Website guides for small businesses
No jargon and no sales pitch. Straight answers to the questions business owners actually ask before they commission a website.
Getting started
How much does a website cost in the UK?
DIY builders, freelancers, agencies, and the running costs nobody mentions. A straight answer for 2026.
Read the guideWebsite builder vs hiring a web designer: which is right for you?
When a DIY builder is the smart choice, and when it quietly costs you more than hiring someone.
Read the guideWhat should a small business website include?
The essentials every site needs, what to add as you grow, and what you can safely skip.
Read the guideHow long does it take to build a website?
A realistic timeline, what slows things down, and the one thing that speeds it up.
Read the guideAdd-ons & features
Do you need online booking on your website?
How booking integrations work, what they cost, and when they're worth it over a phone number and a diary.
Read the guideHow to accept payments on your website
What it takes to take card payments on your own site, what it costs, and when Shopify is the better fit instead.
Read the guideShopify vs a custom-built online shop: which is right for you?
Why almost every small business selling online should start with Shopify, and what changes as you grow.
Read the guideWhat is a client portal, and does your business need one?
A private login area for your clients can be genuinely useful, or it can be a feature you paid for and nobody uses. Here's how to tell which.
Read the guideE-signatures for small business websites: how they work and if you need them
Letting people sign a document without printing it out, and what that setup actually involves.
Read the guideAI chatbot vs live chat: which suits your business?
Both put a chat box on your site. They solve different problems, and one needs a lot more of your time than the other.
Read the guideDo you need a CMS for your website?
A CMS lets you edit your own site. Here's what that buys you, and when paying someone else to make the changes is actually cheaper.
Read the guideShould your small business website have a blog?
A blog is one of the better long-term ways to be found on Google, but only if you're actually going to keep writing it.
Read the guideCRM integration: is it worth it for a small business website?
Automatically pushing your website leads into your CRM saves the copy-paste, but only if you're actually using a CRM.
Read the guideRunning your site
Does website speed actually affect your Google ranking?
Yes, and Google has three specific measures for it. Here's what they mean in plain English and when they're worth paying to fix.
Read the guideWhat does website maintenance actually include?
Every site needs a plan behind it. Here's what you're actually paying for each month, and how to pick the right tier.
Read the guideLet's talk about your project.
A free 30-minute call. I'll go through your project with you, answer your questions, and give you a price on the call.
Next free call: Tue 29 Sept, 09:00