Free guide
Getting a great website built is step one. Getting customers to find it is step two — and most of it is free. Here are the things that actually move the needle for small businesses, in plain English.
This is the single most valuable free thing you can do. It puts you on Google Maps and in local search ("plumber near me"), shows your hours, phone and photos, and lets customers leave reviews. Search "Google Business Profile", verify your business, and fill it out completely.
Note This is separate from the on-page SEO on your website — both work together.
Reviews are gold: they lift you in local rankings and convince new customers to choose you. After a good job, send a quick link and ask. Even a handful of genuine 5-star reviews makes a real difference.
Make it easy for Google to understand your site: clear page titles, descriptions, headings and image labels, plus a sitemap. This is the "Basic SEO setup" add-on when you build your quote — it gives you a solid foundation to be found in search.
Post your work where your customers already scroll (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok). Link your profiles on your website and your website in your profiles, so traffic flows both ways. Consistency beats perfection.
Add your business to relevant directories and local community pages — and any trade or industry-specific listings. Keep your name, address and phone identical everywhere; consistency helps Google trust you.
Vehicle signage, business cards, invoices, flyers, uniforms and a QR code on your shopfront all send people to your site. The cheapest traffic is often the customer already standing in front of you.
Your past customers are your warmest audience. A simple email or text to let them know about a new service, season or offer — and a nudge to refer a mate — costs nothing and works.
Google and Meta ads can bring customers fast, but they cost money — so start small, target your local area, and watch which ads actually lead to enquiries. Treat the first month as a test, not a commitment.
Set up website analytics so you can see where visitors come from and what they do. Once you know what brings enquiries, do more of that and stop wasting effort on what doesn't.
Free, and the single biggest lever for local businesses — it puts you on Google Maps and in "near me" searches.
Go to google.com/business (or search "Google Business Profile") and sign in with the Google account you want to own the listing — ideally a business account you'll keep long-term.
Search your business name. If a listing already exists, claim it; if not, choose Add your business to Google and pick the category that best describes what you do.
Add your address or service area, phone, and website (your new site). Keep your business name, address and phone identical to everywhere else online — consistency helps Google trust and rank you.
NAP Name, Address, Phone — same on your site, socials and every directory.
Google confirms you're the owner by postcard, phone, email or video, depending on your business. You can't appear on Maps or in local results until this is done, so complete it as soon as the option arrives.
Add opening hours, services, a clear description, and real photos — logo, storefront, team and your work. Complete profiles with photos rank higher and win more clicks than half-finished ones.
Share your review link with happy customers and reply to every review. Post the occasional update or offer. Active, well-reviewed profiles consistently outrank neglected ones.
Free, and the official way to see how Google reads your site — what you rank for and any indexing problems.
Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with your Google account (the same one as your Business Profile is fine).
Choose Domain (covers every version of your site but needs a DNS record) or the simpler URL prefix (just your https:// address). URL prefix is easiest if you're not sure.
For Domain, add the TXT record Google gives you at your registrar or in Hostinger's DNS. For URL prefix, add the HTML tag/file. On managed hosting we add it for you; self-managed, our Hostinger guide shows where it goes.
Tip The DNS TXT method is the most reliable and never breaks if your site changes.
Under Sitemaps, submit sitemap.xml so Google can find all your pages. A sitemap is part of the Basic SEO setup add-on when you build your quote.
Check Performance to see the searches you show up for, Pages for indexing issues, and use URL inspection to request indexing whenever you add or update a page.
Build your quote in a couple of minutes and see a clear, fixed price — then we'll help you get found.