Guides
Plain-English answers for UK small businesses, checked against the official sources.
Google reviews
- Google review link: how to find it, share it and turn it into a QR codeGet your free Google review link and QR code from your Business Profile in four steps, where to use them, the UK rules on asking for reviews, and whether NFC review cards are worth it.
- How to reply to Google reviews, with examples for good, bad and fake onesHow to reply to Google reviews from your Business Profile, example replies for good, bad and fake reviews, how to report a review that breaks Google's rules, and what UK law says.
Bookings
- Appointment reminder texts that cut no-showsWhy appointment reminder texts work, ready-to-use examples under 160 characters, when to send them, what they cost, and the UK rules on reminders, deposits and no-show fees.
- Booksy pricing UK: what you pay in 2026Booksy's published UK prices: £40 a month plus £5 per extra team member, plus VAT, the 30% Boost fee on new clients, card fees and texts, the notice period, and how Booksy compares with Fresha.
- Dog grooming software and booking: what UK groomers needWhat to look for in dog grooming software and online booking, published UK prices from Tuft, GroomSlot, ShakeYourTail and Fresha, and what your grooming website should show owners.
- Fresha pricing UK: what's free and what you pay forFresha's published UK prices: £14.95 a month for one person, £9.95 per team member, the 20% new client fee, card fees and text charges, and how to keep the new client fee down.
- Online booking for hairdressersWhat online booking costs a UK hairdresser or barber in 2026: monthly fees, new-client commission, card fees and reminder texts for Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell, Square and others, and what to set up first.
- Online booking systems for small businesses: how to chooseHow to choose an online booking system for a UK small business: free plans and their limits, prices in pounds and dollars, text reminders, deposits and no-show fees, booking from Google, and the questions to ask first.
- Reserve with Google: let customers book from your Google listingHow Reserve with Google puts a Book button on your Google Business Profile, which UK booking systems connect to it, how to set it up, what it costs, and the catches to check first.
Websites
- Bed and breakfast website: what a UK B&B needsWhat a UK B&B website needs: rooms, all-in prices, availability and direct booking, the price display rules, fire safety and food registration, and how to show up on Google.
- Cafe website: what yours needsWhat a UK cafe website needs: menu and prices, opening hours, allergen information, your food hygiene rating, directions and bookings, plus how to keep it in step with Google.
- Do I need a website for my business if I have Facebook?When a Facebook page and a Google profile are enough, when a small business needs its own website, and what a UK business website must show by law.
- How much does a website cost in the UK?What a small business website costs in the UK in 2026: build it yourself, a freelancer or an agency, the yearly running costs, and what to check about year two and ownership.
- How much does website maintenance cost?UK website maintenance and care plan prices in 2026, the running costs you pay anyway, what a care plan usually covers, and the questions to ask before you sign up.
- Landscaper and gardener websites: what yours needsWhat a UK landscaper or gardener website needs: the areas you cover, project photos, insurance and waste carrier details, how quotes work, and a Google profile set up for a business that travels to customers.
- Personal trainer website: what a UK PT site needsWhat a UK personal trainer website needs: who you train, prices, where you train, online booking, qualifications and insurance, plus the rules on health questionnaires and before-and-after photos.
- Squarespace vs Wix for a UK small businessSquarespace vs Wix for a UK salon, trade or clinic: UK prices checked on the vendors' own pages, is Wix free, card fees, bookings, switching templates and what happens if you want to leave.
- Web design for tradesmen: what a trade website needsWhat a plumber, electrician or roofer's website needs in the UK: the pages customers look for, the details the law says you must show, how to show Gas Safe or scheme membership properly, and claims to avoid.
Getting found on Google
- Google Business Profile suspended: why it happens and what to doWhy Google suspends Business Profiles, how to find the reason, the evidence to upload with your appeal, how long it takes, and the mistakes that make it worse. From Google's own help pages.
- Google Local Services Ads in the UKGoogle Local Services Ads in the UK: which trades are eligible, what happened to Google Guaranteed and Google Screened, how pay per lead works, the checks you'll go through, and how ads are ranked.
- How much does Checkatrade cost, and is it worth it?Checkatrade's published 2026 prices for trades (Free, Approved £30 a month, Growth from £59), the 12-month term, what to check before you sign, and how to get more from it.
- How to add your business to Google MapsAdd or claim your business on Google Maps with a free Google Business Profile: the steps, how verification works, how long it takes, and what tradespeople working from home should do with their address.
- How to delete or close a Google Business ProfileRemoving a Google Business Profile from your account doesn't take it off Google. When to mark it closed, when to remove it, and what to do if you're moving, selling up or have a duplicate.
- Local SEO for roofers, plumbers and electriciansHow roofers, plumbers, electricians and builders get found on Google for jobs near them: your Business Profile, service areas, reviews and website pages, using Google's own rules. No ranking promises.
- Marketing for dentists: getting found and booked locallyMarketing for a UK dental practice: your Google and NHS profiles, what the GDC says your website must show, the CAP Code rules on claims, Botox and before and after photos, and replying to reviews without breaking confidentiality.
- Marketing for physiotherapistsMarketing for a UK physio clinic or solo physiotherapist: getting found on Google, what you can claim to treat, the HCPC and CSP rules on titles and promotion, testimonials, reviews and keeping in touch with patients.
- Why is my website not showing on Google?Find out in two minutes whether Google has your website at all, the common settings that hide a site on Squarespace, Wix and WordPress, how long new sites take, and why Maps is a separate question.
WhatsApp, email and customer questions
- AI for small business: what's worth usingWhich AI jobs actually save a local business time, what the main tools cost in the UK, how many small firms use AI, and the three rules to follow on customer data, reviews and your website.
- Email marketing for small businesses: a simple UK guideHow a small local business can start email marketing: who you can email under UK rules, building a list from your bookings, what to send, how often, and what the main tools cost.
- Is WhatsApp Business free?The WhatsApp Business app is free to download, and WhatsApp lists no charge for chatting with customers in it. What costs money in the UK: business broadcasts, Meta Verified and the WhatsApp Business Platform, with Meta's current UK rates.
- WhatsApp QR code and click-to-chat link for your businessHow to get a free WhatsApp QR code and wa.me link for your business, with a pre-filled message, where to put them (counter, van, website, Google profile), and the rules on marketing messages.
- WhatsApp auto reply: away and greeting messages for your businessHow to set up a WhatsApp auto reply in the free WhatsApp Business app, with away, greeting and quick reply messages you can copy for a salon, a plumber, a dental practice or a B&B.
- WhatsApp broadcast for business: how it works and the rulesHow WhatsApp broadcast lists and paid business broadcasts work, the 256-contact and saved-number limits, what a UK message costs, and the ICO rules for marketing on WhatsApp.
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