web design melbourne reviews
How to evaluate web design services — a clear checklist of SEO, design and marketing features every Melbourne business should demand.
If you're choosing a web designer in Melbourne, this guide gives practical, actionable checks you can use on proposals, quotes and conversations — so you hire with confidence and avoid common pitfalls.
Why a careful evaluation beats picking the cheapest quote
Price is easy to compare; outcomes are not. A well-evaluated website will generate leads, rank in local search, and cut friction for customers. Spend 30–60 minutes vetting a designer and you can save months of lost revenue and expensive rebuilds.
Focus on business outcomes
Ask: Will this website increase enquiries, bookings or sales? The design should be built around a measurable goal — not just pretty screenshots.
Features that matter
Prioritise SEO foundations, fast mobile performance, and simple lead capture. Those three levers usually deliver the best ROI for small businesses.
SEO checklist: what to ask and verify
A website that isn’t discoverable won’t help your business. Ask vendors to confirm these items and show examples in their proposals or demo sites.
On-page SEO fundamentals
- Unique, editable title tags and meta descriptions for each page.
- Proper heading structure (H1 → H2 → H3) and semantic HTML.
- SEO-friendly URLs (no long query strings, use slugs and keywords).
- Automatically generated sitemap.xml and robots.txt with easy access to submit to Google Search Console.
Local SEO essentials for Melbourne businesses
- Google Business Profile setup or help to claim & verify your listing.
- Structured local schema (Business, Address, OpeningHours) added to the site.
- Dedicated service/location pages with localised content (e.g., suburbs served in Melbourne).
- NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency and visible phone click-to-call on mobile.
Performance & technical SEO
- Fast hosting and CDNs — ask for recent PageSpeed or GTmetrix scores.
- Images optimised (WebP/AVIF where possible), lazy-loading, and responsive srcset.
- Mobile-first design, mobile load time under ~2.5–3s.
- HTTPS (valid SSL), HSTS support, and regular backups.
Tracking & measurement
- Google Analytics 4 (or equivalent) installed and configured for conversions.
- Search Console access provisioned to you (not tied to their personal account).
- Event tracking for contact form submissions, phone clicks, and key CTAs.
- Monthly analytics report or dashboard — not optional if you plan to optimise.
Design & UX: practical checks for conversion-focused sites
Design should make it easy for customers to understand your service and take action. Look for evidence — not promises.
Mobile-first
Confirm the designer tests layouts on phones and tablets and provides a working mobile demo link.
Clear messaging & hierarchy
Headlines should state your service, value, and primary CTA above the fold (on mobile too).
Readable visual design
Good contrast, legible fonts, consistent button styles and accessible colour choices.
Conversion elements to demand
- Prominent, trackable CTAs (phone, enquiry form, booking) above the fold.
- Short service pages that answer common customer questions and reduce friction.
- Trust signals: licences, insurance, memberships, clear service area and contact info.
- Fast, simple contact method — a single-step form or direct click-to-call for mobile users.
Marketing features that turn visits into enquiries
Beyond design and SEO, these features directly impact how many visitors convert into customers.
Email & CRM integration
Ask the vendor how forms feed into your email or CRM — immediate lead notifications reduce response time and improve conversion rates.
PPC & landing page setup
If you plan to run Google Ads or Meta Ads, confirm the vendor can create focused landing pages with clear tracking and conversion goals.
Lead handling & speed
Fast lead delivery (SMS/email) and visible confirmation pages or messages increase completion rates. Ask for sample workflows.
Promotion-friendly structure
The CMS should allow adding specials, service price changes, or limited offers quickly — ideally via simple edits or by messaging your supplier for fast updates.
How to vet proposals — a practical 8-step process
Use this process when you get quotes. It saves time and highlights capable suppliers.
- Request a short discovery call: 15 minutes to confirm they understand your goal and service area (Melbourne suburbs, service times, booking process).
- Ask for a live demo site or staging link: Not screenshots — interactive pages so you can test mobile, form submissions and load speed.
- Compare deliverables, not just price: Who provides domain, hosting, SSL, backups, analytics access and unlimited updates?
- Check local SEO steps in writing: Ensure GMB setup, schema, local pages and sitemap submission are included.
- Verify ownership & access: You must own the domain and have admin access to analytics and CMS.
- Request a speed report: Recent PageSpeed or GTmetrix score for a representative site they manage.
- Confirm update turnaround: How fast can they make text/image/price changes (same day, 24–48 hours)?
- Get contract terms in plain language: Cancellation, refunds, transfer of domain and content ownership.
Red flags to avoid when hiring a Melbourne web designer
These warning signs often predict problems later.
Vague scope or "custom quote later"
If they won't write down exactly what's included — features, deliverables, timelines — walk away.
No access to analytics or CMS
You should own your data. If they insist on holding your Google Analytics or site credentials, that's a problem.
Unrealistic timelines without proof
Delivering a professional, SEO-ready site in 1 hour is impossible. Ask for a realistic timeline and examples of past delivery speeds.
Hidden fees or vague hosting costs
Ensure hosting, domain renewals and SSL are listed with clear renewal prices — avoid surprise renewals.
Pricing and contract tips for Melbourne small businesses
Price models vary. Focus on predictability and ownership.
Subscription (recommended)
Predictable monthly fee that bundles hosting, updates, backups and SEO monitoring. Ideal if you want low upfront cost and ongoing support.
Upfront build + support
One-off build cost can be higher, then pay separate hosting and update fees. Works if you prefer owning the full codebase and paying only occasionally for changes.
Hybrid: small upfront + monthly
Small setup fee with ongoing monthly maintenance. Good middle ground — ensure the monthly covers updates you’ll need.
- Ownership of domain and content (you must be able to move the site)
- Clear renewal pricing for hosting/domain/any subscriptions
- Cancellation policy and data export within 7 days
- Defined SLA for update requests (e.g., same day, 24–48 hrs)
Quick evaluation checklist — print or copy this
1) SEO basics: editable title tags, sitemap, robots, GMB help, local schema
2) Mobile & speed: responsive, target < 3s mobile load, image optimisation
3) Tracking: GA4 + Search Console access, conversion events configured
4) Conversion: clear CTAs, click-to-call, working contact form, booking option
5) Ownership: you own domain, analytics, and content; admin access provided
6) Support: update SLA (same day / 24-48h), backups and security included
7) Price clarity: list monthly costs and renewal prices for hosting & domain
8) Demo: interactive staging URL, not screenshots; test forms and speed
9) Contract: month-to-month or short term, easy data export on cancellation
10) Local proof: sample local SEO work and speed reports (no testimonials required)
Frequently asked questions
How long should a professional build take?
Will a cheaper site hurt my Google rankings?
What access should I insist on?
Need a faster way to test a Melbourne-ready website?
If you want to see a working, mobile-first site with local SEO and quick update workflows, try a live demo. It helps you evaluate vendors properly — see the features listed above in a real site.
Congero builds Melbourne-ready websites with local SEO, fast mobile performance and unlimited updates — priced predictably so you can focus on customers, not maintenance.
