Most small businesses launch without the marketing basics in place, and spend the next few years patching things together reactively. This checklist is the shortcut: get these 10 things sorted and you'll be ahead of the majority of your competitors before you've spent a penny on advertising.
1. A Professional Website
This is your home base. Everything else points back to it. Make sure it's mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and clearly explains what you do, who you serve, and how to get in touch. If you're not set up yet, get in touch and we will be happy to help.
2. A Professional Email Address
Your@gmail.com is not good enough for a business. Get a professional email address that matches your domain, it costs very little and signals credibility immediately. Read our guide on how to get a professional email address.
3. Google Business Profile
Claim and fully optimise your Google Business Profile. It's free and it's the single fastest way to start appearing in local search results. This is non-negotiable. See our step-by-step GBP setup guide.
4. Consistent NAP Across the Web
Your business Name, Address, and Phone number should be identical everywhere they appear, your website, GBP, Yell, Facebook, Yelp, and any industry directories. Inconsistencies confuse search engines and hurt local rankings.
5. Professional Photography
Phone photos and stock images will only take you so far. Professional brand photography transforms how your website looks, gives you consistent social media content, and signals that you take your business seriously. Read our guide on what brand photography is and whether you need it.
6. A Presence on Two Social Platforms (and No More)
Pick the two platforms where your customers actually spend time and commit to them. Spreading yourself thinly across five platforms produces worse results than doing two well. Post consistently (3x per week is a good baseline) and engage with your audience.
7. A Way to Collect Reviews
Reviews are one of the most powerful marketing assets a small business has, and most businesses leave them to chance. Create a simple system: after each job or sale, ask for a review and make it easy by sharing a direct link. Aim for at least 10 Google reviews in your first year.
8. Basic On-Page SEO
Each page of your website should have a unique title tag, meta description, and H1 heading that includes relevant keywords. Your URLs should be clean and descriptive. Images should have alt text. These fundamentals cost nothing but make a significant difference to how Google understands and ranks your site.
9. A Clear Call to Action on Every Page
Every page of your website should make it obvious what you want the visitor to do next. Contact you? Book a call? Request a quote? Don't make people guess. A prominent, well-worded CTA on each page will meaningfully increase enquiries.
10. An Understanding of Where Your Customers Come From
Set up Google Analytics (free) and Google Search Console (free) on your website from day one. Even if you don't look at them often initially, having the data from the beginning means you can make informed decisions later. Know which channels are sending you traffic and which keywords you're appearing for.
Ready to Get Started?
This list contains the essentials and these take time, especially when you're starting out. From building your website to setting up your GBP, sorting your professional email, and creating your social media content, here at Marketing Handled we can take care of it. Get in touch for a free call.