If your business doesn't have a website yet, you're not alone — plenty of small businesses have been trading on word of mouth, social media, or referrals without one. But at some point, the absence of a website starts to cost you: potential customers who can't find you online, credibility you can't establish, and competitors who are picking up the enquiries you're missing.
Getting online for the first time is simpler than most people expect. Here's a straightforward guide to what you need and how to go about it.
What "Getting Online" Actually Involves
At minimum, being properly online as a business means having three things in place:
- A professional website — A dedicated online presence you own and control, with your services, contact details, and location clearly presented
- A domain name — Your own web address (e.g. yourbusiness.co.uk), rather than relying on a social media profile or a free website builder subdomain
- A Google Business Profile — A free listing on Google that makes your business appear in Google Maps and local search results
A social media page is not a substitute for a website. It's a useful addition, but you don't own or control it, it doesn't rank in Google the way a website does, and it doesn't give customers the same sense of credibility and permanence. For more on this, see why your small business needs a website, not just social media.
Step 1: Get a Professional Website Built
The first and most important step is having a proper website. The options range from building one yourself using a DIY tool, to commissioning a fully custom design, to using a managed website service.
For most businesses getting online for the first time, a managed starter website is the most practical route. You get a professionally built site quickly, without a large upfront cost, and without needing any technical knowledge. Everything — hosting, the domain, ongoing management — is handled for you.
See what is a managed website for a full explanation of how this works.
Step 2: Secure Your Domain Name
Your domain name is your web address. Ideally it matches your business name (e.g. smithsplumbing.co.uk). It's worth registering your domain as early as possible — even before your site is ready — to ensure it's available and yours.
With a managed starter website, your domain is included and registered as part of the package.
Step 3: Set Up Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a free tool that puts your business on Google Maps and makes it appear in local search results when people search for your services nearby. It's separate from your website but works alongside it.
To set it up, you'll need to verify your business address and provide your opening hours, services, and photos. Once it's live and verified, it's one of the most powerful ways to be found locally. See what is Google Business Profile and how to optimise your Google Business Profile for guidance.
What You'll Need to Provide
Getting a website built doesn't require you to be technical — but it does require a bit of content. Specifically:
- Your business name, phone number, and email address
- Your service area and the services you offer
- A short description of your business
- Photos of your work (even a few good ones make a real difference)
- Any specific pages or information you want included
The more of this you can pull together, the faster the process goes and the better the result. For a more detailed guide, see what to prepare before starting a website project.
How Long Does It Take?
With a managed starter website, most businesses are online within five to seven working days of providing their content. The process is streamlined specifically for businesses that need to get live quickly without months of back-and-forth.
For more on the build speed, see can a small business website be built in under a week.
Taking the First Step
If you're ready to get your business online for the first time, get in touch and we'll guide you through everything. Our managed starter website service is built for exactly this situation — getting a proper professional result online quickly, without any technical headaches on your side.