Lara P Digital

11/09/2024

With platforms like Wix and Squarespace, the barrier to entry of creating "pretty" websites is next to nothing. Take the learning curve out of it, say bye to coding and hello to drop and drag- when you think about it, nearly everyone can create a website.

But is it a good one?

Sure, I focus on building custom WordPress websites but it isn't because I'm hating on the other platforms. They have their time and day, however when you've got a growing business, you need a platform that can be flexible enough to grow with you and THAT is why I love WordPress so much.

People come to me because their website is slow, or it looks clunky or it's not the "vibe" anymore...however when I dig deeper into their backend they have a lot more issues than meets the eye. It's easy enough to create a pretty website, but it needs to be a power horse. If your website is not working up to standards then there is really no point having one.

So please, if you know that a website is an important asset to your business, do yourself the favour and book yourself in for a clarity call! I promise you won't be left with a headache afterwards.

https://larap.digital/contact/

09/09/2024

I'm a web developer yeah? So to me, a fast website is sexy. Site speed is cool. Making sure that my client's websites are showing all green in their Lighthouse reports keeps my competitive edge sharp...however as much as the features of a good website are important, it's really what an amazing website can do for your business.

🎉It can spark joy back into your business because you feel so confident sharing your business with others
🎉It can diminish all of those frequently asked questions you get from tyre kickers
🎉It can qualify your leads so those who contact you are dream client
🎉It can handle the sales pitch for you. Imagine leads coming in while you sleep!
🎉A good website with great foundations can elevate your brand presence
🎉Your business will save money on an admin salary because it will do the work for you
🎉You will have a home to showcase all of your projects
🎉Your leads will feel a lot more comfortable on a clarity because they feel like they already know you
🎉A good website can build trust in the people you want it from most

I could go on and on, but you get the gist.

If you're finding that you can't resonate with any of these points, it's time to revamp your site!

Book your call today.

https://larap.digital/contact/

04/09/2024

Ever heard of that?

It's true. Your website is a reflection of you and how you work. If you have a messy website that is clunky, slow, and a little suss (you know the type)...I'll bet $100 that they will think the same about how you work and how good your services are.

We all know first impressions count.

Research shows that 94% of all website first impressions are design related. From day 1, we are told that first impressions are crucial in business — your website is no different.

Oftentimes, your website is the first representation your company’s potential customers will see, so having a lazy or outdated design will have them closing the browser tab in no time flat. In fact, it only takes 50 milliseconds for a potential customer to form an opinion about your website.

Focus on leaving a lasting impression by ensuring your site is responsive, user-friendly, enticing to look at, and easy to navigate.

Save up for a good website, don't just half-ass it because you want something quick and easy. You'll just be getting it rebuilt or redone in less than a year's time.

Save your money, do it right, so you can save yourself the headache and budget later down the line.

11/06/2024

I just wanted to give you a heads-up that my one-day VIP Intensive fee will increase on July 1.

If you want to spend the day with me in June or July, you can beat the price rise by confirming a VIP day before June 30.

For my existing clients, never fear!

I have you covered with new pricing that will be added to your client portal on July 1. I promise you will like it :)

Thanks for your continued support!

06/06/2024

Is Google driving you mad? You're not alone! Google Organic Search is seriously testing my patience this year. 😫

Things were a lot simpler When I started my SEO journey in 2010.

Over the years, most algorithm changes have made sense and improved SERPs.

This year, though, I'm often left scratching my head, wondering, "WTF, Google?!"

Between the cluttered pages, excessive ads, and questionable search results, I love Google Search a little less these days.

But hey, that's what makes it so interesting, right? It keeps me on my toes and constantly learning.

At least Google gave us Gemini, so a big thanks to that, Google! 😉

05/06/2024

I had a bit of a lightbulb moment while tackling a complex project this week: 💡

It made me reflect on how much I've achieved since my early days as an analyst programmer back in the 90s. 🤓

From building custom databases (now known as CRMs) for small to medium businesses to working with corporate giants to now helping businesses thrive online with WordPress, my career path has been anything but linear.

In fact, my last full-time employer (other than my own company) was way back in the early 90s!

Each twist and turn, each challenge overcome, has equipped me with unique skills and insights.

My experience in systems architecture, both for myself and countless clients and over 30 years of hands-on experience with software gives me a unique perspective.

Thanks to the many lessons I've learned along the way, as a developer and also as a business owner, I can see the big picture, understand how all the pieces fit together, and instinctively anticipate potential pitfalls.

Being a Gen Xer who started coding at 16 doesn't hurt either!

It gives me a distinct advantage when tackling complex WordPress issues and crafting tailored solutions that meet my client's needs.

So, if your website is more of a headache than a help, remember you're not alone!

I'm here to share my experience and expertise to get your WordPress site working like a well-oiled machine.

20/05/2024

New Blog Post: Website Construction: 6 Steps to Building Your Online Home

https://larap.digital/website-construction/

Have you ever tried building a WordPress website and felt lost in technical jargon? You're not alone!

My new blog post explains the 6 essential elements of building a website using a house analogy.

➡️ Learn about domains, hosting, themes, plugins, and more!

19/05/2024

I have always liked to blog.

As an SEO, I know I should do things correctly and start with keyword research, but I don't. I write my thoughts and blog to educate rather than SEO being the primary purpose.

I get a lot of blog ideas. Often, they come from misinformation I see in Facebook Groups, but I also get ideas during training sessions, clarity calls, and enquiry emails.

While it still takes me ages to write them, blogs are evergreen, and Google likes you to update your content, so blogging is a win for me.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁? Basically, it's like a tree – stays relevant forever! Posts that aren't about trends but the stuff people always search for.

Recently, I was cleaning up my Google Drive and found loads of old blogs that weren’t quite finished, so my challenge now is to finish the best ones.

I will be using Gemini to help me out.

AI is great for helping with ideas, or in my case, helping flesh out my ideas and stopping me from procrastinating or searching for words as I can’t quite find the right one.

I have one 1 post this weekend that I have just loaded. It still took me 6 hours to complete but I am happy with it.

I asked Gemini for some statistics on blogging, and this is the response I got:
𝟰𝟯𝟰% 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀: This stat (from HubSpot) emphasizes the potential for attracting high-quality potential clients through informative blogging.
𝟱𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 (Source: DemandMetric).
𝗪𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝟱𝟬% 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 (Source: HubSpot). This statistic directly addresses the traffic increase from blogging.

Let's see how my new post goes 🫣

14/05/2024

So… I challenged myself to 21 days of posting on Instagram and Facebook without help from anyone else or AI. I lasted 9 days.

It turns out I can build a website in less time than it takes me to write nine captions 🤯

If you know me, you know I am a chatterbox who loves to talk tech. 🤓

I am always learning and love to chat about WordPress, automation, integrations, SEO, AI, and cybersecurity. I even love a good crypto conversation.

Designing the graphics was quick and fun, but every caption put me in an editing loop.

The caption for this post has taken me over an hour 🤯

I have massive respect for all the solopreneurs who handle all their content and absolutely nail it.

While I failed at this challenge, it's not a bad thing.

I have other important things to do with my time, like learning cool stuff. Lately, I have been learning a lot about accessibility.

It is an essential part of web development and design but often overlooked.

08/05/2024

Plugins are one of the great parts of WordPress. Amazing plugin developers make amazing tools, and we get to use them 🥳

Not all plugins are equal; many projects are abandoned but still in use on many websites.

Plugins are powerful tools but with potential risks!

Outdated or poorly coded plugins can be entry points for hackers.

Some ways to stay safe:
✔️ Keep plugins updated!
✔️ Don't grab any plugin you see. Research first before you add anything
✔️ Use a staging site when testing plugins to check compatibility before adding to a live site
✔️ Start with essential plugins, not just "cool" features.
✔️ Regularly review your plugins and remove any plugins that are abandoned or outdated.



▶️ ▶️ ▶️ ▶️ I list my favourite plugins and plugin developers on my website tools page

07/05/2024

As a WordPress trainer, I use lots of analogies in my sessions.

I regularly say, 'WordPress plugins are not pick n mix' Plugins are code, not candy, and code can clash!

When the plugins clash, this is known as a plugin conflict.

Adding free plugins from the WordPress repository can be very tempting, especially when you are new to WordPress.

WordPress has over 70,000 plugins for you to choose from, and there are so many exciting possibilities.

So many free plugins that sound so yummy.

So you pick and mix, adding everything you like the sound of, and it's fun!

Until you might get the 'white screen of death ', which basically means you have broken your site and it's F*cked.

If you have been very naughty and added plugins to your live site, not a staging site, the white screen of death is extremely stressful.

Your site is down, and you may not know how to fix the problem you have created.

Eating too many lollies will make you feel sick; adding too many plugins can do the same.

06/05/2024

SEO isn't a one-person show! It takes a village (or at least a killer team)!

This is a rebuild I did earlier this year, which saw me team up with awesome SEO copywriter Jay Stitch Strategy

I handled the tech, and Jaye brought the wordsmith magic ✨

The results are pretty awesome.

05/05/2024

When I first began learning about SEO in 2010, not many people talked about it or knew what it was.

I have completed many certifications, read thousands of articles, written articles, and had many pages in the top 3 of SERPs.

Nowadays, SEO is a commonly used term but often misunderstood.

While ranking on Google text search is considered by many as being SEO, it's not.

SEO is Search Engine Optimisation.

Ranking on Google text search is just ONE piece of the puzzle.

There are over 1500 search engines, from general web to niche and location-specific. Bing, Baidu and Google are the most popular.

Google is also a search ecosystem too with Image Search, Shopping, Video, News, Maps and others.

Don't forget YouTube and Pinterest – they're search engines, too!

03/05/2024

Today was the final day of the Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia Goal Setting Sprint.

It has been the kick in the pants I needed to get back on track.

I had goals but lost sight of them.

I have different goals now, and my plans are starting to take shape 😁

Its onwards and upwards from here 😎

Thank you Amanda Rose - Founder, CEO, Speaker for your straight-talking delivery and insights. It's been a great week, and I look forward to the next Accelerator sprint.

02/05/2024

It's day 2 of my 21-Day Challenge, and I'm doing something that makes me anxious AF. But if I get the worst things out of the way, the rest of my challenge will be a breeze, right?

Today, I am sharing a personal struggle. A fail! In public. On social media… 🤢 🤢

So here goes:

My 2024 started so damn good!

In 2023, I put myself out there for new business opportunities. One of the projects I was excited about came to fruition, and the legal were being ironed out 🥳 🥳

I had quietly been working on an overseas digital agency with a partner for a long time, and we were about to launch publicly. I planned to move back overseas in late 2024. I had nurtured some great partnerships and found some fabulous staff.

I was returning to the old me, the entrepreneur me, the person I was before 2020. I was feeling awesome, I was back baby! 😎

Fast forward to March. It was all over, all turned to 💩

Curveball!
I had put my faith and trust in a liar—not a random liar, either; this was someone I had called a very close friend for over a decade.

Just like that, everything was gone.
All the hours of work, meetings and planning, and my money wasted for nothing.
All I was left with was hurt, regret and debt.

Then, my health took a bit of a tumble…

It's been a bit of a rubbish year, but it could have been worse.

May is my comeback month, and so far, it's going really well 😄

01/05/2024

This is my first post in a while and the first I have ever done 100% all by myself.

Little known fact: I have always had someone write my captions or, at the very least, look over them, as I suffer badly from analysis paralysis.

I started a goals sprint on Monday with Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia

Amanda Rose has a no-nonsense approach and has motivated me to take action and do some things that scare me.

I saw someone doing a challenge where they do something that scares them for 21 days, so I thought I might give it a go.

I hate talking about myself and my struggles, and I don’t like posting on Instagram, so that's my first 21-day challenge.

Let's see how I go. Who knows? I might even do the unthinkable and post a photo or a reel with me in it. Let's see 😉

31/12/2023

💗 Happy New Year from Australia 💗

Wishing you an Epic New Years Eve wherever you are in the world.

May the upcoming year be filled with love, laughter, and plenty of adventures.

Let's welcome 2024 with open hearts and open minds.

Cheers to new beginnings!

Stay safe and happy 🥂🎉🎆

22/12/2023

💗 Happy Holidays 💗

I am taking a break from Larap.digital from December 22 until January 15, 2024.

See you all in 2024 xx

13/12/2023

Working with non-profit clients is something that I find incredibly fulfilling because I know that my work is making a positive impact on the world.

So when the CEO of the Skyline Foundation reached out to me, I jumped at the chance to work with them. Their website wasn’t great and they needed help.

The project involved completely rebuilding their website from the ground up.

In addition to improving their website's technical performance, I also gave it a new design and UX that is more modern and streamlined.

The previous site had been built using Elementor and was plugin heavy and had pretty terrible mobile performance score of only 31 on Lighthouse. The site is now in the high 90s.

Additionally, while the old website ran on PHP 7.4 and had a database size of over 3GB, the new site runs on PHP 8.1 and has a database size of less than 1GB.

As a technical SEO and developer, I take great satisfaction in achieving results like these.

I'm really proud of how the new Skyline Foundation website turned out, and I'm thrilled that I could contribute to making a positive impact in the world.

11/12/2023

When Koonara Wines came to me to look at their existing website, I adored chatting with Tash and Nicole. Such lovely ladies.

However, I didn’t adore their existing website as the backend was a bit of a hot mess.

Past designers had added multiple page builders (who knew that was a thing?) 😂

The site was difficult to work with and had some quirky issues, almost like it was possessed by gremlins!

I rebuilt their website with Kadence Pro. I added things like Klaviyo and custom recipes and integrated their e-commerce platform.

The website is speed and search engine optimised as those are 2 things that I love and do with every site I touch 😍

I also provided the ladies with training. Tash is now the chief blogger and website editor.

Koonara now has a website that is easy to navigate for their customers, and they can be proud of it.

I was also lucky enough to sample their wine, and I can confirm that it is absolutely delicious!

08/12/2023

Another of my favourite clients is Clever Cookie Academy.

I developed a new website for them called "Hello HSC".

They were in need of a Learning Management System (LMS), and I created one for them using Learndash.

The website is built with Kadence Pro, of course 🙂

Peita and Rob at CCA are amazing individuals doing incredible work.

With my assistance, they now have a fantastic website to help them educate more students in New South Wales.

You should definitely check out their Instagram, as they have been producing some hilarious reels lately.

06/12/2023

Back in July, I did a redesign for one of my favourites; the lovely Charlotte Skyla.

Charlotte gave me free rein on colours, fonts and design. I love how it turned out! It's so pretty.

Charlotte posted a lovely Google review for me, too, which is always nice to receive.

Do you need help with a great-looking website that is easy for you to use yourself and that works well?

Let me help you go from Woeful to Wonderful with a VIP Intensive Day.

To chat about all the ways I can help you with your business, please book a clarity call from my website, Larap.digital

04/12/2023

After being away from social media for so long, I thought I probably should do a bit of a recap this month of what I have been doing since June.

During the past few months, I've given my website, Larap.digital, a bit of a makeover.

As any developer or designer will tell you, designing your own website is a challenging task.

When you can design and build anything you like, it leads to next-level procrastination! It’s horrible 😭

I tweaked my colour palette and fonts, I've changed the site structure and the way the pages flow.

I've also changed the design style, added some new pages, and introduced new services.

Additionally, I've added schedulers that allow you to book clarity calls and training sessions directly from my website.

My goal is to keep things simple with the UX as smooth and straightforward as possible.

01/12/2023

Where did 2023 go? Wow, this year has gone so quick!

It's been a bit of a social media snooze on my end. I last popped in around June. Whoops!

As the saying goes, time flies when you are having fun. Time has flown!

So, what have I been up to?

In July and August, I was hecticly busy and worked with some of my awesome clients.

In September, I flew to Luxembourg for about three weeks, then off to Dubai.

It was so great to hang out in person with my Dubai friends and clients for the first time in years!

I am not sure I ever mentioned it, but I used to call Dubai home.

I was in Australia when COVID kicked off, and I got locked in :(

I could've been stuck in worse spots, but the COVID-19 saga surely threw a curveball at my life!

15/06/2023

Proper web design is a key element in procuring and keeping customers. Your brand identity and online presence are shown off in full force on your website and are where you can nurture bottom-of-the-funnel leads and turn them into conversions.

No matter if you are a B2B or B2C business, ensuring your site is attractive and easy to use is priority number one.

Your brand’s website should always have your audience in mind and ensure a high-quality experience from the first click to the last. In this article, we will go over some of the most important reasons why having a good web design is crucial for your business and brand.

Web Design - Your brand’s website should always have your audience in mind and ensure a high quality experience from first click to last.

13/06/2023

Cheap is great for the wallet and....nope, nothing else.

The number of people that walk through my "doors" who have a slow and broken website because a) the developer wasn't the nicest person and b) the same developer quotes below industry rates to just get paid and doesn't produce a good website.

For instance, 2 years ago a client came to me for SEO...this is how it usually starts. Most clients think SEO will save their website but what I usually find is that their website isn't savable.

She had a brand new site that she got through Upwork for $2500. When I logged in I saw that it was using WordPress 2013 theme, this was using a 7-year-old theme. It hasn't been updated.

The developer had manipulated the free theme from 2013 using custom code (CSS and HTML) the site was so slow. Moreso, the client could not make any changes to their site because they would need to know how to use code. Again, I don't see the point of creating a site that my clients find hard using their website.

If you can't use your own website, especially a WordPress site then all the benefits you would usually get from WordPress (there are many) have gone out the window.
A rebuild was the better option as it meant she had a site she could edit herself and a site that could use all the new WordPress plugins and functionality and work on any hosting.

So not only have they bought an old tech website that was sold to her as "brand new" but because she got one for cheap (especially for the size of her business and website), she had to invest more into her site to get it rebuilt so it was actually usable.
This is how cheap design and development can cost you more in the long run.

Don't make the same mistake.

Get your quotes from reputable developers and designers.

Ask them all the right questions.

And save up so you aren't paying for it (literally) in a few months' time.

08/06/2023

Ever heard of that?

It's true. Your website is a reflection of you and how you work. If you have a messy website that is clunky, slow, and a little suss (you know the type)...I'll bet $100 that they will think the same about how you work and how good your services are.

We all know first impressions count.

Research shows that 94% of all website first impressions are design related. From day 1, we are told that first impressions are crucial in business — your website is no different.

Oftentimes, your website is the first representation your company’s potential customers will see, so having a lazy or outdated design will have them closing the browser tab in no time flat. In fact, it only takes 50 milliseconds for a potential customer to form an opinion about your website.

Focus on leaving a lasting impression by ensuring your site is responsive, user-friendly, enticing to look at, and easy to navigate.

Save up for a good website, don't just half-ass it because you want something quick and easy. You'll just be getting it rebuilt or redone in less than a year's time.

Save your money, do it right, so you can save yourself the headache and budget later down the line.

06/06/2023

I love the mission of Full Tribe Fitness.

They help busy parents build healthy, happy and purposeful lives for their families without sacrificing time.

I worked with Jordan on the colour palette and logo. Its a very fresh website!

It’s professional, yet with flair and I can definitely say I’ve ticked it off!

https://fulltribefitness.com.au/

01/06/2023

Is Website In A Day right for you?

➡️You need a website stat. You just need something up and functioning now and don’t want to wait months to get your business online.
➡️You’re time-poor and thinking about creating a website actually gives you hives
➡️You’re not umming and ahhing about your brand. You know what you want and you know your goal
➡️You’ve just started your business journey and you need someone to whip up a website so you can focus on bringing in the billable work!

What’s included with the Website in 1 Day Package?

I start the project with in-depth research, create a project and gather all the information needed from you when we start your day, I hit the ground running.

On your booked day I am dedicated to you 10 am – 6 pm.

I aim to provide you with a website with all of the following:

➡️3-5 page WordPress website
➡️Image Optimisation
➡️Mobile Responsive Design
➡️Contact Form
➡️Email Opt-In
➡️Social Media Links
➡️Basic SEO configuration
➡️On-page SEO
➡️Price includes WordPress theme and essential plugins (SEO, speed and security)
➡️1:1 training on your new site at the end of the day.

Sounds like something you need? Contact me!

*for new websites only.

30/05/2023

Investing in a website? Comment below what good value would look like to you?