Custom Template Design
Tailwind-fast handcrafted Joomla templates built on the Cassiopeia base or full custom. No bloated frameworks. No theme lock-in. Child template overrides where it counts.
THE JOOMLA PRACTICE
JOOMLA 6 READY
Joomla
website design and
development services.
The Turn Group is a Kansas City Joomla development agency offering full-stack Joomla website design and development services: custom Joomla templates, custom Joomla components, Joomla extension development, hardened Joomla security, AI integration, and schema-rich Joomla SEO. Our Joomla development team has shipped Joomla websites since Joomla 1.5 and is ready for Joomla 6. We design Joomla, we build Joomla, we secure Joomla, and we support Joomla.
- 22years on Joomla
- 1000+Joomla sites shipped
- 1.5 → 6migrations done right
CHAPTER 02
What twelve things do we do
What twelve things do we do
extremely well on Joomla?
Pick one, pick all twelve. The point is they are all in-house, all senior, and all built to outlast trends.
Template Modifications
Surgical fixes to your current template: responsive repairs, accessibility upgrades, performance tuning, new module positions, custom override layouts in your html/ folder.
Component Development
Full custom MVC components with admin panels, ACL, custom fields, MySQL schemas, JSON APIs, and language files. Built against the Joomla framework, not on top of it.
Module & Plugin Dev
Custom modules for any position, system and content plugins for behavior changes, button plugins, search plugins, and editor-xtd plugins for custom shortcodes.
SP Page Builder
Configured properly, then extended with custom addons specific to your business. We ship Page Builder layouts that load fast and let your team edit without fear.
Security Hardening
RSFirewall, Akeeba Admin Tools, MFA on every super user, vetted-only extensions, custom .htaccess rules, file integrity monitoring, and rehearsed restore drills.
AI Integration
Custom plugins that connect Joomla to OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and Gemini. AI search, AI assistants, content automation, summarization, structured data extraction.
Database Engineering
Schema design with proper indexes, query profiling, slow-query logs, table optimization, and migration scripts. Joomla performs when the database is actually engineered.
SEO + Schema
sh404SEF for clean URLs, hand-written JSON-LD per template (Organization, WebPage, Service, FAQPage, Article, Product, BreadcrumbList), and AEO and GEO patterns for AI engines.
Open Graph & Social
Per-page OG tags, Twitter cards, automated Instagram feed integration, and Google Reviews pulled in via the Places API and rendered with full schema.
Joomla 1.5 to 6 Migrations
Mapped extension equivalents, ported custom overrides, rebuilt template framework dependencies, staged on a clone, URL-validated, switched over with a tested rollback.
Care & Support
Monthly plans with core, template, and extension updates, security monitoring, performance reviews, content edits, backup verification, and named-engineer response.
CHAPTER 03
Which Joomla extensions do we actually trust in production?
Tested in production, hardened against weirdness, supported when their authors disappear. This is the working stack.
Security
Build & Layout
SEO
Forms
Commerce
Content
Performance
Ops
01
SP
SP Page Builder
Drag-drop layouts, custom addons, fast on the front end.
02
RS
RSFirewall
Web application firewall, malware scanner, hardening tools.
03
AB
Akeeba Backup
Full-site backups with off-site storage and Kickstart restore.
04
AT
Akeeba Admin Tools
.htaccess generator, IP block rules, PHP file change monitor.
05
RF
RSForm Pro
Conditional logic, calculations, payments, multi-step forms.
06
CF
Convert Forms
Modern UI form builder with marketing automation hooks.
07
SH
sh404SEF
Clean URLs, canonical control, redirect manager, social meta.
08
JS
JSitemap Pro
XML sitemaps, news sitemaps, video and image sitemaps.
09
OS
OSMap
Automatic sitemap with priority and changefreq tuning.
10
JC
JCE Editor
Real WYSIWYG with media manager, templates, and clean output.
11
SS
Smart Slider 3
Slide-by-slide animation builder with responsive controls.
12
JE
JEvents
Calendar, RSVPs, recurring events, and ticketing.
13
EB
EasyBlog
Full-featured blogging with comments, social, monetization.
14
K2
K2 Content
Extra fields, categories, and tagging beyond core articles.
15
HK
HikaShop
Product catalog, cart, taxes, shipping, and subscriptions.
16
JT
J2Store
Article-based storefront with payments and downloadables.
17
JO
JCH Optimize Pro
CSS/JS combine, minify, defer, and HTTP/2 push tuning.
18
RR
ReReplacer
Search and replace across content, modules, and components.
19
TM
Tag Meta
Bulk meta and Open Graph control with conditional rules.
20
OG
Open Graph Tags
Per-article OG and Twitter card overrides with image picker.
Plus another 30 we reach for when the brief calls for it: Sourcerer, Phoca Gallery, Kunena, Komento, Falang for translation, Tassos plugins, NoNumber System, Regular Labs Articles Anywhere, MijoSEF, OSDownloads, and more. We use what fits. We do not over-stuff.
SPOTLIGHT
How should SP Page Builder be configured for Joomla?
Every Joomla shop installs SP Page Builder. Almost no one configures it well. We ship a tuned setup that is fast, accessible, version-controlled, and doesn't paint your team into a corner.
- Custom addons built specifically for your business so your team can edit pages without HTML.
- Locked-down sections with role-based permissions so authors cannot accidentally break the homepage.
- Performance budget per page so a marketer cannot ship a 6 MB hero image without you knowing.
- Theme-aware blocks that inherit your design tokens so the brand stays the brand.
- Template integration so SP Page Builder feels native to your site, not bolted on.
- JCH Optimize compatible output that survives minification, deferring, and combining.
CHAPTER 04
Three ways we engage,
Three ways we engage,
start to finish.
Whichever lane fits, the deliverables are exact and the timeline is honest.
Brand-new
Joomla site
For businesses launching, rebranding, or replacing a non-Joomla CMS.
- Discovery - Goals, audience, sitemap, content inventory, success metrics.
- Architecture - Joomla content model: categories, custom fields, ACL, modules, menus.
- Design - Two visual concepts, iterative refinement, full design system.
- Template build - Custom Joomla template with semantic markup and child overrides.
- Extensions - Stack selection, configuration, custom addons where needed.
- Content load - Articles, custom fields, modules, menus, media, redirects.
- Performance - JCH Optimize, CDN, image pipeline, Core Web Vitals tuning.
- Security - RSFirewall, Akeeba Admin Tools, MFA, .htaccess hardening.
- Schema + SEO - JSON-LD per template, OG, sitemaps, GSC, GA4.
- QA + launch - Cross-browser, accessibility, redirect map, DNS cutover.
- Training - Admin walkthrough, recorded videos, written runbook.
- Care plan - Updates, monitoring, monthly performance review.
Typical timeline: 8 to 14 weeks
Rebuild &
migration
For Joomla 1.5 / 2.5 / 3.x / 4.x sites that need to come into modern Joomla 6.
- Audit - Current core version, extensions, custom code, server stack, traffic.
- Inventory - Articles, custom fields, K2 items, users, menus, ACL groups.
- Map equivalents - Old extensions to current vetted equivalents.
- Clone - Full Akeeba snapshot to a staging environment.
- Stage migration - Joomla core update path 3.x → 4.x → 5.x → 6.x.
- Port overrides - Rebuild custom template overrides for the new core.
- Schema preserve - Old URLs preserved or 301-mapped to new structure.
- Content reconcile - Verify articles, fields, attachments, and images.
- Re-secure - Apply current security baseline; remove abandoned extensions.
- Re-optimize - Reset cache, JCH config, image conversion to WebP.
- Pre-flight - Side-by-side QA between staging and production.
- Cutover - Final delta sync, DNS switch, monitored 48-hour observation.
Typical timeline: 4 to 10 weeks
Template
modifications
For sites with a Joomla template that mostly works but needs surgery.
- Free audit - We open your template and document what is and is not worth touching.
- Scope - Itemized list with hours, priorities, and risk per change.
- Local clone - All work happens on a copy. Live site is never the workshop.
- Responsive fixes - Repair broken breakpoints, touch targets, focus states.
- New positions - Add module positions where the layout has dead zones.
- Override layouts - Custom
html/overrides for components and modules. - Performance pass - Critical CSS, defer JS, lazy media, font subsetting.
- Accessibility pass - Color contrast, focus, semantic markup, ARIA.
- SEO pass - Meta, schema, OG, sitemap, internal linking, redirects.
- Visual polish - Typography rhythm, spacing, hover and focus states.
- QA - Cross-browser, mobile, all major page types.
- Deploy - Merge to live with a documented rollback path.
Typical timeline: 1 to 4 weeks
CHAPTER 05
How do we approach Joomla security with the boring kind that actually works?
Most "Joomla got hacked" stories start with three things: an outdated extension, a super user without MFA, and no backup. We close all three before they happen.
- RSFirewall WAF tuned to your traffic shape
- Akeeba Admin Tools .htaccess maker + IP blocking
- MFA enforced on every super user account
- Vetted-only extensions; abandoned ones removed
- Akeeba Backup off-site to S3 nightly
- Quarterly restore drills (we actually run them)
- File integrity monitoring with email + SMS alerts
- Security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame, Permissions Policy)
- Disabled XML-RPC and unused core auth flows
- Database backups separated from file backups
- SSH-key-only server access; no shared FTP creds
- Documented incident response runbook with on-call rotation
CHAPTER 06
Joomla, but it
Joomla, but it
understands you.
We write custom Joomla plugins and components that connect your site to OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and Gemini. Your CMS becomes a working tool, not a static archive.
SEARCH
AI-powered site search
Vector embeddings of every article, indexed nightly. Visitors get answers in plain English with cited links to your content. No more lousy MySQL LIKE-search.
CHAT
Customer-facing assistants
Branded chat that knows your services, hours, pricing rules, and FAQ. It answers in your voice, hands off to a human when needed, and logs every conversation in Joomla.
CONTENT
Editorial automation
Title and meta description suggestions, summarization, internal-link recommendations, and image alt-text generation directly inside the Joomla article editor.
DATA
Structured data extraction
Pull structured fields (price, location, availability) from unstructured submissions and auto-populate Joomla custom fields. Forms that fill themselves.
OPS
Admin copilots
An assistant inside the Joomla admin that answers "how do I…?" using your own documentation. New editors ramp up in hours, not weeks.
SEO
AEO + GEO patterns
Pages structured so AI engines can cite them. Schema-rich, FAQ-shaped, speakable, and answer-first. We build for the next decade of search.
CHAPTER 07
SEO, schema, and
SEO, schema, and
everything you need to be found.
Joomla can be a stunning SEO platform. It can also be a disaster. The difference is in how the URL structure, meta system, and schema are wired up from day one.
01 Clean URLs
sh404SEF or core SEF, configured with category-aware paths, removed IDs, and proper trailing-slash policy. Old Joomla 1.5 URLs preserved with 301 chains where they exist.
02 Schema (JSON-LD)
Hand-written schema per template: Organization, WebSite, WebPage, BreadcrumbList, Service, FAQPage, Article, Product, Event, Review. Validated in Google's Rich Results Test.
03 Open Graph
Per-article OG, Twitter cards, and image fallbacks managed via Tag Meta or Open Graph Tags. Every share looks intentional, not like a placeholder.
04 Sitemaps
JSitemap or OSMap configured with priority and changefreq tuning. News sitemaps, video sitemaps, and image sitemaps where they matter.
05 Google Reviews
Live integration with the Google Places API, cached server-side, rendered with Review and AggregateRating schema, and refreshed nightly.
06 Instagram feed
Native Instagram Graph API integration, server-side cached, with proper alt text and lazy loading. No third-party widget that breaks every six months.
07 Core Web Vitals
LCP under 2.5s, CLS under 0.1, INP under 200ms. Critical CSS, defer JS, font-display, image priority, and JCH Optimize tuned to your specific page weights.
08 Multilingual
Joomla's native multilingual or Falang for translation workflows. Hreflang tags wired correctly so Google understands the language and region of every URL.
09 AEO + GEO
Answer-shaped content, FAQ schema on the right pages, speakable selectors for voice, and citation-ready facts so Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini link to your site.
CHAPTER 08
After launch is
After launch is
where most agencies disappear.
We don't. Pick a care plan or pay hourly. Either way the engineer who built your site is the one answering the ticket.
- Joomla core + extension updates
- Akeeba Backup nightly to off-site storage
- Uptime monitoring with email + SMS alerts
- SSL renewal management
- Quarterly performance check
- 2 hours of edits per month
Best for stable, low-change sites.
- Everything in Essential
- Monthly security audit + report
- Monthly performance audit + report
- SEO and Core Web Vitals review
- RSFirewall log review + tuning
- Quarterly restore drill
- 6 hours of edits or new dev per month
Best for growing businesses with regular changes.
- Everything in Active
- Named engineer + Slack channel
- 4-hour priority response window
- Quarterly roadmap planning session
- Custom component / plugin work as needed
- 20+ hours per month, rolled-over allowed
Best for sites that drive serious revenue.
Or hire a Joomla developer by the hour. We also do white-label work for agencies who need a Joomla bench.
CHAPTER 09
Questions clients ask
Questions clients ask
before they hire us.
Why pick Joomla over WordPress, Drupal, or a headless platform?
Joomla offers built-in multilingual support, a robust ACL out of the box, native custom fields and content types, and a strong extension ecosystem without commercial lock-in. For sites that need complex permission models, multilingual content, directories, or enterprise-grade publishing without paying per-seat licenses, Joomla is often the cleanest fit.
Do you build new sites, rebuild old ones, and modify existing templates?
Yes. We do brand-new Joomla builds, full rebuilds and migrations of existing sites, and surgical template modifications and overrides on sites you already own. Every engagement starts with a free audit so you know exactly what is and is not worth changing.
Which Joomla extensions do you use most?
Our top 20 includes SP Page Builder, RSFirewall, RSForm Pro, Akeeba Backup, Akeeba Admin Tools, sh404SEF, JCE Editor, JSitemap, OSMap, Convert Forms, Smart Slider 3, JEvents, EasyBlog, K2, HikaShop, J2Store, JCH Optimize, ReReplacer, Tag Meta, and Open Graph Tags. The right mix depends on your goals, traffic, and budget.
How do you secure a Joomla site?
Layered defense: hardened core configuration, RSFirewall with WAF rules, Akeeba Admin Tools for IP and PHP protection, MFA on every super user, vetted-only extensions, scheduled Akeeba Backup with off-site storage, file integrity monitoring, and a documented incident response runbook. We rehearse restores quarterly so a real recovery is not the first time.
Can Joomla integrate with AI tools?
Yes. We build custom plugins and components that connect Joomla to OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, and other LLM APIs for site search, AI assistants, content generation, summarization, structured data extraction, and customer-facing chat. We can also wire AI agents into the admin for editorial workflows.
How do you handle SEO and schema on Joomla?
Clean URL structure with sh404SEF, hand-written JSON-LD per template (Organization, WebSite, WebPage, BreadcrumbList, Service, FAQPage, Article, Product as needed), Open Graph and Twitter cards on every layout, automated XML sitemaps via JSitemap or OSMap, Core Web Vitals tuning, internal linking patterns, and AEO and GEO patterns so AI engines cite your pages.
Do you do template-only work, or only full builds?
Both. We can install and configure a commercial template, build a fully custom template from scratch with child overrides for maintainability, or modify your existing template (responsive fixes, performance tuning, accessibility, new module positions, override layouts).
Do you offer Joomla support after launch?
Yes. Monthly care plans cover core, template, and extension updates, security monitoring, performance reviews, content edits, backup verification, and a defined response time for issues. We also offer hourly developer engagements for one-off work.
Can you migrate from Joomla 3 or 4 to Joomla 6?
Yes, this is one of our most-requested services. We map old extensions to their current Joomla 6 equivalents, port custom overrides, rebuild template framework dependencies, run staged migrations on a clone, validate URL preservation, and switch over with a tested rollback plan.
Do you build custom Joomla components?
Yes. When the need is unique, we write custom MVC components against the Joomla framework, complete with admin panels, ACL, custom fields, MySQL schema, REST endpoints, and language files. Where a vetted commercial extension already does the job well, we use that instead.
Will my Joomla site be fast?
Yes. JCH Optimize for asset minification and combination, image conversion to WebP and AVIF, lazy loading, critical CSS inlined per template, server-side caching tuned to your traffic shape, and a CDN. Most sites we ship score 90+ on Lighthouse mobile and pass Core Web Vitals.
What is the first step?
Book a free Joomla consultation. We review your current site or scope your new one, identify the biggest wins, and leave you with a clear plan and timeline, whether you hire us or not.
Let's build a Joomla site
your team will still love in 2030.
Free consultation. No sales pressure. We will tell you what is worth doing, what is not, and how long it takes.
