

Let’s go back to that “Facebook gets wiped” example above – in a flick of a switch your followers could be gone. SEO is an inexpensive way to get yourself found online, and it’s quite affordable and manageable once you know how. When you have your own website, you can build up your own organic search “findability” by organically optimising your site for search. However with a website you’d still have an avenue to be found online and to communicate with your prospects. Using social media may be free, but if the companies behind Facebook or Twitter go belly up overnight, any following you built up on those platforms would disappear in an instant. It also makes you seem more established, and therefore reliable. Having your own website gives you control over what prospects see about you and how they get in touch with you. Through distinct copy, design, and branding you can paint an individual picture of your business that sets you apart from your competition.

Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking “why go to the trouble and cost of creating a website when social media presence is free?” Though it’s important to put effort into your social visibility, a website gives you an online base of operations – a shopfront that’s uniquely your own. So without further ado, let’s get your brand new biz found online… 1.

However almost two million UK small businesses don’t have a website according to Approved Index, potentially costing them over £343bn each year. Even if you’re not a particularly online business, it’s imperative that your company establishes a strong web presence.
