When you are thinking about web design for your Canberra business it is tempting to take it into your own hands. Your business is your baby. You’re the one who’s been there from the beginning, you’ve been doing everything from answering the phones to processing the accounts from day one. Why shouldn’t you use a free website builder like WIX?

Well, there are so many reasons. Most important to remember is that you get what you pay for. So, what are you getting when you don’t pay? Here are the top three reasons you shouldn’t use WIX for your business website:

1 – WIX is free and easy

Now, these might sound like good things. But free and easy are not what you should be looking for in a website. WIX doesn’t know what your customers want, or what Google is looking for either.

WIX makes it easy to gloss over important website elements such as search engine optimisation. Google is interested in your page titles, your content and the structure of your site. WIX doesn’t tell you any of this nor makes it easy to edit the way Google sees (and therefore ranks) these parts of your website.

2 – Web design with Canberra Web will evolve and grow

Building a website isn’t supposed to be easy. Forget what WIX is telling you. Website building, digital marketing and website design are complex areas. They are also changing and evolving all the time. The way people use the internet changes over time. The way Google sorts and ranks content on the web changes daily.

Therefore, you need to work with a web design Canberra based business who can help you build an integrated and high performing site for today and one which will take your business into the future. Your relationship with your website builder should be an ongoing one. As your products change and your customers change so too should your website. A high-quality full-service web site builder like Canberra Web will also be monitoring how your website is ranking and how it’s being used. This allows them to make continuous adjustments to keep you at the top of your game, and your website at the top of search engine results.

3 – WIX isn’t a free website building platform

A WIX website is only free if you are happy to have their banner ad at the top of every page of your site. This takes up valuable space at the top of your web page which could be being used to promote your business and complement your branding. It also tells every visitor that you have scrimped on your website build and design. So where else are you cutting corners in your business?

The only way to get rid of the WIX banner ads is to sign up for a monthly payment plan. You also can’t add Google Analytics to a free WIX website. So something that seemed like a free and easy option isn’t free at all.

So, you're proud of your product and your Woo Commerce site is set up and ready to go. But, is it doing as well as you thought it would? If not, what can you do to optimise its performance and attract as much traffic as possible?

You need a few nifty tips and tricks up your sleeve and this list will get you started.

1. Simplify the checkout

Fundamentally, your goal is to get browsers to turn into customers. So, make it easy for them. Internet users are often impulsive buyers, which means you should provide a clear, legible link to your checkout at all times. And, when browsers click on it, ensure that the purchase process is simple and straightforward. If possible, reduce your checkout to just one field. That way, there's no cause for confusion or second thoughts.

2. Facilitate specific searches

Internet users often don't have much time on their side. Most of the time, they know what they want and they're wired to get their hands on it as quickly as possible. So, provide them with the tools to find it easily, by adding a few search filters.

For example, Woo Commerce allows searching by particular qualities, including size and colour. What's more, users can also filter results according to reviews, letting them see five-star products only, if that's the option they choose.

3. Put the spotlight on individual products with images

Rather than using just one image to represent a group of products, give every product the attention it deserves with a unique photo. For example, rather than merely stating that a pictured item, which might be red and made of vinyl, is available in purple leather, show it visually. Prospective buyers want to feel confident that what they're seeing and paying for is what they're getting. Accurate photos provide an opportunity to encourage trust and build loyalty.

If you'd like some more ideas to optimise the performance of your Woo Commerce platform or you're looking for expert help with any aspect of web design in Canberra, please get in touch with us today.

In the past five years, we've seen the rise of the one-page website. A great option for personal portfolios or websites that aren't heavy on content, one-page websites can look super sleek and modern - if done well. If you're building a one page website, then check out these three great tips:

1. Get rid of the fluff

Successful one-page websites are bare boned and stripped back from all the fluff. With a multiple page website, you can get away with a little bit of extra fluff because it's easy to navigate to the page you need. When it comes to one-page website, however, you only have one shot to give your customers the info they need before you lose them.

2. Create a design hierarchy

Your one-page website should define your website’s purpose. Work out what you want your customers to do (e.g subscribe to a service, purchase a product) and ensure your website design directs visitors' eyes where you want them to go. People will naturally notice larger aspects of the design, so ensure that the most important things on your site are the biggest.

3. Consider your navigation

There are two main navigation techniques on one-page websites: static pages with external linking and one-page scrolling pages. On static one-pagers, you can use external linking to allow users to explore. If you are planning to redirect your customers to external websites, ensure that you make it clear that the click will direct them to another page. Using universal icons can be a great way to indicate this.

On scrolling pages, a range of content is placed on one page, but only a portion is centred on your screen at any given time. Ensure that each portion has a unique feel, but still has a sense of continuity (the scrolling should feel like a journey). Vertical scrolling websites are most popular, but you can design websites with a horizontal scroll.

Need help designing a one-page website? Contact Canberra Web today. Specialising in web design Canberra wide, our talented team can help your business design a fun and exciting new website to increase your traffic and convert more sales.

A fraction of a second can make a huge difference to your website. Sensational content and fast speeds define a great site, so if it takes a long time for your web page to become visible to a user, you need to do some tinkering. If your site is slow, it can severely dent your traffic and revenue. Here are three ways a slow website loading speed is bad for business.

1. Poor Google rank

Google’s mission is to make web browsing as fast and efficient as possible. That's why when ranking websites, Google takes loading speed into consideration. In fact, <a href="https://medium.freecodecamp.org/website-loading-speed-optimization-in-2018-bananas-e66cc85df8dd">47% of online users</a> expect pages to load in just two seconds. As such, sites with speeds of less than two seconds may lose traffic because Google may reduce the number of visitors it redirects to it. That can significantly harm your online business, so if you want to be up there in the top search results, improve your load time.

2. Low conversion rates

The first step to making conversions, whether it's subscriptions or sales, is to nurture your inbound traffic. But if your site has a slow load speed, you are driving your visitors away. Consider the fact that 40% of users will abandon a site if it takes more than three seconds to load up. In the digital age, no one is willing to wait longer than they need to, which could compromise conversions and lead to a high bounce rate that sends your potential customers to your competition.

3. Poor UX

Visitors will judge your business and the quality of your product by their experience on your website. If your site is slow to load or difficult to navigate, they will equate this user experience (UX) with you as a brand, which could cause your reputation to plummet. Not only that, a slow site speed can mean features on your pages loading at different rates, leading to frustration when users try to click a link only for the page to 'jump', causing them to be directed somewhere they didn't intend. Introduce an attractive web design built around the user experience and with a fast loading speed and you will create an impression of professionalism, efficiency and reliability.

Improve your load speed

You can test how fast your website loads using a free website speed tester . Some tips to improve your speed include compressing the size of images, videos and graphics, tidying up your web design, enabling browser caching, and reconsidering your hosting service.

If it's time to revamp your website so that it loads faster in 2018 and beyond, Canberra Web has an efficient team of web builders you can trust to build and maintain quality websites that never disappoint. We offer services like web hosting, digital marketing and web design Canberra wide, so get in touch today.

Of course you can make your own website. With access to a wide range of different website building tools it is as easy as 123, and then you will have a website. What isn't included in these websites, however, are the instructions for building a website that gets your business beyond just having a landing page. Hiring a professional web design Canberra-based team will be far better for your business and will give you the resource that you actually need. Here we explore how the DIY website is hurting SMEs.

1. First impressions count

Your webpage is your most important advertising tool and it is the first thing a customer will see when they look for you. DIY websites may get the message across, but they do not make a good first impression. Properly designed websites will always make a better impression.

2. Time is money

One of the biggest reasons people cite for not using a professional web designer is cost, but this is a false economy. If you consider that every minute you spend learning to do a bad job at web design is time you aren't spending making money, then it is clear to see the benefit of using a professional. An average SME will spend 60-80 hours making a website that should take 10. How much money could you make in that lost time?

3. Just another sheep

Excellent web design is all about standing out from the crowd, but with DIY web design you will never be distinctive. These websites all blend together and even those without any knowledge of web design can recognise the theme that everyone is using. A professional web design Canberra service can instead allow you to be a black sheep and stand out rather than blend in.

4. Search engine optimisation

The final element that you get from using a team of professional web designers is that of search engine optimisation. With SEO you can improve the ranking of your website whereas the ability to do so on DIY sites is limited. Optimising your website for proper digital marketing Canberra-specific results will make all the difference for your business.

Our world is becoming more visual by the day as more images are shared, messages are quickly conveyed, and a brand story is told. When Canberra Web is designing or updating your website, we will spend as much time consulting with you about the imagery of your site as we will about the text and the build.

Unfortunately, high-quality photos for your website can be as expensive as they are important. Luckily your digital marketing experts right here in Canberra are going to share four ways you can save your web design dollars and visually promote your brand, with stock images:

1) When They Don’t Have People in Them

We’ve all seen those cheesy corporate stock photos of a group of people in a bland office posing unnaturally. These photos can be spotted a mile away as stock images and they are the reason stock photography has a poor reputation. Don’t take the risk of trying to pass off a stock image as your team, when your ‘team’ could already be appearing on someone else’s website.

2) When They Don’t Have Your Products in Them

Just as the value of your team is found in the unique individuals you have curated for your business, your product or service is just as unique to your brand. Therefore, don’t try and pass off a stock image as your own product, you’ll lose your unique selling position, and only you can convey your product or service.

3) When They’re There for a Reason

Yes, images are a valuable storytelling tool, but choosing a stock image just because you’re short of images for your website is not going to help you market your brand. Make sure the stock images you choose are relevant to the story you’re telling on that page. Plus, while you’re searching free stock image sites, keep an eye out for photos which feature your corporate colours to tie everything together.

4) When They are Customised

That brings us to the best way you can use stock images to your advantage in website design, through customisation. Don’t be afraid to crop or Photoshop a stock image to make it more focussed and relevant to your brand. Overlay text on a stock image to make your content more visually appealing and connect the dots for your readers about why the image is there.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the task of choosing images for your website design. For web design Canberra businesses can rely on, contact the experts at Canberra Web.

In an age where there are millions of websites that can be found on the internet, how do you make yours more attractive and visually appealing to potential customers?

It’s simple, follow 4 these easy tips:

Choose your colour and design wisely

When choosing a colour scheme and design, opt for one that reflects your brand logo but also your company ethos. Research has shown that different colours elicit emotional reactions, spark interest and convey messages, and could be a powerful subconscious tool in getting your visitors to convert.

According to colour psychology, red commands attention and expresses confidence and action, which is why it is often used by news and media groups as well as charity campaigns. Blue is a calm colour representing trust, authority and modernity, often used by banks and social media platforms. Meanwhile, colours such as purple represent luxury, green represents nature, balance and growth, and orange warmth and impulsiveness.

In terms of layout, consider the purpose of your site. Is it to channel a magazine-style feel which is updated regularly with content; do you want to feature large, eye-catching images front and centre to promote your products; or are you looking to provide information?

Utilise images to their potential

Don’t make the mistake of using stock pictures and graphics on your website; these can look fake and will generate a feeling of inconsistency. Potential customers may even question whether they can trust your product or service if you aren’t using your own images.

By using photos of real people that you’ve taken for your business, even if they're of your actual customers, staff or volunteers, you’ll convey a level of authenticity that will resonate with your audience. To improve engagement with your site, it's also a good idea to employ brand videos and infographics to explain your purpose and complex subjects.

Prioritise user experience

One of the most important factors in making an attractive website is user experience (UX), so make sure the layout is simple yet engaging and that your website is quick to load (that means ideally within two seconds).

Clear navigation through a structured sitemap and menus is key. Also, ensure your content is clear and easy to read, but avoid putting too much content on a page, and vitally, make sure your buttons are prominent because this is where a visitor to your website will take action. The key is ensuring there is a clear flow to help the visitor achieve their goal (information finding) and yours (conversion), and that every page serves a purpose.

Be consistent

It’s crucial that once you’ve decided your brand’s elements, such as colours, font, tone of voice and design, you use these consistently throughout your website - and also in your offline presence. This enables visitors to focus on your message and completing on their intentions for a seamless experience, rather than querying elements of your design and your company as a whole.

Expert web design Canberra businesses can rely on

If you want to attract more visitors and keep them on your site for longer, Canberra Web is a specialised team of local web designers who not only design but also build and maintain premium quality websites. So while you’re focusing on running your business, Canberra Web’s friendly and efficient staff will provide you with the highest level of service at an affordable price.

Chances are, the first time a new browser visits your website, it'll be via a smartphone or tablet. If your site isn't optimised for mobile devices, then you're likely to lose them quickly. The easiest way to avoid this is by employing a professional. Here are five reasons why.

Improve the user's experience

When you're running a business, your priority should be your customer. Never forget that your website represents an opportunity to win over visitors and convert them into loyal clients. If someone jumps on, only to find that your site is difficult to read, frustrating to browse and unresponsive, then what impressions are you conveying? By optimising your website for mobile use, you ensure that the user's experience is smooth, enjoyable and convenient, in any context.

Go faster

If a website isn't optimised for mobile use, then it can be annoyingly slow. In these time-poor days, no one wants to wait around for pages to load and links to work. If you get a professional to take care of mobile optimisation, then you won't have to worry. The site will load as quickly and easily on smartphones and tablets as it will on desktop computers.

Boost SEO for mobile searches

Search engine optimisation works differently for mobile searches as it does for those conducted on desktop computers. For example, Google, one of the world's most popular search engines, recommends that sites should be responsive for mobile or, if that's not possible, built in HTML. Talk to an expert on web design in Canberra to work out which path is best for your business.

Best the competition

In these competitive days, no business owner can rest. If your site doesn't perform on mobile devices, then it's likely to drop behind those that do. This is a risk you shouldn't take if you're serious about success.

Mobile optimisation is complicated

Some DIY website providers offer DIY mobile optimisation as an option. However, really effective optimisation isn't straight-forward. It calls for an expert, who can address every issue, from responsive design to speed, in terms of both pages and hosting. And these are just the tip of the iceberg.

Get in touch with the team at Canberra Web today.

As digital platforms and capabilities speedily evolve, the global business economy is moving rapidly to keep up with changing trends. Because of this, many businesses, even those in Canberra are turning to savvy digital marketing techniques to enhance the usability of their online presence – their eCommerce platform.

While many eCommerce platforms such as WooCommerce (a WordPress design) or Joomla are straight forward and easy to implement, it is necessary to call in eCommerce experts such as Canberra Web to provide recommendations and build an eCommerce store for an evolving business. These experts will be able to identify key factors that every online store must need, which may not be considered by business owners or the eCommerce novice. Five things that every eCommerce store should contain are:

1. A call to action

Every online store must have a CTA on every page, such as a ‘find out more’ or ‘buy now’. If a CTA is not included on every page, the consumer will fall short on click throughs and not purchase anything.

2. Secure Sockets Layer

An SSL will provide the consumer with a relief of security when purchasing online. There are countless horror stories of fraud and card skimming, and an SSL certificate provides the added security of encrypting data.

3. User experience

The online store design must be built with the consumer at the forefront of the developer’s mind. It must be clear, attractive and easy to navigate. The shopping cart should not create confusion and the payment gateway must be fast, easy to use and secure.

4. Search

Most companies will want their consumer to be able to see all of their products in their store in the hope that it will encourage them to purchase more than one. This tactic and an overload of products on one page can prompt consumers to become intimidated and not follow through with a sale. All online stores must contain a search bar to simplify the process for consumers.

5. An attractive offer

Whether it is deals, promotions, or specials, consumers are more likely to buy if they feel like they are picking up a bargain. All eCommerce platforms must be able to incorporate a deals or specials call to action

As much as you can put everything on your website, with efficient web design Canberra businesses notice a huge difference in sales. Here are five things to remove from your website to boost conversion rates.

1. Dates on your blog

Most how-to articles are evergreen and will still be useful to your audiences in a month or year to come. Adding a date to a post can make it look old and outdated, even if it is still relevant. Consider removing the date and ensure that it does not appear in the URL either, and your blogs will remain timeless.

2. Vague headlines

Homepage headlines that fail to say what the business does are vague. Most websites place the ‘what we do’ information in smaller text below the headline. Remember, when visitors land in your website, they want to know if they are in the right place. Therefore, remove the headline about value or quality and explicitly state the main business category.

3. Long paragraphs

While some visitors read thoroughly, all visitors scan through websites. Short paragraphs make scanning easier and can keep your visitors in your website longer to boost conversion rates. Make sure that your content is between three to four lines long and incorporates formatting aspects like bold text and bullets.

4. Greedy forms

Avoid asking visitors for more information than they feel is necessary. For instance, asking 20 questions to subscribe to a newsletter can mean a lower conversion rate. You should ask for the minimum information needed to respond to the lead like basic contact information. Additional questions can be asked during the follow-up email or call.

5. Social media icons in the header

Social media traffic is great but can fail to help you meet your goals. Visitors need to first understand what your business is all about before they follow you on social media. Otherwise, they may get distracted by other videos and trending topics on social media. Consider removing the social media icons in the website’s header and place it in the footer instead.

Canberra Web has a team of experts that builds and maintains quality websites. We not only make your website search engine optimised, but we also ensure that it meets your requirements. Call us today for the best SEO, web design, web hosting, content creation and graphic design Canberra has to offer.

Whether you already have a website or you’re in the process of creating a new website design, avoiding making some common mistakes is crucial. Here’s a list of six common mistakes that many websites make.

1. Not planning your website

It may sound obvious, but many people don’t spend enough time planning their website; what should it look like, who is the target market, how will the website be launched and promoted, and how does the website evolve over time?

2. Longer isn’t always better

Don’t assume that the text on the pages of your website needs to be long to be effective. A long page with a lot of text can require too much concentration from a reader, and you simply won’t be able to hold their attention.

3. Not standing out from your competitors

If you’re promoting a product or service and that’s all your website focuses on, you won’t stand out from your competitors. It’s vital that your website contains something unique; put your personality into your website.

4. What do you want users to do?

It’s crucial that your website contains a clear call to action. It’s not just enough that a reader has found your website, you need to guide them in the direction of what you want them to do next; do you want them to call you, contact you for a brochure?

5. Not configuring your website for all devices

In a time when many people are permanently glued to their smartphones or tablets, it’s critical to make sure that your website is compatible with all devices; desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

6. Forgetting that SEO is king

Your website can look amazing, but if you haven’t allowed for SEO in your design, your website can become lost in the thousands of others just like yours on the internet. If you’re not an expert in SEO, leave it to a professional to help make sure your website is discoverable.

These common mistakes can be avoided by simply contacting an expert in web design that Canberra businesses can rely on.

Canberra Web is your local, specialised team of web designers who design, build and maintain premium quality websites. Their friendly, efficient staff will provide you with the highest level of service, with regular after-sales maintenance, and all at an affordable price. What more could you ask for?

It may be an overused idiom, but an image can tell a story more effectively than a description. Images in web design can take the form of photographs, GIFs, infographics, cartoons, videos and other visuals. They add colour and bring life to the website.

Intelligently used graphics can bring customers closer to your business and increase website conversion.

It’s all about them

The customer is really not interested in your business. They are interested in what your product or service can do for them. Your website must be able to show them that you can give them what they need.

If you were selling apparel online, an image of a model wearing the dress is more appealing than just a picture of the dress. If your website was designed by a specialist in graphic design they may even include dynamic image technology to spin the image 360 degrees.

Real people are shopping on your website

Everyone who browses online will have encountered the ‘I’m not a robot’ captcha clicker. We dutifully click on the app to confirm we are human.

If humans are browsing your website, your web design must also appeal to their human feelings and emotions.

Using images of real people helps. So, if you were a commercial cleaning company you will want an image of your very smiley cleaning team to be incorporated with all those photographs of your superior air extractors, hoses, pumps, and vans.

Stop that bad habit of using bad stock images

We are not in the 90s when ‘cheesy is cool’. This is the social media century where even selfies are airbrushed and filtered to death.

Stock images are impossible to avoid. Instead of trying to download poor quality images that don't represent your business - from the internet - try investing in the services of a professional web design company.

Investment = conversion

A website must not only look good. It must read well and work well.

Forget about doing it yourself on one of those free 'design your own website' platforms. They may be adequate but are full of limitations. Instead, invest in the best professional web design Canberra has to offer and contact us today. The power of images to convert customers is best left in the hands of the experts.

We're a web design business based here in Canberra. But let's imagine for a moment that we were actually a house building company. You're introduced to us at a party and you happen to mention that it's always been your dream to build your own home. What we say next astonishes you: 'We'll build one for you - for free.' How many seconds of euphoria pass before you become highly suspicious?

The simple truth about 'too good to be true'

The American novelist Jim Dodge once said 'Why are the ones who are too good to be true always being true to someone else?' In terms of web design - see there is a point to all this - those online companies who offer free website design simply wish to use it to promote themselves as much as you.

So, even if we did build your house 'for free' you probably wouldn't appreciate the posters for our company on all the outside walls and the fact that we'd bring people round to view it any time of the day or night! But hey - it was free! Well, at least the basic shell was.

Back to the web world: should you not want their promotional material on each and every page of your site - well suddenly it's not free. You'll find names like 'Business' 'Premium' and other terms - all of which means: 'This is how we're actually going to charge you'.

Then there are all the add-ons, and some are free. In their most basic form. Want an advanced level? Well kerching - that's the sound of those cash registers a-ringing again!

The real drawback of online web builders

We reckon it's simply their impersonal attitude and remote location. Imagine being diagnosed by an online doctor who knew nothing of your personal symptoms - and never bothered even to ask! You are provided with standard shells and then expected to create your own content, without any professional help or guidance.

Real-world agencies, like our Canberra team, work to appreciate the unique needs of each of our customers' business, creating the web presence and online e-commerce store capability that will quickly reach, thoroughly impress, and fully involve, their potential customers. This is achieved by making use of proven sector leaders, such as Joomla or Wordpress, plus Magento, Mojo Shop, Open Cart and Woo Commerce to craft stunning online shops.

How can we help your business grow?

This is the key and is achieved by our Canberra Web team building that personal hands-on real-world relationship that allows us to appreciate where your business is going and work with you to take it there. Please contact us now to ask any questions and for an obligation-free discussion.

Consider these two scenarios: imagine visiting a street market during your vacation, spending some relaxation time just wandering from stall to stall. You might make a few random purchases and enjoy the overall experience. Now, imagine that you are in a hurry, arrive at a large shopping mall you've never visited before, and are frustrated with the difficulty of locating the store - and the specific purchase - that you urgently need.

How is this relevant to your web design?

Businesses are eager to attract both types of visitors to their Open Cart, Mojo Shop, Magento, or Woo Commerce online site. However, we appreciate that often, there will be many searches which are simply aimed at locating a specific purchase, or products within a single range from which to choose. The 'just browsing' experience, with little time pressure, can cope with a homepage as a starting point. However, this can simply be a frustrating, even off-putting, location for those other, more-focused, visitors to reach.

Using landing pages - a more precise starting point

These are also known as 'lead capture pages' which suggests a more focused targeting process. People searching for that specific product immediately appreciate that this page is providing them with exactly what they need in the way of information. It can then move them quickly on towards that vital buying decision. Crafting a series of specific, clearly focused landing pages, is the equivalent of a well-signed bricks and mortar department store that quickly provides directions to help a variety of customers get to exactly where they wish to be.

Key elements of effective landing pages

We believe our talented team delivers the levels of responsive web design Canberra businesses should always expect. They are highly experienced at creating landing pages which make powerful use of significant product or service specific keywords and utterly relevant graphic design. This results in pages that both attract instant attention as they need to, and build relevant interest as quickly as you would want them to. Paired with a strong, clear call to action, they can then direct people through the buying process, or to other relevant locations within your eCommerce website.

How can we help you 'land' more customers?

If you feel that specifically-created lead generation landing pages would help your business to attract more potential customers, please discuss this with our experienced Canberra Web team, obligation-free of course, by calling us on 02 6223 2222now...

Why should I backup my web site(s) and why I should backup using your web site backup service?

Without giving you goosebumps, many horrific situations can easily ruin any website owners day that can be prevented by maintaining safe, secure, and consistent set of website backups. You've heard too many stories about other fellow website owners having lost their website files, databases, emails due to a staff error, server hardware failure, or malicious attacks. Our Website Backup service prevents these problematic situations from ruining the website you've invested money, hours of time, dedication and hard work into. All in all, this is an easy solution that allows your website to have a weekly scheduled, automated web site backup.

Why should I backup with your service if I already backup myself?

Many people make the mistake of not having a reliable place for storing their backup files, nor is it stored in a schematic fashion; many people make the mistake of storing their backup files in the same place as their original files (eg. backup files on the same server as your website). If there is a problem with your website, then you may lose both the original files and the backup files all at once. if you use our backup service, we will store your backup files in a schematic naming fashion on reliable RAID-6 servers, which means drives on the server can fail without the loss of data. That in turn means that you can retrieve the files whenever you need to. Your backups will also happen automatically on a weekly basis. You don't have to remind yourself to make your backups, so you'll always have a consistent backup set to rely on when disaster strikes.

How much does it cost?

Peace of mind for $104 p/a, thats $2 per week and 52 website backup a year! Can you afford not to have it?

If you are planning to sell products online – whether it’s your homemade wares, products you’ve imported from overseas, or items from a local supplier, it pays to do your research and choose an online shop service that suits your needs.

Why you should avoid the freebies

If your online shop design is free, there’s a chance it isn’t that great. As usual, you get what you pay for, and there is normally a reason it’s free – it’s because the quality isn’t as good as the paid versions.

Free online shops might seem convenient but you have little control in the running of your website.

Things like the security of your storefront and the construction of your website are all under the control of the website builder, which can cause you hassles further down the line.

Freebies come with a catch

The problem with using free websites is that they have downsides for the free price tag. These downsides include displaying their ads on your website. Even some of the low-cost paid versions of some shopping sites still feature ads.

Not great for SEO

Free online shop fronts, such as WIX, also aren't a great website option if you want users to find your store – they aren’t optimised for search well and so your business could get lost in the online noise.

Design options are limited

Because you don’t have control over the HTML on your WIX website, your design options are limited too. You also can’t link apps and plugins to the site, like you can with other better website building options.

Why other options are better

If you decide to go with websites such as WordPress, which you can host yourself, you will have much more control over your storefront. This control includes being able to dictate the HTML code that is used to create your shop front. The free sites like WIX don’t give you these options.

So if you want to remain in control of your online shop, it’s best to go with options such as WordPress and Joomla to build your site. We find these website building options are great for keeping a corporate blog too, as all the blog functions are already built into the structure of the websites.

Shop fronts that work well

We build lots of online shops using Magento, Open Cart, Mojo Shop and Woo Commerce because we find these companies give us the most options we need for shop front creation.

Are you looking to build an online shop? Then get in contact with our friendly staff today and we will show you how we can assist with your WordPress design in Canberra.

The internet has seen a surge of DIY website builders. They're easy, cost-effective and look great, right? Here are some crucial things to consider about the benefit of hiring an expert before deciding to go DIY.

1. Targeted and unique website

DIY websites are often not the most effective when ensuring that your website is distinctive and tailored to your demographic. When using website builders like Wix, you’ll be limited to what the website offers you. This means that DIY websites are often identifiable as they look similar to all the other DIY websites out there. Hiring an expert means that you’ll get a fully customised website that is built specifically according to your vision and needs.

2. Professional results

Hiring professionals will give you a professional result. Expert web designers are able to ensure that your website is sleek, user-friendly and easy to navigate. Dedicated content creators make sure that the information on your website is informative, engaging and right to the point so that visitors to your website get exactly they came for. Professional web designers can ensure that the security of your website is up to scratch and responsive on any device and interface. All the nuances first-time web builders may not consider will be covered by an expert.

3. Worry-free experience

Hiring an expert saves you significant time and labour in having to design a website on your own. However, you may not have considered the continual time that is often spent on improving and correcting DIY websites as they often aren’t developed to the same standard of a professionally built website. Many people find that their websites may not function quite as they were hoping, and end up having to hire an expert, resulting in a more expensive and time-consuming experience.

What can we offer?

Canberra Web is a dynamic, specialised, and knowledgeable team of Canberra based web designers who build and maintain quality websites. We can handle all your website needs including the development, graphic design, content creation, SEO and web hosting Canberra wide. Contact us today on 02 6223 2222 or 04 1463 1463.

Want to build a killer new website to launch your online presence with a bang? Here are some tips for first-time web builders to make your website the ultimate marketing tool.

Tip 1: Set your goals

Setting yourself some smart and measurable goals is an important first step. Before your new website is up and running you will need to identify key targets. A good way to start this is by asking yourself some important questions. Is your aim to increase sales? Or maybe you are just trying to increase awareness of your business or personal brand? Take a good long think about what you would like to be your ultimate end result.

Tip 2: Suss out your competition

Checking out your competitors in the field can never hurt. Before you start commencing the build of your site, take to Google and write out a few things your competitors do well, for example, how the website should look or feel or the way they set out their menu navigation on their website. As you begin to build a pile of notes, you will start to notice reoccurring patterns which you can use as a launching pad to formulate ideas for your own creation and stand out from your rivals!

Tip 3: Be prepared

Sitting down and contemplating how big or small you want your site to become can never hurt, and this all stops with content. Development of content is the biggest factor that can slow down a website development process. Want a workable site with minimum turnaround? Then be prepared! Regardless of whether you are selling products or marketing services - have photos and descriptions ready at hand. Ensure that have as many translatable ideas ready for the designers before the build, as you could potentially save weeks of your time!

Show a little faith!

Lastly, and most importantly, have faith in who in your web designer! Ensure the relationship between you is fluid and collaborative. It is important to remember that web designers are experts in their field, and in trusting them to do their job, they’re more likely to exceed your expectations and build the site of your dreams! For more information about web design Canberra businesses can count on, contact CanberraWeb.

How to make your website more functional

While having a website design that is unique and contemporary is important to attract your online audiences attention, if your site is difficult to navigate it can cause visitors to leave early, otherwise known as a high bounce rate. Unfortunately, this may result in loss of sales, especially if you have an e-commerce website, because the longer your audience spends on your site often increases your chances for sales opportunities.

When you have a website built, it's important to incorporate features that make it functional and easy to navigate. To assist you in this process, we've highlighted some of the things to consider.

Timely loading speed

There's nothing worse than having to wait ages for a website to load. A vital factor in having a functional website is ensuring your site loads quickly. In fact, when surveyed, 40% of web users said they would leave a site that took more than 3 seconds to load. If your customer or user is left waiting, you'll often find they won't bother staying unless they desperately want the products or services you sell.

Page linking

By adding links between pages you can make your website more functional, so your online audience can navigate it with ease. Often online consumers will want to find out more about products or services, so linking these pages to your contact page means it's a simple and streamlined process for visitors to send an enquiry.

Make it easy for the user to go back

If users have ended up on the wrong page by accident, they will quickly want to go back immediately. An easy way for your customers to trace where their path went wrong or return quickly is with an ever-present drop-down navigation menu or with breadcrumbs, which show the pages a user accessed to get to where they are. Users can easily click on these to get to where they'd like to go, adding more fluency to your web design.

Another tip is to regularly review your links to check for any that aren't working and either fix those links or create page redirects. That will eliminate any instances of users landing on a 404 page, which can result in site abandonment.

These are some of the essential features that will increase your site's functionality. If you need help creating a functional website, our team at Canberra Web have the expertise to assist you. We specialise in building user-friendly, fully responsive websites on a broad range of platforms including WordPress, Joomla, Magento, Open Cart, Mojo Shop and Woo Commerce. Contact ustoday to get started!

Canberra Graphic Designers

Looking for a premium logo or 3D graphic designer Canberra?

If you're after some Custom Canberra graphic design work for a business, entity, or personal venture, Canberra Web can assist you with colourful and well thought through graphic design works that uses practical and advanced techniques which will assist you in getting ahead of the competition.

Our digital graphic designer Isacc, is a master for taking an established graphic or concept and transforming it into a contemporary piece or idea you will be happy to brand your business with on your next promotion, advertisement, or image update. We consider him to be well above average for creating works that are succinct, fashionable, creative and project the correct message you are attempting to convey to your audience without the worry of an iconographic disaster.

Using the latest in vector graphic software Canberra web can create beautiful illustrations, 3D art, sketches, typography and logos which will undoubtedly stand out in any field and set you apart from the competition.

With over 600 business affiliations and a large proportion of those using Canberra web for advertising design work, Canberra web is quickly becoming the bench mark for graphic design Canberra recognises.

We currently have examples of our works on busses, on web sites, pamphlets, billboards and several other areas including government and scholastic institutions in multiple media formats.

Graphic design Canberra will love needs to be well thought through from initial concept through to the final stages of printing for certain colour and shading applications. As Canberra web deals with each and every step, and has a dedicated website building branch also, we have acquired a level of understanding for the process seldom seen by our competition in the way colours, messages and shapes will print and how small variances in image colour or particular shading is perceived by our local business scape.

If you are after environmental graphics, exhibition catalogues, business cards, museum displays, posters or any other form of printed or editorial media Canberra web can help.

You will only need to peruse our web building portfolio to attain an understanding of how detailed we can be and how effective we are at communicating your message in a custom Canberra graphic design.

Canberra web is a one stop shop for all Canberra graphic design works.

To contact us or to arrange a meeting to discuss what we can do for your next project contact us on (02) 6223 2222 and please feel free to peruse our site for examples on our Canberra website Portfolio.

Our address is: 5/47-49 Vicars St, Mitchell ACT 2911