39 straight answers for UK small businesses

How long does a website take to build?

A small business website takes 3–6 weeks from kick-off to launch. Ecommerce and custom builds take 8–14 weeks.

How much should a small business spend on a website?

£2,500–£8,000 for a properly designed and coded small business site in the UK. £8k–£20k for ecommerce.

Do I need an SSL certificate?

Yes. Every website needs SSL/HTTPS — it's free, it's a Google ranking factor, and browsers now warn users away from sites without it.

WordPress vs Webflow vs custom — which should I pick?

WordPress for content-heavy sites with tight budgets. Webflow for design-forward marketing sites. Custom (Next.js/TanStack) for products, SaaS, and sites where performance and integrations matter.

How do I choose the right web designer?

Look at their live work (not portfolios), talk to their existing clients, check they understand SEO and conversion — not just aesthetics.

What is page speed and why does it matter?

Page speed is how fast your site loads. Under 2 seconds is the target. Every 1-second delay drops conversion rate by ~7%.

What is mobile-first design?

Designing for mobile screens first, then scaling up to tablet and desktop. It's now the default for any serious website in 2026.

What is a CMS and do I need one?

A CMS (content management system) lets you edit your website without a developer. Almost every business site should have one — the question is which.

How often should I redesign my website?

A full redesign every 3–5 years. Continuous small improvements in between. Redesigning too often resets SEO and confuses returning customers.

What is a tech stack and does mine matter?

A tech stack is the combination of platforms, frameworks and services powering your site. It matters — the wrong stack limits what you can do and costs more to change later.

What is a favicon and why does it matter?

A favicon is the tiny icon in browser tabs and bookmarks. It's a small trust signal — missing or generic favicons make a site look unfinished.

Should I use AI to write my website copy?

For research, outlines, and first drafts — yes. For finished published copy without human editing — no. Google's Helpful Content system detects it, and readers notice.

What is a good bounce rate?

There's no universal number. 40–60% is normal for content pages, 20–40% for ecommerce product pages, 70%+ can be fine on blog posts.

How often should I post on Instagram for my business?

3–5 quality posts a week beats daily filler. Consistency matters more than volume.

How much do Google Ads cost for a small business?

£500–£3,000/month in ad spend is normal for a UK SMB, plus 10–20% management fee if you use an agency. Cost per click ranges from 20p to £30+ depending on industry.

What is a landing page and how is it different from a homepage?

A landing page is a single-purpose page built to convert one type of visitor doing one specific thing. A homepage is a multi-purpose welcome mat.

What is a conversion rate and what's a good one?

Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who take a specific action. 2–5% is normal for ecommerce; 5–15% for lead-gen landing pages; anything above 20% is exceptional.

What ROI can I expect from email marketing?

£30–£45 per £1 spent is the industry-cited average. Realistic UK SMB returns are £15–£40 per £1 with a properly built list and consistent sends.

What is CRO (conversion rate optimisation)?

CRO is the discipline of improving what percentage of visitors take a desired action — usually purchase, signup or enquiry. Real CRO combines analytics, user research, and testing.

What is a lead magnet and do they still work?

A lead magnet is something valuable (guide, checklist, template) you give away in exchange for an email. Yes, they still work — if the offer matches genuine buyer questions.

What is Google Analytics 4?

GA4 is Google's current analytics platform (replacing Universal Analytics in 2023). Event-based tracking, cross-device support, more privacy-first — and more confusing than the old version.

What is a heat map and should I use one?

A heat map shows where users click, scroll and hover on your pages. Yes — free tools like Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar reveal problems analytics can't.

How do I get more Google reviews?

Ask every happy customer, make it stupidly easy (QR code, direct link), and reply to every review that comes in. Never buy reviews.

What is schema markup and do I need it?

Schema is structured data that tells Google what your page is about. Yes, most business sites should use it — especially LocalBusiness, Product and FAQ schema.

How long does SEO take to work?

3–6 months for local terms, 6–12 months for competitive national terms, 12+ months for high-volume commercial keywords.

How do I rank higher on Google Maps?

Fully complete your Google Business Profile, get real reviews consistently, build local citations, and make sure your website has location-relevant content.

Does my small business need a blog?

If you sell services or complex products where buyers research before buying, yes. If you sell impulse products or purely local trade services, probably not.

What are backlinks and how do I get them?

Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. Quality matters far more than quantity. Get them via genuine PR, guest posts, resource pages and local citations.

What is Google Search Console and how do I use it?

Google Search Console is a free tool showing how Google sees your site — what keywords you rank for, errors, indexed pages, Core Web Vitals. Every website should be connected.

What is domain authority and does it matter?

Domain Authority (DA) is a Moz metric predicting how well a site might rank. It's a third-party proxy — useful for comparison, not a real Google signal.

How do I write a good meta description?

Under 155 characters, includes the primary keyword, describes what the page delivers, and ends with a soft call-to-action. Written for humans, not Google.

What is an XML sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a file listing every important page on your site, submitted to Google to help it discover and index content. Every serious site should have one.

Shopify vs WooCommerce — which is better for my UK store?

Shopify for most SMBs — simpler, faster to launch, better checkout. WooCommerce if you have WordPress expertise and want lower monthly costs at higher complexity.

What's a good ecommerce conversion rate?

UK ecommerce averages 1.8–2.5% site-wide, 2.5–4% for established stores, 4–7% for top-quartile brands.

What are brand guidelines and do I need them?

Brand guidelines are a document that defines how your brand looks and sounds. Yes — even a 2-page version prevents inconsistency, saves time, and looks more professional.

How much should I pay for a logo?

£300–£1,500 for a solo designer, £1,500–£5,000 for a small studio, £5,000+ for a full identity system. Under £100 usually means AI-generated or template.

What is brand strategy and do I need it?

Brand strategy is the thinking behind the logo — who you're for, what you stand for, how you sound. Yes, even micro-businesses benefit from a lightweight version.

Should I hire a marketing agency or a freelancer?

Freelancer for narrow specialist work under £5k/month. Agency (or micro-studio) for multi-discipline work, tight deadlines, or when you need backup coverage.

What is a privacy policy and do I need one?

A privacy policy is a legal statement explaining what data you collect and how you use it. Yes — you need one if you collect any personal data (which basically every website does).