Website guides for owners
deciding what to do next
Short, plain guides on the decisions that come before a website: what to plan, what to ask, what to check. Find your situation below.
Tell us about your project, and we reply with next steps. No cost, no obligation.
Where are you right now?
Pick the line that sounds like you. Each one points to the guide that helps most, and to what we do about it.
My website gets visitors but few enquiries.
Read: Why your website is not bringing in enquiries.
What we do: Redesign.
Customers search for what I do and find someone else.
Read: Why your website is not showing up on Google.
What we do: search engine optimisation (SEO).
I am redesigning, or moving to Shopify, and do not want to lose what I have earned.
Read: Redesigning or moving a website without losing search traffic.
What we do: Redesign.
I need my first website and do not know where to start.
Read: How to write a website brief that gets you a useful quote.
What we do: Custom websites.
I sell products, or want to.
Read: Ecommerce website requirements: what to decide before you build a shop.
What we do: Online shops.
I cannot tell what my website brings in.
Read: How to track where your website enquiries come from.
What we do: Analytics.
I worry a developer could keep my logins.
Read: Who owns your website, and what a handover should include.
What we do: your domain, accounts, files and logins stay in your name.
Every guide, by what you are working on
Not sure which one you need? Start with the group closest to your question.
Planning (15)
Choosing a provider, what drives cost, which platform, how to brief and structure a site.
- Before you hire a web designer: what to prepare and what to ask
- What affects the cost of a website
- Custom website, Shopify or a website builder: how to choose
- How long does it take to build a website?
- How to write a website brief that gets you a useful quote
- Planning your website's structure
- Web designer, developer, freelancer or studio: who do you actually need?
- Ecommerce website requirements: what to decide before you build a shop
- How much does a Shopify store cost to build and run?
- Shopify, WooCommerce or custom: choosing an ecommerce platform
- Website design and development agencies: compare scope, ownership and launch responsibilities
- Shopify design agencies and specialists: which fits your store?
- Ecommerce website development companies: compare platforms, scope and support
- B2B website providers for manufacturers and suppliers: compare catalogue and RFQ scope
- White-label website partners: compare delivery, client contact and handover
Design and content (12)
Pages that turn visitors into enquiries and sales: product, category, checkout, quote forms, images, About pages.
- Why your website is not bringing in enquiries
- What makes an ecommerce product page useful
- Why mobile design needs its own decisions
- Images that help customers understand your offer
- What makes a website easier to use and more accessible
- Planning your website content: who writes what, and when
- How to write an About page that helps a buyer decide
- Ecommerce category pages: what shoppers need before they open a product
- Checkout and abandoned carts: what stops shoppers from paying
- What a manufacturer or distributor website needs
- Request-a-quote forms that get answered
- Putting a B2B product catalog online: specifications, downloads and quote lists
Search visibility (11)
Being found on Google, in a new site, in a shop, and in AI answers, without hype.
- What SEO actually does for a business website
- Do you need a separate page for every city or keyword?
- Why your website is not showing up on Google
- How long does SEO take to work?
- How to choose an SEO company: what to ask and what to be wary of
- SEO for a new website: what to do first
- SEO for manufacturers and industrial suppliers
- Ecommerce SEO checklist: what a shop needs before and after launch
- Can you rank in ChatGPT and AI search? What helps and what is hype
- SEO agencies and consultants: compare the work your website needs
- AI search and GEO agencies: compare page work, advice and measurement
Redesign and launch (10)
Changing a site or platform without losing what you have, and checking before you go live.
- Redesigning or moving a website without losing search traffic
- Planning a website redesign: what to decide before design starts
- How often should a website be redesigned? Signs it is time, and signs it is not
- How much does a website redesign cost?
- Website content audit: what to keep, fix or remove before a redesign
- Moving to Shopify from Wix, WooCommerce or Squarespace without losing search traffic
- Traffic dropped after a redesign: what to check first
- Website launch checklist: what to check before you go live
- Who owns your website, and what a handover should include
- Website redesign agencies: compare design, URL migration and launch responsibilities
Measurement and improvement (10)
Knowing what your website brings in, and keeping it fast and healthy.
- Google Analytics and Search Console, explained simply
- More traffic or better enquiries: the website KPIs that matter
- What website maintenance includes
- Why a website is slow and how to find out why
- Website audit checklist: what to check on your own site before paying for an audit
- Ecommerce KPIs: the few numbers worth watching
- How to track where your website enquiries come from
- What a monthly website report should tell you (and what to ignore)
- Website analytics agencies and specialists: compare setup, testing and handover
- Website care providers: compare updates, recovery and responsibility
A guide is a start. Tell us about your project.
A guide can tell you what to think about. Tell us about your business and what your website should achieve, and we turn that into a plan for your site.
Tell us about your project, and we reply with next steps. No cost, no obligation.
You stay in charge of your website
Your domain, hosting and accounts are in your name. At launch you receive every file and login, and you can leave at any time with all of it.
Read: Who owns your website, and what a handover should include
Questions about the guides
Are the guides free to read?
Yes. All guides are open to read with no sign-up.
Are the guides specific to my business?
No, they are general information. Tell us about your project and we apply them to your business.
Do the guides give prices or timelines?
No. Costs and timing depend on your project, so we agree both with you in writing before you commit.
Which guide should I read first?
Pick the line in "Where are you right now?" that sounds like you, and start with the guide beside it.
Can I ask a question the guides do not cover?
Yes. Ask it in the contact form and we reply with next steps. No cost, no obligation.
What should your website do for your business?
A few sentences about your business is enough. We take it from there, step by step.
Tell us about your project, and we reply with next steps. No cost, no obligation.
Also see: our original concepts (not client work) Services Questions owners ask
