Business Website Guides
Website guidance for UK businesses
Understand website planning, ownership, SEO, performance, security and compliance through practical guides written for business owners rather than developers.
Knowledge journey
Learn in the order your website develops
Move from a business decision to a secure, useful website. Each stage connects explanation with a practical AHANIX tool.
Plan
Guides
Apply it
Build
Apply it
Improve
Guides
Protect
Comply
How Much Does a Website Cost in the UK?
UK website cost ranges, ongoing expenses and a detailed planning calculator.
18 min read · Read guide →Website SecurityWhat Is SSL?
Certificates, TLS, expiry, validation and what the browser padlock does and does not mean.
16 min read · Read guide →Website SecurityWhat Is HTTPS?
Understand how HTTPS protects browser-to-server connections, how it differs from HTTP and what UK businesses should check before switching.
9 min read · Read guide →Website PerformanceWhy Is My Website Slow?
Diagnose slow hosting, oversized images, JavaScript, third-party scripts and Core Web Vitals with a prioritised website speed checklist.
11 min read · Read guide →SEOWhy Isn’t My Website on Google?
Work through crawl, indexing and ranking problems using Search Console, robots, canonicals, sitemaps and a practical investigation checklist.
12 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is Local SEO?
Learn how local SEO, Google Business Profile, reviews, location pages and consistent business details help UK customers find nearby services.
10 min read · Read guide →Domains and HostingWhat Is DNS?
Understand DNS lookups, nameservers, common record types, propagation and how to change business website records without disrupting email.
10 min read · Read guide →Domains and HostingWhat Is Website Hosting?
Compare shared, managed, VPS, cloud, dedicated, static and serverless hosting, including resources, backups, support and renewal questions.
11 min read · Read guide →SEOHow Long Does SEO Take?
Set realistic expectations for technical SEO, indexing, content discovery, local search and longer-term growth without guaranteed ranking dates.
10 min read · Read guide →Website SecurityWhat Happens If My Website Gets Hacked?
Recognise website compromise, contain the incident, preserve evidence, recover safely and address the original weakness without panic.
12 min read · Read guide →Web DevelopmentShould I Use WordPress?
Decide whether WordPress suits your business by comparing content editing, plugins, maintenance, performance, security and custom alternatives.
11 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningShould I Build a Custom Website?
Compare custom design, themes, bespoke front ends and business platforms against templates, including cost, ownership and maintenance trade-offs.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Choose a Business Name
Build and research a useful business-name shortlist without assuming that generated ideas, domains or company names are available.
12 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is Robots.txt?
Understand robots.txt crawl rules, sitemap references, full-site blocking risks and why the file cannot secure private information.
11 min read · Read guide →Website ComplianceWhat Is a Cookie Policy?
Understand what cookie information should cover, how it relates to consent and why the live technology must be audited.
12 min read · Read guide →Website ComplianceDoes My Website Need a Cookie Banner?
Decide when a UK website may need cookie consent and how to avoid banners that do not control optional technology.
10 min read · Read guide →Website ComplianceWhat Is a Privacy Policy?
Understand the organisation details, purposes, sharing, retention and rights information a website privacy notice should explain.
13 min read · Read guide →Website ComplianceDoes My Business Website Need a Privacy Policy?
Check the common website activities that involve personal data and require clear privacy information.
11 min read · Read guide →Domains and HostingWhat Is a Domain Name?
Understand domain registration, registrants, registrars, DNS, renewals and the ownership checks every business should make before launch.
11 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is Technical SEO?
Learn how crawling, indexing, canonicals, status codes, rendering, internal links and performance shape a website’s search foundations.
13 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is On-Page SEO?
Improve individual pages through useful intent-led content, clear titles and headings, internal links, media and trustworthy evidence.
12 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is a Sitemap?
Learn what an XML sitemap does, which canonical URLs belong in it, how to validate and submit it, and why inclusion is not an indexing guarantee.
11 min read · Read guide →SEOWhat Is Schema Markup?
Understand schema.org structured data, JSON-LD, supported search features, validation and the risks of marking up invisible or invented claims.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PerformanceWhat Are Core Web Vitals?
Understand LCP, INP and CLS, the difference between field and laboratory data, and how to improve real website experience without chasing scores.
12 min read · Read guide →Website AccessibilityWhat Is Website Accessibility?
Learn how accessible content, structure, keyboard support, forms, media and testing help more people use a business website.
14 min read · Read guide →Web DesignWhat Is Mobile-First Design?
Understand how mobile-first planning prioritises content, touch interactions, performance and equivalent functionality before layouts expand.
11 min read · Read guide →Web DesignWhat Is Responsive Web Design?
Learn how fluid layouts, content-led breakpoints, responsive media and adaptable interactions make one website work across devices.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningTemplate Website vs Custom Website
Compare template and custom websites by requirements, design flexibility, accessibility, integrations, ownership, maintenance and lifetime cost.
13 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningWebsite Builder vs Web Designer
Compare doing it yourself with a website builder and hiring a web designer across strategy, content, time, ownership, support and cost.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningWhen Should You Redesign Your Website?
Decide whether a website needs focused improvement, technical migration or full redesign using customer, content, performance and maintenance evidence.
13 min read · Read guide →Website MaintenanceHow Website Backups Work
Plan website backups around complete coverage, frequency, retention, separated access, monitoring and tested restoration.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Choose a Web Design Company
Compare web design companies through relevant evidence, process, scope, ownership, accessibility, security, support and honest commercial claims.
14 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Plan a Business Website
Plan a business website through objectives, audiences, content, page structure, functionality, ownership, budget, measurement and launch.
15 min read · Read guide →Website MaintenanceHow Often Should a Website Be Updated?
Plan sensible website content, software, security and design reviews without making changes merely to appear active.
11 min read · Read guide →Website MaintenanceHow Much Does Website Maintenance Cost?
Understand the work behind UK website maintenance costs, from routine updates and backups to monitored support and recovery.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningQuestions to Ask a Web Designer
Use practical questions about scope, ownership, accessibility, security, support and evidence before choosing a web designer.
13 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow to Optimise a Google Business Profile
Improve a Google Business Profile with accurate categories, services, hours, photos, reviews and website connections.
13 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow Often Should You Post on Google Business Profile?
Choose a sustainable Google Business Profile posting schedule based on useful updates rather than arbitrary frequency.
10 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow to Get More Google Reviews
Build a fair, repeatable Google review request process without inventing feedback, pressuring customers or filtering criticism.
11 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow to Respond to Google Reviews
Write useful public responses to positive and negative Google reviews while protecting privacy and avoiding defensive arguments.
11 min read · Read guide →Local SEOGoogle Business Profile Posts Explained
Understand what Google Business Profile posts are for, what to publish and how to connect them to useful website journeys.
10 min read · Read guide →Local SEOLocal Citations Explained
Learn what local citations are, which listings matter and how to correct business details without chasing low-quality directories.
11 min read · Read guide →Local SEOLocal Keywords Explained
Research and use local search language naturally across service pages without creating repetitive town-name content.
12 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow to Rank in Google Maps
Improve Google Maps visibility through accurate relevance, genuine local prominence and a complete customer journey.
13 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow to Improve Local Search Visibility
Coordinate website content, Google Business Profile, reviews, citations and measurement into a practical local SEO plan.
14 min read · Read guide →Local SEOWhy NAP Consistency Matters
Keep business name, address and phone information reliable across the website, profiles and important listings.
10 min read · Read guide →Local SEOHow Local Landing Pages Work
Plan useful local landing pages with genuine area context, distinct customer needs and honest service coverage.
13 min read · Read guide →Digital MarketingWhy a Facebook Page Is Not a Website
Compare a Facebook page with an owned website across control, search visibility, customer journeys and platform risk.
12 min read · Read guide →Website DesignHow a Website Builds Trust
Build website trust through clear identity, useful evidence, honest claims, secure journeys and dependable customer expectations.
12 min read · Read guide →Digital MarketingHow to Generate Leads From a Website
Improve website lead generation through clear audience journeys, useful proof, proportionate forms and reliable follow-up.
14 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Write Website Content
Plan and write useful website content around audience questions, real evidence, page purpose and a clear next step.
14 min read · Read guide →Website DesignHow to Write a Strong Homepage
Write a homepage that clarifies the offer, routes different visitors, presents honest proof and supports the next decision.
12 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Write a Service Page
Write a detailed service page around customer fit, scope, process, evidence, risks, FAQs and an appropriate next step.
13 min read · Read guide →Website DesignWhat Makes a Good Call to Action?
Write accessible calls to action that set a clear expectation, match visitor readiness and lead to a reliable next step.
11 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Create a Website Brief
Create a website brief covering objectives, audiences, content, functionality, ownership, constraints and measurable acceptance.
14 min read · Read guide →Digital MarketingHow to Measure Website ROI
Measure website return using costs, attributable value, qualified actions and operational benefits without invented precision.
13 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningHow to Choose Website Features
Prioritise website features by user need, business value, risk, ownership and total cost instead of copying competitors.
13 min read · Read guide →Website PlanningSigns Your Business Needs a New Website
Recognise when inaccurate content, weak journeys, unsupported technology or operational limits justify a redesign or rebuild.
12 min read · Read guide →Free tool guides
Learn it, then try it
Short, practical articles explain every AHANIX tool and connect directly to the tool when you are ready to put the advice into practice.