Web Design: Fast, SEO-Ready, Built to Convert
A website that loads fast, ranks in Google, and turns visitors into customers.
Most small business websites are slow, poorly structured, and impossible to find on Google. I build websites differently: technical SEO and Core Web Vitals optimisation are built in from day one, not bolted on after launch.
Typical Lighthouse score
Standard project timeline
Technical SEO built in from day one
What makes a website rank in Google?
A website ranks when it combines good technical SEO with strong content. Most template websites built on heavy page builders fail on the technical side: they produce slow load times, poor Core Web Vitals scores, bloated HTML, and crawl-blocking issues that hold back rankings regardless of how good the content is.
On the technical side, the factors that matter most are: page speed (particularly Largest Contentful Paint and Total Blocking Time), Core Web Vitals scores, mobile usability, structured data markup, clean URL architecture, and proper internal linking. On the content side, topical relevance, entity optimization, and matching search intent are what drive ranking positions.
I build websites where the technical foundation is correct from the start. That means writing clean, semantic HTML, compressing and properly sizing images, minimising JavaScript execution, implementing schema markup at build time, and structuring URLs for SEO before a single word of content is written.
Technical SEO built in
- Schema markup (LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList)
- Semantic HTML5 structure
- Optimised images with next-gen formats (WebP)
- Clean URL architecture and canonical tags
- XML sitemap and robots.txt
- Internal linking architecture for topical authority
Conversion design built in
- Clear value proposition above the fold
- Call-to-action hierarchy that guides visitors
- Trust signals: reviews, credentials, guarantees
- Mobile-first design (over 60% of traffic is mobile)
- Fast-loading contact forms with spam filtering
- Click-to-call on mobile for service businesses
What are Core Web Vitals and why do they affect your rankings?
Core Web Vitals are Google's official set of user experience metrics that are used as a ranking signal. They measure how fast your page loads, how responsive it is to user input, and how stable the layout is while loading. Sites that score in the "Good" range on all three outperform those that don't, when content quality is comparable.
Largest Contentful Paint
How long the main content takes to appear. Target: under 2.5 seconds. Slow LCP is usually caused by large unoptimised images or render-blocking scripts.
Interaction to Next Paint
How quickly the page responds when a user clicks or taps. Target: under 200ms. Poor INP is usually caused by excessive JavaScript execution on the main thread.
Cumulative Layout Shift
How much page elements move around as the page loads. Target: under 0.1. High CLS is jarring for users and often caused by images without fixed dimensions or late-loading ads.
How I achieve Good Core Web Vitals: Every site I build is tested against Google's PageSpeed Insights and real-user metrics before launch. I use Next.js static generation for near-instant page loads, serve images in WebP format with explicit width and height attributes, minimize third-party scripts, and preload critical assets. Most sites I build achieve LCP under 1.5 seconds.
What web design and development includes
Conversion-Focused Design
Design built around your business goals: clear value propositions, trust signals, and calls-to-action that guide visitors toward contacting you.
Core Web Vitals Optimisation
Images optimised, JavaScript minimised, and page architecture built to achieve Good scores on LCP, INP, and CLS before launch.
Technical SEO Architecture
Schema markup, semantic HTML, clean URLs, sitemaps, canonical tags, and internal linking architecture built in from day one.
Mobile-First Design
Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Every page is designed and tested on mobile first, then extended to desktop.
Next.js or WordPress Build
I build in Next.js for maximum performance and in WordPress where a content management system is needed. I recommend based on your requirements.
Location Page Architecture
For local businesses, I build suburb and city-level landing pages with the URL structure, content format, and schema required for local search rankings.
Contact Form Optimisation
Fast-loading forms with field-level validation, spam protection, email notifications, and CRM integration where required.
Analytics Setup
Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Search Console, and conversion tracking configured before launch so you can see what is working from day one.
Post-Launch Support
Support period after launch to fix any issues. Ongoing maintenance plans available for businesses that want regular updates and monitoring.
WordPress vs Next.js vs Webflow: which is right for SEO?
Platform choice has a direct impact on Core Web Vitals, page speed, and how well Google can crawl your site.
| Criteria | Next.js | WordPress | Webflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page speed | Excellent (static generation) | Moderate (plugin-dependent) | Good |
| Core Web Vitals | Consistently excellent | Varies widely | Generally good |
| SEO control | Full — custom metadata + schema | Good with plugins | Good built-in |
| Content editing | Requires developer or CMS | Easy — built-in editor | Visual editor |
| Scaling | Excellent — handles large sites | Good | Limited on free plans |
| Security | Very high — no plugins to exploit | Requires maintenance | Managed by Webflow |
| Best for | Performance-critical, SEO-first sites | Content-heavy sites, blogs | Design-led marketing sites |
| My recommendation | For most service businesses | For large content sites | For visual-first brands |
I build with Next.js for most service businesses — it delivers the fastest page speeds, best Core Web Vitals, and full SEO control out of the box.
How a website project works
Discovery and Planning
I learn your business, target customers, main competitors, and goals. From this I produce a sitemap, URL structure, and content brief for each page before any design begins.
Design and Review
I design the key page templates using Figma or directly in code. You review and provide feedback. Most projects have two rounds of design revisions built in.
Development and Testing
Pages are built using Next.js or WordPress, tested across browsers and devices, and checked against Core Web Vitals, schema markup, and accessibility standards before your review.
Launch and Handover
The site is launched with Google Analytics, Search Console, and sitemap submission set up. You get a walkthrough video showing how to make updates, and a support window for any post-launch issues.
What does a website cost?
Pricing depends on the number of pages, design complexity, and functionality required. Here is a general guide.
Standard
5 to 8 pages, one location
- Home, About, Services, Contact
- Mobile responsive
- Core Web Vitals optimised
- Basic schema markup
Growth
10 to 20 pages, multi-location
- Full SEO architecture
- Location and suburb pages
- Blog or content section
- Advanced schema markup
- GA4 and GTM setup
Custom
E-commerce, complex functionality
- E-commerce (Shopify or WooCommerce)
- Booking system integration
- Custom API integrations
- Programmatic page generation
Common questions about web design
What makes a website rank in Google?
A website ranks when it has both good technical SEO (page speed, Core Web Vitals, schema markup, clean URLs, mobile-friendliness) and strong relevant content. Most template websites fail on the technical side due to slow load times and poor Core Web Vitals scores.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are Google's official performance metrics: LCP (how fast the main content loads, target under 2.5s), INP (how quickly the page responds to clicks, target under 200ms), and CLS (how much the layout shifts while loading, target under 0.1). Sites scoring Good outperform those that don't, all else being equal.
How much does a website cost in Australia?
A professional service business website in Australia typically starts from A$3,500 for a simple 5-page site to A$7,000 or more for a multi-location site with full SEO architecture. E-commerce and custom functionality is priced on scope.
WordPress or Next.js — which is better?
Next.js delivers better Core Web Vitals performance and is my preferred choice for businesses prioritising SEO and speed. WordPress is better when your team needs to update content without a developer. I build in both and recommend based on your situation.
How long does a website take to build?
A standard 5 to 10 page site takes 4 to 6 weeks. A larger site with location pages and a blog takes 8 to 12 weeks. Timeline depends heavily on how quickly you can provide content and feedback.
A great website is the foundation for these
Once your site is fast and well-structured, these services drive traffic to it.
Local SEO
A well-built website with local SEO architecture is the foundation for Map Pack rankings. The two services work together from day one.
Learn about Local SEOGoogle Ads
A fast, conversion-optimised landing page raises your Quality Score and lowers your cost per click in Google Ads, making every ad dollar go further.
Learn about Google AdsReady to build a website that actually ranks and converts?
Get a free website audit. I will assess your current site's Core Web Vitals, technical SEO, and conversion structure, and show you specifically what needs to change.
No obligation. Clear assessment. Practical next steps.