GETTING NOTICED ONLINE

If you’re thinking of starting your own business it is important to ensure you are visible online, whether or not you’ve set up a website yet. Here’s just what you need to get you started.

We’ve teamed up with Sarah Drinkwater, who heads up Google’s Campus in London, which is hosting a baby-friendly start-up school, Campus for Mums (campus.co/ london/en/programs), for 10 weeks from August 30. Here are her top tips:

Have you researched and know what your competitors are up to? What they do well can inspire you – your difference is your unique selling point (USP).

Build up your audience on social media. It’s free and one of the best ways to connect with potential customers. Just make sure you

OOunderstand what you want to gain from your social media activity. What action is the most important to you – directing people to your website or building up a brand you can monetise later?

Register with Google My Business, a one-stop shop for businesses looking to be found on Google search and Google Maps – even if you don’t have a website yet. It also ensures your digital presence is optimised for mobile phones, essential when competing with bigger businesses.

If you want to advertise online or reach more people, check out Google’s Digital Garage platform at digitalgarage. withgoogle.com for free masterclasses to help improve your digital skills.

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