Plenty of small businesses are technically online: a website, a Facebook page, maybe a directory listing. Fewer are easy to find and easy to choose. The good news is that the work has a sensible order, and the first steps cost little more than time.
Step 1: Your Google Business Profile
For local businesses this is often the most important single thing. When someone searches for your trade near them, the map results appear first.
- Claim and verify your profile.
- Fill in every section: categories, services, area, hours, phone, website.
- Add real photos of your work, premises and team.
- Post updates now and then.
Our local SEO guide goes through it in detail.
Step 2: A website that does its job
Your website is where people decide whether to contact you. It needs to:
- say clearly what you do and where, at the top of the home page;
- have a page for each main service;
- show real proof: reviews, photos, examples of your work;
- make contacting you easy on a phone;
- load quickly.
If you are not sure how yours performs, run our free website check.
Step 3: Reviews, every time
Ask every customer for a Google review, ideally with a direct link sent the same day. Reply to every review, good or bad. Reviews help you rank and help people choose. More in our article on reviews and testimonials.
Step 4: Consistent details everywhere
Your business name, address or area, phone number and website should be identical everywhere: your website, Google, Bing, Facebook and directories such as Yell. Inconsistencies confuse both customers and search engines.
Step 5: Useful content, little and often
A short article answering a question customers ask you every week does more than a big campaign once a year. It helps people find you through search and shows you know your trade.
Step 6: Measure and adjust
Check once a month: how many enquiries came in, from where, and which pages people read. Our guide to the website numbers that matter shows what to watch.
Where to start
If you only do one thing this week, complete your Google Business Profile. If you do two, ask your last five customers for a review. Then look at your website. If you would like help with any of it, get in touch.