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Domains & Hosting

How can an independent business benefit from a website?

Search engines have never been more important when it comes to winning over customers. This is because most people look online when they’re interested in a product or service. If your company doesn’t have a website, then you miss out on all these potential customers. Websites aren’t just for large companies either ⁠– even small and medium-sized businesses will get a lot out of running their own small business website as it enables them to reach more people.

By implementing search engine marketing and SEO strategies, you increase the chance of your services or products being displayed to potential customers. When building a small business website, you also have the opportunity to design it exactly how you want – something that isn’t possible with social media profiles. Think of your website as an online business card. It’s easy to update and customers can visit no matter where they are.

Graphical display: Gain customer confidence; Monitor and Google logo with heart

What information belongs on your small business website?

To get the most out of your small business website, there's certain information you need to include. Your site doesn’t have to be complicated with a lot of content to be successful – sometimes just listing information about your company is enough. We’ve compiled a checklist of the most important information to include on your SME website:

  • Contact details, company location (preferably shown using a map) and, if applicable, directions for those wanting to visit the company
  • Introduction to what your company does, your team, your philosophy or mission statement
  • Photos that give visitors a more detailed idea of your company
  • Your company’s social media channels
  • Reviews and comments from customers

A man and a woman looking at a laptop

Get inspired — ideas and templates for your small-medium enterprise website

Whatever kind of SME you run, there’s a website design that will fit it perfectly. Either design your own layout or if you need inspiration, you can search through the large selection of pre-made templates, which can then be tailored to your company. You can also create favicons with our Favicon Generator. If you still can’t decide on a name for your company, our Business Name Generator is here to help. It’s never been easier to start your own small business website.
See all designs

Everything you need for your online presence

Website contact page with a professional email address

Professional email

Don't promote someone else's brand with your emails. Choose professional communication with yourname@yourdomain.co.uk.
SSL icon and domain in the browser bar

Domain and SSL

Your domain is free for the first year. We'll also throw in an SSL certificate. This protects your visitors' data.
Responsive website design on desktop and mobile

Responsive design

No matter what device your visitors are using, responsive design means your website will display perfectly.
Website visitor analytics

Simple stats

Keep track of visitor numbers and other statistics with the analytics tool. Use the data to improve your website even more.
Cookie banner

Privacy tools

Privacy matters to your customers. Help make your site GDPR-compliant with a ready-made cookie banner.
Success with marketing tools

Room to grow

Ready to grow your online presence? Great! Easily add marketing tools or an online shop to your website.
Choose how you want to build your website
Customisable templates
Responsive design
Integrated SEO
Tips via email

Starter

The intuitive editor for beginners who want to get online quickly


6 months £6/monthexcl. VAT then £10/monthexcl. VAT
6 months £6/monthexcl. VAT then £20/monthexcl. VAT

From idea to website in record time with our AI Website Builder

Intuitive website editing with simple design options

Domain included for 1 year Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online

Professional email address with 2 GB storage With your professional email, you can create additional email addresses matching your domain name, like contact@help-domain.co.uk. You can also add more mailboxes and storage space at any time.

10 GB webspace & 10 pages

Competitor tracking with marketingRadar Keep track of your competitors' Google activity and more.

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Plus

A powerful editor with more customisation options


6 months £1/monthexcl. VAT then £16/monthexcl. VAT
6 months £1/monthexcl. VAT then £28/monthexcl. VAT

From idea to website in record time with our AI Website Builder

Intuitive website editing with advanced design options Customise your website's design and add custom HTML

Domain included for 1 year Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online

Professional email address with 12 GB storage With your professional email, you can create additional email addresses matching your domain name, like contact@help-domain.co.uk. You can also add more mailboxes and storage space at any time.

50 GB webspace & 200 pages

Competitor tracking with marketingRadar Keep track of your competitors' Google activity and more.

SiteAnalytics Get an overview of your website's visitor stats and performance.

Online booking tool Conveniently receive and manage appointment bookings via your website anytime.

AI Text Generator & AI Text Improver Generate texts in seconds, based on your input. Each generated text is unique and can be edited afterwards.

Professional design with the AI Image Generator Our AI Image Generator crafts custom visuals that align with your brand, helping you maintain a consistent visual identity.

AI SEO Text Generator Instantly generate page titles and descriptions for improved visibility on Google and other search engines.

Pro

A powerful editor and a search engine optimisation tool


6 months £10/monthexcl. VAT then £28/monthexcl. VAT
6 months £25/monthexcl. VAT then £60/monthexcl. VAT

From idea to website in record time with our AI Website Builder

Intuitive website editing with advanced design options Customise your website's design and add custom HTML

Domain included for 1 year Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online

Professional email address with active syncing on all devices and 50 GB storage With your professional email, you can create additional email addresses matching your domain name, like contact@help-domain.co.uk. You can also add more mailboxes and storage space at any time.

Unlimited webspace & pages

Competitor tracking with marketingRadar Keep track of your competitors' Google activity and more.

SiteAnalytics Plus Get visitor stats and performance insights with automatic reporting by email.

Online booking tool Conveniently receive and manage appointment bookings via your website anytime.

AI Text Generator & AI Text Improver Generate texts in seconds, based on your input. Each generated text is unique and can be edited afterwards.

Professional design with the AI Image Generator Our AI Image Generator crafts custom visuals that align with your brand, helping you maintain a consistent visual identity.

AI SEO Text Generator Instantly generate page titles and descriptions for improved visibility on Google and other search engines.

Search engine optimisation with rankingCoach Essential

All prices exclude VAT charged at 20%. VAT may be subject to change depending on your country of residence. Terms and conditions apply.
Your personal consultant

At IONOS, you have a dedicated contact person for personalised advice, tips to boost your online success, and technical support. Reach them via phone, chat and email, all at no cost to you as an IONOS customer.

Award-winning support

We're always working to improve our customer support, and we're proud to have won several awards. These include Best Customer Engagement Initiative and Best Use of Customer Insight.

Websites for SMEs

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

Start by adding your business details to your website. Providing up-to-date information helps your customers, and is important for search engines.

For an even greater reach, it pays to list your business in key online directories. IONOS Local Business Listings help you do just that. Your online visibility gets a boost, meaning more customers find your business.

You don't need any skills or experience to create your SME website. Simply select a package and log in or create an account with IONOS. Choose a domain name that works for your company, select a template, and then start filling it with your content. You can concentrate on the important parts without worrying about the technicalities.

Another option is the small business website builder, which also helps you make your small-medium business website a reality. Tools are included that make search engine optimisation even easier. For more information on why SEO is necessary, check out our A to Z of Search Engine Optimisation.

Your small business website from IONOS comes with an SSL certificate, so your visitors’ data is always protected. Despite this, there are still other rules and regulations that need to be followed. Since 31 January 2020, the UK has had its own version of the GDPR ⁠– the UK General Data Protection Regulation (‘UK GDPR’), tailored by the Data Protection Act 2018. The new regulation means that you have to obtain explicit consent from visitors before you handle their personal data. This can be achieved with cookies and third-party trackers. You must safely store and document every consent and make it very easy for visitors to change their mind and revoke their consent. They also have the right to have their data deleted or amended at any time.

In the UK, you must be transparent with visitors about how their personal data will be used. This can be done with the help of a privacy policy on your website.

Although the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) no longer applies to the UK since Brexit, your website will still have to comply if it collects data from visitors in the EU.