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Do Small Firms Need Both a Website and Social Media?

As a busy small business owner, it can be tempting to see digital marketing as a distraction. In most cases, it’s not what you went into business to do, is it? Okay, your customers spend a lot of time online — but does that really mean you need both a website and social media? Isn’t one enough?

Well, yes. And no. In that order. Here’s why.

Why Small Firms Need a Professional Website

As you know, whether you sell online or not, a website represents your business 24/7/365. Most consumers check traders’ websites before buying from them, and judge your professionalism based on how much effort and investment you’ve put in. So not having a website at all undermines sales.Read the rest “Do Small Firms Need Both a Website and Social Media?”

How to Help Small Firms (And Why)

A Quick Guide for Concerned Consumers

Let’s face it: the stuff trickling down from corporate “trickle-down economics” isn’t what you hoped it would be, right?

I can’t help that, but I can help small firms compete against the big ones. So can you – and it’s in your interests to do so.

Here’s the how and why:

Getting more customers lets small firms resist inflation, keeping prices down. Sound good? Okay, but having to pay big firms for marketing pushes their prices up. That also boosts corporate profits, and corporate control.

So here’s what you can do — for free — to help small firms fight that:

  • Recommend the small businesses you know to everyone, frequently.
  • Make a point of giving those small firms positive reviews and ‘likes’ on Google, Facebook etc.
Read the rest “How to Help Small Firms (And Why)”

How to Attract More Website Visitors

Are you missing opportunities online? With two billion websites online, just having one doesn’t guarantee potential customers will find you. You’ll need to promote it, just like any brick-and-mortar business premises. Paid ads are fast but addictive, and can massively inflate your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). Free website traffic can reduce that and your ad-dependency. So here’s how to attract more website visitors cost-effectively.

First though, if your site isn’t attracting many visitors, you need to understand what’s going wrong.

What Website Visitors Really Want

Look at your site. What does it do? Well, it exists — and should provide a way for people to get in touch with you, at least.

That’s pretty much all most bots and people who want to sell to you will need.… Read the rest “How to Attract More Website Visitors”

Why Cheap Web Designers Often Disappear

Everyone loves cheap web design — until they learn that it takes far more than low prices and fancy graphics to build a business website that works. That can be a hard lesson about cheap web design risks, but it often gets worse. Because cheap web designers often disappear.

This can be a touchy subject though, so let’s be clear: most experienced web designers I know are talented people who only want to help. That said, experienced web designers are rarely cheap web designers.

Still, I have just spoken to yet another distressed small business owner. His cheap web designer had left him in the lurch with a broken website and no access to fix it.

Other business owners had told him this was “typical” of “flaky” designers.… Read the rest “Why Cheap Web Designers Often Disappear”

6 Top Marketing Trends for 2025

With 2025 fast approaching, the question on every small business’s mind is “How can I better prepare for the new year?” Taking advantage of the latest trends is an effective way to grow your business and reach a wider audience. So here are a few of the top marketing trends that you need to consider.

1. Content Is Still King

The growth of ad blockers has made traditional advertising tougher for small businesses. Paid ads simply aren’t as effective any more. It’s also a slow and passive form of marketing that you have little control over.

In any case, customers generally prefer to buy from people they know, like and trust. So even without an ad blocker, most people are pretty good at ignoring anything that looks like a traditional paid ad.… Read the rest “6 Top Marketing Trends for 2025”

Organic SEO vs. Paid Ads – Which Is Better for Small Businesses?

Small businesses constantly seek ways to stand out and attract more eyes to their services or products. One crucial decision they face is choosing between organic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and paid advertising strategies — specifically Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads — to drive traffic and enhance online presence. So which is best?

The Importance of SEO and PPC

In an era where most consumers turn to search engines for their queries, having an effective web presence can make or break a small business. Through organic SEO, businesses climb the ranks of search results, establishing credibility and creating lasting value. On the other hand, paid ads offer immediate visibility and can quickly funnel potential customers to your offerings.… Read the rest “Organic SEO vs. Paid Ads – Which Is Better for Small Businesses?”