Small business secrets...

When running a small business, it’s important to keep track of which tactics are working and which aren't, so you can adjust your approach accordingly. This seems like common business sense, so I was surprised to read recently that only 25% of small businesses keep track of analytics on their websites.

We have a wide range of business customers using our website builder, but it was certainly a first when a six-year-old signed up to our free service and built a website this weekend.

Too often, businesses create their website as if it’s an online advert, only designed to drum up business. In reality, a website can be much more than a marketing tool, it can help you run your business more efficiently, and help you save money. Why waste money on hiring or outsourcing for your company’s admin, when it can all be done simply and securely via your website?

I was interested to read about entrepreneur and ex Dragons’ Den star James Caan in the news this week. The new government-appointed social mobility tsar is accused of hypocrisy, after it emerged both his daughters are employed in businesses connected to him.

When you decided to create a business website, you probably did so with the intention of bringing in new customers. Of course, a good website will attract new people to your business, but it’s important to remember those who got you where you are today - your loyal customers.

With the rise in popularity of Google Adwords or Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, many small businesses have been priced out of this once cost-effective online advertising medium. Increasingly, the best option for marketing small business websites is to move to the top of search results pages.

Blogging is one of the best things you can do to keep your small business website up-to-date, informative and optimised for search engines. All too often, these small business blogs start out enthusiastically but don’t become a regular feature.

When optimising your small business website for search engines, your first port of call should be keyword research. After all, how can you expect to rank highly on search engines if you don’t know which search terms you’re aiming for?

For a small business, it’s important to save money wherever possible. If you know a few simple tricks, you can easily save money on your essential business services such as utilities, technology, telecoms and even business website.

When creating a small business website, the domain name is one of the key things to consider. Along with the design and content of your website, the right domain name helps to solidify the branding of your small business online.