McGrath Benchtops: From Quiet to Fully Booked in August
How a strategic redesign and targeted SEO turned their traditionally slow month into a record-breaking period.
The Results
📅 Fully booked for August – their quietest month, now bustling with projects
📊 100+ Google clicks in just 28 days – a first-time milestone
📈 Immediate traction from focused SEO and local optimization
🏗️ Premium commercial leads attracted, including large-scale contracts
The Challenge
McGrath Benchtops, a New Zealand fabricator of premium acrylic benchtops, had outgrown their starter website.
While their craftsmanship was exceptional, their online presence didn’t reflect their quality or support growth into larger commercial projects.
Before the redesign:
Template-based site that failed to showcase their work
Minimal search visibility – barely appearing on Google
No support for business expansion
Outdated branding that didn’t convey premium positioning
Goal: Build a website that attracts high-value clients and keeps the project pipeline full — even in slow months.
The Approach
Phase 1 – Foundation:
Modern, professional Squarespace site highlighting stunning benchtop projects
Clean design, intuitive navigation, and polished visuals
Phase 2 – Evolution (2024 Rebrand & SEO):
Platform upgrade: Squarespace 7.0 → Fluid Engine for enhanced performance
Visual refresh: Elegant flat tones and full-width banners showcasing real installations
Strategic SEO: Local search optimization to capture qualified leads
Enhanced User Experience:
Dedicated product pages for each colour range
Custom file uploads on contact forms for accurate quotes
Embedded demo video loops and downloadable Quick Quote Forms
Interactive tile overlays and colour galleries
The Impact
Within one month of the SEO update:
✅ 100+ Google clicks in 28 days – a first for the business
✅ Fully booked for August – normally the quietest month
✅ Premium positioning attracting larger commercial projects
Why it matters:
For a trade business, being fully booked in the slow season transforms operations. McGrath Benchtops now enjoys a steady flow of qualified leads year-round, with SEO generating tangible, revenue-driving results — not just vanity metrics.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We have used Hot Lizard Designs for the development of our website and found Kati professional and wonderful to work with. She gave great advice and was very insightful with the vision of our business. Highly recommend. Five stars.”
Eloise, Co-Owner
McGrath Benchtops, NZ
Design Touches
Used Squarespace’s in-built features to have different coloured tiles slide over each other as the visitor scrolls down the page. This was used for each product page.
A little bit of custom code was added to the gallery so the colour of each tile was clearly displayed when the visitor clicked to enlarge the image.
Contact Form with File Upload
To streamline emails going back and forth to request a quote, a templated ‘Quick Quote Form’ download is made available for customers, as well as the option to upload images, plans or rough sketches to get a quote.
Full-width Banner Images
Use of full-width banner images to show off benchtops in-situ. These were used for page headers and section dividers to give the website visitor instant visuals on what can be achieved with acrylic solid surface materials.
Embedded Video
A quick demonstration video was embedded on a continuous loop - muted to ensure best practice and a better user experience.
Has your business outgrown your website?
Like McGrath Benchtops, your business might have evolved far beyond that original starter site. You're now targeting bigger clients and need that premium edge. We specialize in taking good websites and making them great - those small design touches and strategic upgrades that elevate your entire brand.
Because when your business grows, your website should grow with it.