Help Guide for Getting Your Small Business Online and the Complete Checklist

Before You Start

What You'll Need

Budget: £200-500 for the first year (realistic, not minimum)

Time: 2-4 hours if straightforward, longer if learning as you go

Decisions: Business name, what you want your website to do

The Order Matters

1. Domain name (first—before anything else)

2. Email provider

3. Hosting or website platform

4. Website

5. Security setup

6. Launch and verify

Doing things out of order creates problems. Follow the sequence.

Step 1: Register Your Domain Name

What to Do

Choose your domain name

• Short, memorable, easy to spell
• Passes the 'radio test' (can say it and people type it correctly)
• Available in .co.uk (primary) and ideally .com

Register at a dedicated registrar

• Recommended: Namecheap, Cloudflare, Porkbun
• NOT your hosting provider
• NOT your website builder

Register in your own account

• Your email address
• Your name or business name
• Never let someone else register for you

Secure it

• Enable two-factor authentication
• Enable domain lock
• Enable auto-renewal
• Enable WHOIS privacy (should be free)

Checklist

• [ ] Domain name chosen and available
• [ ] Registered at dedicated registrar
• [ ] Registered in your own account
• [ ] .co.uk secured (minimum)
• [ ] .com also secured (recommended)
• [ ] 2FA enabled
• [ ] Domain lock enabled
• [ ] Auto-renewal enabled
• [ ] WHOIS privacy enabled

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Registering through your host (creates lock-in)
• Letting web designer register for you (lose control)
• Forgetting to enable auto-renewal (lose domain)
• Not checking trademark conflicts (legal issues)

Budget: £10-30/year

---

Step 2: Set Up Business Email

What to Do

Choose a provider

• Google Workspace (£4.60/user/month) if you prefer Gmail
• Microsoft 365 (£4.50/user/month) if you need Office
• Zoho Mail (free for up to 5 users) if budget is critical

Set up the account

• Sign up with your domain
• Verify domain ownership (add DNS record)
• Follow setup wizard

Configure DNS records

• MX records (where email goes)
• SPF record (proves emails are legitimate)
• DKIM record (cryptographically signs emails)
• DMARC record (tells receivers what to do)

Create mailboxes

• Personal: yourname@company.co.uk
• Generic: info@, hello@, sales@ (as aliases or shared mailboxes)

Checklist

• [ ] Provider chosen (Google/Microsoft/Zoho)
• [ ] Account created
• [ ] Domain verified
• [ ] MX records configured
• [ ] SPF record added
• [ ] DKIM record added
• [ ] DMARC record added
• [ ] Personal mailbox created
• [ ] Generic addresses set up
• [ ] Email tested (send and receive)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using personal Gmail/Hotmail for business
• Tying email to hosting provider
• Skipping SPF/DKIM/DMARC (deliverability issues)
• Sharing passwords instead of proper accounts

Budget: £0-60/year per user

---

Step 3: Choose Your Website Approach

Decision Point

Option A: Website Builder (Easier)

• Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify
• All-in-one (hosting included)
• Less control, more lock-in
• Best for: simple needs, non-technical users

Option B: WordPress (More Control)

• Self-hosted on your own hosting
• More flexibility and ownership
• More responsibility
• Best for: growing businesses, those wanting control

If Website Builder (A)

Choose platform

• Squarespace: Best design quality
• Wix: Easiest to use
• Shopify: Best for selling products

Sign up and connect domain

• Create account
• Choose plan (business-appropriate tier)
• Connect your domain (add DNS records)
• SSL is automatic

If WordPress (B)

Choose hosting

• Recommended: SiteGround, Krystal, or 20i
• £10-20/month for decent service
• Ensure free SSL (Let's Encrypt) included
• UK servers preferred

Set up hosting and WordPress

• Sign up for hosting
• Use one-click WordPress install
• Connect your domain (update nameservers or add A record)

Choose and install theme

• Recommended free: Astra, GeneratePress, Kadence
• Or premium: £40-80 one-time

Checklist (Builder Path)

• [ ] Platform chosen
• [ ] Account created
• [ ] Plan selected
• [ ] Domain connected
• [ ] SSL active (automatic)

Checklist (WordPress Path)

• [ ] Hosting provider chosen
• [ ] Hosting account created
• [ ] WordPress installed
• [ ] Domain connected
• [ ] SSL enabled
• [ ] Theme installed

Budget: £100-250/year

---

Step 4: Build Your Website

Essential Pages

Homepage

• Clear statement of what you do
• Who you serve
• How to take next step

About

• Your story
• Why customers should trust you
• Team information (if relevant)

Services/Products

• What you offer
• Clear descriptions
• Pricing (if appropriate)

Contact

• Contact form
• Email address
• Phone (if you want calls)
• Physical address (if relevant)
• Social media links

Legal Pages

• Privacy Policy (required if collecting any data)
• Terms and Conditions (recommended)
• Cookie notice (required for cookies)

Content Tips

Write for your customers

• Clear language, no jargon
• Benefits, not just features
• Answer their questions

Use quality images

• Professional photos if possible
• Stock images if needed (Unsplash, Pexels free)
• Optimise for web (compress file sizes)

Make contact easy

• Contact info visible on every page
• Working contact form
• Respond quickly when contacted

Checklist

• [ ] Homepage created
• [ ] About page created
• [ ] Services/Products page created
• [ ] Contact page created with working form
• [ ] Privacy Policy added
• [ ] Terms and Conditions added
• [ ] Cookie notice implemented
• [ ] All links working
• [ ] Forms tested
• [ ] Mobile view checked

---

Step 5: Set Up Security

Essential Security

SSL Certificate

• Should be automatic with builder or good hosting
• Site should show https:// and padlock
• Fix any 'mixed content' warnings

Strong Passwords

• 12+ characters minimum
• Unique for each account
• Use a password manager (Bitwarden free, 1Password paid)

Two-Factor Authentication

• Enable on hosting account
• Enable on WordPress (if applicable)
• Enable on email
• Enable on domain registrar

WordPress-Specific

• Install security plugin (Wordfence or Sucuri free)
• Set up automatic backups (UpdraftPlus free)
• Remove unused plugins/themes
• Change default 'admin' username

Checklist

• [ ] SSL active (https://)
• [ ] Strong passwords set everywhere
• [ ] Password manager in use
• [ ] 2FA enabled on hosting
• [ ] 2FA enabled on WordPress (if applicable)
• [ ] 2FA enabled on email
• [ ] 2FA enabled on domain registrar
• [ ] Security plugin installed (WordPress)
• [ ] Automatic backups configured
• [ ] Backup restoration tested

---

Step 6: Launch and Verify

Pre-Launch Checks

Technical

• [ ] All pages load correctly
• [ ] All links work
• [ ] Forms submit successfully
• [ ] Site works on mobile
• [ ] SSL showing on all pages
• [ ] Site speed acceptable (test with Google PageSpeed)

Content

• [ ] No spelling/grammar errors
• [ ] All placeholder text replaced
• [ ] Contact information correct
• [ ] Images loading properly
• [ ] Legal pages present

Email

• [ ] Can send and receive
• [ ] Forms deliver to correct address
• [ ] Email signature set up

Post-Launch Setup

Google Business Profile

• Claim or create your listing
• Add accurate business information
• Add photos
• Responds to reviews

Google Search Console

• Add your website
• Submit sitemap
• Monitor for issues

Google Analytics (Optional)

• Add tracking to understand visitors
• Ensure cookie consent is in place

Checklist

• [ ] All pre-launch checks passed
• [ ] Site publicly accessible
• [ ] Google Business Profile set up
• [ ] Google Search Console connected
• [ ] Sitemap submitted
• [ ] Analytics installed (if wanted)
• [ ] Cookie consent working (if using analytics)

---

Ongoing Maintenance

Weekly

• Check contact form submissions
• Monitor email
• Quick visual check of website

Monthly

• Check website for broken links
• Review and respond to Google reviews
• Check backup is running

Quarterly

• Update WordPress, themes, plugins (if applicable)
• Review website content for accuracy
• Check security plugin reports
• Verify SSL still valid

Annually

• Review and update content
• Check domain renewal status
• Review hosting and email costs
• Update legal pages if needed
• Assess if current setup still meets needs

---

Quick Reference: Total Costs

Quick Reference: Recommended Stack

Budget Option:

• Domain: Cloudflare (at-cost)
• Email: Zoho Mail (free tier)
• Website: Carrd or Wix (basic)
• Total: ~£100/year

Standard Option:

• Domain: Namecheap
• Email: Google Workspace
• Website: Squarespace
• Total: ~£350/year

WordPress Option:

• Domain: Namecheap
• Email: Google Workspace
• Hosting: SiteGround or Krystal
• Theme: Astra (free) or Kadence Pro
• Total: ~£250-350/year

The Bottom Line

Getting online properly isn't complicated, but doing it in the right order matters.

Domain first, email second, then website. Keep services separate where practical. Use strong passwords and 2FA everywhere.

Follow this checklist step by step and you'll have a professional, secure online presence for your small business.