Notes · 30 articles
Straight answers.
What things cost, how long they take, and what to ask before you hire anyone. The questions clients ask us, answered properly.
Working together
Five signs your website project is going wrong
Early warnings that a project is drifting, and what to do about each one before it becomes expensive.
· 2 min read
Working together
Working with a development team you never meet in person
How to run a web or app project remotely without losing control of scope, quality or timeline.
· 2 min read
Working together
How to write a website brief that gets accurate quotes
What to include so studios can quote properly, with a structure you can fill in during an afternoon.
· 2 min read
Working together
How long does a website actually take to build?
Realistic timelines by project type, what causes delays, and how to keep a project on schedule.
· 1 min read
Working together
Who owns your website? Code, domain and accounts explained
What you should own after paying for a website, why it matters, and how to check before there is a problem.
· 2 min read
Working together
How to choose a web developer in New Zealand
What to look for, what to ask, and the warning signs worth walking away from when hiring a studio or freelancer.
· 2 min read
Getting found
Does content marketing work for a small New Zealand business?
An honest assessment of blogging for a small local business, including when it is genuinely not worth the effort.
· 2 min read
Getting found
SEO basics for a brand new website
The setup work worth doing when a site launches, before any content or link building, so nothing has to be redone later.
· 2 min read
Getting found
Setting up Google Business Profile properly in New Zealand
A step by step for the free listing that decides whether you appear in the local pack, including the fields most businesses skip.
· 2 min read
Getting found
Website speed: what actually matters and what to ignore
Which speed metrics affect your customers and your ranking, and the fixes that produce the biggest improvement.
· 2 min read
Getting found
Why is my website not showing up on Google?
The usual causes, in the order worth checking, from not being indexed at all to ranking on page four.
· 2 min read
Getting found
Local SEO for New Zealand businesses: where to actually start
The local search work that produces results for a New Zealand business, in priority order, starting with the free part.
· 2 min read
Apps and games
What app maintenance actually involves after launch
Why apps need ongoing work even when nothing is broken, and what a realistic annual budget looks like.
· 1 min read
Apps and games
The pre launch checklist for a new app
What to verify before you submit, from crash reporting to store listing, so launch day is boring in a good way.
· 2 min read
Apps and games
Flutter, React Native or native? Choosing an app stack
A practical comparison of cross platform and native app development, and which suits which kind of project.
· 1 min read
Apps and games
What it takes to build and launch a mobile game
The costs and effort behind a casual mobile game, including the part most people forget: everything after launch.
· 2 min read
Apps and games
Getting your app approved: App Store and Play Store submission
What both stores actually check, the rejections that catch New Zealand developers out, and realistic review timelines.
· 2 min read
Apps and games
Do I need an app or just a website?
A straight answer to the question that decides your budget. Most businesses asking for an app need a better website.
· 2 min read
Websites
Website accessibility in New Zealand: what businesses need to know
What accessibility actually requires, why it matters commercially, and the changes that deliver the most for the least effort.
· 2 min read
Websites
How to prepare content for your new website (and why it decides the timeline)
Content delays cause most website overruns. Here is exactly what to prepare, and a realistic way to get it done.
· 2 min read
Websites
Seven signs your business website needs rebuilding
How to tell whether your site needs a refresh, a rebuild, or nothing at all. Most sites need less than owners fear.
· 2 min read
Websites
WordPress or a custom build? An honest comparison
When WordPress is the right answer for a New Zealand business, when it is not, and the maintenance question nobody mentions.
· 2 min read
Websites
Building an ecommerce website in Auckland: a practical guide
Platform choice, payment options, shipping, and the local details that catch New Zealand online stores out.
· 2 min read
Costs and pricing
Deposits, milestones and payment terms for web projects in NZ
What payment structure is normal for a New Zealand web project, and which arrangements should make you pause.
· 1 min read
Costs and pricing
How to compare website quotes when every one is different
Three quotes, three completely different numbers and formats. Here is how to make them comparable and spot what is missing.
· 2 min read
Costs and pricing
How much does it cost to build an app in New Zealand?
Why app quotes vary so wildly, what actually drives the cost, and how to get a number you can trust.
· 2 min read
Costs and pricing
What does a website cost to run each year in New Zealand?
Hosting, domain, SSL, maintenance and the running costs nobody mentions in the original quote. Real annual numbers.
· 2 min read
Costs and pricing
Is a cheap website worth it? What $500 gets you versus $2,500
The honest difference between a budget template site and a professionally built one, and when the cheap option is genuinely the right call.
· 2 min read
Costs and pricing
How much does a website cost in New Zealand in 2026?
Real price ranges for New Zealand websites, what moves the number up or down, and what you actually get at each level.
· 2 min read
Websites
The small business website checklist for New Zealand owners
Everything a small New Zealand business site needs to actually generate enquiries, in the order it matters.
· 2 min read