Plain answers, worked through.
Guides on websites, search, social media and branding. Each one opens with the short answer, then shows the working, so you can stop reading whenever you have what you need.
New to the terms? Look them up in the glossary.
Find a guide.
Search every guide by a word or two, or narrow by format.
36 guides. Start typing, or pick a format.
The latest.
- Keyword Research for a Small Business: A Step-by-Step MethodLearn keyword research for a small business: list what customers search, group the terms by intent, check the results and choose one phrase per page.SEO
- On-Page SEO Checklist: 20 Checks for Every Page You PublishAn on-page SEO checklist of 20 checks for titles, headings, content, images, links and structured data, to run on each page before and after you publish.SEO
- SEO vs Google Ads: Which Should a Business Start With?SEO vs Google Ads compared on speed, cost, control and lasting value, with a simple way to choose which one your business should start with.SEO
- How to Plan a Google Ads Campaign for Lead GenerationHow to plan a Google Ads campaign for leads: set a goal, choose keywords, write the ads, prepare the landing page, track enquiries and review the results.Performance Marketing
- LinkedIn Company Page Checklist: Build a Page People TrustA LinkedIn company page checklist for B2B businesses: the profile, the banner, the about text, the first posts and the habits that keep the page active.LinkedIn Marketing
- Social Media Content Calendar Template You Can CopyA social media content calendar template for a small business: columns to copy, a sample week, content pillars and a monthly routine for steady posting.Social Media Marketing
Start here.
Not sure where to begin? Follow a route. Each one is a short reading list in the order that helps most.
Plan a website
From what it will cost, to what to check, to knowing how it performs.
Brief, build and launch a website
Write the brief, know how long it takes, then check everything before you go live.
Open an online store
Choose the platform, understand the price, and set up measurement.
Build your brand and presence
Brief a designer well, then avoid the social media advice that wastes time.
Get found and get enquiries
Choose your keywords, optimize each page, then decide where paid search fits.
Choose a web agency with confidence
Know what to ask, what a project costs and how long it takes, before you hire.
Get found, locally and online
Local listings, store search and site speed: the basics that bring in customers.
Plan your marketing and measure it
A one-page plan, the few numbers worth watching, and the ads myths that waste a budget.
Grow on LinkedIn
Set up the page, choose between a profile and a page, and never run out of things to post.
By topic.
Website Design & Development
7 guides
- Questions to Ask a Web Design Agency Before You Hire OneQuestions to ask a web design agency before hiring: scope, timeline, ownership, SEO, testing, support and cost, with what good and weak answers look like.
- How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?How long does it take to build a website? A realistic timeline by project type, what slows a build down, and how to get yours live sooner.
- Website Launch Checklist: What to Check Before You Go LiveA website launch checklist covering content, mobile, speed, search, tracking and security, so nothing breaks the day your site goes live.
E-commerce Website Development
3 guides
- Ecommerce Product Page Checklist: 24 Things Every Page NeedsAn ecommerce product page checklist of 24 checks across images, text, price, trust, delivery, search and speed, for any Shopify, WordPress or custom store.
- Ecommerce SEO Guide: How an Online Store Gets FoundAn ecommerce SEO guide to store structure, category and product pages, duplicate content, structured data and speed, plus the mistakes that hide products.
- Shopify vs WordPress vs Next.js for Your Online StoreShopify, WordPress or Next.js for your online store? How the three differ, when each one fits and a simple way to decide.
SEO
5 guides
- Keyword Research for a Small Business: A Step-by-Step MethodLearn keyword research for a small business: list what customers search, group the terms by intent, check the results and choose one phrase per page.
- On-Page SEO Checklist: 20 Checks for Every Page You PublishAn on-page SEO checklist of 20 checks for titles, headings, content, images, links and structured data, to run on each page before and after you publish.
- SEO vs Google Ads: Which Should a Business Start With?SEO vs Google Ads compared on speed, cost, control and lasting value, with a simple way to choose which one your business should start with.
Social Media Marketing
3 guides
- Social Media Content Calendar Template You Can CopyA social media content calendar template for a small business: columns to copy, a sample week, content pillars and a monthly routine for steady posting.
- Instagram Business Profile Setup: A Step-by-Step GuideHow to set up an Instagram business profile: switch to a professional account, write the bio, pick a profile picture, add a link and plan the first posts.
- Six Social Media Myths That Waste a Business's TimeSix social media myths that waste a business's time, from needing every platform to chasing followers, and what is true instead.
Branding & Visual Identity
3 guides
- What Is Brand Identity? The Parts, and How They Fit TogetherWhat is brand identity? Learn how it differs from a logo and from branding, the parts a complete identity contains and how to know when yours needs work.
- How to Define Your Brand Voice: A Step-by-Step MethodHow to define your brand voice in five steps: gather real examples, choose traits, write do and don't rules, test them and turn them into a one-page guide.
- How to Write a Branding Brief: A Template You Can Use TodayA branding brief template: ten questions to answer, what to gather and the mistakes that make briefs fail. Use it before you brief a designer.
- How to Improve Website Speed: Find What Is Slow, Then Fix ItHow to improve website speed: measure first, then fix images, scripts, fonts, hosting and caching in the order that gives the biggest gains on mobile.
- Website Security Basics for a Small BusinessWebsite security basics for small businesses: why sites get attacked, habits that prevent most problems, what to do after a hack and when to get help.
- Website Maintenance Checklist: Monthly, Quarterly, YearlyA website maintenance checklist with the monthly, quarterly and yearly tasks that keep a business site fast, secure and working.
Performance Marketing
3 guides
- How to Plan a Google Ads Campaign for Lead GenerationHow to plan a Google Ads campaign for leads: set a goal, choose keywords, write the ads, prepare the landing page, track enquiries and review the results.
- Landing Page vs Homepage: What Each Is For, When to Use ItLanding page vs homepage compared: what each is for, how they differ in goal, content and navigation, and which to use for ads, emails and social links.
- Seven Google Ads Myths That Waste a Business's BudgetSeven Google Ads myths that waste budget, from 'a bigger budget means more leads' to 'ads work without a good website', with what is true instead.
LinkedIn Marketing
3 guides
- LinkedIn Company Page Checklist: Build a Page People TrustA LinkedIn company page checklist for B2B businesses: the profile, the banner, the about text, the first posts and the habits that keep the page active.
- LinkedIn Content Ideas for a Business: What to PostLinkedIn content ideas for a business: six kinds of post, twenty prompts, how to turn one idea into several posts and what to avoid.
- LinkedIn Personal Profile vs Company Page: Which to Use?LinkedIn personal profile vs company page compared on reach, voice, control and purpose, with how a founder and a business can use both together.
UI/UX Design
3 guides
- Seven Website Design Myths That Cost Businesses EnquiriesSeven website design myths that cost businesses enquiries, from 'make the logo bigger' to 'people don't scroll', with what to do instead.
- Website Accessibility Basics: A Guide for Business OwnersWebsite accessibility basics for business owners: what it means, who it helps, the checks anyone can make on a page and when to bring in an expert.
- Website Navigation Best Practices: Design a Menu That WorksWebsite navigation best practices: list your pages, group them by what visitors want, name them plainly, keep the menu short and test it on a phone.
Digital Marketing
3 guides
- Email Marketing for a Small Business: How to Get StartedEmail marketing for small business explained: why it works, how to build a list with consent, what to send, how to measure it and the mistakes to avoid.
- Digital Marketing Plan Template for a Small BusinessA digital marketing plan template for small business: eight sections to copy, with prompts for goals, audience, channels, budget, calendar and review.
- Marketing KPIs for a Small Business: What to MeasureMarketing KPIs for small business: how to choose three or four numbers, which matter by channel, how to set up tracking and which vanity metrics to ignore.
By format.
Know what kind of help you want? Start with the format.
- GuidesStart-to-finish explanations of one subject.
- ComparisonsOptions set side by side, with when each one fits.
- How-tosStep-by-step instructions you can follow along.
- ChecklistsThings to check before, during and after a job.
- MythsCommon advice that sounds right, and what is true instead.
- TemplatesSomething to fill in and use today.
How we write these.
36 guides so far, all held to the same four rules.
The answer comes first
Every guide opens with the short version, so you can stop reading when you have what you need.
No invented numbers
We do not quote statistics or promise results. Where we state a fact about Domeq, it is one we can stand behind.
Dated and kept current
Each guide shows when it was last updated, and is revised when the advice changes.
Written to be useful
Checklists you can use, tables you can compare and steps you can follow, not filler.
See where your website stands.
A free 16-point check of search, content, mobile and sharing. Results in seconds, nothing stored.
What we check: Search, Content, Mobile and speed, Trust and sharing
Search
- Page title
- Meta description
- Canonical link
- Indexing
- Sitemap and robots.txt
Content
- Main heading
- Heading structure
- Amount of text
- Image alt text
Mobile and speed
- Mobile viewport
- Response time
- Page size
Trust and sharing
- HTTPS
- Social preview
- Structured data
- Language and favicon
