Optimising Your Business Website: A Simple Guide for Small Businesses in Hammersmith and Fulham

Announcement: Join Us for a Live Event on Website and Social Media Essentials

For those looking to take their website and social media to the next level, we’re hosting a live event at the Bush Theatre on 28th November, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This workshop will cover website and social media essentials for growing your business online. Don’t miss this chance to learn practical strategies and connect with other local businesses.

Creating and optimising a professional website is essential for small businesses looking to grow their presence online. Whether you’re building from scratch or updating an existing site, this guide walks you through the essentials to create a website that attracts customers and drives growth. Let’s dive in and explore the steps to optimise your site for success!

Step 1: Setting Up Your Website Basics

Choose Your Domain (Website Address)

Your domain is your website’s address (e.g., www.yourbusinessname.co.uk). It’s important to choose a memorable, professional domain that represents your business.

Tip: Including your location in the domain can help for hyper-local targeting. For example, www.fulhamtextilestudio.com clearly reflects both the location and business type.
Action: Check domain availability on Namecheap or 123-Reg, and opt for a .co.uk or .com extension for professionalism.

Pro Tip from Theo Ruby: A simple, memorable domain is more likely to be shared and remembered by your customers. Avoid numbers or special characters.

Select Your Hosting (Website Engine)

Your website needs reliable hosting to ensure it stays online and performs well. Hosting is the engine that powers your site.

Tip: For local businesses, UK-based hosting options like SiteGround or my hosting service offer strong performance and data security.
Action: Choose a hosting plan that includes SSL (secure connection), which is essential for trust and SEO.

Step 2: Creating Content for Your Website

Essential Pages

Home Page: Briefly explain your services and what sets you apart.
About Page: Share your business story, introduce your team, and add a photo for a personal touch.
Contact Page: Provide your business address, contact details, and a form to make it easy for customers to reach you.

Action: Write a draft for each page in clear, simple language that speaks directly to your audience.

Additional Pages

Services/Products Page: Detail your offerings with descriptions and key benefits.
Blog: Post articles that showcase your expertise and help improve your search rankings.
FAQ Page: Address frequently asked questions, like “Do you offer delivery?” or “What are your hours?”

Step 3: Designing Your Website

Use Elementor (Website Builder)

Elementor is a drag-and-drop builder for WordPress that makes designing your site easy, even without coding knowledge.

Tip: Choose a clean, professional template, and customise it with your brand colours and fonts.
Action: Install Elementor and experiment with different design layouts. Keep your design simple and user-friendly.

Pro Tip from Theo Ruby: Think about your brand’s style when choosing colours and fonts. Creative businesses can use vibrant colours, while more traditional businesses may opt for muted, professional tones.

Use High-Quality Images

Images play a significant role in making your website look professional. Consider using your own photos or quality stock images.

Tip: Try Canva for DIY graphics and logos, and explore Adobe Stock or Unsplash for free, professional images.
Action: Compress your images with TinyPNG to reduce load times.

Display Certifications and Memberships

Showcase any certifications or memberships on your website to build trust with visitors.

Step 4: Optimising Your Website for Local SEO

Create a Google Business Profile

Google Business profiles are essential for small businesses, especially for local search and voice search.

Tip: Set up your profile with accurate business details, contact information, and operating hours to appear in local search results.
Action: Visit Google Business to create your profile, and ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.

Use Location-Based Keywords

Target local keywords that align with your services, such as “eco-friendly furniture in Fulham” or “Hammersmith restaurant.”

Action: Install the Rank Math SEO plugin and use it to optimise pages for your target keywords.

Step 5: Launching and Maintaining Your Website

Test Your Website

Before you launch, double-check that all links, contact forms, and images work correctly.

Action: Get a friend or colleague to review the site and test it on multiple devices.

Regular Maintenance

A well-maintained website stays relevant and keeps attracting visitors. Set aside time each month to update content, check security, and add new blog posts.

Additional Resources for Small Businesses

For more detailed guidance, explore my bite-size marketing guides on topics like SEO, content creation, and local marketing. Access them at Theo Ruby Marketing Guides to overcome specific challenges and grow your online presence.

Creating a professional website doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For personalised support, book a consultation with me. We’re working with Hammersmith and Fulham Business Connects to support local businesses, helping you to thrive.

And don’t forget to join our upcoming event at Bush Theatre on 28th November, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This live workshop will dive into website and social media essentials for growing your business online.

Get a personalised marketing review

Get a free GA4 review and find out what is stopping your website from ranking high on Google.

This includes a 30 min call with me and a bespoke action plan to help you get your practice on the map!

Why register for the Bitesize Marketing Guides?

They have been created to support small business owners in all areas of marketing. Looking for help with your Website, Search Engine Optimisation or general Digital Marketing?

We have insights from business leaders across London and the guides are formed from our weekly Power Hours as well as separate content driven pieces that have been proven to create long lasting relationships with customers.

Share this guide to help others grow their business online!

Bitesize Marketing Guides

Hand-picked training & resources to cover all areas of business including, digital marketing, SEO, website design, social media, networking & lead generation. Members can also get a free consultation and online marketing action plan.

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