There are enough hurdles for SMEs to get through when starting out without website speed slowing down business growth. However, a few quick fixes can improve site speed. From the size of web content like images, videos and text, to the version of WordPress you’re using, there’s a whole host of ways that SMEs can boost loading speeds and improve user experience, resulting in better conversions and SEO rankings. Here, SEO Manager Joseph McKeown and Senior Product Owner Dan Smale, both from Fasthosts, discuss the link between having a light, fast website with high conversion rates, and how to achieve a…
Author: sme-admin
ENTREPRENEURS and friends Lorraine Clark and Sam Day, of Peterborough, are celebrating the third anniversary of their wellness and health product company Hapihemp. The pair set up their brand, which specialises in CBD products, after researching the use of CBD and using it individually to help them with their own health issues. Life had been challenging for many years for the two mothers who got talking about CBD in the school playground. Lorraine had had trouble with hormones from puberty and was eventually diagnosed with PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder) which led to her having a hysterectomy in her 40s (is that…
Paul Waite, Chief Executive of the Aspen Waite group comments on the current Government turmoil and the effect its having on Genuine SME’s. In March 2020 the Coronavirus pandemic hit our shores. The government took an ultra-cautious approach and while certain sectors flourished, on the whole business took a battering. My own business Aspen Waite entered the pandemic off the back of sustained growth but successive lockdowns made networking virtually impossible, compounded by working at home practices. Like many others we had to try and adapt and it was a very challenging period. Confidence is starting to return and we have learned…
Business leaders today can learn a lot from Churchill and after a few turbulent years with the global pandemic and a looming recession we need to take heed from Churchill qualities and lessons. Jonathan Sharp, Director of Britannic Technologies gives us some pointers on how to do just that. Winston Churchill was and still is known to this day as an excellent leader, he lifted a nation from their darkest hours during the Second World War with his motivating and inspiring speeches. He had a concise vision that he communicated with clarity and authenticity, gaining the trust and respect from…
Kimberly Michener, Senior Director of Brand & Marketing Communications at Identity Digital, shares her thoughts on why using a descriptive domain can be key to successful digital branding, instantly communicating value and providing greater visibility for customers. Have you noticed that some of your competitors are launching their websites with a different domain name? Whether you are a business-to-consumer, business-to-business, or a direct-to-consumer brand, the way your customers buy is firmly digital-first. While once a mostly consumer-facing issue, even the B2B landscape has moved towards web search versus the traditional sales approach — with Forrester Research reporting that 74 percent…
A new study by Vodafone suggests owners of small businesses around the country are bracing themselves for a turbulent and uncertain year ahead with more than a quarter (28%) of small and medium size businesses admitting they won’t be hiring any new staff over the next 12 months due to the current cost of living crisis. The research commissioned by Vodafone looking into the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on UK small businesses has found the rising cost of gas, electricity and fuel for business use is the greatest challenge for half of small business owners (53%), followed by staff pay…
Speakers from Peterborough, alongside experts from across the UK and Europe, will step onto the stage at TEDxPeterborough, next Thursday (October 27). Part of the global TED brand, TEDxPeterborough is being run by a team of volunteers in the spirit of TED’s mission of ideas worth spreading. With a theme of ‘Building For The Future’, TEDxPeterborough aims to educate, inspire and spark deep discussion among the community. The ticketed event will take place at Peterborough College, Park Crescent, Peterborough from 9.30am to 5.30pm, with talks, TED talk videos and networking. Launched in 2009, TEDx is a programme of locally organised events that…
SMEToday asks Dean Challinor, General Manager at Distec, to explore the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing for our readers. The internet has provided the platform for a new generation of business models. Tech giants such as Uber, Deliveroo and Air BnB have disrupted the market by reshaping production, consumption, transportation and delivery systems. Age-old institutions such as governments, healthcare and transportation have had digital overhauls; forced into change from the digital world. On the societal front, a paradigm shift is underway in how we work and communicate, as well as how we express, inform and entertain ourselves through technology…
Small businesses have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Industry experts have predicted a future market downturn which is set to add further strain to consumer behaviour, labour markets and supply chains, launching us further into the era of uncertainty. With my background firmly rooted in supporting small businesses, I have learnt that preparedness is the best protection against increased turbulence and volatility. Organisations must be able to rest on a solid foundation to bolster them against any unforeseen disruption. Undoubtedly businesses can navigate difficult times – whether a pandemic, economic crisis, or social…
News headlines are dominated by negativity at the moment. With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, climate change, the global repercussions of the war in Ukraine, and now the economic chaos around the mini-budget, you would be forgiven for being cynical about the prospects of building a business right now. With only 40% of startups surviving their first three years, the data doesn’t do much to detract from the pessimism. As a founder myself, I can empathise with the challenges that businesses are facing at the moment but in order to overcome these and achieve your objectives and business aspirations, it’s important…