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Insights

Launch North Insights: website and digital marketing guides

Practical thinking, plainly written. The Launch North article library covers websites, SEO, content, social media and digital growth, with every article published here in full.

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Read the latest practical guides from Launch North, with the full archive below.

A smiling tradie on a Queensland front porch showing his phone to a happy homeowner after finishing the job
Websites

How to get more Google reviews as a tradie

A simple, repeatable system for tradies to earn more Google reviews: get your review link, ask at the right moment, copy our text templates and put those reviews to work on your website.

Read article: How to get more Google reviews as a tradie
An Australian small business owner reviewing a website on a laptop while holding a phone in a sunlit workshop
Websites

7 signs your website is costing you enquiries

A dated look, a clumsy mobile experience and no clear next step quietly cost local businesses enquiries. Here are seven signs it's time to upgrade, and what a good rebuild should fix.

Read article: 7 signs your website is costing you enquiries
A man at a laptop screaming in frustration with both hands clutching his head
Experiments

We Built the Website from Hell. Here's What Makes It So Annoying.

Pop-ups, hidden buttons, endless forms and a chatbot named Drip. What each annoying habit in our 60 second challenge teaches about respecting your customers.

Read article: We Built the Website from Hell. Here's What Makes It So Annoying.
Australian online retail team checking a campaign journey on a laptop and phone
Digital Marketing

Black Friday 2026 website checklist for Australian businesses

A practical website readiness checklist for Australian online stores and service businesses, covering the customer journey before your campaign goes live.

Read article: Black Friday 2026 website checklist for Australian businesses
Store owner reviewing a visual online store layout on a desktop computer
Websites

Shopify Canvas explained for Australian businesses

Shopify's new store design workspace explained, with early-access limitations and a practical checklist before you change a live store.

Read article: Shopify Canvas explained for Australian businesses
Open iPhone Duo displaying a responsive business website
Websites

How to Prepare Your Website for the iPhone Duo

A practical guide to testing responsive layouts, navigation, forms, media and viewport changes for Apple's foldable iPhone Duo.

Read article: How to Prepare Your Website for the iPhone Duo
Illustration of three speed gauges above a line chart tracking website performance over time
SEO

40+ Website Speed & Core Web Vitals Statistics for 2026

Current website speed and Core Web Vitals benchmarks using 2026 CrUX data and the latest HTTP Archive performance research.

Read article: 40+ Website Speed & Core Web Vitals Statistics for 2026
A Brisbane business owner reviewing a website quote on a laptop with a calculator and notebook
Websites

How much does a website cost in Brisbane? A transparent 2026 guide

Website quotes in Brisbane can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. This guide explains what actually drives the price, shows Launch North's current pricing openly, and gives you a simple way to compare quotes like for like.

Read article: How much does a website cost in Brisbane? A transparent 2026 guide
A small business packing orders beside a tablet showing an online store checkout
Websites

Shopify vs custom ecommerce: which is right for your online store?

Shopify powers a huge number of online stores, but it is not the right answer for every business. This balanced comparison covers launch speed, ecosystem, flexibility, checkout, ownership, scalability and ongoing costs so you can choose with confidence.

Read article: Shopify vs custom ecommerce: which is right for your online store?
A laptop, monitor and tablet showing different website builder dashboards on an office desk
Websites

The best website platforms for Australian small businesses in 2026

There is no single best website platform, only the best fit for your business. This balanced comparison looks at Shopify, WordPress, Squarespace, Wix and custom builds across the factors that matter most to Australian small businesses.

Read article: The best website platforms for Australian small businesses in 2026
Two laptops side by side, one showing a cluttered older website and the other a clean modern layout
Websites

Website redesign vs new website: how to make the right call

Redesigning sounds cheaper and safer than starting again, but that is not always true. This guide walks through the criteria that decide it, from technical debt and platform limits to SEO migration and conversion problems, and links to a free checker you can run in minutes.

Read article: Website redesign vs new website: how to make the right call
Paper wireframes, sticky notes and a smartphone on a timber table during website planning
Websites

What should a small business website include? A practical Australian guide

A small business website does not need to be big. It needs the right pages, clear messaging, visible proof and an easy way to get in touch. Use this guide as a build checklist, whether you are planning a new site or reviewing your current one.

Read article: What should a small business website include? A practical Australian guide
Illustration of a chat question, a phone camera framing a garage door and a checklist with a calendar, representing ask, show and delegate
AI Search / GEO

Your next customer might not search. They might ask, show or delegate.

For years, the online customer journey was predictable: search Google, click a website, compare a few businesses, then enquire. In 2026, that journey is starting to fracture. Customers can ask an AI assistant, show Google a photo, compare providers inside an AI answer, or increasingly hand part of the research to an agent. For Australian businesses, being easy to find is no longer enough. You also need to be easy for machines to understand, verify and recommend.

Read article: Your next customer might not search. They might ask, show or delegate.
Concentric strategic layers protecting a luminous centre while connected growth rises around it
Digital Marketing

The Marketing Moat: 9 Assets Your Competitors Cannot Copy in 30 Days

The Marketing Moat is a framework for turning customer knowledge, evidence, brand, content and campaign learning into an advantage that compounds.

Read article: The Marketing Moat: 9 Assets Your Competitors Cannot Copy in 30 Days
A human hand guiding a decision path through connected verification signals and possible choices
AI Search / GEO

When Your Customer Sends an AI Agent Shopping: How Businesses Get Recommended Before the Click

The Recommendability Layer is a five-part framework for making a business easier for people and AI systems to understand, verify and shortlist.

Read article: When Your Customer Sends an AI Agent Shopping: How Businesses Get Recommended Before the Click