Licensing costs included in Service Suite.
• Gravity FormscoreTechnology or IntegrationContact and form building plugin licensing. Used for quote request forms and client onboarding. Licensing costs included in Service Suite.
• Google AnalyticscoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite analytics platform used to track visitor data and analyze website performance.
• UserWaycoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite accessibility widget used to improve WCAG compliance. Powered by dedicated accessibility server to enhance ADA compliance.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Business Profile management services and Google search indexing integration for client websites.
• WordPresscoreTechnology or IntegrationWordPress CMS is the core platform for all website builds. Powers 43% of all websites and 60% of highest-traffic sites. Bernadot Studios was first agency to use WordPress for business sites in La Crosse area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Vendasta: White-label platform providing agencies and SMBs with a suite of digital marketing, reputation management, and listing/citation tools. Comparable in that Bernadot's 5 Star Engine, Google Business Profile Management, and Citation Submission offerings overlap directly with Vendasta's product modules.

Direct peers

• Blue Fountain Media: Digital agency offering web design, branding, and online marketing to SMB and enterprise clients. Comparable in the integrated design + digital marketing bundle, though it serves a broader geographic and segment footprint.
• SmartSites: Mid-sized digital agency offering website design, SEO, and digital marketing services primarily to small and mid-sized businesses. Highly comparable in service mix (web design + local SEO + ongoing marketing) and SMB target customer profile, though at significantly greater scale than Bernadot.
• WebFX: Established digital marketing agency with strong SEO, web design, and local marketing services for SMB clients. Closely comparable in the recurring, retainer-style service model and the SMB acquisition motion.
• OuterBox Design: Digital marketing and web design agency focused on SEO, web design, and conversion optimization for SMB and mid-market clients. Comparable service portfolio and recurring retainer model.
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Full-service digital marketing agency providing web design, SEO, social media, and reputation management to SMB and mid-market clients. Directly comparable in the bundled web design + local SEO + review management offering that Bernadot sells.

Broad incumbents

• Squarespace: DIY website and commerce platform with strong design aesthetics, widely used by service businesses and creatives. Comparable target customer (small service businesses) and an ongoing competitive alternative to custom-built WordPress sites.
• GoDaddy: Large incumbent offering DIY website builders, hosting, email, and digital marketing services aimed at SMBs. Comparable in serving the same small business target customer with website + online marketing tools, and represents the primary DIY threat to Bernadot's value proposition.
• Wix: Major DIY website builder platform targeting SMBs and individuals. Directly competes with Bernadot's custom website design service by offering lower-cost, self-serve website creation, pressuring the agency value proposition for price-sensitive clients.
• HubSpot: Large incumbent providing inbound marketing, CMS, SEO, and CRM software, plus a Solutions Partner program of agencies that implement it. Overlaps with Bernadot's marketing-services-and-software model at a vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bernadot-studios
• Facebookfacebook.com/bernadotstudios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bernadot Studios