Back9 Creative Logo

Why We Don’t Build Websites with Squarespace

Posted on by Phil

At Back9 Creative Studio, we’re passionate about building websites that genuinely grow your business. Squarespace has its perks, sure—but here’s why it’s not our platform of choice…

The Illusion of Simplicity

Squarespace markets itself on being beautifully simple, and on the surface, it is. Yet simplicity can be deceptive. Businesses constantly change, needing flexibility and adaptability. Its structured templates look great initially but can quickly become restrictive when your business demands more sophisticated functionality.

Limited SEO Potential

Yes, Squarespace offers basic SEO features. However, achieving real competitive advantages in search rankings requires precise control and advanced optimisation capabilities. It really provides only the basics, lacking the tools needed to truly dominate organic search. Businesses looking for growth should aim beyond the SEO essentials that Squarespace provides.

Slow Performance, Hidden Costs

Behind Squarespace’s visually appealing templates lies bloated code, which can significantly slow your site. Site speed matters—it’s crucial for user experience and Google rankings. Moreover, Squarespace pricing is listed in USD, adding fluctuating exchange rates into your budgeting equation. Plus, money spent with Squarespace doesn’t contribute to New Zealand’s local economy or support Kiwi hosting businesses.

Proprietary Constraints vs Open Source Freedom

Squarespace is proprietary, meaning you’re locked into their ecosystem with limited flexibility. You don’t own your website; you’re effectively renting space. In contrast, open-source platforms offer full control, allowing you to customise freely and scale without restrictions. This freedom aligns far better with our mission to empower businesses digitally.

Scalability Roadblocks

Your website must scale seamlessly with your growing business. Squarespace, although convenient early on, often falls short when businesses need advanced customisation or functionality. Transitioning from a templated platform like this later can be complex and costly. Why start your journey on a platform that can’t comfortably handle your eventual growth?

Lack of True Customisation

While Squarespace templates can be beautiful, they lack true uniqueness. Your brand deserves a distinctive online identity, one not shared by countless other Squarespace sites. Real customisation involves building your digital presence exactly as you envision—something Squarespace’s template-driven approach doesn’t readily allow.

Server Location and Data Control

With Squarespace, you have limited control over where your data is physically stored. Server location matters for site performance, compliance, and security. Local hosting provides faster load times, clear compliance with New Zealand data laws, and keeps your digital assets closer to home.

Collaboration Over DIY Isolation

We deeply value collaboration at Back9 Creative Studio. Squarespace’s do-it-yourself approach can leave businesses isolated, troubleshooting problems alone. We believe websites should emerge from genuine partnership, working closely together to create something exceptional—not leaving you stranded when things go awry.

In a Nutshell

We’re not anti-Squarespace; we’re pro-customisation, pro-flexibility, and pro-growth. Choosing Squarespace is like grabbing a ready-made sandwich—convenient, yes, but limited in choice and flavour. At Back9 Creative Studio, we prefer crafting gourmet digital experiences: fully optimised, beautifully unique, and perfectly tailored for lasting business success. Your business deserves nothing less.

HubSpot vs SharpSpring: Comparing Pricing and Features

Posted on by Phil

Hubspot vs SharpSpring – Get the Most Out of Your Marketing Platform

HubSpot Overview

Founded in 2006, HubSpot launched the inbound concept. It’s a powerful platform that provides a high volume of content. To Hubspot’s credit, they do have a freemium model with limited features. A starter option, professional as well as an enterprise level option. HubSpot’s pricing (particularly for all the hubs on the professional level and above, is on the high end of the spectrum. Hubspots Professional level suite is between $1900-2000 NZD per month. And they are not registered for GST in NZ which is worth taking into account.

For an annual up-front payment Hubspot does offer a decent discount… But is still pretty pricy.

HubSpot is a powerful and user-friendly marketing platform designed to help businesses generate more leads and close more sales. It offers a wide range of features, including email marketing, content management, and analytics tools. Plus, with its pricing plans, you can get the most out of your marketing platform.

To get the most out of HubSpot, I’d recommend the professional-level CRM and marketing Suite.

SharpSpring Overview

SharpSpring launched in 2014 to deliver powerful and affordable marketing automation. It’s a flexible platform that integrates easily with other tools. SharpSpring has annual and monthly payment options and is a fraction of the cost of competitors.

SharpSpring is a comprehensive marketing platform that allows businesses to automate their sales and marketing processes. It offers a wide range of features, such as lead generation, lead nurturing, and analytics tools. Plus, its pricing plans are competitive, making it an affordable option for businesses of all sizes.

Hubspot-vs-SharpSpring-Price-Comparison-table

HubSpot vs SharpSpring: Comparing Pricing & Features

As a former Hubspot Partner, I’d say with confidence that Hubspot is the market leader when it comes to Inbound marketing and their software is beautifully designed and intuitive. As a current partner of Sharpspring, I can say it offers most of what Hubspot does – or the features most small-medium businesses would actually have the capacity to use anyway.

When comparing HubSpot and SharpSpring, it’s important to look at their features and pricing plans. HubSpot offers a wide range of features, such as email marketing, content management, and analytics tools. Plus, its pricing plans are competitive, allowing businesses to get the most out of their marketing platform. On the other hand, SharpSpring also offers a wide range of features, such as lead generation, lead nurturing, and analytics tools. However, its pricing plans may be more expensive than HubSpot, depending on the features you choose. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which platform is best for your business.

Check out these other reviews here at Sharpspring: HubSpot Pricing and Reviews or G2’s review Compare HubSpot Marketing Hub and Constant Contact Lead Gen & CRM (formerly SharpSpring)

Refining Your Keyword Strategy for Maximum Impact

Posted on by Phil

Keyword Strategy is key to seeing success online for any digital marketing plan. Optimizing your website for keywords can be a bit like playing a game of chess. You need to plan your moves in advance, and anticipate the moves of your “opponent” (in this case, Google). And use strategy to make sure that you’re moving ahead with each turn. Developing and refining your keyword strategy requires just as much finesse and skill. Let’s take a look at how you can do it.

Keywords They are the words and phrases that people use when searching for your product or service. Knowing what keywords to target and how to develop a keyword strategy. As well as understanding keyword competition can mean the difference between success and failure in online marketing. Let’s dig into how you can get your keyword strategy right.

Step One: Identifying Relevant Keywords

The first step in developing a keyword strategy is to identify relevant keywords. Think about what people would type into search engines when looking for your products or services. Furthermore think of the related topics that might be of interest to them. To find out which terms are used most often, you will need to do some research using tools like Google Adwords or Moz’s Keyword Explorer. You should also consider any industry-specific terms or jargon that may be relevant to your business. These terms could give you an edge over your competitors who don’t include them.

Step Two: Refining Your Strategy

Once you have identified some potential keywords, it’s important to refine your list. You can do this by researching the competition and considering how difficult it might be to rank for each term. For example, if there are already several websites ranking highly for a particular keyword, then it may not be worth trying to compete with them. Instead, you should look for other terms with less competition but still good search volume. As well as looking at the competition, you should also think about whether a particular keyword is likely to generate enough traffic and leads for your business; if not, then it’s probably best avoided.

Step Three: Implementing Your Keyword Strategy

Now that you have identified and refined your list of keywords, it’s time to start implementing them on your website. The first place they should appear is on your homepage; this helps search engines understand what the page is about so they can rank it accordingly in the search results pages (SERPs). Once you’ve done this, make sure all of your other pages contain relevant keywords too—this will help boost visibility across multiple searches made by potential customers. Additionally, consider creating content such as blog posts or videos around these topics; this will further improve visibility since content featuring popular keywords tends to rank higher than pages without them.

Having an effective keyword strategy can make all the difference when it comes to boosting visibility online and driving more traffic and leads from search engines like Google and Bing. It starts with identifying relevant keywords and refining them based on competition and search volume before implementing them on your website in order to increase visibility across multiple SERPs. With some help from an SEO expert and a little bit of effort upfront, you can reap huge rewards in the long run—so get started today!

Finding the best Wellington SEO Company

Posted on by Phil

As we discuss in our article, who is the best SEO agency in NZ, narrowing down the best business in any industry can be tricky. This is especially hard when it comes to all things digital. SEO or Search Engine Optimisation in itself is complicated enough as it is!

So when it comes to SEO in Wellington, how do you find the best fit for your business? How much does SEO cost? Will I even see results from SEO? The questions go on… The most important factor for one person may not matter to another, and vice versa. Understanding what is SEO all about, is important, but you need to understand, there are so many things to factor in.  Also, you need to understand the difference between organic SEO and paid search! One aspect can stand out among the rest for you and something else for your neighbour. So how do we define who is the best SEO agency for you?

Who are the best-ranking SEO providers in Wellington?

Which company will be the best for you depends on your needs and circumstances.

  • Assess your criteria for partnering with an SEO agency or freelancer.
  • What do you want them to do for you?
  • Understanding the results you hope to achieve?

One of the most important parts of teaming up with a company is working with people who believe what you believe! You can usually feel that in your gut. And from my experience, I would say trust your instinct!

The reality is if you’re providing SEO services, then you should be able to get your own website ranking pretty well on Google. However, it’s easy in an online world to bend the truth or manipulate Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (or SERP). But the good news is, it’s getting increasingly harder to do. Consumers want trust from their providers, whether that be from their mechanic, their power company, or their website design team.

At the time of writing this, (bearing in mind staying at the top of the search results or SERP, is tough at the best of times) here are six of the highest-ranking SEO agencies for the search phrase: best SEO in Wellington?

How-Long-Does-SEO-Take-to-see-results

Rank Local

Well… Rank Local specify on their Wellington SEO landing page that they are: NEW ZEALAND’S MOST TRUSTED SEO AGENCY IN WELLINGTON! A quick click on their contact page reveals they are Auckland based. Fundamentally we believe that location is not a barrier to doing great work. That means providing SEO services in New Zealand Wide is definitely a possibility – regardless of where you are located. What grind my gears it companies pretending they are located in your region, or have an office coming soon… when they are not and more than likely they don’t.

In saying that, honesty and trust, may not always get the job done. And that may not be something you have an issue with, and in that case, fill your boots. Rank Local certainly know how to please google so they can probably help you to rank well too.
 

Firefly Digital

Firefly is an Auckland-based Google Ads and Digital Marketing Agency. They rank well, not only for Wellington SEO but among the 10 Best SEO Companies in NZ too. Firefly Digital was born in 2014 as a response to a flawed industry. There were limited digital options that helped businesses get ahead. With a passion for business, Anthony Baxter set forth to build an agency that focussed on growth, that was channel-agnostic, and didn’t play favourites with any platforms or strategies, but rather helped businesses with the best strategy and channel mix to achieve their goals.

Since then their team has grown quickly and has worked with over 700 businesses, in over 100 industries, generating over two hundred million dollars worth of sales for our customers.

First Page

First page also like Firelfly Digital rank well for the 10 Best SEO companies in NZ. They unashamedly say they’re “the digital marketing agency that’ll put your competition to shame and deliver high-quality traffic that actually converts”. As the top-rated digital marketing agency in NZ, they add “Our primary responsibility is to get the right people to the right place on your website”. First Page is also like a lot of the Wellington SEO companies listed in this article, in that whilst they rank well the search term on Google, they are not actually located there..

Sky Media

According to their website, Sky Media is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, due to owner and director Corey Reid’s forward-thinking leadership.

Sky Media’s Digital Marketing Team’s constantly up-skilling to achieve the highest industry standards in the ever-changing world of digital strategy. HQ’d in Timaru, they have representatives in a few locations around New Zealand and Australia. These locations include Auckland, Christchurch, and even Sydney. And they appear to have their marketing manager based in Wellington. Their Website has a friendly down-to-earth tone and a lot of decent content. And they rank fairly well on Google for the best Wellington SEO agency, so they are worth contacting to discuss your options for sure.

Do Good Things

Well, Do Good Things is actually based in Queenstown, so when it comes to Wellington SEO agencies, they possibly lose a point for honesty? They are dedicated to driving measurable growth for our partners. They want to stand out from conventional digital marketing agencies that prioritise soft marketing metrics like leads and clicks by measuring our work across full-funnel marketing ROI. Do Good Things has some great content and if you’re searching for a Wellington SEO company, and aren’t phased about there actual location then they are worth a chat to.

Back9 Creative

Well, what can we say?  I guess the fact that you’re on our website and you more than likely found us in a Google Search, then reiterates it. But full disclosure we’re not based in Wellington either… And like some other SEO and Digital Marketing companies we’re not going to pretend we have an office coming soon. But hey, never say never… We’re only a couple of hours down the road anyway in Invercargill.

We don’t usually add ourselves to these posts because we don’t like to toot our own horn when the results speak for themselves, but yes, we do believe we are one of the best Wellington SEO companies – or NZ SEO companies to be fair… Much like the other companies on this list, we offer the same laundry list of services. So what makes us different?  Well, Nothing specific really. We’re all good at SEO, or our websites wouldn’t be ranking on Google, right? So you’ll choose to talk to us if you think we can deliver value (pssst… We can by the way…) And we’d love to have a chat and see if we can work together…

So, who is the best Wellington SEO agency for you and your business?

So which Wellington SEO company is the best for you and your business? Well… That still depends on what you’re looking for. Are the above companies still at the top of the results? SEO is a complicated field – actually, it’s a minefield. And to stay at the top of Google you (or the agency you partner with) need to work bloody hard!

All of the above businesses claim to be the Best SEO company in Southland. Best these days is subjective, and is more about what it best for you and your business! What are you trying to achieve and who aligns with your values the best?

If you’re looking to partner with an SEO Agency or Freelancer, or wondering How to choose the right marketing agency for your business you must take the time to research. We’ve had several clients over the years who feel they have not seen results paying for SEO. And the reality is, there are a lot of people out there saying they are the best. SEO is also a long-term investment How Long it takes for SEO to show results will vary. This will depend on a number of factors… These include (but are not limited to) how good your website design is. And then how well developed or built it is too.

Do some Google searches

When you’re deciding who to contact, do some Google searches to see how well their website ranks. Look over their website. If their site seems easy to use, and it answers most of your questions, chances are they could be a good fit. One tip is to check right at the bottom of their website and looks for the “Copyright ©” info. If it says 2014, chances are they may be a bit out of touch. Read up on their services, and testimonials. Ultimately if their style and tone match what you want for your own business, they may be worth talking to. Taking time to find that right fit and work with credible, reliable businesses can save time and trouble later on. So it’s worth the effort!

Ironically, though, if you’re reading this article, you found at the top of the Google Search results. Well… You may have found the best SEO company in Southland already 😉

All-About-SEO-IMAGE-button

SEO New Zealand… How to Make it Big in SEO-land (NZ Edition)

Posted on by Phil

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and it’s a powerful tool that can help your business get noticed by the right people. But, if you’re new to the world of SEO, it can be hard to know where to start. Fear not! We’ve put together this guide to help New Zealand business owners succeed with SEO. Or at least to know what to look for in an SEO agency, because let’s face it. It is a complicated beast SEO. And there are a lot of snake oil salesmen out there… So let’s get started!

 

The Basics of SEO in New Zealand

First things first – let’s talk about the basics of SEO in New Zealand. You’ll need to understand how search engines work and what they look for when ranking websites in order to make sure you’re doing all the right things from the start. Here are some basic tips for optimising your website for search engines:

  • Ensure your website is fast-loading and mobile-friendly;
  • Utilise relevant keywords throughout your website;
  • Use appropriate page titles and meta descriptions;
  • Update your content regularly;
  • Have an active presence on social media platforms;
  • Build backlinks from reputable sources; and
  • Keep tabs on what competitors are doing.
  • Work with the best SEO Agencies in NZ

 

Analyse Your Website Performance

The next step is to analyse how well your website is performing in terms of traffic, rankings, engagement metrics, etc. This will give you an idea of what areas you need to focus on improving or maintaining. There are lots of tools out there that can help with this process, such as Google Analytics or Moz Pro. These tools will allow you to track progress over time so that you can see which strategies are working best for your business.

Google Ads & Paid Search Strategies

Last but not least, don’t forget about paid search strategies like Google Ads and other PPC campaigns. These strategies can help boost visibility quickly and effectively – but only if done correctly! It’s important to ensure that you have a clear understanding of your target audience and objectives before launching any campaigns, as well as having realistic expectations about what results they might bring. This way, you’ll be able to maximize ROI while avoiding disappointment down the line.

 

All in all, succeeding with SEO in New Zealand isn’t easy – but it’s not impossible either! By following these tips or speaking to a Google Ads expert like Gus, we can help take advantage of available tools, New Zealand businesses should be able to reach their goals quickly and effectively. Good luck out there! With the right strategies in place, success with SEO is just around the corner!

Will AI Change Web Design?

Posted on by Phil

How AI Is Shaping the Future of Web Design

As technology advances, so does the way we design websites. But with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, many in the tech world are wondering: Will AI transform how websites are built? Let’s dive into this growing trend and uncover what the future might hold.

AI Is Already Making Its Mark

AI is no longer a distant concept in web design—it’s already here. Many businesses now use AI-driven chatbots to handle customer queries in real time. These bots respond instantly, removing the need to wait for a human support rep.

Beyond chatbots, AI helps boost search engine optimisation (SEO) and tailor websites to users based on their behaviour and preferences. These early applications are just the beginning.

Designing Smarter, Not Harder

Looking ahead, AI could play a much bigger role. Instead of simply assisting with tasks, AI might soon design entire websites with minimal input from developers. By taking over routine elements like layout, navigation, and page structure, AI frees up human designers to focus on the creative aspects—think visuals, branding, and compelling content.

This shift could lead to more engaging and user-centric designs that stand out. Plus, it opens the door for non-coders to build websites using intuitive AI-powered tools, making web creation more accessible to everyone.

Trends in web design change fast. AI could help businesses keep pace by identifying emerging patterns and updating their websites automatically. Imagine your site staying fresh and modern without you lifting a finger. That kind of agility could give companies a real competitive edge, helping them capture attention, boost engagement, and drive conversions.

A Revolution on the Horizon?

The potential for AI in web development is massive. From automating technical tasks to helping personalise user experiences, AI could streamline the entire process. Developers and businesses alike stand to benefit—faster builds, better performance, and improved user satisfaction.

Still, the question remains: How far will AI go? Could it reshape search engines, content creation, or even how we interact online? Maybe. What’s certain is that AI is here to stay—and its role in web design will only continue to grow.

Final Thoughts on AI in web design

AI won’t replace human creativity anytime soon, but it will become a powerful design partner. As new tools emerge and existing ones improve, expect to see more AI-powered websites that are not only smarter but also more beautiful, personalised, and effective.

So, will AI transform website design? It already is.