Websites and Web Design
Choosing a platform, planning a build, knowing what good looks like, and working out when your current site is holding you back.
Most business owners only build a website every five to seven years, which means every build feels like starting from scratch. The platform choices have changed, the pricing has changed, and everyone selling to you has a different opinion about what you need.
These guides cut through that. They cover the decisions you actually have to make, in the order you have to make them, with the trade-offs spelled out rather than glossed over.
Guides in this section
- Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress: which platform should you choose? The three names you will keep hearing, and who each one genuinely suits.
- Squarespace vs WordPress for business A closer look at the two most common finalists.
- Shopify vs WooCommerce for your online store What each really costs to run once you add the apps.
- How long does it take to build a website? Realistic timelines, and the one thing that delays nearly every project.
- Do I need a website for my business? An honest answer, including when the answer is no.
- What makes a good small business website? The handful of things that matter and the many that do not.
- How many pages should a website have? Why page count is the wrong question and what to ask instead.
- Signs your website needs a redesign How to tell the difference between tired and broken.
- Custom website vs template: the real difference What you actually get for the extra money.
Working out a budget first? The Australian website cost guide gives you real price bands before you start talking to anyone.
Quick answers
What is the most common mistake in a website project?
Starting the build before the content is ready. Design decisions depend on what you are actually saying, and projects that stall almost always stall waiting on copy and photos rather than on the developer.
Should I rebuild or just refresh my existing site?
If the structure and platform are sound and the problem is purely visual, a refresh is cheaper and faster. If the site is slow, hard to edit, not converting or built on something unsupported, a rebuild costs less over three years than patching it.
Do I own my website?
You should. Ask any provider directly whether you own the files, the domain and the hosting account, and whether you can leave without penalty. At Sites By Design the answer is yes on all three, with no lock-in contracts.
Thinking about a new website?
We will look at what you have, tell you honestly whether it needs replacing, and give you a fixed price if it does. Twenty years of Australian builds behind every recommendation.