Free step-by-step guides

free website guides

Practical, no-fluff steps to improve website design, SEO, and online marketing for small businesses in 2025

These guides walk you through what matters most — clear messaging, mobile-first design, local SEO, and marketing tactics that generate enquiries. Follow the steps, use the checklists, and get measurable results.

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Design: immediate fixes SEO: step-by-step Online marketing that converts Conversion optimisation Quick checklists Tools & templates Measure & iterate FAQ

Design: quick, high-impact fixes (30–90 minutes)

Good design starts with clarity. These tactical steps will make your website look and feel professional without a full redesign.

1. Clarify your value proposition

Write a single headline that answers "what you do" and "who it's for" in one line.

Headline: "Plumbing repairs in Sydney — Same-day service"
Subhead: "Fixed price, licensed technicians, 24/7 emergency"
CTA button visible in the hero (click-to-call on mobile)

2. Make the hero section convert

Your top-of-page content should answer visitor intent in 5 seconds.

Use a clear CTA (Call, Book, Get Quote).
Show 1–2 benefits (fast, local, guaranteed).
Include a trust signal (award, review score).

3. Mobile-first layout

Over half of visits are mobile. Design for thumbs.

Make CTAs full-width on phones.
Large tap targets (44px+), readable font sizes.
Avoid long paragraphs; use bullets.

4. Use images that sell

Authentic photos outperform generic stock.

Show your team, van, or finished work.
Compress images (WebP or optimized JPG) and set width attributes.
Use descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO.

Design checklist (fast wins)

Single, clear headline
Primary CTA above the fold
Click-to-call enabled on phones
3–5 trust elements (reviews, logos, certifications)
Readable font and contrast

SEO: step-by-step for small businesses

SEO doesn't have to be technical. Focus on the fundamentals and local signals that drive real enquiries.

1. Keyword and intent mapping

List 10 services you offer (e.g., "blocked drains", "hot water repairs").
For each service, add location variants: "near me", suburb names, and "emergency".
Use Google Keyword Planner or free tools to check search volume—prioritise intent (booking/quote).

2. On-page basics (page-by-page)

Unique title tag (60 chars) and meta description (120–160 chars).
H1 contains primary keyword + location.
Use H2s for service sections and include related keywords.
Schema.org LocalBusiness markup for address, opening hours, phone, and service area.

3. Local SEO essentials

Claim and optimise Google Business Profile (GBP): categories, photos, posts.
Consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across your site and directories.
Get 5-star reviews and respond to them promptly.

4. Technical SEO & performance

Submit sitemap.xml to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Implement canonical tags and set a robots.txt file.
Target mobile PageSpeed score 90+ by compressing images and removing render-blocking scripts.

5. Content strategy that ranks

Create pages that answer common questions and local intent. Think service pages + FAQ + 1–2 blog posts per month on topics customers search for.

Write for customers first; include keywords naturally.
Use short paragraphs, bullets, and local examples.
Internal link from blog posts to service pages to boost relevance.

SEO checklist (first 30 days)

Title tags + meta descriptions for top 5 pages
Google Business Profile completed and verified
Sitemap submitted and Search Console connected
Mobile PageSpeed improvements (images, caching)
Ask 3–5 customers for Google reviews

Online marketing that actually drives enquiries

Marketing is the bridge between a well-built site and a steady stream of customers. Prioritise channels that deliver fast, measurable results for local businesses.

Google Ads (Local search)

Run targeted search ads for high-intent keywords (service + suburb).

Use call extensions for mobile call-throughs.
Bid on "emergency" and "same day" keywords if offered.

Meta / Social ads

Use Facebook/Instagram to target local audiences with offers and social proof.

Promote special deals or seasonal services.
Use short videos or before/after images.

Email & SMS

Keep customers engaged with offers, reminders, and follow-ups.

Collect emails at booking or via a lead magnet.
Use SMS for appointment reminders (high open rate).

Tracking & budgets

Everything should be measurable: set a CPL (cost per lead) target and track it.

Install GA4 and conversion events (calls, form submits, bookings).
Use UTM tags for campaigns and review weekly.
Start small: $200–500/mo on ads, scale what's profitable.

Conversion optimisation — turn visitors into customers

Small tweaks can lift conversion rates dramatically. Test the following and measure the impact.

Contact & booking

One-click call button on phones.
Simple booking or quote form (3 fields max).
Display typical response time (e.g., "We reply in 15 minutes").

Trust & social proof

Show 3–5 customer reviews and star rating near CTAs.
Before/after photos with short captions.
Press mentions, certifications, and secure badge.

Page structure

Keep pages scannable: headings, bullets, CTAs repeated.
Limit navigation options to reduce friction.
Use urgency sparingly (availability, limited slots).

A/B testing

Test one change at a time (CTA copy, color, hero image).
Run each test for at least 2 full business cycles.
Measure lift in leads, not just clicks.

Quick checklists — what to do this week

Day 1: Design

Update hero headline and CTA
Ensure click-to-call on mobile
Replace any low-quality images

Day 2: SEO

Set title/meta for homepage
Verify Google Business Profile
Submit sitemap to Search Console

Day 3: Marketing

Turn on call tracking or event tracking
Create one ad with a clear offer
Ask 5 recent customers for reviews

Tip: Focus on tracking one key conversion (calls or quote requests) so you can judge ROI quickly.

Tools & templates (free and fast)

SEO & performance

Google Keyword Planner
Google Search Console
PageSpeed Insights & Lighthouse
Screaming Frog (free crawl limit) or Sitebulb
Ubersuggest / AnswerThePublic for content ideas

Design & images

Canva for quick graphics
Unsplash / Pexels for free photos (use real photos where possible)
TinyPNG / Squoosh for compression
Figma templates for simple wireframes

Marketing & tracking

GA4 for analytics
Hotjar for session recording (free tier)
Mailchimp / Sendinblue for email
Facebook Ads Manager & Google Ads

Templates

Simple homepage brief (headline, subhead, 3 benefits, CTA)
Service page template (problem, solution, benefits, CTA)
Review request SMS/email script

Note: If you'd rather skip setup and get a professional, mobile-optimised site quickly, Congero builds and maintains sites for a flat monthly fee and handles SEO, hosting and unlimited updates — get a free demo via WhatsApp at #demo.

Measure & iterate — monthly growth routine

Set a simple monthly routine to review metrics and prioritise improvements that affect revenue.

30-minute monthly growth checklist

Review leads last 30 days (calls, forms, bookings).
Check top landing pages and bounce rate in GA4.
Identify one page to improve (content, CTA, or speed).
Launch one marketing test (ad creative or audience tweak).
Ask for 3 new reviews from recent customers.

Pro tip: Track CPL (cost per lead) and LTV (lifetime value) to understand ad spend limits. If you need help setting up measurement or monthly analytics, Congero includes actionable monthly reports in every plan.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly can I see improvements if I follow these guides?

Design and conversion wins (CTA fixes, click-to-call, hero clarity) often show results in days. SEO and organic traffic typically improve over weeks to months. Paid ads can generate leads immediately if tracked correctly.

Do I need technical skills to implement these steps?

Many steps are non-technical (copy, images, CTA placement). For technical items (schema, PageSpeed), you can use guided tools or a managed service. Congero's subscription includes updates and technical SEO if you prefer hands-off support.

What's the fastest way to get a professional site ready to convert?

Try an AI-driven build + managed service. Congero can create a full, mobile-optimised website from a short WhatsApp conversation in under a minute and launch within 24 hours — with domain, hosting, SSL, local SEO and unlimited updates included for a single monthly fee.

Ready to simplify your website growth?

Follow these guides yourself, or let Congero build, host, optimise and update your site while you run the business. Fast launch, predictable cost, and local SEO built in.

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