takepayments blog.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to write for the web.
In an age where consumers are spending more and more time glued to their screens, having a website can be very useful for many independent businesses. Whether you decide to sell directly from it or not, having one allows your current and potential future customers to discover your business more easily.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to make a website secure
Attracting new customers is the aim of the game for any business with an online presence, so if you discovered your website was having the opposite effect and actually turning browsers away, it would be a pretty dire state of affairs, right? But what if we told you by not having HTTPS at the beginning of your web address, you could be doing just that? Without HTTPS-enabled, Google will show your website as ‘not secure’ to consumers browsing for their next purchase, and, of course, that can be pretty off-putting and could well cost you sales.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to establish an online presence for your small business
It’s a common misconception that only businesses who operate solely online need a strong web presence. The truth is, any and all businesses can benefit from putting the time into their online image. According to the stats, as many as two million small businesses don’t have an online presence, and the figures show this could be costing them a collective £343 billion a year, yes you read that right, billion.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to create a social media strategy
For business owners juggling countless responsibilities, one of the most important elements to not dropping any balls is staying organised, and a clear social media strategy is a great tool to help. With 45 million active social media users in the UK in 2020, there’s no doubting the value it can provide to businesses when it comes to consumer engagement, so in this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of social media strategies and provide an eight-step plan to putting one together today.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to create a simple email marketing campaign
When it comes to marketing your small business it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming faced with all the options out there. Should you pay for ads? Focus on your social channels? Emails? Or maybe all four and more. Now that social media has turned into such a goliath it might be tempting to divert all your efforts onto the big platforms, but actually, time and time again, the humble email has been shown to outperform any other form of marketing in terms of customer acquisition.
Monday, 04 September 2023
How to set up Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool provided by Google themselves. It helps businesses control how they appear in Google search results and on Google Maps, as well as helping people find you when they search for certain things using the search engine. For example, if someone searches for ‘takeaways in Stockport’ even if they haven’t searched specifically for your business, and you're a takeaway in Stockport with a GMB page, it's likely your business would show up as a recommendation.
Monday, 04 September 2023
Social media tips for small businesses
In 2021 the UK is home to a whopping 53 million active social media users - that’s a penetration rate of 78% of the population - pretty staggering, right? For business owners, social media is one of the most cost-effective and impactful marketing tools at their disposal and can offer heaps of benefits if used correctly, including:
Monday, 04 September 2023
Why you should think mobile-first for your business' website
Creating a top-notch website is one of the most important elements to running a business - it’s the first impression a consumer on the hunt for a new product or service will get of you, and if it’s not up to scratch it could put them off from the get-go and ultimately lose you sales. From load speed and page design to branding and URL, there’s plenty to think about when it comes to creating a great website, but one of the major developments of recent years and a crucial thing to get right is ensuring your website is mobile-first.
Monday, 04 September 2023
What are retargeting ads and how could they benefit my business?
The world of marketing has exploded thanks to the internet - gone are the days when handing out flyers or printing an ad in the local paper was as far as it went - today the scope of digital marketing is vast and opens up the door to a much wider audience. With so many elements involved in digital marketing, from social media to emails and SEO to blogging, it can be hard to know as a small business owner which avenues to take to see the biggest benefits.