Field notes

Ideas on winning more work online

Practical thinking on websites, growth and getting found online — written for Australian small-business owners, not agencies.

Chart of what a small-business website costs to build in Australia in 2026: DIY $0 plus time, cheap site $500 to $2,000, freelancer $2,000 to $5,000, agency $5,000 to $15,000+, Propeller free build then from $129/month

Field notes·Pricing·9 min read

How much does a small business website cost in Australia?

The honest 2026 numbers — DIY, freelancer and agency prices, the ongoing costs nobody mentions, and why the cheapest option usually costs the most.

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Propeller's Start a call button beside a friendly receptionist — calls answered instantly instead of going to voicemail

Field notes·7 min read

The call you’ll never get back

Most callers who get no answer don’t leave a message — they ring the next name on the list. Here’s what missed calls quietly cost a small business, and how to answer every one.

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A Google search results page with the cursor moving to click the competitor listed just below you

Field notes·6 min read

Four seconds to make an impression

A stranger decides whether you’re worth calling in a glance. When the website looks tired they tap back to Google — and the competitor below you gets the job, with no record it ever happened.

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A modern website with a crack at its base, leaking out enquiries, phone calls and customers

Field notes·6 min read

The most expensive leak in your business is your website

Nearly half the people who land on your site decide whether you’re worth calling before they read a single word. Here’s why a tired website quietly leaks customers — and how to stop it.

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