Live Q&A: How SMEs can make their websites stand out

If I am considering using the service of a business – in any industry – the first thing I do is Google them. Whether I’m searching for a good plumber, a cafe that’s been recommended, or a nearby shop that stocks 1960s pop on vinyl, a company’s online presence is crucial to my perception. Granted, this may not be the case for all consumers, but SMEs have little to lose by making the best out of the resources they have to ensure their website stands out and draws in new business.

There are some great benefits to having an online presence, but getting your website right can be tough. From setting a budget and finding the right developers to making sure the design represents your brand and the site shows up at the top of a search engine search, SMEs might find the prospect overwhelming. Our experts are here to help. We’ll offer personalized tips and insight to startups, first-time website designers, and SMEs who don’t feel like making the most of their online presence. So, whether you want to revamp your site, you are hoping to attract more online business, or you have a technical query, you can post your questions in the comments section below and join us live on Thursday 7 February between 1 pm and 3 pm.

Here’s this week’s panel:

Mark Asquith is the marketing director of creative marketing agency DMSQD. Mark is a marketing strategist with more than 12 years’ digital experience. With a background in web development, Mark now helps SMEs grow by incorporating digital marketing techniques into their broader marketing strategy.

Bryony Thomas is an online marketing strategist.

Bryony has more than 10 years of experience in web marketing and is the author of Watertight. Marketing, an entrepreneur’s guide to putting a marketing operation in place.

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Carla Gadyt is a consultant at SocialB

Carla has more than ten years of marketing experience and specializes in helping SMEs in SEO, social media, and paid online advertising.

Matthew Davidson is the founder of Startup Marketing.

Matthew has more than 10 years of experience in online marketing, helping small businesses in the areas of search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), affiliate marketing, content, and data analysis. Sonja Jefferson is the founder of Valuable Content, which helps SMEs include the best content in their websites. Sonja is also the author of the Valuable Content Marketing book, which aims to help small businesses to create high-quality web content that makes them stand out from the crowd.

Alex Capone is the owner of the web agency Five site

Alex has more than 30 years of experience in the business software industry. He currently runs a web agency that offers a range of services to help businesses improve their business sites.

Gavin Cockerill is the managing director of Flyerzone

Gavin also heads up Templatecloud and has recently launched a WordPress theme for small businesses and startups to assist them with professional website designs.

Rebecca Swift is the creative planning manager for iStockphoto

Rebecca leads the creative team, recruits new photographers, looks at and assesses trends, and offers visual consultancy to brands to develop their visual language and select the best images to improve their websites. Daniel Wilson is the founder and managing director of web analytics agency Stubble & Glasses…
Daniel has worked in online analytics for eight years, with extensive experience in data strategy, optimization, dashboard design, and user analysis. This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To receive more like this, you can become a member of the Small Business Network here. We’d love to hear your views and thoughts in the comments, but please remember not to share any commercially sensitive information.

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