How Many Web Design Businesses Are There In Perth?
The Perth web design and development market has been growing increasingly mature over the past few years. So what is the current situation? How many Perth and WA-based web design businesses can provide any given specific service?
The Australian Web Industry Association lists 55 web design industry business members in Western Australia, so these figures encompass the whole of WA, not just Perth. Below are totals of WA-based web design and development businesses that offer the specified web design-related services.
Web Industry Experience - WA-based AWIA Members
| Industry |
Total |
| Web Design Industry Experience - Small Business | 52 |
| Web Design Industry Experience - Medium Business | 45 |
| Web Design Industry Experience - Enterprise | 37 |
| Web Design Industry Experience - Government | 31 |
| Web Design Industry Experience - Education | 31 |
Source: Australian Web Industry Association Sept.2008
Web Services - WA-based AWIA Members
| Service | AWIA |
| Web Design | 45 |
| Website Development | 48 |
| Content Development | 36 |
| Web Application Development | 37 |
| Domain Name Registration | 37 |
| Web Hosting | 42 |
| Search Engine Optimisation / Online Marketing | 36 |
| Graphic Design | 33 |
| Multimedia | 32 |
| Software Development | 26 |
Source: Australian Web Industry Association Sept.2008
Advertising In Yellow Pages In "Greater Perth, WA" For Web Design and Related Services
Sensis lists 458 businesses as advertising "Internet and Web Services" in the Perth Yellow Pages.
| Service |
Total |
| Web Design | 458 |
| Graphic Design (with Web Design Service) | 27 |
| Multimedia Services (with Web Design Specialty) | 1 |
| Computer Online Service Providers (with Web Design Specialty) | 1 |
| Internet and Web Services (with Website Optimisation and Search Engines Specialties) | 6 |
| Internet & Web Services (with Email Marketing Specialty and Email Service) | 4 |
| Graphic Designers (with Email Campaigns and Email Newsletter Design Services) | 2 |
| Internet & Web Services (with Authoring Service) | 3 |
| Computer Systems Consultants (with Programming and Internet Applications Specialties) | 2 |
| Internet & Web Services (with Application Servers Specialty and Application Service Provider and Internet Applications Services) | 1 |
Source: Sensis Yellow Pages Sept. 2008
So what do the above figures mean? There are many problems with trying to interpret these figures too seriously.
The Yellow Pages service categorisation is flawed on many levels, one being that the Perth printed directory requires web design businesses in Perth to categorise themselves in the "Internet & Web Services" section, an all-encompassing categorisation that doesn't allow for fine-grained targeting or analysis. We're probably not the first web design business in Perth to be contacted from this section asking where our internet cafe services are located.
The AWIA stats are provided by members themselves, and are possibly a more accurate representation of the number of web design industry busnesses that take themselves seriously enough to join a professional industry association, pay membership fees and categorise their services accurately. Neither source is particularly scientific, but both can be useful for generalisation purposes.
