Brand Highlighters, a leading digital services partner for hundreds of UK businesses and industry experts believe millions of SMEs in the UK are missing out on growth opportunities by not utilising their online proposition. Many small business owners don’t have the knowledge to manage their digital solutions and according to recent research* over a third (36%) still don’t have a website or online presence and are missing out on thousands of potential customers which is why we have put together this easy guide.

Google alone processes an impressive 8 billion searches every day and nearly 50% of all Google searches are made by people looking for local products and services. New research on consumer spending* has highlighted that 80% of customers will research a local business before visiting or purchasing goods and services which is why

At Brand Highlighters, we focus on assisting clients to improve their operational performance, deliver products and services more effectively and efficiently, and expand their operations locally and into new markets across the UK and internationally.

We offer a unique blend of creative and technical experts that allows us to deliver the best results and we have put together these simple online techniques that help small businesses improve their online presence quickly and efficiently

1) Register with Google Search Console– This is a free, online service provided by Google that allows you to check your website’s indexing status and optimise your site’s visibility.

2) Set up Google Analytics and a Google Business Profile- Google Analytics will give you an overview of how your website is being utilised and where people are visiting from. A Google Business profile helps ensure your business appears in relevant local searches giving you the opportunity to gain new customers.

3) Identify your keywords– The first thing to consider is keeping these niche and local. Don’t try to take on national giants as it will eat up the budget and deliver fee results. Take ownership of specific local phrases that will deliver enquiries and revenue.

4) Create more content – Your website will benefit immensely if you post new content regularly. This content can be blog posts, photos, videos, etc. Also, review old content and update this as Google recognises websites that update their content.

5) Review your site structure and internal links- Internal linking refers to your on-site links that connect one page to another. If you have an integrated linking structure within your website, it means that your pages exist within a web of links that allow the user to easily navigate around your site.
Utilising your local community online can be a fantastic and cost-effective marketing tool for small businesses and can help secure new customers and build brand awareness both locally and nationally.

Jon Hobbs, Director at Brand Highlighters commented, “Put simply If you don’t have an online presence for your business, you’ll miss out on valuable online traffic. Local business owners shouldn’t ignore 80% of their potential customers by not having an online proposition.
Our team at Brand Highlighters understand small businesses and can work to ensure they maximise impact online both locally and nationally.”