Starting a business has a lot of costs and diversions that take your time away from earning. Two such diversions are websites and social media. They sap a bit of time at the start while the business gets going. Here’s a breakdown of how to start your business’ online presence on a shoe-string. I’ll explain […]
Author: The online presence specialist
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation What does SEO actually mean? SEO stands for search engine optimisation. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving a website so it appears higher in search results for relevant queries. The goal is not just rankings — it’s qualified traffic, conversions, and ongoing visibility. The way I describe it to […]
How to write cold emails that could get you more business
The other day I got a cold email from a sole trader. It was a real person, and they were obviously looking for new leads. Here’s the snag, the email fell foul of all the most common mistakes that people make when cold calling. I went from thinking “oh hey, a new email” to disappointed […]
Why is my website not getting any traffic?
In 2026 the rules for web design changed significantly, with yet another heavy-handed core update from Google and the driving developments in AI. This month, we’ll go through why your website might not be getting any traffic and what you can do about it. When your website is crawled and indexed, there are 100s of […]
How much should a website cost for a small business?
Is it time you bought a website for your business? You might have asked web designers, friends or colleagues this questions: how much should a website cost for a small business? Perhaps you were met with unhelpful answers (like “how long is a piece of string”). I have been thinking about this question a lot. […]
How can I get customers from social media?
Social media can be a golden goose for small businesses that want to get customers online. What a lot of them struggle with, is how to use the platforms to get more customers. In this month’s blog I’ll be talking about how you can use social media to get customers and some of my personal […]
Most common SEO mistakes on websites for UK businesses
Welcome back, this month we are looking at the most common SEO mistakers made on UK business websites. Each week I get a whole host of new websites to work with. Some of them are getting an SEO overhaul for the first time – however the majority are websites where poor SEO practices have been […]
How to stop notifications from ruining your mental health (a guide for small business owners)
If you own any technology – a phone, laptop, Apple Watch, desktop, etc… you will know the daily bombardment of notifications all too well. These notifications are even more extreme for small business owners who often feel they need to be “on” all day and hyper-responsive to customer communications. We are always in the thick […]
How much of your life should you share on social media?
Welcome back to another online presence blog – today we’re talking about sharing your life on social media, and how much is acceptable. As an online presence specialist, here’s my two cents on the do’s and don’ts of sharing online. Consider both on and offline safety Before we get started on the nitty gritty of […]
How to write better emails in your small business
Welcome to another instalment of the online presence blog. This month I thought I would touch on how to write better emails. These days so many of us use email on a daily basis. Here are a few of the emailing hacks I have picked up over the years, that will make you stand out […]
Why do companies spend thousands on a logo?
Logos! They’re one of those things some companies can and will spend thousands on. Why do businesses do that?? Why do logos cost so much? A professional designer will profile your customer base and design the logo around their wants and needs. When done properly, these things can really add up because of a few […]
How to avoid SEO scams
SEO scams SEO scams have a lot of tell-tale signs. In this month’s blog we’ll go over the most common red flags that you’re dealing with a scammer. If it helps just one person avoid being scammed, this blog will be 100% worth it. Unsolicited contact You will receive unsolicited contact – usually an email […]
What to do when someone gives your business a 1 star review on Google
Has someone left you a 1 star review on Google? The digital age presents us with lots of new behaviours and social experiences. If you’re a Reddit user, you will know this all too well. Keyboard warriors are especially painful to deal with, particularly if you’re on the receiving end. More and more customers turn […]
Should prices be on your website?
When you shop online, do you seek out prices? To quote Fawlty Towers, if I were to be on Mastermind, my specialist subject would be “the bleeding obvious”. That is to say – online shopping is massive. We all use our phones and computers to seek out what we want from life – from clothes […]
Red Flags To Look For In Digital Marketing Companies
In my line of work, approximately 40-60% of clients come from a “negative experience” with other digital marketing companies. Thankfully these people know that one bad apple doesn’t represent all of us. For this month’s blog, I thought I’d share with you some of their bad experiences (and some of the red flags I have […]