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The Importance of Accessibility in Website Design

Post Created on Wednesday 04 Dec, 2024

8 minutes to read

Nowadays, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your website is accessible to everyone, including users with disabilities. Website accessibility goes beyond compliance with regulations — it’s about creating an inclusive digital space where all users, regardless of their abilities, can access and interact with your content. By incorporating accessibility into your website design you’re not only enhancing user experience but also reaching a wider audience and improving your business’s overall reputation.

In this post, we’ll explore the importance of accessibility in website design and offer practical steps to make your site more inclusive.

Why Accessibility Matters in Web Design

Accessibility in web design refers to creating websites that can be used by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. These disabilities may include visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments that make navigating and interacting with standard websites difficult.

Key Reasons Why Accessibility Is Important:

  • Inclusivity: By designing with accessibility in mind, you’re ensuring that people with disabilities can access the same information, services, and opportunities as everyone else.
  • Legal Compliance: Many countries, including New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S., have regulations (such as the ADA or WCAG guidelines) that require websites to be accessible. Non-compliance can lead to legal issues, fines, and lawsuits.
  • Improved User Experience: Accessible websites are easier to navigate for all users, not just those with disabilities. Simpler navigation, faster load times, and clearer content can enhance the experience for everyone, leading to increased engagement.
  • SEO Benefits: Many accessibility best practices, such as using alt text for images or structuring content with proper headings, align with search engine optimisation (SEO) guidelines. This means that making your site accessible can also boost your rankings in search results.

Designing with accessibility in mind benefits both your users and your business, creating a more inclusive web environment while potentially improving your SEO performance and avoiding legal risks.

Understanding WCAG and Accessibility Standards

WCAG 3 Logo and Accessibility Icons

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for web accessibility. These guidelines, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), outline how to make web content more accessible to individuals with disabilities. WCAG focuses on four principles:

The Four Principles of Accessibility (POUR):

  • Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in a way that users can perceive, whether through sight, sound, or touch. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content (like images) and making content adaptable.
  • Operable: The website must be navigable and functional using different devices and input methods, including keyboards. It should also be easy to interact with and free from time limits that hinder user engagement.
  • Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface should be easy to understand. This involves using clear language, providing instructions for complex interactions, and offering predictable functionality.
  • Robust: The website must be robust enough to work with current and future assistive technologies, such as screen readers and other devices designed for people with disabilities.

Understanding and applying WCAG principles helps ensure your website is accessible to a broad range of users, including those who rely on assistive technology.

Practical Steps to Make Your Website More Accessible

Making your website accessible doesn’t require a complete overhaul. There are practical and effective steps you can take to ensure inclusivity without sacrificing design or functionality.

a. Use Alt Text for Images

Alt text provides a written description of images that can be read by screen readers, helping visually impaired users understand the content of your website. It’s important to make alt text descriptive and relevant to the image’s purpose on the page.

Alt Text Best Practices:

  • Be concise but descriptive. Describe what’s in the image, especially if it conveys important information.
  • Avoid phrases like “image of” or “picture of” — the screen reader will announce that it’s an image.

b. Ensure Keyboard Navigation 

Many users with motor disabilities rely on keyboards or assistive devices to navigate websites. Ensuring that your website is fully operable via keyboard (without needing a mouse) improves accessibility.

Keyboard Navigation Tips:

  • Ensure that all interactive elements, such as links, buttons, and forms, are easily accessible via the Tab key.
  • Include visible focus indicators so users can easily see which element is currently selected.

c. Create Readable Content with Proper Heading Structure 

Structured content makes it easier for screen readers to interpret your page and for users to navigate content efficiently. Properly using heading tags (H1, H2, H3) ensures a logical flow of information.

Heading Structure Best Practices:

  • Use a single H1 tag for the main title of the page, followed by H2 tags for subheadings and H3 for further divisions.
  • Avoid skipping heading levels, as this can confuse both users and screen readers.

d. Provide Text Transcripts for Multimedia 

For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, text transcripts or captions for audio and video content are essential. They ensure that all users can access the information presented in multimedia formats.

How to Implement Transcripts:

  • Include written transcripts for audio content, such as podcasts or interviews, directly below the media player or in a downloadable format.
  • Add captions or subtitles to video content. Many video hosting platforms like YouTube provide automatic captioning tools that you can edit for accuracy.

e. Choose Accessible Colour Schemes 

Colour contrast is critical for users with visual impairments, particularly those with colour blindness or low vision. Ensure your website’s text and background colours have sufficient contrast to be readable.

Colour Contrast Tips:

  • Use a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for larger text.
  • Avoid using colour alone to convey important information. For example, use labels or icons in addition to colour cues to highlight important elements like error messages or notifications.

Designing for Cognitive and Learning Disabilities

While much of web accessibility focuses on visual or auditory disabilities, it’s also important to consider users with cognitive or learning disabilities. These users may struggle with complex layouts, difficult language, or confusing instructions.

Designing for Cognitive Accessibility:

  • Simplify Navigation: Use clear labels for menu items and provide simple, consistent navigation across all pages.
  • Use Plain Language: Avoid technical jargon or complicated language. Write in short, concise sentences that are easy to understand.
  • Break Up Content: Large blocks of text can be overwhelming. Use headings, bullet points, and white space to break up content into manageable sections.
  • Provide Instructions: For forms or interactive elements, provide clear instructions on how to complete tasks.

Making your website easier to understand benefits all users, especially those with cognitive impairments, and improves overall user experience.

The Business Case for Accessibility

In addition to being the right thing to do, designing for accessibility can have a positive impact on your business. An accessible website opens up your business to a wider audience, improves user satisfaction, and helps you avoid potential legal issues.

Business Benefits of Accessible Websites:

  • Reach a Broader Audience: Approximately 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability. By ensuring your website is accessible, you’re making it available to a significant segment of potential customers.
  • Enhanced Reputation: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility improves your brand’s reputation, showing that you value inclusivity and care about all customers.
  • Avoid Legal Risks: In many countries, including New Zealand and Australia, businesses are required to provide accessible websites under anti-discrimination laws. Non-compliance can lead to lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage.

Investing in accessibility isn’t just about avoiding legal issues — it’s about making your website usable for everyone, which can lead to higher engagement and more conversions.

Testing Your Website for Accessibility

After implementing accessibility features, it’s essential to test your website to ensure it meets WCAG standards and provides an inclusive experience for all users.

Accessibility Testing Tools:

  • WAVE: This free tool from WebAIM helps you identify accessibility issues on your site, providing visual feedback on contrast, alt text, and heading structure.
  • Screen Readers: Testing your site with screen readers like NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac) allows you to experience your website the way visually impaired users would, helping you identify potential issues.

Regular testing ensures that your website remains accessible as you update or add new content.

Conclusion

Designing an accessible website isn’t just about following guidelines — it’s about creating an inclusive digital space where all users, regardless of their abilities, can fully engage with your content. By making your website perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, you’re building a more welcoming environment for everyone. Additionally, accessible websites improve user experience, enhance SEO, and protect your business from legal risks.

As more businesses recognise the importance of digital inclusivity, ensuring your website is accessible can give you a competitive advantage while demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility.

What Makes The Best Real Estate Agent Website Designs?

Post Created on Monday 25 Nov, 2024

14 minutes to read

Building a standout real estate agent website isn’t just a task – it’s a must-do if you’re serious about thriving in this industry and selling property online. Your website is your handshake, your introduction, an online presence, and your first pitch to potential clients. Get it right, and you’ll create more than just an online space – you’ll establish a lead-generating, trust-building powerhouse. Let’s break down exactly how to create a site that doesn’t just exist but commands attention.

Intuitive Navigation for Seamless User Experience

Why This Is Important

Navigation is the backbone of any user experience. If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll leave. This is especially true for real estate and real estate agencies, where potential clients are searching for specific properties or information. A site that guides users intuitively can through website development makes the difference between a casual visitor and a serious lead.

What It Looks Like

An effective navigation bar should be straightforward and include key sections like “Home,” “Property Listings,” “About Us,” and “Contact.” An advanced search tool with filters like location, price, and property type takes navigation to the next level, making it easier for users to zero in on what they need.

Clear and Logical Menu Structure

The menu should be well-organised, easy to read, and available across all devices. Label your sections in a way that feels familiar to your audience, like using “Find a Home” instead of technical jargon. Consistency here helps visitors build trust in your site’s usability.

Advanced Search Tools

Advanced search functionality is crucial. Allow users to filter listings by criteria such as neighborhood, property type, and price. This isn’t just a convenience – it’s an essential web development tool that keeps users on your site longer, engaged, and more likely to take action.

Mobile-First Navigation

Your navigation needs to work seamlessly on mobile. That means having collapsible menus, clickable elements sized for fingertips, and fast load times. A good mobile experience keeps users exploring your site, even on the go.

Responsive Web Design for Mobile Users

Why This Is Important

We’re in an era where mobile browsing dominates. A website that doesn’t perform well on mobile is a missed opportunity for engagement and leads. Responsive design ensures that your site looks and works beautifully across any device, enhancing user experience and boosting your search engine optimisation (SEO).

What It Looks Like

A responsive design means that whether someone is browsing your site on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, the layout adapts fluidly to fit the screen size. This isn’t just about resizing images; it’s about ensuring every element – text, buttons, and navigation – functions perfectly, no matter the device.

Importance of Mobile Optimisation

Sites optimised for mobile provide a seamless experience that keeps visitors engaged. Google also ranks mobile-friendly sites higher, so it’s a crucial factor for your visibility and user satisfaction.

Optimised Image and Media Loading

Make sure that images and videos are compressed and optimised for fast loading on mobile devices. Users won’t wait for slow-loading media, so performance enhancements are a must for keeping them engaged.

Adaptive Content Layouts

Responsive design should extend to the layout of your content. Keep text sizes readable, images proportional, and ensure buttons are easily tappable on touchscreens.

Different mobile layouts for Blank Canvas's website for their real estate photography and marketing services
Blank Canvas – Real estate photography, videography, and marketing agency in Auckland, New Zealand.

High-Quality Visuals to Showcase Listings

Why This Is Important

When it comes to real estate, visuals aren’t just supplementary; they’re essential. High-quality images and videos can draw a user’s attention, convey the atmosphere of a property, and make listings stand out. Poor-quality visuals can undermine trust and interest in seconds.

What It Looks Like

Imagine browsing a site and finding beautifully shot, high-resolution images of properties, coupled with video tours and 360-degree views that let you explore each room. These visuals should be captivating enough to make potential clients imagine themselves in the space.

Using High-Resolution Images

Invest in professional photography that showcases properties with the best angles and lighting. These images should load quickly without sacrificing quality, so optimising them for web use is key.

Video Tours and 360-Degree Viewings

Virtual tours are a game changer. They offer an immersive experience that static images can’t. With the convenience of a video or 360-degree view, potential clients can “walk through” a property and get a feel for the space without ever leaving their home.

Drone Footage for Unique Perspectives

For properties with extensive yards, large plots, or stunning views, drone footage video functionality can be a standout feature. It provides a perspective that ground-level photos can’t, making your listings even more appealing.

Compelling Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

Why This Is Important

A beautifully designed website is wasted if your target audience don’t know what to do next. That’s where CTAs come in. They guide users toward actions that benefit both them and your business, whether that’s scheduling a viewing, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting you directly. Effective CTAs can increase conversions and turn casual visitors into qualified leads.

What It Looks Like

CTAs should be strategically placed, clear, and action-oriented. Phrases like “Schedule a Viewing” or “Get Your Free Appraisal” make it easy for users to know what the next step is. Good CTAs are visible without being intrusive and encourage interaction without pressuring the visitor.

Strategic CTA Placement

Place CTAs in locations that align with user decision-making points, like at the end of property listings or within your homepage banner. A CTA next to a glowing testimonial or a particularly appealing property image can nudge users to take action.

Lead Capture Forms

Ensure that lead capture forms are easy to complete and don’t overwhelm the user with too many fields. The easier it is for someone to fill out your form, the more likely they are to do so. Use forms for scheduling viewings to open homes, requesting property details, or signing up for alerts on new listings.

A/B Testing for Effectiveness

Not sure if your CTA is effective? Test it. Run A/B tests on different wording, colours, and placements across different web pages to see which combination leads to higher engagement and conversions. Use these insights to continuously refine your approach and keep your site as effective as possible.

Optimised for SEO and Local SEO

Why This Is Important

Your website could have all the bells and whistles, but without SEO, it’s like shouting into the void. Search engine optimisation ensures your site shows up when people search for real estate services. The added layer of local SEO is crucial for real estate agents – it’s what puts your business on the radar of potential buyers and sellers in your area. SEO isn’t just a strategy; it’s the secret weapon that gets eyes on your listings.

What It Looks Like

An SEO-optimised real estate website should focus on specific keywords that reflect what your audience is searching for. This includes terms like “real estate agent in Tauranga” or “homes for sale in Auckland.” By creating location-specific landing pages, you’re making it easy for search engines to recognise your relevance to these areas, helping your site climb the rankings.

Real Estate-Specific Keywords

Your content should incorporate terms that align with real search habits. Think beyond just “homes for sale” and consider phrases like “luxury homes in Rotorua” or “affordable properties in Melbourne.” The right keyword strategy can make the difference between being on page one or lost in the search abyss.

Location-Based Landing Pages

Create landing pages tailored for the specific neighborhoods and regions you cover. These pages should highlight what makes each location unique – schools, parks, amenities, and lifestyle perks. Not only does this boost your local SEO, but it also provides valuable, relevant content for visitors who are researching where they want to live.

Structured Data and Meta Tags

Implement structured data markup (schema) to enhance how your pages are displayed in search results. Rich snippets that show images, ratings, or quick info directly on the results page can dramatically increase click-through rates. Proper meta tags and descriptions also play their part in making your site more appealing when it shows up on a search results page.

Highlight Client Testimonials and Reviews

Why This Is Important

In an industry built on trust and reputation, testimonials aren’t just nice to have – they’re essential. Social proof through client reviews helps potential clients decide if you’re the right agent for them and gives insight into your sales process. It’s like having your past clients speak up for you, reassuring new ones that you’re highly recommended.

What It Looks Like

Position client testimonials on pages where potential clients are making decisions – your homepage, service pages, and even next to CTAs. This validation from past clients gives new visitors confidence in your abilities. You can amplify this effect by including photos or video testimonials, which add a layer of authenticity that text alone can’t achieve.

Placement of Reviews

Strategic placement is key. Don’t bury your testimonials at the bottom of a page where no one will see them. Place them near CTAs or at the end of property descriptions to reinforce the positive user experience.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Take testimonials a step further by featuring case studies that detail successful transactions. Highlight a specific client’s journey, from initial contact to closing, showing your problem-solving skills and ability to deliver results. These stories paint a fuller picture of what it’s like to work with you and can be incredibly persuasive.

Custom review section on a boutique kitchen design & installation business website. Showing four different stats as trust symbols.
The trust symbols & reviews on a high-end kitchen design & installation business website.

Interactive Elements for Added Value

Why This Is Important

Interactive elements make your website more than just a catalog of listings – they transform it into a useful tool that keeps visitors engaged. These elements provide value by answering questions or offering calculations right on the site, which keeps users from bouncing away to look for these tools elsewhere.

What It Looks Like

Include features like mortgage calculators and affordability checkers to add practical value to your site. These tools help visitors figure out their budget, making them more likely to stay and explore listings. Live chat functions can provide instant responses to questions, offering a real-time connection that can lead to inquiries or bookings.

Mortgage Calculators and Tools

A well-placed mortgage calculator can be a game changer. It gives users insight into what they can afford and encourages them to take the next step, like contacting you for a showing or financial advice. It also pre-qualifies potential customers, cutting out ones who may be wasting your time.

Live Chat Integration

Integrating live chat support ensures that potential clients get answers quickly. It can be automated to handle common queries or managed in real time for more personalised interactions. This not only keeps users engaged but also positions your site as a comprehensive service point.

Live Chat functions are also improving dramatically with the release of A.I and can be trained to perform more complex tasks such as booking open home viewings, recommending property listings, and registering sellers information for you to contact.

Educational Blog and Resources

Why This Is Important

An educational blog turns your website into a hub of useful information, boosting your credibility and encouraging visitors to return. It positions you as an expert and provides SEO benefits through regular content updates.

What It Looks Like

A robust blog should cover topics that cater to your audience’s questions and interests, such as “Tips for First-Time Homebuyers” or “Navigating the Local Real Estate Market.” This doesn’t just inform your clients; it draws in organic traffic from your target audience searching for that very information.

Content Strategy for Engagement

Plan a content calendar that focuses on different stages of the buyer’s journey. Cover everything from preparing to buy or sell a home to investment tips and market forecasts. This variety ensures that your content stays fresh and appeals to a wide range of visitors. You could even include downloadable assets such as sale and purchase agreements.

SEO Benefits of Regular Updates

A regularly updated blog signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant, which can help improve your rankings. Make sure to include keywords naturally and provide comprehensive, engaging content that keeps readers on the page longer.

Consistent Branding and Visual Appeal

Why This Is Important

Your website needs to be memorable, and consistent branding is what makes it stick. When visitors land on your site, they should immediately recognise your brand, from the colour scheme to the logo placement. Consistency instills confidence and enhances the overall user experience.

What It Looks Like

A cohesive design means using the same fonts, colours, and styles across your site. Your logo should be prominently displayed and clickable, taking users back to the homepage. This not only looks professional but also enhances navigation. It might pay to check out a custom website design over a website builder or template design!

Cohesive Design Elements

Ensure that every part of your site follows the same visual guidelines. If your brand uses blue and white, for instance, don’t introduce random colours that clash. This uniformity extends to typography, button styles, and even the way your listings are presented.

Logo Placement and Linking

A simple tip that goes a long way: have your logo at the top of each page and make it clickable. This not only helps with navigation but also reinforces your branding every time someone sees it.

BlankCanvas's website home page for real estate production from photography to videography and marketing
BlankCanvas’s website home page for real estate production services

Easy-to-Use Backend for Content Management

Why This Is Important

An easy-to-use backend means you or your team can update property listings, blog posts, and other essential content without needing to bring in a developer for every change. This flexibility keeps your site current and relevant, which is crucial for user trust and SEO.

What It Looks Like

Choose a CMS that allows you to add and modify content easily. It should also be powerful enough to handle custom plugins that fit the unique needs of a real estate business, such as property databases and CRM integration.

Choosing the Right CMS

WordPress is often the go-to choice for real estate websites due to its user-friendly interface and ability to host powerful plugins. But don’t stop there – make sure the CMS you choose can integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and processes. We’d recommend looking at open source CMS software to avoid being locked into any one agency with a huge cost to edit or replace it!

Integration with CRM and Property Databases

Ensure that your CMS can integrate with the CRM systems and property databases you use. This streamlines data entry and keeps your listings up-to-date without doubling the work, saving you valuable time and reducing errors.

Performance Tracking for Continuous Improvement

Why This Is Important

Once your site is live, the work isn’t over. Performance tracking helps you understand what’s working and what needs improvement. With the right data, you can make informed tweaks to keep your site performing at its best.

What It Looks Like

Set up tools like Google Analytics to monitor user behavior, traffic sources, and conversion rates. This data is invaluable for understanding how visitors interact with your site and which pages need optimisation.

Google Analytics Integration

Google Analytics can show you key metrics like average time on page, bounce rates, and user flow. These insights help you identify weak points in your site’s design or content strategy.

A/B Testing for Continuous Optimisation

Use A/B testing to refine your CTAs, landing pages, and content layouts. Even small changes can lead to higher engagement and more conversions. The data you collect from these tests should guide your ongoing website updates to keep everything fresh and effective.

Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation
Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation

Final Thoughts

A well-crafted real estate website isn’t just about looking good it’s about functioning as an effective tool that grows your business. By focusing on intuitive design, SEO, client testimonials, interactive elements, and ongoing performance tracking, you can create a site that doesn’t just compete but dominates.

Take these strategies to heart, and you’ll turn your website into a lead-generating, client-impressing machine that stands the test of time. Want to create a website for your real estate brand today? Builtflat has worked with real estate agencies and agents across New Zealand to help them sell online, get in touch to find out more!

What is a Custom Website? Everything You Need to Know

Post Created on Saturday 23 Nov, 2024

9 minutes to read

Why do some businesses thrive online while others blend into a digital sea of sameness? The answer often lies in their approach to web design. A custom-built website is more than just an online brochure – it’s a powerhouse for branding, user experience, and functionality. In 2024, with digital competition sharper than ever, investing in a custom website isn’t just smart; it might be essential for your growth.

Let’s dive deep into why a custom website matters and how it can propel your business forward.

What Makes a Website Custom?

Custom websites are built from the ground up, designed and coded specifically for your business needs and brand identity. Unlike template sites, which come pre-packaged and limit flexibility, custom-built sites offer endless possibilities and are more visually appealing. Think of it as the difference between a tailor-made suit and one off the rack: the former fits you perfectly, looks unique, and speaks to your personal style.

Why Should You Consider a Custom Website?

  • Enhanced Brand Identity: A custom site mirrors your brand’s voice and values. No cookie-cutter designs here; every visual element and web page is built to resonate with your target audience.
  • Flexible Functionality: Need a specific feature or interactive element? Custom websites can be coded to match any business requirement.
  • Scalability: Your business will grow, and a custom website grows with you. Custom sites allow for easy updates and additions as your services or products expand.

Benefits of a Custom Website

1. Tailored User Experience

What It Looks Like: A tailored user experience means every page, feature, and interaction is designed with the user’s specific needs in mind. This involves customised navigation structures, intuitive interfaces, and interactive elements that align with the user journey. For instance, an e-commerce website can have a multi-step checkout process optimised making it easy to navigate, while a services site can integrate interactive tools like calculators or assessments that engage visitors.

Why It’s Important: When users land on a site that feels personalised, they’re more likely to trust and stay engaged with the content. This attention to detail increases time-on-site metrics, boosts brand credibility, and improves conversion rates. Custom sites can also adapt over time based on user feedback and data insights, making them a long-term investment in customer satisfaction.

2. Superior SEO Performance

Details: Custom websites have a clean, optimised codebase tailored specifically for SEO. Developers can control aspects like site structure, page load speed, and mobile responsiveness to boost search engine rankings. Unlike templates that may come with bulky, unnecessary code, custom websites are streamlined, ensuring that they meet SEO best practices.

Why It Matters: Search engines reward sites that provide a seamless user experience, quick load times, and mobile compatibility. Optimised sites improve visibility, leading to more organic traffic. This gives businesses a competitive edge, allowing them to appear ahead of competitors who may be using slower, less-optimised templates.

Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation
Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation

3. Better Security

How It Works: Custom websites provide the opportunity to integrate high-level security measures specific to the business’s needs. From custom-built firewalls to strong data encryption and proactive threat detection, developers can tailor security measures that templates don’t usually offer.

Significance: In today’s digital landscape, data breaches and cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated. Custom websites can be better equipped to withstand such threats, protecting sensitive data and maintaining customer trust. This is especially important for industries dealing with personal or financial information, such as healthcare and e-commerce.

4. Ownership and Control

Explained: When you invest in a custom website, you own the code and have full control over the entire site. This allows for seamless updates, new feature integrations, and a high degree of customisation without relying on the limitations imposed by third-party platforms.

The Benefit: With ownership comes flexibility. Businesses can quickly adapt to changing market demands, introduce new content or features, and integrate third-party tools without the hassle of platform-imposed restrictions. This level of control also ensures the site’s longevity, allowing for significant updates without starting from scratch.

Difference Between Custom and Template Website Design

Custom Website Design

Custom sites are developed from scratch to meet the specific goals and brand identity of a business. This level of customisation enables unique designs and features that fit seamlessly with a company’s business model.

Template Website Design

Templates are pre-built frameworks that allow for limited customisation. While faster and more affordable, they come with restrictions in terms of design and functionality. This can limit brand uniqueness and the ability to scale.

Key Differences

  • Flexibility and Customisation: Custom websites provide unlimited customisation options, while templates offer limited tweaks.
  • Performance: Custom sites can be optimised for specific performance goals like faster load times, better mobile adaptability, and high SEO standards. Template sites may come with bloated code that can hinder performance.
  • Unique Brand Expression: Custom websites allow businesses to express their brand fully. Templates may not align perfectly with a company’s voice or style, making them more generic.

Check out our article here that goes deeper into the differences between custom and template design websites and what option is best for your business!

A custom real estate production business website & furniture e-commerce website
A custom real estate production business website & furniture e-commerce website

What is the Cost for Custom Websites?

Breakdown of Costs

Building a custom website often involves significant investment, which can range from $5,000 to $50,000 or more. This range includes design, website development, testing, and deployment, with additional costs for added complexities like custom e-commerce functionalities or proprietary tools.

Because costs vary hugely, it’s best to talk to a web agency who can give you a better idea of what’s needed. Reach out to Builtflat here for a free quote!

Factors Influencing the Cost

  • Scope of Features: The more features or specialised integrations required, the higher the cost.
  • Design Complexity: Unique layouts or graphics can increase design expenses.
  • Development Time: Larger, more intricate projects will require more development hours, driving up the price.
  • Web Agencies: Generally when creating custom websites it’s best to use an agency with qualified designers & web developers. This can run up costs when building a website, but the it’s worth the experience and expertise backing it.

One of the best ways to navigate around huge upfront website costs is designing and developing with scalability in mind. Custom websites are easier to add on to and grow later on than template design websites. Which means that you can distribute the cost of features or web pages over a longer period of time, growing your site as your business grows!

What is the Time Frame for Custom Websites?

Typical Time Frames

Custom websites usually take between 6 to 16 weeks to develop. This time frame varies based on the scope and complexity of the project.

Phases of Development

  1. Discovery and Strategy: 2-3 weeks to outline project goals and user pathways.
  2. Graphic Design and Prototyping: 3-4 weeks for wireframes and mock-ups.
  3. Development and Coding: 4-6 weeks, depending on the complexity.
  4. Testing and Launch: 1-3 weeks for quality assurance and final adjustments.

Influencing Factors

  • Project Scale: More extensive projects with more pages or intricate features take longer.
  • Feedback Cycles: Timely responses from clients can accelerate or slow down development.
  • Resource Allocation: Larger development teams can shorten the timeline.

What are the Disadvantages of Custom Websites?

Higher Initial Cost

One of the most significant drawbacks is the upfront cost. Custom sites involve various experts, from UI/UX designers to developers, which can make them more expensive than template alternatives.

But remember, keeping scalability in mind can help split up the cost and get your business into a custom design sooner.

Longer Time Frame

Custom websites take longer to develop due to their personalised nature. For businesses needing a quick turnaround, this can be a limiting factor.

Maintenance and Updates

Custom sites might need specialised maintenance, especially for businesses that integrate complex features or security measures. This means additional, ongoing costs.

Template websites don’t bypass this though – As most run on plugin’s which will need updating and site maintenance just as custom web designs would.

Different views of the responsive mobile layout design for Construction Health & Safety New Zealand's website
Different views of the responsive mobile layout design for Construction Health & Safety New Zealand’s website

How Important are Custom Websites in New Zealand?

Relevance in the Market

In New Zealand, the business landscape is increasingly competitive, with industries like tourism, e-commerce, and real estate requiring standout online presences. Custom websites allow businesses to showcase their brand story and values effectively.

Benefits for Local Business Websites

  • Built & Designed For Your Clients: Custom sites can connect with your target customers better than templates, considering that pre-built designs are made for a wide variety of geographical locations. A site that designed for a business in Melbourne, Australia may not work for a business in Tauranga, New Zealand.
  • Features suited to your business: Custom sites can incorporate unique, interactive features like booking integrations or multi-language support to cater to local and international audiences.

Trust and Engagement

Custom websites convey professionalism and build trust. For businesses in New Zealand, having a site that aligns with cultural expectations and local market needs is essential to gaining customer confidence.

How Important are Custom Websites in Australia?

Demand for Custom Solutions

Australia’s digital landscape encourages businesses to adopt custom solutions for better user experience, brand representation, and search engine optimisation (SEO). With strong competition in key industries, businesses that invest in custom sites gain a substantial advantage.

Competitive Advantage

Industries like finance, healthcare, and retail in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne use custom sites to differentiate their services and optimise their user experiences.

Adapting to Trends

Custom websites can adapt quickly to trends, whether it’s implementing new technology like chatbots or adhering to local SEO standards that change over time. This adaptability is critical for long-term success in a dynamic market like Australia.

Conclusion

Investing in a custom website is more than just building an online presence – it’s crafting a digital experience that sets your business apart. Whether you’re looking to scale, strengthen your brand, or improve SEO, custom-built sites provide unmatched flexibility, security, and performance. They are designed to evolve with your business, ensuring long-term benefits. Make 2024 the year you transform your online strategy.

Ready to elevate your web presence? Reach out to Builtflat today to begin your journey with a customised, high-performance website tailored to your needs!

Want to find out more about Custom websites? Check out our blog where we post more in-depth information on everything around sites.

How to Optimise Your Website Design for Lead Generation

Post Created on Thursday 21 Nov, 2024

8 minutes to read

A well-designed website isn’t just some pretty digital storefront. A site is your round-the-clock lead machine, your tireless closer, and your brand’s megaphone. But if your website isn’t optimised for lead generation you’re basically letting opportunities walk right out the door. In this post, we’re going deep into the strategies that transform your website from a static online presence into a dynamic lead-generating powerhouse.

From positioning call-to-actions (CTAs) strategically to enhancing the user experience (UX), the techniques we’ll cover are actionable and proven. Let’s dive into how you can optimise your website design and take your lead generation game to the next level.

Prioritise User Experience (UX) for Better Engagement

Lead generation begins with a simple truth: if your visitors are frustrated, they’re gone. If navigating your site feels like a maze or if pages load at a snail’s pace, those visitors aren’t sticking around to convert. A website designed with a seamless UX isn’t just visually appealing it keeps visitors hooked long enough to turn them into loyal customers.

Why This Is Important:

A strong user experience ensures that visitors not only stay on your site longer but are more likely to engage with your content. This is the foundation for capturing leads, as a well-designed UX reduces friction and leads to higher conversion rates.

Key UX Elements to Improve Lead Generation:

  • Simple and Clear Navigation: Ever land on a site and feel lost? Don’t be that site. Your navigation should be intuitive, with straightforward menus and logical page structures that lead visitors right where they need to go.
  • Fast Loading Speed: Patience is in short supply online. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, you’re losing potential leads. Compress images, trim down your code, and invest in solid hosting.
  • Mobile Optimisation: Mobile isn’t the future—it’s the now. With the majority of users browsing on their smartphones, ensure your site responds beautifully across devices.

When your site offers a smooth, pleasant experience, visitors stick around longer, engage more, and are more likely to convert. UX isn’t just nice to have; it’s your first touchpoint to optimise your website for lead generation.

Use Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs) to Guide Visitors

If UX is the hook, CTAs are the reel. Your calls-to-action are the digital handshake that invites visitors to take that next step. A weak or misplaced CTA means missed opportunities, plain and simple.

Why This Is Important:

CTAs drive user behavior. Without them, visitors may not know the next step to take, and valuable potential leads can be lost. A clear, strategic CTA turns visitor interest into tangible action.

Best Practices for Effective CTAs:

  • Be Clear and Action-Oriented: Don’t play coy. Use direct language that spells out the action—“Get Your Free Guide,” “Sign Up Now,” or our favourite, “Schedule Your Free Website Consultation.”
  • Use Contrasting Colours: Make your CTAs pop. Choose colours that stand out from the rest of your page while still complementing your design.
  • Strategic Placement: CTAs need to be where eyes naturally fall. Think above the fold, at the end of blog posts, and in the sidebars. The key? Make sure there’s at least one CTA on every page.
  • Create a Sense of Urgency: Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Get Started Today” light a fire under visitors, prompting them to act now rather than later.

CTAs are the bridge between interest and conversion. Nail them, and you’re one step closer to turning visitors into leads.

Simplify Your Forms for Higher Conversion Rates

Let’s face it: forms are a hurdle. But a well-optimised form turns that hurdle into a quick step. If your forms are long-winded or ask for too much information, potential leads will bounce. Simplify them, and you’ll see more completions – and more leads.

Why This Is Important:

Forms are often the final barrier between a visitor and becoming a lead. If they’re overly complex or ask for too much information, visitors may abandon them, leading to missed opportunities for lead capture.

How to Optimise Forms for Lead Generation:

  • Keep It Simple: Pare it down. Name, email, and maybe one more piece of info. Anything more and you risk losing your potential lead.
  • Use Clear Labels and Instructions: Don’t make people guess. Labels should be simple, and instructions should guide users seamlessly.
  • Inline Form Validation: Don’t let users submit a form only to be met with a wall of error messages. Real-time validation helps them get it right on the first try.
  • Offer Incentives: Sweeten the deal. Whether it’s an ebook, a discount, or exclusive content, giving value in exchange for contact details boosts completion rates.

Forms are where curiosity converts to action. Make them quick, make them easy, and watch your leads grow.

Leverage Landing Pages to Capture Leads

Landing pages are lead-generation powerhouses. Unlike the general pages of your site, they have one job: convert. Whether you’re promoting a webinar or offering a downloadable resource, your landing page should keep the focus sharp and the distractions minimal.

Why This Is Important:

Landing pages are built to convert. By narrowing the focus to one clear goal, you remove distractions and guide the visitor towards a single action, making it easier to capture their information. They also help your web page rank higher on the search engine results page.

How to Design Effective Landing Pages:

  • Focus on One Offer: Don’t split the spotlight. Each landing page should have one clear offer that keeps visitors zeroed in.
  • Remove Navigation: Keep them locked in. Removing menus and other exit points keeps visitors’ attention on the CTA and the form.
  • Highlight the Benefits: Sell the sizzle, not just the steak. Explain the value they’ll get from taking action.
  • Think about your website visitors pain points: The messaging you use on your landing page should be clear as day. By communicating your understanding of customer bases pain points and showing how your products and services solve them, your web page will be much more effective.
  • Use Visuals: Include images or videos that reinforce your message and make the page more compelling.

Landing pages are conversion machines when done right. Keep them focused, clean, and benefit-driven.

Incorporate Lead Magnets to Attract Your Target Audience

Everyone loves a freebie. That’s why lead magnets work so well. Whether it’s a resource guide or a webinar, giving visitors something valuable makes them more willing to hand over their contact info.

Why This Is Important:

Lead magnets provide value upfront, building trust and making visitors more inclined to share their contact details. This exchange is a foundational step in nurturing potential clients and growing your leads.

Types of Lead Magnets That Convert:

  • Ebooks and Guides: Offer insights that solve a problem or provide value.
  • Free Tools or Templates: Useful resources that visitors can implement immediately.
  • Webinars or Free Courses: Exclusive, informative sessions on topics that matter to your audience.
  • Discounts or Promotions: For ecommerce, a simple discount can work wonders.

Lead magnets are the bait in your lead generation strategy. Make them compelling, easy to access, and front and center on your pages.

Optimise for Mobile to Capture More Leads

Mobile isn’t an afterthought – it’s the main event. If your website development doesn’t play nicely on smartphones and tablets, you’re leaving leads on the table.

Why This Is Important:

More people are browsing and making decisions on mobile devices than ever before. A site that isn’t mobile-friendly misses out on a huge chunk of potential leads who expect a seamless mobile experience. It’s also one of the biggest ranking factors that Google ranks websites on.

How to Optimise for Mobile Lead Generation:

  • Responsive Design: Ensure your site adjusts seamlessly to any screen size. No pinching and zooming required.
  • Shorten Forms for Mobile Users: Keep it light. The fewer fields mobile users have to fill, the better.
  • Simplified Layout: Less is more. A clean, streamlined layout keeps users focused on content and CTAs.

Your audience is mobile. Make sure your site is too.

Track and Test for Continuous Improvement

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Once your lead generation strategies are in place, it’s time to test and tweak. Data-driven decisions and user testing will help you refine your approach and capture even more leads.

Why This Is Important:

Optimising your website isn’t a one-and-done deal. Continuous tracking and testing allow you to identify what’s working and what needs improvement, ensuring your lead generation stays effective as trends change.

Metrics to Track:

  • Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who take action. If it’s low, time to tweak those CTAs or forms.
  • Bounce Rate: High bounce rates mean something’s not working—whether it’s slow load times or confusing navigation.
  • A/B Testing: Experiment with different CTAs, forms, and layouts to find what clicks with your audience.

Lead generation is a cycle of strategy, execution, and refinement. Stay flexible, stay focused, and let your data guide you.

Conclusion

Lead generation isn’t a one-time project; it’s a continuous effort. From streamlining UX and crafting strong CTAs to refining forms and leveraging landing pages, every element plays a role. Add in mobile optimisation and consistent testing, and you’re set for lead-generating success. Get the fundamentals right, and your website won’t just attract visitors—it will turn them into valuable leads that fuel your business growth.

How Fast-Loading Websites Impacts User Retention and Growth

Post Created on Tuesday 19 Nov, 2024

8 minutes to read

In today’s fast-paced digital world, users expect websites to load instantly. A few seconds of delay can lead to frustrated visitors, higher bounce rates, and, ultimately, lost business. Website speed isn’t just a technical issue — it directly impacts user retention, conversion rates, and overall business growth.

It doesn’t matter if you’re running an ecommerce site, a service-based business, or an informational blog. Having a fast-loading website is essential for keeping users engaged and driving long-term success. In this post, we’ll explore how speed affects user retention and business growth, and dive into technical strategies. All of these you can implement to ensure your site is optimised for performance.

The Critical Role of Website Speed in User Retention

User retention is key to building a loyal audience and growing your business, and website speed plays a crucial role in keeping visitors engaged. Research shows that users form an opinion about a website within 50 milliseconds, and page load time is often a deciding factor in whether they stay or leave.

Why Speed Matters for Retention:

  • First Impressions Count: A slow-loading website can make users abandon your page before it even fully loads. According to Google, 53% of mobile users will leave if it takes longer than three seconds to load.
  • Bounce Rates: High bounce rates are often linked to poor loading speeds. If your site takes too long to load, visitors are more likely to hit the back button and choose a faster alternative, costing you potential leads or sales.
  • User Satisfaction: The longer a website takes to load, the more frustrated users become. Frustration leads to decreased engagement, reduced page views, and fewer repeat visits.

By ensuring your website loads quickly, you’ll not only keep users on your site but also increase the chances of them returning in the future.

The Business Impact of Slow Websites

A slow website doesn’t just affect user retention — it also has direct consequences for your bottom line. Studies have shown that even a one-second delay in page load time can significantly impact conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and revenue.

How Slow Load Times Affect Your Business:

  • Lost Revenue: For ecommerce businesses, slow websites can lead to abandoned shopping carts and lost sales. Studies from Akamai show that a 100-millisecond delay in website load time can reduce conversion rates by 7%.
  • Negative Brand Perception: Visitors associate slow websites with poor service. A sluggish site can tarnish your brand’s image, making potential customers less likely to trust your products or services.
  • Reduced SEO Rankings: Google factors page speed into its ranking algorithm, meaning that slow-loading websites are likely to rank lower in search engine results. Lower rankings lead to less visibility, reduced traffic, and fewer opportunities for customer acquisition.

Investing in website speed improvements can have a measurable impact on your business’s success by boosting conversion rates and preserving your reputation.

Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation
Google Analytics Dashboard showing website optimisation

Technical Factors That Affect Website Speed

Understanding the technical elements that impact website performance is crucial for optimising your site. Several factors contribute to slow load times, many of which can be addressed through smart development practices.

Key Factors Influencing Website Speed:

  • Server Response Time: The amount of time it takes for a server to respond to a browser request is critical. Opting for faster hosting providers, especially those offering dedicated servers or cloud hosting, can significantly reduce response times.
  • Image Optimisation: Large, uncompressed images are one of the most common culprits of slow load times. Using image formats like JPEG or WebP, compressing images, and implementing lazy loading (where images load only when needed) can improve speed without sacrificing quality.
  • JavaScript and CSS Minification: Reducing unnecessary characters and spaces in code (minification) helps streamline CSS and JavaScript files, improving load times. Combining and compressing files also reduces the number of HTTP requests, speeding up the website.
  • Browser Caching: Enabling browser caching allows a site’s static assets (e.g., images, stylesheets, JavaScript) to be stored on a user’s device for quicker loading on repeat visits.
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): A CDN stores your website’s content on servers distributed across multiple locations worldwide. By delivering content from the nearest server to the user, CDNs can significantly reduce latency and load times for international visitors.

Optimising these technical aspects ensures that your website is built for speed, enhancing both user experience and search engine performance.

The Importance of Mobile Speed Optimisation

With mobile devices accounting for the majority of web traffic today, optimising for mobile speed is critical. Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your website is what Google primarily evaluates when determining search rankings. Mobile users also have higher expectations for speed, often operating on slower networks compared to desktop users.

Mobile Optimisation Strategies:

  • Responsive Design: Ensure your website is designed to adapt seamlessly across all screen sizes, from smartphones to tablets. Responsive design improves the user experience, and Google rewards mobile-friendly websites with higher rankings.
  • AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): AMP is an open-source framework that creates lightweight versions of your pages, designed to load almost instantly on mobile devices. While AMP isn’t suitable for every website, it’s particularly useful for blogs, news sites, and ecommerce platforms looking to enhance mobile speed.
  • Optimising Mobile Images: Use smaller, optimised images for mobile devices to reduce load times. Image compression tools can help deliver high-quality visuals without slowing down your mobile site.

Focusing on mobile speed optimisation is essential for capturing and retaining today’s on-the-go users, ensuring that your website is accessible and efficient regardless of device.

Mobile Layout design screens showing CSSBuy, an online e-commerce website
Mobile Layout design of CSSBuy, an online e-commerce website

The Importance of Mobile Speed Optimisation

Speed is a critical element of user experience (UX). A fast website not only ensures that users can access your content quickly, but it also leads to smoother navigation, better engagement, and a higher likelihood of conversions.

How Speed Enhances UX:

  • Seamless Navigation: Faster load times allow for instant navigation between pages, improving the overall user journey. Users can easily find the information they need without waiting for pages to load, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction.
  • Reduced Abandonment: When a website responds quickly to user input, such as clicking buttons or filling out forms, users are more likely to complete actions like signing up for newsletters, making a purchase, or contacting your business.
  • Higher Engagement Rates: Studies show that faster websites tend to have lower bounce rates and higher average session durations. This means that users spend more time interacting with your site, leading to better engagement and conversion opportunities.

By optimising for speed, you create a frictionless user experience that encourages visitors to stay longer and explore more of what your business has to offer.

How Website Speed Impacts Digital Marketing Campaigns

Website speed plays a vital role in the success of digital marketing campaigns, including Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and other pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. If users click on an ad and are directed to a slow-loading landing page, they’re more likely to abandon the site, wasting your advertising budget and missing out on potential leads or sales.

Why Speed Is Crucial for Campaign Performance:

  • Higher Quality Scores: Google Ads assigns a Quality Score based on factors like page load time and relevance. Higher scores result in better ad placements and lower cost-per-click (CPC), making your campaigns more cost-effective.
  • Improved Conversion Rates: A fast landing page leads to better conversion rates. Visitors who can quickly access the content they’re interested in are more likely to take action, whether it’s filling out a form or making a purchase.
  • Lower Bounce Rates: Slow landing pages increase the likelihood of users bouncing before engaging with your content. A fast site ensures that users stay long enough to interact with your ad, improving your chances of success.

By optimising your website for speed, you ensure that your digital marketing efforts are not only more effective but also more cost-efficient.

Tools to Measure and Improve Website Speed

Understanding your website’s current performance is the first step toward making improvements. Fortunately, several tools are available to help you measure load times and identify areas for optimisation.

Popular Website Speed Testing Tools:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool analyses the content of your website and provides detailed suggestions for improving both mobile and desktop performance.
  • GTmetrix: GTmetrix offers in-depth insights into your website’s speed, including recommendations for optimising images, scripts, and server response times.
  • Pingdom: Pingdom’s website speed test provides a user-friendly overview of your website’s load time, performance grade, and detailed reports on factors affecting speed.
  • WebPageTest: This tool allows you to test your website’s performance across different browsers and locations, providing insights into how your site performs globally.

By regularly using these tools, you can track your progress and ensure that your website remains fast and user-friendly over time.

Conclusion

A fast-loading website is a key driver of user retention, business growth, and marketing success. By optimising your website’s speed, you’ll create a more engaging experience for visitors, improve your search engine rankings, and drive more conversions. From technical strategies like image optimisation and caching to mobile-first design and performance tracking, investing in website speed pays off in the form of higher user satisfaction and long-term business success.

Don’t let a slow website stand in the way of your growth — start optimising today to ensure your business thrives in the digital age.

SEO Trends for 2025: What You Need to Know and Implement

Post Created on Wednesday 13 Nov, 2024

9 minutes to read

2025 is closer than you think and in the world of digital marketing a few months can bring serious monumental change to your website. With AI-driven enhancements, evolving user behaviour, and search engines becoming smarter, SEO isn’t just adapting – it’s transforming.

According to recent data, Google handles over 8.5 billion searches per day. Staying ahead of SEO trends is crucial to remain visible in this dynamic landscape. Below we’ll dive into what’s shaping SEO in 2025 and how you can implement these trends to stay competitive.

The Role of AI in Search Engine Optimisation

How AI Is Transforming SEO Strategies

Artificial intelligence is evolving the way search engines operate, influencing everything from search results to content creation. This is because AI algorithms have the ability to process huge amounts of data quickly, which helps search engines (Like Google) deliver more relevant results to users. This evolution means that websites must adapt their content to meet these enhanced standards.

Why is AI Important for SEO?

AI’s integration into search engines allows them to better understand user intent, making content that accurately matches searcher needs more likely to rank higher. Leveraging AI in your strategy helps ensure your content remains competitive as algorithms become more sophisticated.

Action Plan:

  1. Leverage AI-Powered SEO Tools: Use AI-driven platforms for keyword research, competitive analysis, and predictive analytics.
  2. Create Content for User Intent: Analyse search intent closely and create content that answers specific questions or provides solutions.
  3. Optimise Metadata Using AI Insights: Use AI to analyse successful metadata structures and apply similar strategies to your own content.
  4. Integrate AI Chatbots: Enhance user experience by integrating AI chatbots that can answer common user queries in real-time, improving engagement metrics that influence SEO.
  5. AI In Content Management Systems: Depending on what CMS you’re using for your website, you may be able to add in AI plugins that can help with your search engine marketing and SEO work.

User Experience (UX) Matters More Than Ever

Why does Google favour UX?

With the recent November 2024 Core Algorithm Update, Google reaffirmed its commitment to user-centric content and experiences. Metrics such as page load time, mobile responsiveness, and interaction are essential to providing a seamless, user friendly journey.

Why is UX Important?

Google’s focus on UX means that even high-quality content won’t perform well if it has slow load times or poor navigation. Positive user experiences encourage more time on site and lower bounce rates. Which are factors that search engines consider when ranking sites to your target audience!

Action Plan:

  1. Optimise for Mobile: Ensure that your site is responsive on all devices. Test your design using tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
  2. Speed Up Your Website: Compressing images and enable browser caching can help. As well as using a hosting provider with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve load times.
  3. Enhance Navigation: Implement an intuitive, clear menu structure, making sure users can easily find what they’re looking for.
  4. Engage with Interactive Elements: Add elements like clickable FAQs, polls, and surveys that encourage user interaction. The aim here is to improve time-on-page metrics, lowering bounce rates.
Daniell Ledger's mobile responsive photography portfolio site design
Daniell Ledger’s mobile responsive photography portfolio custom site design

Voice Search: The New Frontier

Optimising for Voice Search

Voice search is becoming the norm, not the exception. People now use voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant for everything. From quick searches to detailed questions, usually in a conversational format.

Trust me on this! You ask my 8 year old sister a question and she’ll immediately go “Hey Alexa..”

Why Should I Optimise For Voice Search?

Voice searches tend to use more natural, conversational language compared to typed searches. This means websites that optimise for voice search can capture more traffic from these growing search methods.

Action Plan:

  1. Focus on Conversational Keywords: Include phrases that mimic spoken language, such as long-tail keywords and full-sentence questions. Think about what your users are using for search terms.
  2. Implement FAQ Sections: FAQs naturally align with the way people phrase voice queries. Start structuring your frequently asked questions around “how,” “what,” and “why” questions.
  3. Use Structured Data: Implement structured data markup. This makes it easier for search engines to pull direct answers from your content for voice results.
  4. Target Local SEO for Voice: Optimise your site for local keywords like “near me” searches since voice search is often used for local queries.

E-A-T and Trustworthiness

What Is E-A-T?

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, which are criteria Google uses to evaluate the credibility of content. This is especially true in sensitive niches like health, finance, and legal advice.

Why is E-A-T Important For SEO?

Content that lacks credibility can lead to reduced trust from both search engines and users. Google wants to ensure that it’s providing users with the most trustworthy, expert-driven content available.

Action Plan:

  1. Show Author Credentials: Include author bios with professional qualifications on your posts to establish authority.
  2. Link to Authoritative Sources: Back up your statements with data from reputable publications or studies.
  3. Keep Content Updated: Regularly update your content to ensure it reflects the latest information.
  4. Secure Your Website: Use HTTPS and display trust indicators, like customer reviews and trust badges, to show users your site is safe.
  5. Make sure your web design is up to date: User’s pass judgement on website designs within a few seconds of landing on your site. Make sure your design is fresh, optimised, and updated regularly to keep your brands trust high!
Custom review section on a boutique kitchen design & installation business website. Showing four different stats as trust symbols.
The trust symbols & reviews on a high-end kitchen design & installation business website.

Structured Data and Schema Markup

Why Schema Is Essential?

Structured data acts like a map for search engines, helping them understand your content’s context more effectively. The November 2024 update, along with general SEO advancements, has highlighted the significance of schema markup for better visibility.

Why Is Schema Markup Important?

Using schema in your web development can increase the chances of your content appearing in rich snippets and other SERP features. Leading to higher click-through rates from the search engine results page on your website!

Action Plan:

  1. Add Schema Markup: Use tools like Schema.org to implement structured data for different content types. These add tags to pages such as articles, products, and reviews through website development.
  2. Validate Your Markup: Try out the Google Rich Results Test to make sure your schema markup is correctly implemented.
  3. Implement FAQ Schema: This can help your FAQs appear directly on search result pages, driving more clicks.
  4. Track Performance: Monitor how your schema markup impacts visibility and CTR using Google Search Console.

The Rise of Visual and Video Content

Enhancing Content with Multimedia

Visual content – such as infographics, images, and videos – boosts user engagement and encourages longer site visits. These are both positive signals to search engines that your website should rank higher.

Why Is Visual And Video Content Important For Website SEO?

Incorporating multimedia helps capture and hold user attention, reducing bounce rates and increasing the chances of shares and backlinks. All are critical for SEO.

Action Plan:

  1. Create Engaging Video Content: Start by embedding videos that explain complex topics or showcase products.
  2. Optimise Image Alt Text: Use descriptive alt text that incorporates relevant keywords.
  3. Transcribe Your Videos: Add transcripts to your video content to improve accessibility and searchability.
  4. Compress Media Files: Ensure fast load times by compressing your images and videos without sacrificing quality.

Local SEO: Your Key to Community Connection

The Power of Local Search

Personalised and location-based search results make local SEO crucial for businesses looking to attract nearby customers. With AI enhancements, local search results are now more accurate and relevant.

Why Do I Need Local Search Optimisation For My Site?

Local SEO can drive significant foot traffic to brick-and-mortar businesses and increase engagement for locally focused websites. This trend is especially useful for smaller businesses looking to compete with larger companies.

Action Plan:

  1. Claim Your Google My Business Profile: Ensure your business information is correct and up-to-date.
  2. Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews can boost your ranking in local search results.
  3. Use Location-Specific Keywords: Implement keywords that reflect your region or city in your content. For example, Builtflat delivers website design & development to Auckland, New Zealand!
  4. Engage in Local Link Building: Partner with local businesses and events for link-building opportunities. External links signal local relevance to search engines.
Google Search bar searching for website designers near me in the Papamoa, Tauranga area
Google Search bar searching for “website designers near me” in the Papamoa, Tauranga area

Sustainability in SEO

A New Perspective on Ethical SEO

Consumers are increasingly drawn to companies that show transparency and uphold sustainable practices. Highlighting your brand’s commitment to ethical practices can not only improve trust but also increase engagement.

Why Is Sustainable SEO Important?

Google and other search engines are beginning to consider social factors as part of their ranking criteria. Sustainability-focused content is setting businesses apart in competitive industries, especially in New Zealand.

Action Plan:

  1. Highlight Eco-Friendly Initiatives: Create dedicated pages or blog posts that discuss your sustainability efforts.
  2. Incorporate Sustainable Practices into Content: Mention ethical sourcing, eco-friendly packaging, or green initiatives where applicable.
  3. Promote Social Responsibility: Feature partnerships or community projects that align with your company values.
  4. Show Proof: Use certifications or official partnerships to prove your commitment to sustainability.

Conclusion

The SEO landscape in 2025 is set to be more complex and competitive than ever. Adapting to these emerging trends isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity for maintaining and boosting your online visibility. From harnessing the power of AI to optimising for voice search, structured data, and local SEO, understanding and implementing these strategies can make the difference between a high-ranking website and one that gets lost in the shuffle.

Prioritising user experience, leveraging multimedia, and building trust through E-A-T principles are also crucial steps to ensure your site stays ahead of the curve. Moreover, incorporating sustainability into your brand’s message can resonate with a socially conscious audience and set you apart from competitors.

Remember, SEO isn’t a one-time project—it’s an ongoing process that evolves alongside search engines and user expectations. Taking proactive measures today can position your website for long-term success as we move into 2025 and beyond.

At Builtflat, we’re all about guiding businesses like yours through these SEO shifts with tailored strategies and a relaxed approach that works for you. Whether you need help revamping your website, fine-tuning your SEO, or staying on top of algorithm changes, we’re here to lend a hand. Ready to future-proof your online presence? Let’s talk. Want to know more? Check out our SEO site page!

How to Set a Realistic Budget for Website Design | Builtflat

Post Created on Wednesday 06 Nov, 2024

8 minutes to read

Your website is one of the most critical assets for your business, often serving as the first interaction potential customers have with your brand. A well-designed website can boost your credibility, drive conversions, and help your business grow. However, it’s essential to set a realistic budget for website design to ensure you get the results you want without overspending.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the key factors that influence website design costs and provide practical tips for setting a budget that balances quality and affordability.

Understand What Impacts Website Design Costs

The cost of website design can vary significantly depending on several factors. Before setting your budget, it’s important to understand what influences the price so you can prioritise features and functionality that align with your goals.

Key Factors That Affect Website Design Costs:

  • Complexity and Features: The more complex your website, the higher the cost. A simple informational website will cost less than a site that requires ecommerce functionality, booking systems, or integrations with third-party tools.
  • Custom vs. Template-Based Design: A custom website, built from scratch, will generally be more expensive than a template-based website. Custom designs offer more flexibility and uniqueness, while templates provide a faster and more affordable solution. Want to find out a bit more about custom and template based websites? Have a look here.
  • Number of Pages: The more pages your website has, the more time it will take to design and develop, which increases costs. A small business website with 5-10 pages will cost less than a site with 50+ pages.
  • Content Creation: If you need professional copywriting, photography, or video production for your website, these services will add to the overall cost. Some businesses provide their own content, while others prefer to outsource these tasks.
  • SEO Optimisation: If you want your website to rank well in search engines, you’ll need to invest in SEO-friendly design, including optimised meta tags, clean code, and mobile responsiveness. SEO services can range from basic to advanced, depending on your goals.

By understanding these cost drivers, you’ll be better equipped to set a budget that meets your business’s needs without compromising on quality.

Determine Your Business Goals and Website Purpose

Before setting a budget, it’s crucial to identify the primary goals of your website. Are you looking to generate leads, sell products, showcase your portfolio, or provide information to customers? The purpose of your website will influence how much you should invest in its design.

How Business Goals Impact Budget:

  • Lead Generation Websites: If your website’s goal is to capture leads, you’ll need to invest in tools like forms, lead magnets, and landing pages. These features will require more development time and cost.
  • Ecommerce Websites: Selling products online requires ecommerce functionality, including payment gateways, product pages, shopping carts, and security features. Ecommerce websites typically come with higher costs due to the complexity of these systems.
  • Portfolio Websites: For businesses in creative fields, such as photographers, designers, or artists, a visually stunning portfolio website may require custom designs and high-quality imagery, increasing the cost.
  • Informational Websites: Websites that provide information, such as blogs or resource hubs, tend to be less complex but may require ongoing content updates. These sites can be more affordable initially but might need regular maintenance or SEO services.

Clearly defining your business goals will help you allocate your budget appropriately and ensure your website serves its intended purpose effectively.

Custom Website vs. Template-Based Website

One of the most significant decisions affecting your budget is whether to go for a custom-built website or use a pre-designed template. Each option has its pros and cons, and the right choice depends on your business’s specific needs and budget.

Custom Website Design:

  • Cost: Typically more expensive, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000+ depending on complexity.
  • Pros: Completely unique design, built from scratch to reflect your brand’s identity and meet your exact requirements.
  • Cons: Takes longer to develop, requires a larger budget, and may need ongoing maintenance and updates.

Template-Based Website Design:

  • Cost: More affordable, ranging from $2500 to $5,000 depending on the level of customisation.
  • Pros: Faster turnaround, lower cost, and often includes user-friendly content management systems like WordPress.
  • Cons: Less flexibility and customisation, and your website may look similar to other sites using the same template.

If your budget is tight or you need a website up quickly, a template-based design may be a good starting point. However, if you have specific functionality requirements or want a website that’s tailored to your brand, it’s worth investing in a custom design. You can learn more about custom and template designed websites here too!

A custom real estate production business website & furniture e-commerce website
A custom real estate production business website & furniture e-commerce website

Prioritise Features Based on Your Budget

Once you understand the different factors that impact website costs, it’s time to prioritise the features that are most important for your business. Start by creating a list of must-have features and a separate list of nice-to-have features. This will help you focus your budget on the elements that are essential for your website’s success.

Must-Have Features:

  • Responsive Design: With more users browsing on mobile devices, a responsive design that works across all screen sizes is a must.
  • SEO Optimisation: Ensure your website is SEO-friendly with clean code, fast loading times, and optimised content for search engines.
  • User-Friendly Navigation: Clear and simple navigation is crucial for keeping users engaged and helping them find what they need quickly.

Nice-to-Have Features:

  • Advanced Animations or Graphics: While these can enhance the user experience, they’re not always necessary, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
  • Custom Integrations: If your business relies on third-party tools (e.g., CRMs, booking systems), you may want to invest in custom integrations, but this can be delayed until your business grows.
  • Blog or Resource Center: If content marketing is part of your strategy, a blog is useful but not essential at the initial launch if your budget is limited.

By prioritising your must-have features, you can make sure your budget is allocated to the most important aspects of your website, with the option to add more features over time as your budget allows.

Plan for Ongoing Costs

Your website design budget shouldn’t just cover the initial build — it’s important to factor in ongoing costs for maintenance, updates, and potential redesigns in the future. Websites are not a one-time investment; they need to evolve as your business grows.

Key Ongoing Costs:

  • Hosting: You’ll need to pay for web hosting, which can range from $50 to $100+ per month depending on the level of service and traffic to your site.
  • Domain Registration: Domains typically cost around $20 to $40 per year, depending on the domain extension.
  • Maintenance and Support: Many businesses choose to work with their website designer for ongoing maintenance, ensuring that updates, security patches, and content changes are handled professionally. Maintenance plans can range from $50 to $500 per month depending on the level of service.
  • Content Updates: If you’re not managing the content updates yourself, you’ll need to budget for copywriters, designers, or developers to make changes or add new pages.

By planning for these ongoing costs upfront, you can ensure your website continues to perform well and meets the evolving needs of your business.

Be Prepared for Unexpected Costs

Even with a well-planned budget, there may be unexpected costs that arise during the design process. These could include additional revisions, unforeseen technical challenges, or the need for extra features that weren’t included in the original brief.

Tips for Managing Unexpected Costs:

  • Set Aside a Buffer: It’s a good idea to set aside 10-20% of your budget as a buffer for unexpected expenses.
  • Communicate Clearly: Regular communication with your designer can help prevent misunderstandings that lead to additional costs. Make sure both parties are on the same page about the scope of the project and any potential changes.
  • Review Contracts Carefully: Before signing a contract, review it carefully to understand what’s included in the scope of work and whether additional changes will incur extra fees.

By preparing for unexpected costs, you can avoid budget overruns and ensure your project stays on track.

Conclusion

Setting a realistic budget for your website design is essential for getting the best results without overspending. By understanding the factors that influence website costs, determining your business goals, and prioritising the features that matter most, you can allocate your budget effectively and ensure a high-quality website that meets your needs.

Whether you opt for a custom design or a more affordable template-based approach, planning ahead and factoring in ongoing costs will help you create a website that supports your business’s growth and success.

The Importance of Maintenance and Support After Website Launch

Post Created on Monday 04 Nov, 2024

7 minutes to read

Launching your website is just the beginning of your online journey. While having a well-designed, fully functional site is essential, it’s equally important to ensure that your website continues to perform optimally. This is where ongoing maintenance and support come into play. Without regular updates, security checks, and performance monitoring, your website could quickly become outdated, vulnerable to cyber threats, or even lose its search engine rankings.

In this post, we’ll explore why ongoing maintenance and support are crucial after your website goes live and how investing in regular care can keep your site running smoothly, secure, and relevant.

Ensuring Website Security

One of the most critical reasons for ongoing maintenance is website security. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and without regular updates and patches, your site could become an easy target for hackers. Whether it’s an ecommerce site handling sensitive customer data or a simple informational website, no site is immune to potential vulnerabilities.

Why Security Maintenance Matters:

  • Protecting Customer Data: For websites that handle personal or financial information, such as ecommerce stores, regular security updates are essential for protecting sensitive customer data.
  • Preventing Hacks and Malware: Websites without regular security maintenance are more vulnerable to hacks, malware, and viruses. A hacked website can lead to downtime, loss of data, and damage to your brand’s reputation.
  • Staying Compliant with Regulations: Many industries are subject to strict regulations regarding data privacy and security, such as GDPR or PCI DSS for ecommerce sites. Regular maintenance helps ensure your site remains compliant with these laws.

To avoid the risks associated with outdated software and security vulnerabilities, ongoing security checks and updates should be a priority for any business.

A security guard blocking entry with the words "Not tonight boss"
Me as a website security guard..

Keeping Software, Plugins, and Themes Updated

Most websites rely on various platforms, content management systems (CMS), plugins, and themes to function. These tools require regular updates to ensure compatibility with the latest browsers, devices, and security standards. Failing to update them can lead to broken features, slow performance, or even complete site crashes.

Why Regular Updates Are Essential:

  • Improving Functionality: Updates often come with improvements to functionality or new features that enhance the performance of your website. Keeping everything up-to-date ensures your site remains fast, functional, and user-friendly.
  • Avoiding Conflicts: Outdated plugins or themes can cause conflicts that result in broken features or bugs. Regular updates help prevent these issues and keep everything running smoothly.
  • Maintaining Compatibility: As web technologies evolve, your site needs to stay compatible with new versions of web browsers, mobile devices, and other tools. Regular updates ensure your site remains accessible to all users.

By keeping your website’s software and plugins up-to-date, you’ll minimise the risk of crashes, downtime, and poor user experiences.

Enhancing Website Performance

Website performance directly impacts user experience and search engine rankings. A slow, unresponsive website can drive visitors away, increase bounce rates, and hurt your search engine visibility. Regular maintenance is essential for optimising your website’s performance and ensuring it runs efficiently.

How Maintenance Improves Performance:

  • Speed Optimisation: Over time, websites can slow down due to outdated plugins, large image files, or excessive code. Regular performance audits and optimisation can help keep loading times fast.
  • Broken Links and Errors: Broken links, 404 errors, or outdated pages can frustrate users and hurt your SEO rankings. Ongoing support ensures these issues are identified and fixed promptly.
  • Database Maintenance: For websites that store large amounts of data, such as ecommerce platforms, regular database optimisation can prevent slowdowns and keep the site running smoothly.

By continually optimising your site’s performance, you’ll ensure a better user experience, improve your SEO rankings, and ultimately increase your website’s ability to convert visitors into customers.

Maintaining SEO and Content Relevance

SEO is not a one-time task — it requires ongoing effort to stay competitive in search engine rankings. Regular content updates and SEO optimisations are crucial for maintaining and improving your website’s visibility over time.

Why SEO Maintenance Is Important:

  • Adapting to Algorithm Changes: Search engines like Google frequently update their algorithms, which can affect how your website ranks. Ongoing SEO support ensures your site adapts to these changes and remains competitive in search results.
  • Fresh Content: Regularly updating your content with new blogs, case studies, or landing pages signals to search engines that your website is active and relevant. This can boost your rankings and drive more traffic.
  • Keyword Optimisation: As search trends evolve, the keywords your audience uses may change. Ongoing keyword research and content optimisation help ensure your site remains optimised for the latest search terms.

Regular content updates and SEO tweaks will keep your site relevant and improve its chances of ranking well in search engine results pages (SERPs).

An infographic showing Search engine optimisation and all the methods that branch off it, such as web, backlinks, analysis, content, ranking, indexing keywords, on-page/off-page, traffic, and site architecture
SEO depicted by (FreePik)

Ensuring Optimal User Experience (UX)

User experience is at the core of every successful website. A website that’s difficult to navigate, slow, or filled with broken links will drive users away. Ongoing maintenance ensures that your website provides a seamless, user-friendly experience that keeps visitors engaged and satisfied.

How Maintenance Supports UX:

  • Fixing Bugs: Even well-built websites can experience occasional bugs or glitches. Ongoing maintenance helps identify and fix these issues before they negatively impact user experience.
  • Mobile Optimisation: With more users accessing websites from mobile devices, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is essential. Regular updates help maintain mobile responsiveness and compatibility with new devices.
  • Navigation and Design Updates: As your business evolves, your website’s design and navigation may need adjustments to reflect new products, services, or branding. Regular maintenance allows you to make these updates without a complete redesign.

Providing a consistent, positive user experience through regular maintenance will lead to higher engagement, longer visit durations, and more conversions.

Addressing Business Growth and Website Expansion

As your business grows, your website will need to grow with it. Whether you’re adding new products, expanding into new markets, or offering new services, your website needs to be flexible and scalable to accommodate these changes.

Supporting Business Growth Through Maintenance:

  • Adding New Features: Ongoing support allows you to add new features, such as ecommerce functionality, booking systems, or customer portals, as your business evolves.
  • Scaling for Traffic Increases: As your website traffic grows, you may need to optimise your site for increased loads. Regular maintenance can ensure your server and hosting environment are equipped to handle higher volumes of traffic.
  • Updating Content and Design: As your business grows, your website’s content and design may need to be updated to reflect new products, services, or branding. Ongoing maintenance ensures your site remains current and aligned with your business goals.

By having a maintenance plan in place, you’ll be able to easily adapt your website as your business expands, ensuring it continues to serve your growing customer base.

The Role of a Website Maintenance Plan

To ensure your website receives the care and attention it needs, many businesses opt for a website maintenance plan. These plans provide regular updates, security checks, and performance optimisations to keep your site running smoothly.

What’s Included in a Website Maintenance Plan?:

  • Regular Software Updates: Ensures your CMS, plugins, and themes are up-to-date and compatible with the latest technology.
  • Security Monitoring: Provides ongoing security checks and protection against cyber threats, including malware scans and vulnerability patches.
  • Performance Optimisation: Includes regular site speed checks, database optimisation, and improvements to keep your website running quickly and efficiently.
  • Backup Services: Regular backups ensure that you have a restore point in case of a technical failure, data loss, or a cyber attack.
  • Ongoing Support: Access to a dedicated support team for troubleshooting and resolving issues as they arise.

By investing in a maintenance plan, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your website is regularly monitored, updated, and protected from potential issues.

Conclusion

Ongoing website maintenance and support are essential for ensuring that your website continues to perform optimally, stays secure, and adapts to the evolving needs of your business. From protecting your site against cyber threats to keeping your software up-to-date, regular maintenance plays a critical role in your website’s long-term success.

By investing in a maintenance plan or scheduling regular updates, you’ll not only keep your website running smoothly but also ensure that it remains a valuable asset that supports your business’s growth and goals.

Ultimate Checklist for Launching a Website in Tauranga NZ

Post Created on Friday 01 Nov, 2024

6 minutes to read

Launching any new website is a big step for any business, especially in a vibrant location like Tauranga, New Zealand. It doesn’t matter if you’re a new or established business – having a strong online presence is the key to reaching your target audience.

This checklist will guide you through each step of the website launch process, making sure you have a polished, professional, and effective website. What does that look like? A website that attracts customers and ranks well on search engines.

Planning: Website’s Purpose and Goals

Define Your Website’s Purpose

Start by defining the primary purpose of your website. Is your site an online store, a service-based business, or a portfolio of some sorts? Understanding this helps you shape your website’s content, design, and overall structure. For example:

  • E-commerce Websites: Prioritise easy navigation, secure payment gateways, and a smooth checkout process.
  • Service-Based Websites: Focus on detailed service descriptions, user-friendly booking forms, and clear contact options.

Set Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)

Ensure that your website nudges visitors toward desired actions, such as signing up, booking a consultation, or purchasing a product. Use direct, clear phrases like “Buy Now,” “Book a Consultation,” or “Get a Quote.”

Gather Resources for Your Web Team

If you’re working with a web developer, prepare brand assets like logos, colour schemes, fonts, and examples of websites you admire. This ensures your website is designed to reflect your brand’s identity effectively.

Design Matters: Keep It Professional

Custom Design vs. Templates

While templates can be quick and cost-effective, they often look generic. A custom design helps your website stand out and connect better with your audience. In Tauranga’s competitive market, a unique design can be the difference between capturing attention or losing it.

If your still unsure if you need a custom or template website design, check out our article here!

Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

Mobile-friendliness is non-negotiable and you can see why here. A responsive design ensures your site looks good and works well on any device. Doesn’t matter if it’s a smartphone, tablet, or desktop!

Brand Consistency in Design

Your website should be a digital reflection of your business. Use your brand colours, fonts, and imagery consistently across the website to create a cohesive brand experience.

Construction Health & Safety New Zealand's custom website design mobile view
Construction Health & Safety New Zealand’s custom website design mobile view

Content: DIY or Professional Copywriting?

Create Engaging Content

Content is crucial—it communicates your value, builds trust, and persuades visitors to take action. Make sure your content is clear, concise, and aligned with your website’s goals.

DIY vs. Professional Copywriting

Writing your own content is possible but requires time and skill. Professional copywriters can help craft persuasive, SEO optimised content that appeals to your target audience and ranks well in search engines.

Localise Content for Tauranga, New Zealand

Incorporate references to Tauranga to connect better with local audiences. Use relevant keywords such as “Tauranga web design,” “Tauranga business services,” and other terms that improve local search visibility. Kind of like what we’re doing right now!

SEO Setup: Ensure Your Site is Discoverable

Implement On-Page SEO

Optimise each page with keywords, meta titles, and descriptions. Use headings that clearly reflect the content, and include keywords in image alt text. This helps Google understand what your site is about and improves your chances of ranking higher.

Ensure Fast Load Times

Website speed directly affects user experience and search engine rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s performance. Compress images, enable browser caching, and use a reliable hosting service.

Set Up Google Tools

Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console and set up Google Analytics. These tools help you monitor your website’s performance, track user behaviour, and identify areas for improvement.

Google Trends UI Dashboard
Google Trends UI Dashboard – a tool for finding trends!

Testing is Key: Don’t Skip This Step

Test Across Devices and Browsers

Ensure that your website works well on different devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) and browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari).

Check All Functionalities

Run a complete test of forms, links, buttons, and media to ensure everything works smoothly. Test the checkout process (if applicable), and verify that user interactions are seamless.

Ensure SSL Security

Check that your website has a valid SSL certificate. This keeps data secure and builds trust with users, as well as improving search engine rankings.

Launch and Monitor Performance

Prepare for Launch Day

Have a checklist ready for the final launch. Double-check that content, design, and functionality are as expected.

Monitor Analytics Post-Launch

Once live, use Google Analytics to track user behaviour, traffic sources, and conversions. This helps identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Adjust content, design, or marketing strategies based on the data.

Set Up Regular Maintenance

A website isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool. Plan for regular updates, bug fixes, and optimizations to keep it running smoothly.

Marketing the Website: Get the Word Out

Create a Google Business Profile

Register your business on Google Maps with an accurate address, phone number, and hours of operation. This boosts local search visibility and attracts customers from Tauranga and surrounding areas.

Promote on Social Media

Share your website launch on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Use engaging content that links back to your website to drive traffic.

Leverage Email Marketing

Send an announcement to your email subscribers about the new website. Include an exclusive offer or discount to encourage them to visit.

An icon depicting a letter being sent via email

Why Partner with a Professional Team?

Save Time and Avoid Errors

Working with a professional web design team can save time, prevent errors, and ensure a more effective website. Experienced teams know how to design for usability, optimise for SEO, and handle the technical side of things.

Builtflat’s Professional Services

If you’re considering launching a website in Tauranga, Builtflat offers expert web design, development, and SEO services tailored to your needs. Our team can handle everything from planning to launch, so you can focus on growing your business.

Conclusion

Launching a website in Tauranga, New Zealand, can be a seamless process when you follow a detailed checklist like this one. Whether you choose to build it yourself or partner with a professional team, remember that every step matters. With clear planning, optimised design, and consistent marketing, your website can be a valuable tool for attracting customers and growing your business online. Happy launching!

Why Lazy Loading Is Essential for Your Website in 2024

Post Created on Wednesday 30 Oct, 2024

7 minutes to read

Lazy loading – It’s one of those website optimisation techniques that doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves. But it can seriously transform how your site performs! Making it a simple, effective way to make your website faster and more user-friendly. Which ultimately keeps visitors around longer and boosts your conversions.

If you’re not using lazy loading in 2024, you’re leaving performance on the table. Let’s break it down.

What Is Lazy Loading?

Lazy loading is exactly what it sounds like. The content on your web pages (like images or videos) don’t load straight away when the page is accessed. Instead, they load lazily—only when the user scrolls to them or they come into the viewport.

Imagine you’re reading an article on a site. As you scroll down, the images further down the page won’t load until they’re about to appear on the screen. This keeps the initial load time fast and smooth. By delaying the loading of certain elements you’re only showing what’s needed in that moment.

This makes everything faster and more efficient which your website users love!

Why Does Lazy Loading Matter?

Lazy loading isn’t just a fun party trick – It’s a vital tool for improving website performance and user experience. Here’s why it matters:

1. Faster Load Times

Let’s be real: no one likes waiting around for a website to load. If your site is slow, people bounce, plain and simple. Lazy loading can help reduce initial load times, which means users get what they want faster.

  • Why It Works: By delaying the loading of non-essential elements, you’re cutting down on the amount of data that has to be processed upfront. This makes pages load faster and improves overall performance.
  • What It Means for You: A faster site means better user experience, lower bounce rates, and potentially higher conversion rates.

2. Saves Bandwidth

Lazy loading isn’t just great for speed; it’s also smart about data usage. This is particularly helpful for users on mobile networks or slower connections. Why load a dozen high-resolution images when the user might only see two?

  • Why It Works: By loading elements only when they’re needed, lazy loading saves users from downloading unnecessary data, reducing bandwidth consumption.
  • What It Means for You: Lower bandwidth usage can be a big win, especially if you’re running an e-commerce site with lots of product images or a blog with high-quality visuals.
Blue optic fiber with ethernet cables and laptop
Image from Freepik.

3. Improved SEO and Rankings

Google loves fast websites, and lazy loading can help with that. Since site speed is a key factor in Google’s ranking algorithm, a faster site can mean better rankings in search results. Plus, improved user experience and lower bounce rates are factors that Google’s algorithm considers.

  • Why It Works: Search engines favour sites that load quickly and deliver a good user experience. Lazy loading helps you achieve both by cutting down on the initial load time and keeping users engaged.
  • What It Means for You: Faster sites rank better, and better rankings mean more visibility, clicks, and conversions.

4. Better Mobile Performance

Over half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, which makes mobile performance non-negotiable in 2024. Slow-loading sites don’t just annoy users—they also don’t rank as well on Google’s mobile-first index. Lazy loading ensures your mobile site loads quickly and efficiently.

  • Why It Works: By only loading images and videos when they’re needed, you reduce the load time and data usage for mobile users, improving their experience.
  • What It Means for You: A faster, more mobile-friendly site keeps users around longer and encourages them to engage with your content.
Different mobile layouts for Blank Canvas's website for their real estate photography and marketing services
Blank Canvas – Real estate photography, videography, and marketing agency in Auckland, New Zealand.

How do I Implement Lazy Loading On My Website?

Alright, so lazy loading is awesome. But how do you actually make it happen on your site? Here’s how you can implement lazy loading, whether you’re a tech novice or a pro developer:

1. Use the “Loading” Attribute for Images

This is one of the easiest ways to add lazy loading to your site. The loading=”lazy” attribute can be added directly to image tags in your HTML, which tells the browser to load the image only when it’s about to be visible in the viewport.

  • Why It Works: This method is straightforward, requires minimal coding, and is supported by most modern browsers.
  • Pro Tip: Use it for large images, infographics, or product photos to enhance loading speed without compromising on quality.

2. Use JavaScript Libraries

If you’re dealing with more complex elements, like videos, iframes, or background images, you might need to use a JavaScript library for lazy loading. Libraries like LazyLoad or Lozad.js make it easy to set up lazy loading across your site.

  • Why It Works: These libraries allow you to customise how elements load, making it easier to handle more complicated layouts.
  • Pro Tip: If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, there are plenty of plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, Lazy Load by WP Rocket) that can add lazy loading without needing to touch a line of code.

3. Use Lazy Loading for Videos

Videos are heavy. They eat up bandwidth and slow down load times. Lazy loading can fix that by loading videos only when they’re in view.

How to Do It:

  • Use a placeholder image or thumbnail until the user interacts with the video.
  • Embed the video using the iframe tag with lazy loading attributes or a JavaScript library that supports video lazy loading.

  • Why It Works: Users won’t have to deal with laggy pages, especially if you’ve got videos embedded all over your site.
  • Pro Tip: Use lower-resolution thumbnails to save on initial load times, then load the full-resolution video when it’s needed.

4. Implement Lazy Loading for Background Images

If you’ve got large background images that load right away, they can be a huge drag on speed. Instead, consider using lazy loading techniques, like dynamically loading background images with JavaScript.

How to Do It:

  • Use a CSS class to display a placeholder until the actual background image is needed.
  • Replace the placeholder with the real background image using JavaScript as the user scrolls.

  • Why It Works: This prevents massive images from slowing down your site before they’re needed.
  • Pro Tip: Make sure your placeholder has a similar aspect ratio to the original image to avoid layout shifts when the image loads.
A custom designed photography portfolio website for Daniell Ledger
A custom designed photography portfolio website for Daniell Ledger that uses Lazy Loading.

When Should I Use Lazy Loading?

Lazy loading is ideal for websites with heavy visuals, lots of embedded videos, or pages that require scrolling to view all content. However, it’s not for everything:

  • Use it for: Large images, videos, infographics, embedded media, background images, and content below the fold.
  • Avoid it for: Above-the-fold content, like hero images or crucial calls-to-action, which should load immediately for the best user experience.

Common Myths About Lazy Loading

1. It’s Complicated to Implement

Nope, it’s actually pretty straightforward. Adding a simple loading=”lazy” attribute or using a plugin can have a big impact without requiring major code changes.

2. It Hurts SEO

This one’s a myth. Lazy loading can actually boost your SEO because faster load times improve user experience and site performance, both of which Google loves.

3. It’s Only for Images

While lazy loading is most commonly used for images, it’s effective for videos, iframes, and even background images. Basically, if it’s big and takes time to load, it can benefit from lazy loading.

Conclusion

Lazy loading is one of the simplest ways to improve website speed, boost user experience, and increase conversions. In 2024, it’s no longer just a good idea – it’s a must for any site looking to stay competitive. Implementing lazy loading is easier than you think, and the benefits are immediate. So, don’t wait. Get started today and see the difference for yourself.

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