Plan 9 Web Design Review: A Boutique Studio That Gets It Right

Let’s be honest—finding a web design agency that balances expertise with a human touch is like searching for a unicorn. Most shops either drown you in corporate jargon or vanish after the first invoice. That’s why stumbling upon Plan 9, a small-but-mighty Webflow and SEO studio in Oakland County, Michigan, felt like a breath of fresh air.

From the jump, their promise of direct access to the owner and no middlemen stood out. No endless email chains with "account managers" who barely know your project? Sign me up. Here’s how their boutique approach played out in reality.

The Personal Touch: No Assembly-Line Websites Here

Plan 9’s limited client roster isn’t just a marketing gimmick—it translates to actual attention to detail. Unlike agencies that churn out templated sites, they treated my project like a collaboration, not a ticket number. The owner was hands-on from strategy calls to tweaking micro-interactions in Webflow.

One caveat? Their selectivity means they might not be the fastest option if you need a site yesterday. But for a thoughtfully crafted digital presence, the trade-off was worth it.

Webflow Wizardry: Clean Code & Creative Freedom

If you’ve ever wrestled with clunky CMS platforms, Webflow’s visual development is a revelation—when done right. Plan 9’s builds were sleek, fast-loading, and oddly fun to update (coming from someone who once panicked at the word "back-end"). They nailed the balance: intuitive for me, but under the hood, everything was optimized for SEO and scalability.

I’d love to see more pre-launch tutorials for absolute beginners, though. While their handoff documentation was thorough, a quick Loom video walkthrough would’ve been the cherry on top.

SEO That Doesn’t Feel Like a Dark Art

Many designers treat SEO as an afterthought, but Plan 9 baked it into the design process. Their audits were refreshingly jargon-free—think "Here’s why your blog headers confuse Google" instead of a spreadsheet of doom. Post-launch, my organic traffic crept up steadily without aggressive backlink schemes.

That said, if you’re looking for a hardcore monthly SEO retainer, they’re more "foundational fixer" than "endless content machine." Perfect for SMBs, but enterprises might need supplemental support.

The Pros & Cons (Keeping It Real)

What Shines:

• Owner-operated = no disconnect between vision and execution.
• Webflow expertise that avoids "template vibes."
• SEO integrated naturally—no upsells for basic best practices.
• Transparent process—no surprise fees or ghosting.

What Could Polish:

• Not the speediest for rush jobs (quality takes time).
• Limited SEO retainers—great for setup, but ongoing might need pairing.
• More self-serve resources for non-techy clients post-launch.

Final Thoughts: Who’s It For?

Plan 9 is that rare studio that listens before they design. If you want a partner who’ll answer your Slack messages at 10 AM (or 10 PM), obsess over your site’s hover animations, and actually explain SEO in plain English? They’re a gem. Just don’t expect a faceless agency’s scale—their magic is in being small.

For solopreneurs, creative firms, or local businesses craving a site that doesn’t look (or act) like everyone else’s, they’re a stellar fit. And hey, if "no account managers" sounds like music to your ears? You’re already their ideal client.