Web design in Malta: what a business website needs

A website for a business in Malta follows slightly different rules from one built for Italy. It is written first of all in English, it sells in euros with Maltese VAT, and it competes with companies chasing the same customers, residents and tourists alike. This article is for two kinds of readers: Maltese businesses, and Italians who have opened a business on the island. We have an office in Il-Gżira and we have built projects for companies working in Malta. Here is what a business website needs, with three of those projects.

We can work with you in English or Italian. Message us on WhatsApp at +39 389 591 6034: we reply within one working day.

Language: English first

Malta's official languages are Maltese and English. People looking for a service or a product on Google almost always search in English, Maltese people included. That's why the main text of the site should be written in English, and written well: English translated word for word from Italian is easy to spot.

A Maltese version brings few searches. It makes sense if you work with public bodies or with local customers who appreciate it. An Italian version is worth it if a large part of your customers are Italian. Many Italians live and work on the island, and many tourists come from Italy. A restaurant, an estate agency or a professional office that also speaks Italian can say so with a second language on the site.

The domain: .com.mt or .com

A .com.mt or .mt domain, run by the Maltese registry NIC Malta, tells customers and search engines straight away that you are in Malta. A .com works if you also sell outside the island or if the .com.mt name is taken. Either way the domain should be registered to you or your company, with your own login.

If you already have an Italian website and are opening in Malta, there are two routes. The first is an English section inside the site you have. The second is a separate site with its own domain. The choice depends on how different the two businesses are.

Prices, VAT and selling rules

Malta uses the euro and the standard VAT rate is 18%. If you sell to consumers, prices on the site have to be shown including VAT, as EU consumer rules require. Shipping costs, delivery times and return conditions need to be stated before payment, not after.

An eCommerce site also needs legal pages in English: terms of sale, privacy, cookies. They should be prepared with your adviser, based on your business. We place them in the right spots on the site and connect cookie consent to the analytics tools.

Customers who buy from their phone: Shoeesy

Shoeesy is a Maltese company that sells footwear online. In Malta the competition is one click away, and people buying shoes online decide with their eyes. If the photos don't do the product justice, if the size isn't found straight away or if the checkout hesitates, the customer goes elsewhere.

We built a store with a catalogue you can browse by category and size, product pages with the photos up front and a purchase path cut to the essentials. It is designed first of all for people buying from their phone, and on mobile buying is as easy as on desktop. The offer is detailed on the eCommerce development page, with a starting price of €699.

If you sell tours and experiences: OchoTours and Elvis Tours

Tourism is a large part of Malta's economy, and many businesses sell experiences: boat trips, guided visits, day activities. For these businesses the website has to take payment online and deliver a valid ticket.

OchoTours is the platform we developed for OchoGroups LLC, an American company based in Malta. The traveller chooses a tour, pays and gets the ticket on their phone. Each provider manages its own experiences from a panel, with commissions calculated automatically. At the start of the tour a scanner app validates the ticket in a second.

Elvis Tours is a Maltese company that sells its tours on OchoTours and also wanted a website under its own name. We connected it to the platform through an API. Tours, prices and availability come in by themselves, always up to date, and bookings flow into the management system that already existed. Elvis Tours has a direct sales channel without updating data in two places.

Google Maps and reviews

In Malta distances are short and many searches are local: a restaurant in Sliema, a hairdresser in Gżira, a plumber near home. The Google Business profile with address, opening hours, photos and reviews matters as much as the website. The two should be linked: the profile leads to the site, and the site shows the address exactly as it appears on the profile.

What it costs and how we work

A landing page starts at €399 and an eCommerce site at €699, paid once. For software and platforms like OchoTours the quote comes after a free analysis, split into phases. The quote is always written and fixed.

Our second office is in Il-Gżira, on Triq l-Imsida. We meet in person in Malta when needed, and the rest of the work runs online, with deliveries in phases. Projects and services for the island are on the software house in Malta page.

Frequently asked questions

Do you work in English or Italian?

Both. With Maltese companies we work in English, with Italians on the island in Italian. The website can be bilingual too.

Do I need a Maltese version of the site?

Usually not, because most searches in Malta are in English. It helps if you work with public bodies or if your customers prefer it. It can also be added later.

I already have a website in Italy. Do I need a new one for Malta?

Not always. If the business is the same, an English section in the site you have is enough. If you do different work in Malta, a separate site is clearer for customers and for Google.

Tell us about your business in Malta

Send us what you do, who you sell to and whether you already have a website or a domain. Message us on WhatsApp at +39 389 591 6034 or use the contact form. We reply within one working day, in English or Italian.