Getting a small business started online

We specialise in web design for small businesses around Nottingham and further afield. Getting online is important for most small businesses but what’s the best way to get started? Is a full website necessary to start with?

Having helped a number of sole traders get started online, this is what we’d recommend.

Branding

Many people start off with a ‘logo’ generated using an online tool that their cut price print company offer. These logos always look terrible and look like lots of other rubbish logos. A more distinctive logo doesn’t need to be expensive and will make you stand out and look more professional. This can be as simple as your company name in a fresh font and a good colour palette. This will be people’s first impression of your business so don’t cut corners here.

Get a good logo and colour scheme, invest in decent cards (not the flimsy free ones off the internet!) and make sure it’s the same everywhere – cards, clothing, your van, letterhead etc.

Social Media

Once you have a logo sorted, you can set up a Google+ Local profile, Facebook page, Twitter account and LinkedIn profile. Use your logo consistently across all these profiles and fill in as much detail as possible.

Single page website

A full edit yourself WordPress website is often more than a new small business will need. A good looking single page can be enough to start with and you can upgrade it later. You’ll need a domain name and good quality web hosting. You can then have professional looking email like info@yourcompany.co.uk instead of using a Hotmail or Yahoo address.

How much is SEO?

Especially with Google’s recent changes to how pages are ranked, this question is not something a small startup business needs to be concerned with. Good quality search engine optimisation to improve organic rankings takes time, costs hundreds of pounds a month and needs a regularly updated website as part of a consistent and professionally run marketing campaign.

Trying to get top rankings for many terms is not realistic for many small busineses as other companies have a head start and larger marketing budgets. We’re not saying that SEO isn’t important, but rather it is not a realistic path for a new business on a small budget. Social media and Google+ Local are quicker and cheaper ways to get new enquiries coming in.

A small Google Adwords campaign is also a good way to get enquiries coming in quickly, and a voucher can be used on a new Google account to get some free credit.

We can help

While you can do all these things yourself, it can be quicker to get professional help. FCS can help you get a decent brand, set up your social media accounts, get domain and hosting sorted and set up a single page site. We’ve got some Google Adwords vouchers so you can try out Adwords and see if that works for your business.

Call us on 01636 812 551 or email info@fcswebsites.co.uk to get started.