Ranked: Melbourne's Top 3 Council Websites & A Comprehensive Performance Review

In this blog, we have rated and reviewed all the 31 councils of Melbourne and monitored their individual performances on the scale of 5 major parameters; performance score, usability, navigation, UI/UX rating, and SEO ranking.

Using the advanced tools and techniques, our experts closely analysed each website separately and measured the scores on these defined parameters. Based on the scores obtained, we have further segregated the top three performers on each scale and explained how they achieved the threshold amongst the rest.

Hence, after thorough brainstorming and comparative analysis, we have come to a common consensus that the top performer among all the 31 websites of the councils of Melbourne is seized by the website of the City of Melbourne council by achieving the consecutive score of 4.7/5.

Let’s dive deep into how we calculated the scores of each website, the tools we used and which 3 websites performed out of the box on separate parameters.

By the end of this blog, we'll also explain how you can avoid major mistakes while checking the ranking of your website and developing a site that ensures future success.

But before we begin, let us take a quick look at the graphic below that indicates why measuring the website rating crucial for any website’s success:

Website Performance Measurement Index

The websites of local councils of Melbourne were established in order to develop a database of the information that directly impacts the local residents of that particular area. 

These websites also create a simple mechanism for the people to reach the government. Therefore, it becomes essential to understand if these websites are perfectly solving their purposes.

This checklist will provide you a basic know-how of where this website stands under the umbrella of performance index and search engine ranking. It will also explain how focused these websites are in terms of being user-centric and service-driven.

How We Checked the Website Ratings: 5 Key Parameters

The table above will give you a quick overview of the website’s performance on the scale of 5. But how did we establish these ratings?

In this section, we’ll discuss each parameter separately and give you the examples of the best performing website that fits well under those parameters. We’ll also explain how we evaluated these ratings and which tools can be considered to measure these scales for your website.

Performance Score

When we talk about the website’s performance, the first thing that hits the board is the page loading speed. For calculating the performance score of councils of Melbourne, we used the unified tool PageSpeed Insights. 

This tool measures the website or site’s page performance based on the factors like loading speed, responsiveness, and mobile-friendliness. 

Why to Measure? 

For optimising the user experience, improving the search engine rankings and boosting conversions, it is imperative to evaluate the performance score of a website. A fast-loading speed will keep the visitors engaged, offer quick assistance and enhance the reputation of the councils.

How to Measure?

To measure and analyse the performance score of councils of Melbourne, we visit the Google PageSpeed Insight tool and enter the URLs of each website separately. The tool will evaluate performance scores ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better performance. 

The report includes detailed insights into Core Web Vitals, such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), along with specific recommendations for improving load speed, interactivity, and visual stability.

What were the Results? 

The complete results are available in the table shown above. However, here we will give you three examples of the councils’ that performed exceptionally well on the given parameters and scored the highest amongst others.

Example 1: City of Melbourne – The website of City of Melbourne scored the highest performance score of 100, calculated on various matrices. The score indicates that the website of this council is performing great on the aspects such as load speed, interactivity and visual stability. 

 [Source: PageSpeed Insights]

Based on this score, we have given the rating as 5/5 to the City of Melbourne council. 

Example 2: City of Casey – The City of Casey also earned a good reputation in terms of Performance index. The score obtained by this council’s website is 92 out of 100 which indicates that it is performing great in terms of the defined matrices.

Based on this score, we give the rating as 4.5/5 to the City of Casey council.

Example 3: City of Greater Dandenong – The website of City of Greater Dandenong also performed fairly well in terms of offering valuable experience to the users. Its performance score, though wasn’t too attractive, signifies that the site is continuously working on the areas of improvements.

Based on its score derived from the PageSpeed Insights, we give it a rating of 2.9/5 for its diligent performance.

Usability

The next parameter is Usability check of each website. Measuring website usability involves evaluating how effectively users can interact with and navigate the site, ensuring that it is intuitive, accessible, and user-friendly. 

We measure the usability on the basis of content readability, navigation, the quality of visual elements, and other elements that makes the website valuable.

Why to Measure?

Usability index is a notable scale that helps us assess how easy and efficient users can interact with your site to accomplish their goals. It includes ease of navigation, clarity of content, responsiveness, accessibility for all users (including those with disabilities), and the overall user experience.

How to Measure?

Measuring the usability of any website can be done either by involving the real users and analyse their feedbacks, or using the advanced analytics tools such as Google Analytics which helps us track on user behaviour, such as page views, bounce rates, and time spent on pages, revealing patterns that may indicate usability issues.

What were the Results?

We used Google Analytics tools to gather the insights on each website of the councils of Melbourne. For the ease of providing precise ratings, our experts converted the results on the scale of 5. 

Hence, based on the high usability results, the website will get a higher score, closer to 5. Let’s understand this through examples below:

Example 1: City of Manningham – Here, the City of Manningham scored the highest in terms of its website usability. This website contains interactive elements and is easy to navigate. Following are primary usability index findings:

• Easy to follow navigation 
• High readability
• Clear elements

We give the score as 4.7/5 to the City of Manningham council. The website was found to be simple, easily navigable, and high on readability index and contains clearer elements that helps users to browse seamlessly.

Example 2: City of Melbourne – Next example is the City of Melbourne. After the close analysis, we captured that the website attained amongst the highest usability score because of the following reasons:

• Simple, and Interactive
• Easy to navigate throughout the website via Homepage only  

We give the score of 4.5/5 for usability to the City of Melbourne council. It means, the website of this council contains a simple and interactive interface and contains menus which are placed mindfully. Also, it is very easy to navigate for the users with limited accessibility or browsing knowledge.

Example 3: City of Banyule – The website of City of Banyule focuses on user-centered design principles that make it easy and efficient for visitors to interact with the site. This website scores good rating in terms of usability because of the following reasons:

• High readability
• Easily navigable 
• Intuitive search bars

The site scores 4/5 rating based on its logical structure with intuitive navigation menus. It allows users to quickly access essential information, such as council services, news, and community resources.

UI/UX Score

Measuring the UI/UX score of a website involves evaluating both the visual design (UI) and the overall user experience (UX) to ensure the site is aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Why to Measure?

The UI/UX score of a website provides a comprehensive assessment of how well the site’s design (UI) and user experience (UX) align with best practices and user expectations. 

A high UI/UX score indicates that the website is visually appealing, intuitive to navigate, and effectively meets the needs of its users, leading to higher engagement, satisfaction, and conversion rates.

How to Measure?

The UI/UX score can be obtained through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. User testing can involve real users and capture their feedback for analysis. However, for precise results we used the Google Analytics tool and our experts’ insights for each website.

With the help of Google Analytics, we figured out the users’ satisfaction level for each website in terms of how quickly they are finding what they are looking for, or getting lost in the process.

We also used Heatmaps and click tracking tools like ClickMagic and Clicky to understand how users interact with the menu, links, and other navigational elements, highlighting popular paths or areas of friction.

What were the Results?

The results obtained from Google Analytics tool were converted into the scale of 5 for rating each website. It means the higher the score, the better the site is performing. Metrics like bounce rate, pages per session, average session duration, and site speed were taken into consideration that revealed how users interact with the councils' sites. 

Example 1: City of Melbourne – The City of Melbourne’s site is an example setter for most of the other websites in the same arena. With 4.5/5 ratings, the website scored highest in terms of offering exceptional services to the residents.

With the use of high quality visual media, the website manages to create a stunning aesthetic appeal amongst the users. Its clean, modern design with clear typography and intuitive layout ensures that users can quickly find the information they need, whether they’re searching for council services, news, or event details.

Example 2: City of Manningham - The City of Manningham website is easy to reach, navigable, contains interactive elements to engage users and sort out their queries without any hassle. We rate this website as 4/5 based on the cohesive experience it offers to cater the needs of its community.

Its clean design and consistent color scheme create an inviting and professional appearance, while the responsive design ensures accessibility across all devices, from desktops to smartphones.

Example 3: City of Nillumbik – The website of City of Nillumbik gave notable results in terms of its visual appeal, easy navigation, higher click-through rates and user satisfaction. Thus, we gave it a score of 4/5 for doing great in terms of performing well on the UI/UX index. 

However, there still was a scope of improvements in terms of readability and being interactive. Nevertheless, the website is doing great in its region.

Navigation

Measuring the navigation score of a website involves evaluating how easily users can find and access the information or features they need. 

Why to Measure?

Navigation score helps us in tracking the metrics like click-through rates, time on task, and error rates. It also helps in identifying the navigation issues that hinder user experience and prevent goal completion. 

A well-structured and intuitive navigation system is essential for increasing user satisfaction, reducing bounce rates, and improving overall website performance.

How to Measure?

Navigation scores of the councils of Melbourne were calculated by analysing the metrics such as user journey paths, bounce rates, and time spent on pages through tools like Google Analytics. It provided us with insights into whether users are quickly finding what they're looking for or getting lost in the process. 

Heatmaps and click-tracking tools like ClickMagick and ClickMeter were also used to show how users interact with the menu, links, and other navigational elements, highlighting popular paths or areas of friction.

What were the Results?

The results from Navigation scores were converted into the scale of 5 for the ease of understanding each website’s performance in terms of users’ journey on the website. 

A high navigation score indicates that users can efficiently and intuitively move through the site, while a low score points to potential issues like unclear labelling, poor menu design, or an overly complex structure, all of which can be targeted for improvement. Let us see some examples below:

Example 1: City of Melbourne – The website of City of Melbourne council sets an example for being one of the highly intuitive and navigable websites. It excels in navigation by offering a clear, well-organized structure that allows users to easily find the information and services they need. 

The website achieves a remarkable score of 4.5/5 based on several navigation factors. Its main menu is intuitively designed with logical categories, such as “Residents,” “Businesses,” and “Visitors,” ensuring that users can quickly identify the relevant sections for their needs.

Example 2: City of Manningham - The website of City of Manningham features a well-organized main menu with clear, concise labels that categorize information logically, such as “Services,” “Community,” and “Council,” allowing users to quickly locate relevant content.

The website once again fascinated us and scores 4/5 for providing consistent navigation elements, such as breadcrumbs. It also includes clearly visible links that help users maintain their orientation and easily backtrack or explore related content.

Example 3: City of Nillumbik - The website of this council offers a straightforward and user-centric structure to guide users throughout their site navigation journey. We give the rating of 4/5 to this website based on well-organised and clearly labelled categories. 

The website of the City of Nillumbik looks fascinating and simple. The inclusion of a search function at the top of the page further enhances navigation, enabling users to swiftly locate specific topics or services.

SEO 

Measuring a website's SEO ranking involves assessing its visibility and performance in search engine results pages (SERPs) for targeted keywords and phrases. We observed the Domain Rating (DR), Organic Traffic and the trend that provided us the precise results.

Why to Measure?

Measuring a website's SEO ranking is crucial because it directly influences the site’s visibility in search engine results, which in turn impacts traffic, user engagement, and business success. 

A high SEO ranking means that your website appears prominently for relevant search queries, making it more likely to attract organic traffic from users actively searching for the products, services, or information you offer.

How to Measure? 

To measure the SEO ranking of the councils of Melbourne, we used tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, and Ahrefs, which helped us track keyword rankings, organic traffic, and search engine visibility over time. 

These tools provided us with insights into where these websites stand in SERPs, highlighting which keywords are driving traffic and where improvements are needed. 

Additionally, we also checked the metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), bounce rates, and domain authority that indicate the effectiveness of the SEO efforts made by website designers.

What were the Results?

Using the above mentioned tools, we captured the Domain Rating (DR) and organic traffic of each website. Based on these data, we rate the websites of council of Melbourne on the scale of 5 for SEO performance. Let us see some examples below:

Example 1: City of Melbourne – The website of City of Melbourne fascinated us with its remarkable performance in terms of SEO ranking. With its high DR score, it achieves an excellent rating as per Ahrefs. Below is the performance scale of this website for SEO:

• Domain Rating (DR) – 62
• Organic Traffic - 1.4 Mn

Based on its eye-catching SEO performance of the website of City of Melbourne, we give the rating of 5/5. The site is structured with clear and descriptive URLs, meta tags, and headings, which help search engines understand the content and index it effectively.

Example 2: City of Port Phillip - Next in our list is City of Port Phillip. The website of this council excels in SEO ranking due to its strategic content structure and adherence to best practices in search engine optimization. Below is the DR and organic footfall of this website:

• Domain Rating (DR) – 45
• Organic Traffic- 90.8 K

The site features well-organized and keyword-rich content, making it easier for search engines to index and rank pages for relevant queries, therefore, we give City of Port Phillip 3.5/5 rating for SEO performance.

Example 3: City of Yarra – The City of Yarra website is strong in SEO ranking due to its well-executed optimization strategies and focus on delivering relevant, high-quality content. Let us see its performance index for SEO below:  

• Domain Rating (DR) – 45  
• Organic Traffic- 110.1K

The site effectively uses SEO-friendly practices such as clear and descriptive meta-tags, well-structured URLs, and headers that align with commonly searched keywords related to local government services, community news, and events. Therefore, we give it a rating of 3.5/5 for its exquisite SEO performance.

The checklist above clearly shows the councils' website performances on various scales. By following this checklist and continuously monitoring website performance, the Councils of Melbourne can significantly improve their online presence, enhance service delivery, and build stronger relationships with the community.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Checking Your Website Ranking

Checking the performance of your website from time-to-time enables you to capture the success ratio of your site and work on the areas of improvement. It also helps you to understand where you stand in front of your competitors. 

An expert website development agency can help you immensely on checking, analysing, and monitoring the rating and ranking of your website. However, if you want to do it on your own then you must consider the below points to avoid any errors while checking your website performance: 

• Overreliance on a Single Keyword

Focusing on just one keyword can provide a limited view of your overall performance. It's essential to track multiple keywords and phrases relevant to your business.

• Ignoring Geographic Location

If your target audience is specific to a location, make sure your ranking checks reflect that. Using location-based search modifiers can provide more accurate results.

• Neglecting Search Engine Variations

Different search engines have different algorithms. While Google is dominant, checking rankings on Bing and other search engines can offer valuable insights.

• Checking Rankings Too Frequently

Obsessing over daily rank fluctuations can be misleading. Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, so it's better to track rankings over a longer period.

• Misinterpreting Ranking Data 

A high ranking doesn't always equate to increased traffic or conversions. It's essential to correlate ranking data with other metrics like click-through rates and website traffic to get a complete picture.

How to Develop a Performance Driven Website?

After checking the performance index rates of the councils of Melbourne, we can clearly figure out the websites which are performing exceptionally great amongst its competitors. So how to make a website that derives results for your business success?

• Prioritize fast loading times by minimizing HTTP requests, optimizing images, and leveraging browser caching. 
• Ensure responsiveness across devices for seamless user interactions. 
• Create an intuitive navigation structure and clear calls-to-action to guide users efficiently. 
• Continuously test and analyse user behaviour to identify areas for improvement. 

By combining user-centric design with technical expertise, you can build a website that delivers exceptional performance and drives user satisfaction.

Conclusion

The checklist clearly describes the performance of each website of the council of Melbourne. This checklist is extremely important for the councils to diligently track and analyse their performance indexes and act significantly to enhance their online presence. 

With continuous improvement in the service delivery and fostering a stronger community, these websites can truly serve the needs of residents and promote user satisfaction.

Thus, if you want to maintain high standards across all digital platforms, identify the areas of improvements and create a functional website that raises the level of your business, don’t hesitate to hire a professional and experienced website development agency in Melbourne that offers focused monitoring and careful web development service that derive results.