Guides
Learn everything.
Build anything.
Step-by-step guides for every Adviita feature, plus advice for running and growing your small business online.
Quick start
Feature guides
How to connect a custom domain
Replace your advta.site link with your own domain name. Works with any registrar — GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, and more.
How to read your site analytics
Understand your visitor data — traffic sources, top pages, and what's converting.
How to manage your contact form
View submissions, enable email notifications, and customise your form fields.
How to add a WhatsApp chat button
A floating button that lets customers message you directly. One of the highest-converting contact methods for local businesses.
How to collect customer reviews
Add testimonials to your site and build your Google review count over time.
How to add a booking widget
Embed Calendly or Cal.com so customers can schedule appointments directly from your site.
For your business
Do you actually need a website for your service business?
What a website does that Google Business Profile and social media can't — and when it really matters.
How to set up your Google Business Profile
The free listing that puts your business on Google Maps and local search. How to do it properly.
Local SEO basics for service businesses
What local SEO actually is, what moves the needle, and what's worth ignoring.
How to get more Google reviews
When to ask, what to say, how to make it easy, and how to handle the occasional bad review.
How to get more dog grooming clients
Google presence, before-and-after photos, referrals, and online booking — what actually works.
How to get your first clients for a cleaning business
Personal network, local groups, Google Business Profile, and the importance of early reviews.
By trade
How to get more plumbing customers
Practical marketing strategies for plumbers and plumbing businesses. How to show up on Google, get reviews, and turn emergency callouts into regular customers.
How to attract more dental patients
How to get more patients for your dental practice. Google ranking strategies, review generation, and conversion tactics specifically for dentists.
How to get more accounting clients
Practical marketing guide for accountants and bookkeepers. How to get found online, build referral networks, and convert enquiries into long-term clients.
How to get more real estate clients
Marketing strategies for real estate agents and estate agencies. How to stand out online, generate vendor leads, and build a referral network.
How to get more clients for your fitness studio
Marketing strategies for fitness studios, gyms, and boutique fitness businesses. How to fill classes, retain members, and grow through referrals.
How to get more window cleaning clients
Local SEO, recurring booking systems, door-to-door canvassing, and the online presence that turns one-off jobs into regulars.
Problem solvers
Is Instagram enough for my business?
What Instagram can't do for your business — and what a website adds. Honest breakdown for service business owners.
I can't afford a web developer — your options for getting online
What a web developer actually costs vs. what's changed in 2026. Your realistic, affordable options for a professional website.
Why you're losing clients to competitors who have websites
The comparison problem, what clients do when they hear about you, and how to fix the leak in your referral pipeline.
My business isn't showing up on Google — what's going wrong?
A diagnostic guide to the four most common causes of Google invisibility — and how to fix each one, mostly for free.
Every website builder I've tried is too complicated
Why traditional builders feel hard (it's not you), what AI builders do differently, and how to get a site live in under 60 seconds.
I need a website urgently — what are the fastest options?
Whether it's for a pitch, a journalist, or a client tomorrow — a realistic breakdown of your options and timelines.
Comparisons & decisions
Best website builders for small business in 2026
Honest ranking of Adviita, Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, and Google Sites — what each is actually best for and who should use what.
What is an AI website builder? (And how is it different?)
How AI builders work, how they differ from traditional builders, and who they're actually best for — explained from scratch.
Website builder vs. WordPress: which is better for small businesses?
Honest comparison of website builders vs WordPress — cost, ease of use, SEO, and the real trade-offs for a local service business.
How to choose a website builder: 5 questions to ask first
Five questions that cut through the noise and match you to the right platform — no feature comparison needed.
DIY vs. agency vs. freelancer: how to build your website
Honest cost and trade-off breakdown for all three options — including why AI builders have changed the calculus in 2026.
What is local SEO? A plain-English guide for small businesses
Local SEO explained simply — what it is, the three-pack, and the five factors that actually move the needle for local search rankings.
By trade (continued)
How to get more florist clients
Instagram strategy, wedding partnerships, Google visibility, and the website that converts searches into orders for florists.
How to get more physiotherapy clients
Local SEO, GP referral relationships, online booking, and the website that converts searches into physio appointments.
How to get more driving lesson pupils
Google Maps visibility, school connections, and the referral system that fills a driving instructor's diary.
How to get more music lesson pupils
Directories, school relationships, and community presence — how private music teachers build consistent pupil enquiries.
How to get more customers as a handyman
Google Maps, Checkatrade, Nextdoor, and the before/after content strategy that drives consistent handyman bookings.
How to get more clients as a makeup artist
Instagram content strategy, bridal partnerships, and the online presence that converts enquiries into MUA bookings.
Trades & professional services
How to get more mobile mechanic customers
Google searches for emergency callouts, fleet contracts, niche specialisation, and the reviews that win urgent jobs.
How to get more counselling clients
Counselling Directory, niche specialisation, GP and EAP referrals, and an ethics-compliant trust-building website.
How to get more therapy clients
Psychology Today, modality specialisation, insurance panels, waitlist management, and a credible practitioner website.
How to get more pilates clients
Physiotherapist referrals, class pack pricing, niche student targeting, and online booking that converts.
How to get more gardening customers
Maintenance contracts, Nextdoor, before-and-after photos, Google visibility, and winter pivots that keep diaries full.
How to get more builder leads
Architect partnerships, Checkatrade, before-and-afters, deposit policies, and a portfolio website that converts £40k+ projects.
Business essentials
How to name your small business (without overthinking it)
Descriptive vs invented vs founder names, domain and trademark checks, social handles, and how to stop polishing and register.
How to write a tagline for your small business
Outcome-first language, length, the 'we help X do Y' formula, and when to skip the tagline entirely.
How to pick a good domain name for your business
.com vs country TLDs, length, hyphens, business name vs descriptive, registrars, and brand protection.
How to raise your prices without losing clients
How often, how much, how to announce it, grandfathering existing clients, and what to do if you get pushback.
How to attract higher-paying clients
Positioning vs pricing, niche tightening, premium-signaling websites, qualification questions, and where premium clients hang out.
How to respond to quote requests (and win more work)
Response speed, quote structure, qualifying questions, scope clarity, testimonials, and follow-up cadence that closes.
SEO & growth (including AI search)
How to do keyword research for a small business
Google autocomplete, 'People also ask', free tools, local modifiers, and long-tail intent — no paid software required.
How to submit your website to Google in 2026
Why you don't need to submit (crawling), Search Console verification, sitemap submission, and indexing speed expectations.
How to set up Google Search Console (step-by-step)
Account setup, property type, verification methods, sitemap upload, and what to check weekly.
How to get backlinks for a small business website
Local directories, supplier and partner pages, guest posts, HARO, local press, and what NOT to do.
How to rank on ChatGPT and AI search (generative SEO)
What GEO is, why ChatGPT and Perplexity matter, structured content, llms.txt, and how to test if AI mentions your business.
Country guides & AI builder comparisons
Best website builders for UK small businesses in 2026
Honest ranking of Adviita, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, and WordPress — priced in pounds, judged for British realities.
Best website builders for US small businesses in 2026
Adviita, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, GoDaddy compared honestly for American small businesses — pricing in dollars, US context throughout.
Best website builders for Australian small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for Aussie tradies, cafés, and service businesses — ABN, .com.au domains, GST, and AUD pricing throughout.
Best website builders for Nigerian small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for Lagos and Nigerian SMEs — Paystack, Flutterwave, .com.ng, mobile-first design, and WhatsApp Business integration.
Best AI website builder for 2026: honest comparison
Adviita, Durable, Wix ADI, Hostinger AI, 10Web, and Mixo compared on generation quality, customisation, and pricing transparency.
Channel comparisons
Linktree vs a website: which does your business actually need?
Honest comparison of Linktree and a real website. When each one is the right call, and why most service businesses outgrow link-in-bio pages fast.
Facebook Page vs a website: which does my business need?
Why a Facebook Page alone isn't enough for a service business in 2026 — and how a website, Facebook, and Google Business Profile work together.
Local SEO deep dives
How to rank on Google Maps for your local business
Practical guide to the local pack — relevance, proximity, prominence, and the specific moves that get you into the top 3 Maps results.
How to pick the best Google Business Profile categories
Categories are the single biggest lever on what searches you rank for. How to pick primary and secondaries, plus examples by industry.
How to verify your business on Google
Step-by-step verification — postcard, phone, recorded video, live video call. What to expect for each and how to pick the fastest path.
How to respond to Google reviews (positive and negative)
Templates and examples for responding to every review type. How responses build trust, win enquiries, and protect your reputation.
Google Business Profile suspended — what to do
Recovery guide for a suspended GBP. Why suspensions happen, how to appeal with evidence, and how to avoid being suspended again.
Legal & technical explainers
Do I need a privacy policy on my small business website?
Plain-English guide to privacy policies. When you need one, what it has to say, GDPR/CCPA basics, and how to set one up without paying a lawyer.
Do I need a cookie banner on my website?
When a cookie banner is legally required, what compliant consent looks like, and how to set one up that doesn't ruin your site.
How to make your website mobile-friendly
Responsive design, page speed, touch targets, and the mobile SEO essentials. Why mobile-first is non-negotiable in 2026.
What is web hosting? A plain-English explainer
Web hosting explained simply. What it is, what it costs, what's included with website builders, and when you need it separately.
How long does it take to build a website?
Realistic timelines for AI builders, traditional builders, freelancers, and agencies — and what actually determines how long yours will take.
More country guides
Best website builders for Canadian small businesses in 2026
Honest ranking for Canadian SMBs — CAD pricing, GST/HST, .ca domains, and bilingual support across major platforms.
Best website builders for Irish small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for Irish SMBs — EUR pricing, VAT, .ie domains, GDPR data hosting, and platform-by-platform recommendations.
Best website builders for New Zealand small businesses in 2026
Honest ranking for Kiwi SMBs — NZD pricing, GST, .co.nz/.nz domains, and what works for tradies, cafés, and service businesses.
Best website builders for Philippine small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for Filipino SMBs — GCash, Maya, .ph domains, mobile-first design, and PHP-vs-USD pricing realities.
Best website builders for South African small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for SA SMBs — PayFast, Yoco, .co.za domains, load-shedding considerations, and ZAR-vs-USD pricing.
Best website builders for UAE small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison for UAE SMBs — AED pricing, VAT, .ae domains, Arabic/English bilingual support, and WhatsApp integration.
Starting a business
How to start a cleaning business from scratch
Realistic step-by-step — registration, insurance, pricing, equipment, first clients, and honest income numbers for solo cleaners.
How to start a dog walking business from scratch
Insurance, group vs solo walks, pricing, first clients, and what it really costs to start. Honest income numbers for working dog walkers.
How to start a tutoring business from scratch
Specialism, online vs in-person, pricing, first students, and how to build a sustainable schedule. Realistic income numbers included.
How to start a photography business from scratch
Niche selection, gear, pricing, first paid clients, portfolio building, and the business systems that separate sustainable from struggling.
How to start an Etsy shop from scratch
Niche selection, listings, SEO, your first sales, photography, and why you need a website outside Etsy too. Realistic income numbers included.
How to start a baking business from home
Legal requirements, equipment, pricing, finding your first customers, and scaling beyond hobby income. Honest income for home bakers.
More trade guides
How to get more HVAC and heating engineer clients
Emergency callouts, planned installs, Google Maps ranking, service contracts, and the website that converts heating searches.
How to get more DJ clients and bookings
Wedding planner partnerships, video-first portfolios, Google search visibility, and the booking page that converts couples and corporate clients.
How to get more wedding officiant and celebrant clients
Venue recommended-supplier lists, local search rankings, the website that converts couples, and building a referral diary.
How to get more doula clients
Midwife and GP referrals, local pregnancy communities, the website that converts new parents, and steady birth-and-postpartum client flow.
How to get more dog training clients
Vet partnerships, before/after video content, group classes vs one-to-one, and the website that converts struggling dog owners.
How to get more CV writing and resume clients
LinkedIn content strategy, recruiter relationships, niching by industry, and the website that converts career-stressed job seekers.
AI search & generative engine optimisation
How to rank on Perplexity (and get cited as a source)
How Perplexity citations work, the sources it trusts, and how to structure content to be cited in AI answers.
How to rank on Google Gemini and get mentioned in AI responses
How Gemini sources information from Search, the Knowledge Graph, and Google Business Profile — and how to optimise for all three.
How to rank in Google AI Overviews
How AI Overviews source citations, what content gets selected, and the optimisations that actually work in 2026.
Channel and copy guides
How to use Instagram Reels for a service business
Content formats that drive enquiries, posting cadence, and how to convert views into bookings — not just vanity metrics.
Email marketing for small service businesses
List building, what to send, frequency, automation, and how to turn an email list into £1,000–£10,000/month recurring revenue.
How to use Pinterest for a small business
Account setup, pin design, content strategy, and how to turn Pinterest into a long-term compounding traffic source.
How to write a sales page that converts
The proven structure that turns visitors into customers — without sounding like a 1990s infomercial. Plus what to do above the fold.
What to put on a contact form (and what to leave off)
Which fields to include, which to leave off, and how form design affects conversion rates. Test, don't guess.
Linktree alternatives: 8 better options for your bio link in 2026
Honest comparison of Linktree alternatives — Beacons, Bio.fm, Stan Store, Carrd, and when a real website is the better answer.
Best software for small business
Best invoicing software for small businesses in 2026
Honest comparison of invoicing software for freelancers and small service businesses. Wave, FreeAgent, Xero, QuickBooks, Stripe Invoicing.
Best CRM for small businesses in 2026 (without Salesforce)
Honest comparison of CRM software for small businesses. HubSpot, Pipedrive, Notion, and which actually fits a service business.
Best appointment booking software for service businesses in 2026
Calendly, Fresha, Mindbody, Cliniko, SimplyBook compared. Which booking platform fits which kind of service business.
Best email marketing tools for small businesses in 2026
Mailchimp, Beehiiv, Kit, Buttondown, MailerLite compared on price, ease of use, and deliverability for small businesses.
Best accounting software for freelancers and self-employed in 2026
FreeAgent, Xero, QuickBooks, Wave compared for freelancers and self-employed people. Which one actually fits a solo business.
Best social media scheduling tools for small businesses in 2026
Buffer, Later, Metricool, Publer compared on price, platform coverage, and which fits which kind of business.
Self-employed admin
How to register as self-employed in the UK (2026 guide)
Step-by-step HMRC sole trader registration, deadlines, what to expect, and what comes after. Plain English, no jargon.
How to register as self-employed in the US (2026 guide)
Sole proprietor vs LLC, EIN registration, state requirements, and what to do in your first 30 days as self-employed.
How to write an invoice that gets paid on time
What to include, payment terms that work, and the small details that mean you get paid in 7 days instead of 60.
How to chase late-paying clients without burning the relationship
Email scripts, escalation cadence, when to involve debt collection, and how to prevent late payments in the first place.
Self-employed expenses you can claim in the UK (2026 guide)
What you can claim, what you can't, home office rules, mileage, and how to keep records HMRC actually accepts.
How to write a service contract for freelance and small business work
Practical contract structure, free templates, and the clauses that actually protect you without scaring off clients.
Technical website basics
How to add Google Analytics to your website
Step-by-step GA4 setup, installation methods, cookie consent, and which reports actually matter for small businesses.
How to register a domain name — step-by-step guide
Where to buy, what to avoid, pricing, and how to connect your domain to your website. Plus the registrars to skip.
How to add a contact form to your website
Builder-specific instructions, third-party tools, fields that convert, and spam protection that doesn't kill conversion.
What is SSL? Plain-English explainer for small business websites
What SSL is, why your website needs it, how to get one free, and what the padlock icon actually means for your business.
How to install Google Tag Manager on your website
Step-by-step GTM setup, container code, testing, and which tags you actually need for a small business website.
What is a sitemap? Plain-English explainer for small businesses
What sitemaps are, why they matter for SEO, how to create one, and when you actually need to think about it.
More feature guides
Add a Clio Grow intake form to your website
Clio Grow can take new client enquiries straight from your website, but only through the right kind of form. This is the distinction that trips most firms up, and the setup.
Add a Flutterwave payment link to your website
Flutterwave payment links let you take money from customers in several African markets, and increasingly from the diaspora, without building a checkout.
Add a Mollie payment link to your website
Mollie payment links cost nothing to create and work as an ordinary URL, which makes them an easy way to take a payment without building a shop. One setting decides whether the link belongs on a website at all.
Add a Paystack payment link to your website
A Paystack payment link turns any button on your site into a way to get paid. It takes a couple of minutes to create and needs no integration work at all.
Add Booqable rental booking to your website
Booqable adds rental products, live availability and a checkout to a site you already have, which is what separates a rental business from a contact form and a spreadsheet.
Add Boulevard self-booking to your website
Boulevard does not give you a booking page to link to. It gives you an overlay that opens on top of whatever page the client is already reading, which changes where the code goes and how the button has to be built.
More business guides
ADA website compliance for small businesses
Website accessibility lawsuits keep rising and most defendants are small. Here's what the ADA actually requires of a private business website, and what to do about it.
Average web design cost in the UK (2026)
What web design actually costs in the UK in 2026, broken down by who's doing the work — with the hourly and day rates behind the project prices, so you can sanity-check any quote.
Business websites in Ireland
A practical guide for Irish businesses: real euro costs, how .ie registration actually works now, what Irish customers look for, and the fastest route from nothing to a live site.
Do I need insurance as a self-employed sole trader?
A plain guide to insurance for self-employed people: what's legally required, what clients will insist on, and what's genuinely optional.
Do I need to register to be a childminder?
Childminding is one of the genuinely regulated home businesses. Here's what registration involves in England, the two routes available, and realistic timescales.
Do I need to register to sell food from home?
Selling food from your kitchen is legal and common — but registration is mandatory, free, and more people skip it than realise it's a criminal offence.
Other trades
Cleaning quote template: what to include
A complete cleaning quote structure you can copy straight into a document, plus what each section is protecting you from.
Do beauticians need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed beautician actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
Do childminders need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed childminder actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
Do dog groomers need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed dog groomer actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
Do dog walkers need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed dog walker actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
Do driving instructors need insurance?
What insurance a self-employed driving instructor actually needs in the UK, which cover is legally required and which only feels like it is, what it costs, and the exclusions that catch people out.
More problem solvers
A web designer quoted me £2,000 — is that reasonable?
A quote is only judgeable against what's in it. Here's how to read a web design quote, what £2,000 should buy in 2026, and the questions that reveal whether it's fair.
App Store privacy policy and support URL
Both app stores block a submission without a privacy policy URL and a support URL on a site you control. Apple provides no hosting for either, so you need a page of your own.
Can you export a Wix website?
The honest position on exporting a Wix site: what's genuinely possible, what isn't, and the practical route to another platform.
Can you run a business without a website?
An honest answer rather than a sales pitch: when running without a website is genuinely fine, and the specific situations where it costs you money.
Google Ads landing page requirements
Google will not run ads to a page that fails its destination requirements, and the disapproval message rarely says which part failed. Here is the actual checklist and the usual culprits.
How to cancel Squarespace but keep your domain
Your Squarespace site plan and your domain are two separate subscriptions. Here's how to leave without losing the address, and the order to do things in.
Browse every guide by topic
Ready to build your site?
Free to start. No credit card required. Live in under 60 seconds.