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Home » News and Events » COVID-19 - Haringey Here to Help » COVID-19: Business support » Support to get online

Support for local businesses during COVID-19: grant schemes, business rates and the job retention scheme.

Support to get online

It is more important than ever to have an online presence for example a website or a social media account. Here are some resources to help small businesses, charities and community groups get online. It can be quick, easy and free!

  • Choose your online platform
  • Social media platforms
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
  • Video platforms
  • Don’t share personal data online

Choose your online platform

There are a whole range of online platforms available for you to use, depending on your skills, time and budget. These platforms provide different tools for different purposes. 

  • It is simple and free to list your organisation on Google (external link), so that it shows basic information about your services, location, opening hours and contact details 
  • Use a website to inform people about your services, particularly if the information doesn’t need to change frequently
    • Read a review of different website builders (external link)
    • Read a guide to writing content for your website (external link)
  • Use an e-commerce tool to take online payments
    • If you are building a website, you could explore the many different integrated payment options with the website builder.
    • If you do not have a website, its quick and easy to set-up a PayPal account (external link) to take online payments for example. PayPal will take a fee for every transaction 
    • Read more on the e-commerce options for small businesses (external link)
  • Use social media to build a community around your subject by posting short, regular updates
  • Use a video channel to directly communicate and share advice or information via video  

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Social media platforms

Facebook

This is the biggest social media channel worldwide. Free to use. 

  • If you are not ready to create a full website, you can create a Facebook page and use this as a your ‘website’ 
  • You can add events to your Facebook page
  • Visitors can message you via Facebook and you can have a discussion forum
  • You can allow others to update your Facebook page
  • Visitors don’t have to be on Facebook to view your Facebook page
  • Older audiences often use Facebook, but not other social media platforms
  • Visitors may expect you to update your Facebook page at least every week
  • It will look like a Facebook page and not like your own brand
  • Website URL takes the form www.facebook.com/yoursitename

Action:

  • Create a Facebook account (external link)
  • Create a Facebook Page (external link)
  • Tips on generating engagement with Facebook (external link)

Twitter

Twitter is a micro-blogging platform social networking service on which users post and interact with messages known as "tweets”. It is free to use. 

  • Once you've set up an account you can post, like, and retweet tweets. 
  • Tweets are messages up to 280 characters and can be anything from news to an event reminder or just a hello to your followers
  • You need to build up ‘followers’ as they are the ones who will primarily be reading your tweets
  • Once you have followers, they can spread the word about you so it can be a great way to build an audience
  • You can also ‘follow’ other organisations and build a community around your shared interests
  • You can include images, gifs and video in tweets
  • You get 160 characters to describe your organisation on the profile
  • Twitter probably works best for marketing, alongside a website or Facebook page
  • Latest tweets can be embedded across most other social media platforms, websites and Facebook
  • Followers generally expect replies within 24hours and you should aim to tweet at least weekly
  • If your audience isn’t on Twitter then Twitter is not for you
  • To get the best out of Twitter and be responsive to the community, you’ll need a smartphone

Action:

  • Create a Twitter account (external link)
  • Tips on how to use Twitter (external link)

Instagram

Instagram is a photo-sharing platform owned by Facebook. Free to use.

  • It’s a great option if you want highly visual marketing e.g. products, pictures of events, etc
  • Instagram probably works best for marketing, alongside a website or Facebook page
  • Latest posts can be embedded across most other social media platforms, websites and Facebook
  • It works with ‘followers’ in the same way as Twitter
  • If your audience is not on Instagram then Instagram is not for you
  • You’ll need a smartphone to use Instagram

Action:

  • Create an Instagram account (external link)
  • Tips on how to use Instagram (external link)

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Video platforms

The two main video-sharing platforms are YouTube and Vimeo

  • Video can be a great way to share information, advice or campaign messages
  • Any videos you create can also be shared across most other social media platforms, websites and Facebook
  • Video content is promoted in Google search results so your audience doesn’t need to be on YouTube or Vimeo to be aware of your videos
  • You’ll need a smartphone to create videos
  • You can share an unlimited number of videos for free on YouTube but it has adverts
  • You can also share a limited number of videos for free on Vimeo and it doesn’t have adverts

Action:

  • Create a YouTube account (external link)
  • Create a Vimeo account (external link)

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Don’t share personal data online

Avoid listing personal email addresses or phone numbers as contact details online. It’s easy to set up a free, generic email address, for example using gmail, outlook or yahoo mail.

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Page last updated:

9 October 2020

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      • COVID-19: Business support
        • Financial support for businesses
        • Live.Shop.Local campaign
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        • Keeping COVID cases under control
        • Self-employed and creative businesses
        • Support for employees
        • Business Impact Survey
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        • COVID-19 resources for businesses in various community languages
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