Website checklist for new businesses
Launching a new business? Here’s a plain-English checklist of what your first website needs, from domain names to a secure connection.
Your first website doesn’t need to be big. It needs to be clear, trustworthy and easy to find. Here’s the checklist we work through with every new business.
Get your domain names
Register your business name as both a .co.uk and a .com if you can. It protects your name and stops customers ending up on someone else’s site.
Make it secure (https)
Browsers warn visitors when a website isn’t secure, and Google prefers secure sites in its results. Make sure your hosting includes an SSL certificate so your address starts with https.
Say what you do, where, in the first line
Visitors decide in seconds whether they’re in the right place. Your home page should say plainly what you do and where you do it, for example ‘Family-run café in Paisley’.
Make it work on a phone
Most local searches happen on a mobile. Your site should be easy to read and tap on a small screen, and your phone number should be one tap away.
Show your contact details everywhere
Put your phone number, email and address on every page, written exactly the same way each time. Consistency helps customers and helps Google trust your business.
Set up your Google Business Profile
A free Google Business Profile puts you on Google Maps and in local results. Link it to your website and use the same name, address and phone number.
Look the part
Your website, business cards and signage should all look like the same business. A consistent brand makes a new business look established from day one.
Our New Businesses package covers your logo, a responsive web page, two domain names, hosting and printed stationery for £999 + VAT.
