Groundlayer IT
Sole developer for a paying client — discovery to launch and maintenance
Groundlayer IT is real client work: I scoped, built, launched, and still maintain the production web presence for an Australian IT solutions provider at groundlayerit.com.au. The engagement ran the full lifecycle — discovery sessions with the client team, wireframes and brand decisions, implementation, content, launch, and post-launch iteration driven by analytics.
Because a marketing site lives or dies on lead capture, that flow got the most engineering attention: server-side validation, anti-spam measures, confirmation emails through SendGrid, and no trust placed in the client side. Performance and search were treated as launch requirements, not afterthoughts — next/image with lazy loading and tuned critical CSS landed 95+ Lighthouse scores on every page, and LocalBusiness structured data, sitemaps, canonical URLs, and location-specific Australian SEO went in before the site was submitted for indexing.
Built With
Highlights
- Shipped and maintained production client work on a custom domain — discovery, wireframing, build, copywriting, launch, and post-launch iteration.
- 95+ Lighthouse scores on every page via next/image lazy loading and critical CSS tuning.
- Hardened lead-capture flow: server-side validation, anti-spam measures, and SendGrid-backed confirmation emails.
- Local-SEO build-out: LocalBusiness structured data, sitemap, robots.txt, Open Graph tags, canonical URLs, and location-specific keywords.
- Post-launch refinement loop using Google Analytics and Search Console data — CTA placement, privacy policy, and support details iterated from real traffic.
Security Considerations
- Lead form treats all client input as untrusted: validation and sanitisation happen server-side before anything reaches SendGrid.
- Anti-spam measures on the public contact surface to keep the client's inbox usable.
- Proper DNS, SSL, and deploy pipeline configuration for the production custom domain.
Project Timeline
Client Discovery
Mar 2024Met with the Groundlayer IT team to define brand identity, audience, and goals. Documented requirements for services pages, contact form, and SEO.
Wireframing & Branding
Apr 2024Wireframed every page and locked in the colour palette and typography to fit the corporate IT aesthetic.
Design Implementation
May 2024Built the responsive landing pages with hero sections, service cards, and testimonial carousels. Mobile-first with smooth animations.
Contact & Lead Generation
Jul 2024Implemented an email contact form with server-side validation and SendGrid integration. Added anti-spam measures and confirmation emails.
Content & Copywriting
Aug 2024Wrote professional copy for services, about, and FAQ. Optimised for local Australian SEO with location-specific keywords.
Performance Optimisation
Sep 2024Used next/image with lazy loading and tuned Critical CSS. Hit 95+ Lighthouse scores on every page.
SEO & Schema Markup
Nov 2024Added LocalBusiness structured data, sitemap, robots.txt, Open Graph tags, and canonical URLs.
Custom Domain & SSL
Dec 2024Connected groundlayerit.com.au with proper DNS, SSL, and the Vercel deploy pipeline.
Official Launch
Jan 2025Launched the production site, configured Google Analytics and Search Console, and submitted the sitemap for indexing.
Post-Launch Iterations
Feb 2025Added a privacy policy page, refreshed support contact details, and refined CTA placements based on early analytics.