An article gives tips and tools for trading online, and says that it is cheaper and easier than you think.
According to the article reported by The Telegraph, produced in association with Brother, UK adults are “online for 25 hours a week” and spend £1 ($1.2/€1.1) in every £5 ($6.1/€5.7) online. It was also noted that more than half of SMBs in the UK don’t have a website in the belief that it would be costly, and lack of time would slow business growth.
In reality a website presence is relatively cheap, the article points out, and not difficult, as well as being good for business as there is a place for all. Some SMBs sell their goods within the larger online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and other sites, but The Telegraph notes that there is no need to be a tech geek to build a website. WordPress or Squarespace are said to make the process easier, and website templates usually come with email services and e-commerce platforms.
The website should be easy to navigate and mobile friendly, noted the article, to make it easier for Google to direct visitors and also showcase the business’ credibility. It also recommended users try embedding a newsletter or writing a blog and post photos so that the site becomes the company’s showcase. Next, it recommended businesses to ask customers which words they would type into Google to find the company, then use those words in search engine optimisation (SEO).
This will then take people to the site when they type in those words. Lynsye Sweales, Chief Executive at Digitak Marketing Agency,, advises installing Google analytics, stating “Google Analytics is probably the most important thing you can install”. Payment plug-ins will be offered from the web builder, such as PayPal, but when taking credit card details online an SSL Certificate is required to “authenticate the identity of the website and encrypt the data transmitted”.
Social media such as Facebook and Instagram are also useful platforms to reach further-afield customers. and Emma Jones, Founder of Business Network, Enterprise Nation, said “Facebook is a brilliant tool, first of all because two billion people are already there, but you can also use the platform to target potential customers incredibly well”.
Sweales said that having a blog benefits users SEO and brings the business to life, as “the key to blogging is: don’t sell”, recommending users blog about life and think about topics the customer would be interested in, and post little and often. Finally, the article advises that businesses understand their “legal and data protection obligations” like Consumer Contracts Regulations, which protect the customers’ rights when buying from the online business. Any data collected from customers must be protected, and businesses should register with the Information Commissioners Office.