how to set up a website in australia
A practical, step-by-step guide for Australian small businesses — domains, design, local SEO and marketing that actually generates enquiries.
Follow these proven steps to launch a high-converting website, optimise it for local search, and start getting customers — fast and affordably.
1. Planning: define goals and buyers
Before you buy a domain or pick a template, clarify what you want the website to do. For most Australian small businesses the top goals are: generate phone enquiries, collect leads via a contact form, show services and pricing, and improve local search visibility.
Quick planning checklist
- Primary goal: (e.g. "Get 20 new calls per month")
- Top 3 services to promote
- Target locations (suburbs, city, region)
- Key contact methods: phone, SMS, WhatsApp
- Competitor websites to benchmark
Tip: In Australia many customers call first — make your phone number highly visible on every page and add click-to-call buttons for mobile users.
2. Domain, hosting and legal basics (Australia)
Choosing a domain
- Use .com.au or .com.au alternatives: .com.au signals Australian presence and helps trust (requires ABN/ACN or trademark). If you don’t have ABN yet, use .com or .com.au if eligible.
- Keep it short and local: include suburb or city for local trades: plumbermelbourne.com.au
- Avoid hyphens and long strings.
Hosting and uptime
- Choose reliable Australian or global CDN-backed hosting — low latency in Australia matters for local search and user experience.
- SSL is mandatory: browsers flag non-HTTPS sites. Use hosting that includes free SSL.
- Backups & security: daily backups and automatic updates reduce downtime risk.
Legal and compliance notes
Make sure your website displays an Australian Business Number (ABN) where relevant and a clear privacy policy. If you collect customer details, comply with the Privacy Act and store data securely.
Resources: business.gov.au has up-to-date guidance on ABN, GST and privacy requirements for Australian small businesses.
3. Design essentials: trust, clarity, conversions
Good design isn’t decoration — it guides visitors to act. For trades and local services, prioritise trust signals, simple navigation and clear calls-to-action.
Visible contact
Phone visible in header, sticky call button on mobile, WhatsApp and SMS options.
Trust elements
ABN, insurance logos, testimonials, and transparent pricing build credibility.
Fast & responsive
Prioritise mobile load time and large tap targets for phone users.
Conversion-focused homepage
- Headline: Clear statement of what you do and who you serve.
- Primary CTA: Click-to-call or request a quote — visible above the fold.
- Services block: Short bullets for your main services with links to pages.
- Social proof: 3–5 customer testimonials or project photos.
- Footer: Address, ABN, operating hours and quick links.
4. Local SEO: be found by customers nearby
Local search drives foot traffic and phone calls. Focus on “near me” intent, service + suburb keywords, and Google Business Profile optimisation.
Local SEO checklist
- Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile (photos, services, opening hours)
- Use NAP consistency — same Name, Address, Phone across your website and directories
- Create location pages or service pages targeting suburbs (e.g. Electrician Sydney CBD)
- Add structured data (schema.org LocalBusiness) for address, phone and openingHours
- Collect reviews and reply — reviews are a major ranking factor for local pack
- Ensure mobile speed — Google uses mobile-first indexing
Keyword strategy for Australian businesses
Target a mix of service + suburb keywords (high intent) and informational keywords for content marketing. Example buckets:
- Commercial intent: "plumber adelaide", "emergency electrician perth"
- Local intent: "house painters near me", "lawn mowing north brisbane"
- Informational: "how much does a plumber charge in sydney"
Use those keywords naturally in page title, H1, URL slug and meta description. Avoid keyword stuffing.
5. Content that converts: what to write
Content should answer the customer's question quickly and make it easy to contact you. Make pages scannable and focused on actions.
Essential pages
- Homepage: Clear value prop + CTA
- Service pages: One page per core service with pricing ranges and FAQs
- About page: Team, qualifications, ABN, insurance
- Contact page: Map, phone, email, business hours
- Reviews/testimonials: Social proof
Copywriting tips
- Lead with benefits: What problem do you solve?
- Use short paragraphs and bullet lists
- Include clear CTAs: Call now, Request a quote
- Show pricing ranges where possible — it improves conversion
6. Analytics, tracking and measuring ROI
Install basic tracking before launch so you can measure what matters: calls, form submissions and page visits.
Must-have tracking
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for visitor behaviour
- Conversion tracking for forms and phone clicks
- Google Search Console for indexing and queries
Measure ROI
Track these KPIs monthly:
- Website visitors (total and organic)
- Phone calls / click-to-call
- Form submissions
- Conversion rate (calls + forms ÷ visits)
- Cost per lead if running ads
7. Affordable marketing to get your first customers
Use a mix of free and low-cost channels to attract local customers quickly.
Google Local Ads (Smart campaigns)
Start with a low daily budget to promote your services to customers searching locally. Track conversions and increase spend on best-performing keywords.
Facebook & Instagram local targeting
Promote recent projects or special offers to people within a defined radius of your service area. Use the website pixel to retarget visitors.
Email & SMS
Collect emails and phone numbers with an offer (10% off first service) and send targeted follow-ups. SMS works particularly well for appointment reminders and confirmations.
Local partnerships & directories
List your business on relevant local directories and partner with complementary businesses for referrals (e.g. builders, real estate agents).
8. Launch checklist: final pre-launch tests
- Mobile test: all pages readable and buttons tappable
- Forms: submit and verify delivery
- Phone links: click-to-call on mobile
- SSL: padlock appears and site loads on https://
- Speed: mobile PageSpeed target 50+ (aim for 70+)
- Analytics: GA4 and Search Console connected
- GMB: Google Business Profile verified and linked
Need to launch fast?
Congero can build a professional, mobile-ready Australian website in under 24 hours and handle all the tasks above — domain registration, hosting, SSL, local SEO and unlimited updates for a flat monthly fee.
See a live demo via WhatsAppFrequently asked questions
Do I need an ABN to register a .com.au domain?
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Can I change my website later?
Ready to set up your Australian website?
Get a professional, mobile-optimised website with local SEO and unlimited updates. No setup fees, domain & hosting included — launch fast and start getting leads.
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