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Website Optimisation Perth: Design Mistakes That Hurt Rankings

Your site can look great and still rank in Google. Design choices slow pages, hide content, and confuse crawlers. This guide shows the ranking-killers Perth businesses hit most, and how to fix them.
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Design Mistake 1: Heavy Pages That Miss Core Web Vitals

Design tools add weight. Hero videos, sliders, and scripts raise load time. Many sites still fail Core Web Vitals.

Fix It Fast

Use this order on one page:

  1. Run PageSpeed Insights and record LCP, INP, and CLS.
  2. Check Search Console’s Core Web Vitals groups for patterns.
  3. Fix the biggest “above the fold” asset first.

Quick wins:

  1. Replace video heroes with a compressed image.
  2. Set image width and height to reduce CLS.
  3. Load chat and tracking tools after interaction.
  4. INP is often the hidden problem. Mobile INP lags desktop in field data.

Design Mistake 2: Mobile Pages With Less Content

Google mainly uses the mobile version for indexing. If mobile hides important copy, you risk losing traffic.

What “Content Parity” Looks Like

Make sure mobile and desktop share:

  • The same main text and headings.
  • The same metadata and structured data.
  • The same internal links to key pages.
    Mini case: A Perth services site put key answers in closed accordions. Rankings dipped after a redesign. We made core points visible early. Leads improved after.

Design Mistake 2: Mobile Pages With Less Content

Large overlays can hurt usability and search performance. Google warns that intrusive interstitials may lead to poor search performance.
Safer options:

  • Use a small banner instead of a full-screen gate.
  • Trigger the offer after a scroll or a tap.

Design Mistake 4: Weak Headings And Visual Hierarchy

Headings are structured for readers and search engines. Google’s starter guidance pushes clear, helpful content.
Common issues on Perth sites:

  • Multiple H1s across hero and footer sections.
  • Headings like “Welcome” instead of “Plumber In Perth”.
  • Long intros before proof and the CTA.

A better service page layout:

  • H1 with service plus Perth or a core area.
  • Two short blocks: problem and solution.
  • Proof: reviews, photos, and outcomes.
  • One clear CTA with one primary action.
    This matches how people scan on phones.

Design Mistake 5: Links That Google Cannot Crawl

Google uses links to find pages and understand relevance. It recommends crawlable links and better anchors.
Design choices that break this:

  • Buttons that are not real links.
  • Navigation is built with scripts that hide URLs.
  • “Click here” anchors with no meaning.

A Simple Internal Link Pattern

Use “hub and spoke” linking:

  • Make one strong service hub page.
  • Link to each sub-service with clear anchors.
  • Link back to the hub from each sub-service page.

Design Mistake 6: Thin Templates And Index Bloat

Some sites publish many near-identical pages. They differ by a suburb name only. That can dilute focus and waste crawl time. Search Essentials pushes useful, original content.
If you need area pages, make them real:

  • Add local photos and project examples.
  • Add service limits, pricing ranges, or lead times.

Local quality beats local volume.

Design Mistake 7: Missing Local Trust Signals

Local SEO checklists highlight NAP consistency and Google Business Profile basics.
Add trust without clutter:

  • Put phone and service areas in the header.
  • Add your business name and ABN in the footer.
  • Place reviews near the first CTA.

Australia has a mixed device share, so trust must work on desktops too.

A Simple 4-Step Optimisation Plan For Perth Businesses

Start with focused fixes:

  1. Pick one page that should bring leads.
  2. Measure with PageSpeed Insights and Search Console.
  3. Fix one speed issue and one mobile issue this week.
  4. Improve structure: headings, links, and trust signals.
    Repeat weekly for eight weeks. You will see what moves.

Ready To Turn Clicks Into Enquiries?

Website optimisation is about removing the friction that prevents Google and its customers from finding what they need. When your pages load fast, read clearly on mobile, and link cleanly, rankings and enquiries follow. Start by fixing the design mistakes first: heavy visuals, hidden mobile content, messy navigation, and weak trust signals.
Then scale content with confidence. Want a simple Perth-only action list? Planted Web Design will audit your site, prioritise fixes, and show you exactly what to improve next, no jargon, just steps.

FAQs

It is improving performance, speed, and user experience. It also improves visibility and conversions.
Optimise mobile first, because Google indexes mainly from the mobile version. Keep content consistent across devices.
Use PageSpeed Insights field data when available. It uses CrUX over the prior 28 days.
Reduce heavy hero media and layout shifts, then improve internal links and anchors.

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