While a global financial downturn has been the reality for many over the past couple of years, Australia has experienced a period of relative economic strength. This positive trend is largely attributed to buoyant consumer spending, which has instilled confidence in businesses, encouraging investment in their future rather than just focusing on short-term survival. Let’s explore this booming period for Australia’s web development and tech industry.
Web development stands out as a sector experiencing significant growth. Currently, around 18,000 web developers are employed in Australia, and according to the Australian Bureau of Standards, the demand for these professionals is projected to surge by 20% in the next two years.
Small businesses prioritize their online presence
In 2019, headlines revealed a surprising statistic: the majority of Australian small businesses had no website. However, the landscape shifted dramatically just a year later. As the physical world went into lockdown, businesses rushed to establish an online presence. This often involved hastily created WordPress websites, simply to have something visible online.
Industry experts recommend a complete website redesign every two to three years, even for professionally developed sites. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many businesses are now seeking professional redesigns for those hastily built websites. However, that’s just one piece of the puzzle.
Casino sites: A unique case study
Technological advancements are constant, and web designers can always enhance a website’s performance. However, some industries are more impacted by these changes than others. For them, a website utilizing cutting-edge technology is not just beneficial, it’s a crucial competitive advantage that can determine their success. In this article, we delve into this booming period for Australia’s web development and tech industry, where businesses are confident in investing.
The online casino industry exemplifies this concept, and we discuss elsewhere the distinct web design considerations within this sector. Australians are known to gamble more per capita than any other nation, and since 2020, online gambling has surged in popularity.
The number of Australians engaging in online pokies saw a 50% increase from 2020 to 2021, a trend that has continued, though at a slower pace, in 2022 and 2023.
The outcome? A quick look at https://www.casinoaus.net/real-money-casinos/ reveals the sheer volume of Australian real money online casinos vying for attention. If a site lacks the latest technology, a seamless user experience, and a mobile platform as robust as its desktop counterpart, it risks falling behind.
Engaging professionals in Australia’s web development sector
The demand for web development expertise extends beyond small businesses and online casinos. Even established medium-sized and larger companies are recognizing the need to modernize their online presence.
Two decades ago, businesses relied on internal IT teams, often depicted as tech wizards in their own world. Senior management typically had limited understanding of their work beyond ensuring data backups, antivirus software, and similar tasks.
These IT teams were often tasked with website development. The quality of the resulting website often depended on whether someone on the team possessed some web design knowledge, a common scenario in Australia’s web development sector at the time.
Today, such an approach seems as illogical as relying on an in-house engineering team for vehicle fleet maintenance, simply hoping someone has the necessary expertise.
In 2023, focusing on core competencies is fundamental. If web design isn’t a business’s core function, their staff shouldn’t be designing websites. This is more critical now than ever before, as a website’s features and user experience directly impact business success. Leaving it to chance is no longer an option. This explains the high demand for web designers and the ability of top professionals to command high salaries.
Earning potential in Australia’s Web Development Sector
So, what kind of income can Australians anticipate in web development roles? As a general guide, PHP developers can expect salaries in the AU$90,000 range, while those specializing in Java can earn six-figure incomes. The key to success lies in staying updated with the latest technologies and choosing a specialization strategically.