IMPORTANT things to know before getting a new website

If you are looking at getting a new website, there are many options, and things well worth knowing. They will help you avoid traps and ultimately help you end up owning a successful website. Some website options look really good at surface level, but not all are equal or as good as they may first appear. This webpage provides some very useful information that will help you when seeking a new website.

Find out more...

5 star Google reviews

IMPORTANT things to know before getting a new website

If you are looking at getting a new website, there are many options, and things well worth knowing. They will help you avoid traps and ultimately help you end up owning a successful website. Some website options look really good at surface level, but not all are equal or as good as they may first appear. This webpage provides some very useful information that will help you when seeking a new website.

Find out more...

5 star Google reviews

Important Information

There are many, many options when seeking a new website. There is an oversaturation of website agencies and freelancers in Australia right now. There are also MANY website platform options. This page provides some useful information that will help inform. If you want to support fellow Australian businesses, the first thing to know is: Many website platforms are owned by offshore companies. If you work with them, you’re giving your money to large companies, vs fellow Australian businesses. We will be adding more information to this page soon. For now, we have focused on the following topics:

This webpage has been created to provide some useful information to help you make informed decisions about your new website. It is not designed to share information about ”website strategy’ incluidng things like user-experience, conversion optimisation, friction, flow, funneling, the 3 second rule, the 7 second rule, E.E.A.T. and other important strategies that website experts must know in order to reate quuality websites for those we serve. This page instead focuses on helping you identify which website options are good, and which are best avoided. 

Please note: One of the common things we are told by new customers is: “Our last website provider was terrible. They were arrogant, hard to understand, pushy and didn’t provide the website we wanted. We wish we had of found you sooner.”

Website Forms - VERY Important info

Right now (2026) there is a growing issue where people, businesses, companies, NFP’s, etc who own one or more websites are not receiving website form enquiries that people are trying to send to them. This means enquiries are going unseen and unanswered.

This of course is an issue, especially if your service-based business relies on getting new enquiries from new potential customers.

The reason for this issue: Many modern website servers (that host websites) are often unoptimised or set up to block the sending of mail.

To fix this, you need to work with a website person (or team) who knows how to set up what is called a ‘SMTP Plugin’ in your website. This plugin allows the form submissions to get delivered to you. 

Three additional boffin things also need to be set up. They are called: DKIM, Dmarc and SPF. 

When choosing a website provider to create your new website, make sure they know how to set up a SMTP Plugin (especially if they are using WordPress).

Email spam avoidance

There are many ways that result in you receiving spam email. If you plan to include one or more email addresses in your website, make sure whoever is going to create your website, knows what ‘website email encryption’.

To ensure email addresses are encrypted when placed on websites, we use plugins like one called CleanTalk in all website we create. We cover the cost of this plugin for anyone who hosts their website with us. 

Why is this important? If not set up, your email address can be harvested, then sold on the dark web. You’ll then start getting more and more spam email. 500 or more spam emails per day is not fun. 

Plus, the more spam emails you and/or your team receive, the greater the chance of your business getting hacked. 

Know who is going to be creating your website (avoid off-shore workers)

Unfortunately over the last 15+ years, more agencies and freelancers have been employing people in countries like [] and [] india to create websites for their customers, without telling their customers this is happening. They’re of course doing this to maximise profits. The problem is this creates potential website security threats. 

Why? 

The people working off-shore need full Admin logins to the websites they are buidling. This allows them full access to the website at any time. They can hack the website, hijack the website, destroy the website, or do anything they want. If you have not seen the recent 60 Minutes episode about this topic, we have included it below:

When seeking a new website, or looking at moving your website to a new hsoting provider, ask the person you are speaking with: “Who exactly will be creating my new website if I choose to work with you and your business?” Also ask them:  “Who will be doing the security maintenance and other maintenance work on my website once it is launched?” Also ask, “Where are these people located?”. You’ll soon find out if the people who will be creating and looking after your website are based in Australia or not. We have a blog post here on our website that goes into more depth about this topic — you can find it here. 

PS. There is an exception to this: If their team are expats living in places like Thailand, and they actually know these people, as in, they are fully vetted employees who are regularly security checked, fully trustworthy, etc, this can often be ok. There is a growing trend for people in our industry to relocate to their countries due to the high cost of living in Australia. 

Speak with their clients

It goes without saying, if your friends nephew, a freelancer or an agency can not show other websites they have created, they are probably highly inexperienced.

A tip: When looking for the right person (or team) to create your new website, contact their clients and ask them about their experience working with the person, business or company that created their website. This is the easiest way to start to vet potential website creators, freelancers or agencies, to narrow down who you might decide should create your new website.

It is a very good idea to NEVER jump too quickly when choosing who will create your website. You’re oing to be wokring ith them for at least a few months, if not years (if they are good and you are happy with them). Choose slowly and choose wisely. This can save you money, reduce stress and get you a MUCH better result and return on your investment (ROI) now and into the future.

USB Sticks

If your website person offers to send you files via a USB Stick, or they are happy for you to send files via USB sticks, that’s a big indicator they don’t have any understanding of cybersecurity. Avoid any website provider who is willing to receive a USB stick. 

If you are not familiar with how easy it is to be hacked by using a USB stick, watch this video.

Our advice:

  • Never use a USB Stick
  • Throw your old USB Sticks away (or get them recycled), unless you are 110% sure they have never been plugged into ANY computer, other than your own, and you are 110% sure there has never been any secret malware or virus installed on your computer(s).  

Website Hosting

If your market is in Australia, your website hosting should be as well. This will aid with your website loading quickly. 

No one likes a slow website. It it takes more than 3 seconds to load, some people won’t wait. 

There are a variety of website hosting types. The main ones include: Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, Managed Hosting and Dedicated Hosting.

Avoid Shared Hosting. If your website is hosted (or is going to be hosted) on Shared Hosting, ask for it to be moved to Cloud Hosting.

It is a very good idea to learn about the different types of hosting (that we have mentioned above), to decide which is best for your website. You can ue Google or to do this, or contact us. 

Website Platforms

There are MANY website platforms and many ways to get a website created.

Note: If using platforms like Wix, Weebly, Squarespare, Duda, Framer, Shopify, WebFlow (and others), if you ever want to move your website elsewhere, you will NOT be able to. These platforms are called ‘closed environments’. They do not allow you to move the website elsewhere. If you want to move a website built on these platforms, you will need get a professional to rebuild your website fromscratch. 

WordPress.org on the other hand is ‘open source’ instead of ‘closed environment’. If you get your website built using the WordPress.org website engine, you will be able to move it elsewhere but ONLY if the person or business who created the website, allows you to. ASK them, and check their contracts. 

Please note: We build websites using the WordPress.org engine for 95% of the websites we create. If you ever want to move away from us, we allow this. We do not stop people from moving away. We don’t see why you would ever want to move away from us, but at least you have the option. 

Website Platforms - Horses for Courses

When working with us, we make sure we understand your exact needs and requirements for your website, then present the best platform option. Often, this is the open source WordPress.org engine.

We also provide low upfront fee and low monthy fee options for small websites — we use the WordPress.org engine for these too. There is no need to use Wix, Duda, Webflow, Squarespace, etc.

NOTE too: Aside from WordPress.org, the above-mentioned platforms are owned by off-shore companies. It means if you use these platforms, your money (the fees you need to pay them) is going off-shore to large companies, vs helping fellow Australians.

Short information about the above-mentioned alternative platforms are below:

  • Duda: Based in the US. It can be ok for some websites, but is limited in what it can do. It’s ok for SEO, but not brilliant. There is a learning curve.
  • WebFlow: Based in the US. If you don’t care about SEO, nor blogging or content marketing, this platform has its time and place. There is a learning curve.
  • Shopify: Based in Canada. If you are happy to pay the ongoing fees, and are happy with its SEO limitations, this platform can be good for eCommerce online shops. There is a learning curve.
  • Squarespace: Based in the US. If you’re an artist, photographer and/or you don’t care about SEO, this platform can be ok for the short-term, and sometimes longer.
  • Wix: Their head office is in Israel. The platform is better than it used to be. It can be an option for small websites.
  • Framer: Based in the Netherlands. If you just want a small attractive website and don’t care about SEO, blogging, etc, this platform can be ok for the interim.
  • Thryv: Head Office is in the US. They use Duda. Thryv also offer business growth tools. These tools are common and widely available. You don’t need to use Thryv to be able to use these tools.

Please note: WordPress.org is the BEST website platform. It is why we use it. We host websites here in Australia. Your money stays in Australia when working with us. Over 40% of all websites around the world use the WordPress.org website engine [info here]. It is fully scalable, it does everything the above-mentioned platforms can do (plus more), and it is GREAT for SEO, blogging, inbound marketing, etc.

FAQs

We’re always happy to answer questions and/or share information. Below are just a few frequently asked questions. If you have other questions, you may find them on our FAQ’s page. Or feel free to contact us and send any questions you have.

We use special software like a tool called Hotjar. It and other tools tell us a lot about how people are responding and reacting to your website. We can use this data to make decisions about how to better improve and optimise your website.

Throughout the years we have learned what makes websites convert well. We apply this knowledge when we do CRO work.

One of the ways to help improve the conversion of your website is to include something called E.E.A.T. Information about this is here.

Many clients see enquiries and sales increase pretty much immediately.

Why?

  • A professional website increases trust
  • It reduces price shopping
  • It makes you look established
  • It positions your business as quality

Your website becomes a sales tool, not a digital business card.

If you combine CRO with one of our Local SEO packages and/or Digital Ads packages (Meta/Facebook), you will start seeing increases in leads within weeks.

Because every day without a professional CRO optimised website:

  • You lose credibility
  • You lose higher-paying jobs
  • Fewer opportunities come your way
  • Your business looks like a low-quality option

Your competitors already look legitimate online. If you do not, potential customers choose your competitors instead of you. You miss out on the jobs, projects and revenue.

We certainly can.

We currently provide free website reviews (website audits). Contact us to request our free website review service.

Book a FREE Consult Call

Book a free, no-obligation consultation call (up to 45 minutes). If you’re not sure if your current website is pulling its weight (as well as it could be), or you would like to request a quote, or you have questions, simply fill out and submit the below form. We will then reply asap. Or if you prefer, phone us on 1300 887 427.

In 2026, each time a new customer chooses to host their website with us, we will donate $1 to One Tree Planted, who plant trees wherever they are needed the most around the globe.

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