Wix weaves a world of web wonders in Australia

Nearly 6 million Australians use Wix’s platform to design and build their websites. The platform’s popularity and the excitement of people who have started their online presence on Wix even surprises Nathan Archie, Wix’s General Manager, Australia and New Zealand.

‘People stop us in the street to tell us they built their first website on Wix,’ he says. ‘I’ve never experienced the volume of this kind of appreciative reaction in Australia before.’

The Israeli tech company is returning the love. It recently set up an office in Sydney to better support its Australian customers. It also enables Wix to tap into Australia’s booming digital tech sector and test new products with the country’s tech-savvy population.

Strengthening connections with Australian users

Archie says this is a new and expanded strategy for Wix in Australia.

‘We already have a significant presence in Australia,’ he says. ‘It made sense to put boots on the ground to provide our users and partners here with in-person support. We also want to build on our brand recognition and make sure users know the platform can support them as their needs expand.

‘You do get a different level of connection from an in-person contact,’ he adds. ‘Different ideas and concepts can pop up that don’t necessarily come up on a 2D screen.’

He also observes that ‘Australians are willing to invest heavily but want a commitment from the company they’re partnering with that there will be an ongoing relationship and support. We believe it is important we demonstrate we’re willing to make the effort to be here.’

A big-spending, tech-savvy market

Wix recognises the scale of the opportunity in Australia. Australian businesses are big IT spenders. They invest heavily in IT infrastructure, software and data capabilities. In 2022, spending increased by 13% from 2021 to reach A$117 billion, compared to a global growth rate of 4%. Australia also ranks in the top 10 nations globally for 5G-connected devices, data centres, telecoms investment and digital cities.

‘Australia really is a unique market. It is a great place to pilot new offerings for English-speaking markets,’ says Archie. ‘It has a relatively small population, and we find there is a high propensity for businesses and individuals to try new things and be innovative. Part of my priority is to look at how we can launch more of our products in the wider Asia-Pacific region.’

Austrade’s in-country support in Australia and Israel

‘Austrade’s advice and support was instrumental to strengthening the business in Australia,’ Archie says. ‘We also benefit enormously from Austrade’s in-country support in Israel.’

One of Archie’s roles is to feed back to Wix headquarters about Australian user needs and experiences. ‘I’ve definitely leaned on Austrade to help me communicate to leadership in Tel Aviv how the Australian market works. They also help explain some of the local nuances and differences in approach that can be hard to understand from outside the country.’

Scaling to the expanding needs of its users

Wix has been investing heavily in localisation efforts to scale. Wix supports over 248 million users in 191 countries and 22 languages, and the company continues to localise its offerings.

‘We support complex businesses needing e-commerce, booking functionality or membership areas,’ says Archie. ‘Clients may need ticketing capability for large-scale events with different pricing models. Or high-end multi-site management with multiple integrations, such as customer relationship management systems. We’ve just integrated with Meta so clients can manage messaging channels directly from their Wix inboxes.’

Bringing an international perspective to technology challenges

Michael Platt, Australian Trade and Defence Office and Investment Director for Austrade in Jerusalem, is optimistic about what Wix’s presence in Australia can offer.

‘Wix is emblematic of Israel’s booming tech industry,’ he notes. 'Further to the entrepreneurial mindset and innovative spirit, it has a vision to provide digital access to everyone and is known for its strong culture of inclusion and social impact. A great example of this was the company’s operation to ensure the safety of its nearly 1,000 Ukrainian employees following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

‘We are excited to see Wix become part of Australia’s fast-growing A$167 billion tech sector, which has expanded by 80% in just 5 years. The company seeks to tap into Australia’s huge and growing appetite for digitalisation and IT, strong tech talent, attractive online consumer market and access to the Asia-Pacific region.’

Archie agrees. ‘Wix has always seen technology as an enabler, not an end in itself. The focus is on the people who can be affected.

‘There is a high level of awareness now about how people are being affected by technology. Issues like cyber security, for example, are big ones for us. We would definitely like to be part of those conversations and talk about how we can help.’