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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