A domain is the web address someone types into a browser or clicks on to visit a website. Taking your business online with your own website is vital to building awareness and trust, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. Plus, according to recent research, more than half of UK customers will only use a business they find online if it has its own website.

Let’s start with some myth busting

If your business is missing a website, you could be missing out on business.

You may be thinking that you’re happy using social media to run your business or your free email address is working just fine.

A website will you give you an online presence, greater discoverability via organic search, can connect your social accounts under one name in one location, and showcases your products and services. And, when it comes to your email address, having a professional email which reinforces your brand creates a much better impression. After all, 33% of people won’t trust a business that uses a free email address*.

And for those who run their business from a physical premise or are worried about what content to make, being online can still open up a world of opportunities. A website can showcase your shop, providing useful information to help drive visitors to your door. If you’re not sure what to put on your site, you may be surprised how much content you can generate about your business once you get started, from the story of your business to customer reviews, gallery pages and more.

How to get started

You may find the thought of setting up your new website or professional email daunting, but it’s quicker and simpler than you might think. There are four main steps to follow:

Choose a domain name

The key points to keep in mind when choosing your domain name are to make it simple, reflective of your current business (does it match or closely resemble your business name and/or the products and services you offer?), with scope for development.

You’ll also need to find the right domain ending. With 70% of UK people saying they prefer to click on a UK ending domain name when buying products or services*, it makes sense to choose a domain name that ends in .co.uk or .uk.

You can search for UK ending domains, and find out more about them, on the UK Domain website.

Choose a registrar

A registrar is the company who looks after your domain name for you, and you’ll have plenty to choose from. Different registrars will offer a variety of packages, ranging in price depending on the services you’re looking for. Think about how you want to build your website and what features you’ll need to help you decide which one to choose. You can then work with your registrar to find the right package for you.

Create your website or email inbox

There are a variety of options available depending on your expertise, confidence, time capacity and budget. You could think about creating something from scratch, or if that feels a little technical, there are plenty of templated, easy-to-use designs out there. You could even ask a company to design and host the website or inbox for you, the choice is yours.

Enjoy the results!

Once your website’s up and running, don’t forget to get the word out! Some ideas to get you started include sharing with your customers, whether you have a physical store or just when you’re next speaking to them, posting on social media, creating blog posts to add some content to your new site and collecting email subscribers. All these can help to drive traffic to your new website.

Find out more about what a UK domain can offer you and find the best domain name for your business at www.theukdomain.uk/get-going.

*2021 Trust & Awareness survey conducted by Yonder on behalf of Nominet.