Perth is OK! unveils new website redesign and development in collaboration with Hatchet

Western Australia’s leading independent media company, Perth is OK!, has proudly launched a brand-new website design and rebrand, following a collaborative process with local tech powerhouse, Hatchet.

Marking the first significant change to the Perth is OK! website since its launch, the comprehensive revamp signals a new era for the company, bolstering its position in the Western Australian media landscape.

The innovative redesign showcases a considerable uplift in user experience (UX), evidenced by increased time on page, more pages per session, and amplified general user engagement. This is largely thanks to a suite of state-of-the-art technological advancements that have been implemented to enhance the site’s performance and usability.

Powered by a Headless WordPress system, the Perth is OK! content creators can utilise a familiar platform for managing and editing content, while simultaneously delivering a high-performing front-end framework via NextJS.

A vital part of the upgrade includes the deployment of a Global Content Delivery Network (CDN). This groundbreaking feature allows the site to seamlessly scale from 100 users to 10,000+ users instantly. Whether a user is browsing from Sweden or Perth, they can expect identical loading times, ensuring a global audience can access Perth is OK!’s content quickly and efficiently.

The redesigned website also integrates an AI Search capability to enable users to find more relevant content faster. In addition, Smart Caching technologies have been implemented. By combining Static Site Generation and Server-side Rendering, the new website delivers content swiftly, providing real-time results where needed, without the need for the webserver to rebuild the webpage on every request.

The site also ticks all the boxes when it comes to Core Web Vitals, underscoring Perth is OK!’s commitment to providing the best possible web experience to users. And, by leveraging NextJS technology frameworks, the website aligns itself with industry leaders such as Airbnb, Twitter, and Uber.

“Building websites and digital solutions can feel like smoke and mirrors unless you come from a tech background. When posed with the technical challenges of: make our website fast, meet modern web standards, be scalable to accommodate fluctuating traffic with 500k+ users per month, and ensure that it lasts us for the next 3 to 5+ years… trust is essential,” said Daniel Gouvignon, Director of Hatchet.

“Like PiOK!, Hatchet comes from humble beginnings, being bootstrapped by two founders. As a digital agency specialising in custom software and application development, we have enjoyed working with PiOK!’s founders, Luke and Blake, to help take their website to the next level by leveraging modern web technologies. PiOK! has already made a significant impact by making waves, creating disruptive media and breaking out of the traditional mould media outlets normally sit in. We wanted to help them achieve their vision for the masses and, in doing so, showcase that it’s possible to succeed without venture capital, an army of developers, and expensive enterprise software to achieve what traditional conglomerates are struggling to achieve in the ever-changing noise of digital…

“We are proud that PiOK! put their trust in us. Our modern, cutting-edge technologies have resulted in a website that meets users’ demands and sets them up for the future. With Hatchet’s support, PiOK! is ready to disrupt the industry further and continue their journey towards success.”

Perth is OK! co-founders Luke Whelan and Blake Kelleway were unanimous in their praise for the Hatchet team: “We are beyond excited to unveil our state-of-the-art website, a testament to our commitment to continuous innovation and serving our readers the best way possible. The collaboration with the local legends at Hatchet has been an amazing journey, and we are immensely proud of the result. We can’t wait for our audience to experience the enhanced Perth is OK! website.”

This strategic move sets the stage for an exciting future for Perth is OK! as it continues to carve out its space as an authentic local voice in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Visit the new Perth is OK! website here.