Local citations… What are they, are they useful to your business, and do you really need them? Will they improve your search engine results? We unpick and explore what is seen by many to be a complex issue, but which is, in fact, simple once you understand the basics.

​Ever been on holiday to a foreign country and found Google Translate to be your saviour when you are lost or hungry? It can come in very handy in such instances, as it can also when you’re browsing Facebook and need some help understanding someone’s post. But we would wager that more often than not, that translation, while helpful, is never quite right, is it? You may well understand the gist of something, but you know that either the grammar is wrong, the phrasing could use a bit of tweaking, or the expressions or idioms are just a little strange.
 
So it is with any app that promises to accurately translate your documents, website, or emails. But beware the pitfalls of taking the cheaper way for something as important as your business communications. So why should you be translating your business-related processes professionally? 

​Many people spend hundreds or thousands of pounds on their business website only to go live and to discover that it simply doesn’t make the telephone ring. 
 
Is there anything more disheartening than this? 
 
We don’t think so, which is why we put together five things you can do to improve your website conversions.

Do you have an amazing product/service? Do you want to generate more sales, draw in new customers and encourage past customers to return?

Of course you do! That’s why you need a solid marketing plan!

Marketing plans don’t have to be long, time-consuming or difficult to produce. They should be simple and effective. You can even find free tools online to help create your small business marketing plan.
​
Whilst building your plan, remember these simple marketing tips to help give your small business a boost this year and get you moving in the right direction.

Does your brand need a new lease of life?

Look at some of the big household names; Netflix, Starbucks, Google, Domino’s and Apple as just a few prime examples.
​
At some point in time all of these brands went through a refresh and a logo overhaul that updated their branding, keeping it current. Just remember that changes to branding don’t need to be drastic. Something simple can make all the difference, whilst retaining your identity. 

Many of you probably heard about Google’s warning prior to their release of Chrome 62 that all websites should have an SSL certificate to prevent their ‘Not Secure’ warning from being triggered and potentially driving away new traffic.
​
For those of you who have no clue what SSL is, or whether you need it for your website, keep reading!

Far too many businesses start blogs for the sake of starting blogs.

Unfortunately, this means the web is awash with ghostly wreckages that were once big content marketing ideas.

Using a blog to reach a wider audience is something every business should do, but this form of content marketing it’s just as adept at speaking to an existing customer base.
 
If you’re unsure, here’s seven ways to communicate with your customers via a blog:

Whether you do it yourself or employ someone to do it for you building a website is time consuming and expensive.