Online is Easy helps you build a powerful digital foundation for business growth.
We offer comprehensive digital strategy consulting that covers everything from domain registration and website design to SEO and digital marketing. Plus, we provide one-on-one coaching and training to help you confidently manage your digital footprint and online presence.
5 Pillars of a Professional Digital Footprint:
Domain Name: Secure a strong brand and protect your intellectual property.
Digital Workspace: Streamline your workflow with cloud storage and custom email.
Website Framework: Choose a secure, user-friendly content management system (CMS).
Compliance & Accessibility: Mitigate risks and ensure everyone can access your site.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Get found by customers and sell online effectively.
Why choose Online is Easy?
Proven Experience:
We've launched hundreds of successful websites since 2014, with expertise in domain name management, Squarespace and Google Workspace.
Industry Recognition:
Online is Easy are an Australian based a Google Cloud Partner and Authorised Google Workspace Reseller, Authorised Squarespace Trainer, Squarespace Expert, and part of the professional Squarespace Circle Community.
We also specialise in membership management websites that help organisations add value to their members and are an Australian MembershipWorks Developer.
Client-focused:
We are Members of the Australian Web Industry Association (AWIA), the .au Australian Domain Association, and the Australian Computer Society (ACS) reflecting our commitment to bring best practice to you.
Meet Anthony: Your Expert Guide
Award-winning Business Leader:
With 9 different small business ventures and 4 Gippsland Business Awards wins under his belt (including Business of the Year in 2014), Anthony brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience. The Gippsland-based company Image Direct, that he founded in 2002 and sold in 2011, pioneered iPhone app development in the region.
Experienced Coach & Trainer:
Anthony has mentored hundreds of businesses and delivered innovative digital programs throughout Australia. He is acknowledged as a specialist in small business digital strategy and is valued by his clients.
Community-minded:
A proud Rotarian since 2002 Anthony has strong ties to Gippsland and the broader Victorian business community and a passion for remote, rural and regional digital literacy. Anthony is also a Member of GLOBE a member based organisation connecting LGBTIQ+ communities, small businesses and professionals.
Essential guidelines for website development: 5 key best practices.
This does not cover branding, blogs, social media, shopping carts or online booking, which are additional functions of a website. These 5 points are like the support beams in a building, they are fundamental and need to be set up correctly in every building for it to be stable.
1. Domain Name
A domain name is the bedrock of your digital footprint, used for your website address and custom emails, a domain is like the concrete foundations of a building. It’s important to understand the different types of domains and the impact they will have in getting your business found online. Before you register a domain name, you will need to consider trademarks, licences, competitors in your space and your business structure and eligibility to register some domains. Consider the .au domain space, read our blog on the 4 good reasons to get your .au direct domain.
2. Digital Workspace
In today's dynamic business landscape, having a collaborative, secure, and cloud-based file storage solution, coupled with a customised business email address, is essential. This combination not only amplifies professionalism but also reinforces branding, instils trust, grants control, ensures security, streamlines organisation, and offers personalisation. As staunch advocates of robust digital solutions, especially in collaboration with Google, we wholeheartedly endorse Google Workspace.
What's remarkable about Google Workspace is its synchronised cloud-based arsenal of versatile tools, including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, and more. This suite empowers seamless collaboration, grants you access to your files from any corner of the globe, and facilitates virtual meetings through Google Meet.
What sets Google Workspace apart is its adaptability for both nimble teams and expansive corporations, delivering heightened efficiency across the board. With plans starting at just AUS$105 per year per user, this solution isn't merely about managing secure custom email communications – it's a holistic, cloud-based digital toolbox that's redefining work.
3. Website Framework
In a similar fashion to choosing a wood or steel frame when building a house, you chose a framework to build your website. This framework is referred to as a Content Management System (CMS). A CMS is a tool that helps you easily create and manage the content on your website without needing to know how to code or have technical skills. Content is simply the text, images, videos, and links and the CMS allow users to navigate, interact, and retrieve information or services.
SaaS (Software as a Service) is a way of accessing software applications over the internet without needing to install or maintain them on your own computer.
A CMS as a SaaS is better than personally hosting a website yourself because it is easier to use, requires no technical setup or maintenance, offers scalability and reliability, provides built-in security measures, and gives access to additional features and integrations.
We also think SaaS is cheaper. The average WordPress hosted spend for a small business is around $1,200 per annum ($100 per month). The total cost involved with a similar Online is Easy website is half that at around $600 per year. Squarespace is cost-effective as it eliminates the need for hardware investments and dedicated technical staff.
In simple terms, we work with the Squarespace CMS SaaS as their platform takes care of the technical aspects, provides support, and offers more features, making website management simpler, more secure and efficient. Squarespace’s entire knowledge base is indexed in Google meaning, on the rare occasion you have issues, you can usually search for and fix the issues yourself - obviously, we are always a phone call away if you need us.
4. Legals Compliance and Accessibility
Terms & Conditions, Disclaimers, and a Privacy Policy are important for a website because they provide legal protection, limit liability, obtain user consent, comply with regulations, build trust, and protect intellectual property. They establish the rules for website usage, clarify the purpose of the information provided, and outline how user data is collected and used. These statements ensure transparency, protect both the website owner and users, and demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and privacy.
Website accessibility is important because it ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can access and use a website without barriers. It allows people with visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairments to navigate and interact with web content effectively. By making a website accessible, you promote inclusivity, equal opportunity, and non-discrimination. It enables a broader audience to engage with your website, improves user experience, and helps you comply with accessibility standards and legal requirements.
As a side note, legals and accessibility will increase your organic search results as you are seen as a credible business by the Google algorithm when your site is indexed - tick!
5. SEO: Keywords, Analytics, Search Console, and Business Profile
Keyword research helps you understand the search terms people use to find information related to your website, allowing you to optimise your content and improve its visibility in search engine results.
Google Console provides insights into how your website is performing in search, highlighting any issues that need attention. Google Analytics helps track website traffic, user behaviour, and engagement, enabling you to make data-driven decisions to enhance the user experience. Lastly, Google Business Profile helps establish your online presence and provides important information about your business to potential customers.
Overall, these tools contribute to the effectiveness, visibility, and success of your website by enhancing its discoverability, performance monitoring, and user experience. Online is Easy set these up as a standard for every website we build.
In summary …
We pride ourselves on making the complicated easy and not baffling our clients with bull… or confusing them with unnecessary information. At the same time, we are thorough and are renowned for our attention to detail - we don’t cut corners.
Our best practice process covers small business owners, freelancers, not-for-profits organisations, associations and community groups with a complete checklist:
Domain Name (Branding and IP)
Custom Email (inc. digital workspace)
Website Framework (CMS & security)
Legal Compliance, Risk Mitigation and Accessibility
Search Engine Optimisation (Get found online, sell online)
That doesn’t mean the technical stuff isn’t important, and we have pages of technical information and justification for our process, choices and services upon request. But we’d prefer to spend your money and our time doing your work, not selling you a line.
Most of our work comes from personal relationships built on the trust that we have earned from our reputation in business and in our community. Simply put, when you engage us, we will put ourselves in your shoes and act in the best interest of your business. You are the person that tells our next customer why they should use us!
Please don’t hesitate to contact Anthony on 0417 047 632 at any time if you have any questions.
