Starting a new local business? Your online launch checklist

Launching a new local business is exciting and busy. The online side often gets done in a rush, in the wrong order, using a personal email address and a name someone else already owns. Fixing that later takes far longer than doing it right at the start.

This checklist gives you a sensible order of work, from choosing a name to getting your first reviews. Most of it is free, apart from a domain name and (optionally) website hosting.

Stage 1: Check your name before you commit

Before you print a single business card, check:

• Companies House: if you're forming a limited company, search the register to see whether the name (or something very similar) is taken. Companies House has rules on names that are "the same as" existing ones.
• Trade marks: search the UK Intellectual Property Office trade mark database for your name in your sector. A registered trade mark owner could object to you using a similar name.
• Domain name: is a suitable .co.uk or .com available?
• Social handles: are matching (or close) usernames free on Facebook, Instagram and the other platforms you plan to use?
• Google it: is there another business with the same or very similar name nearby? Confusion hurts both of you.

Tip: a name that says what you do or where you are can help customers, but you can't add keywords to your Google Business Profile name later unless they're genuinely part of your registered or trading name.

Stage 2: Register your domain name

• Choose a reputable registrar. Prices vary a lot, especially at renewal, so check the renewal price, not just the first-year offer.
• Register the domain in your business's name (or your own name as a sole trader), never in a web designer's or friend's name.
• Use an email address you'll always have access to for the account.
• Turn on auto-renew and two-factor authentication.
• Consider registering both .co.uk and .com and redirecting one to the other.

.uk domains, including .co.uk, are managed by Nominet and sold through accredited registrars.

Stage 3: Professional email

• Set up an email address on your domain, such as [email protected], through an email provider.
• Use it for every business account you create from now on (Google, Apple, Facebook, suppliers). This keeps business accounts separate from personal ones and makes it easier if you ever bring in staff or sell the business.
• Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records (your email provider will give you these). They help your emails reach inboxes rather than spam folders.

Stage 4: Claim your social profiles

Even if you don't plan to post much yet, claim your name:

• Facebook Page (Meta says a Page is free to set up).
• Instagram business or professional account, linked to your Facebook Page.
• Nextdoor business page, especially for home and neighbourhood services.
• TikTok, LinkedIn or YouTube if they suit your customers.

Use your logo as the profile picture, the same name everywhere, and a short bio saying what you do and where. See our guide to social media for busy local businesses.

Stage 5: Build a simple website

A first website doesn't need to be big. It needs:

• A homepage that says what you do, where, and how to contact you.
• A page for each main service.
• An About page with your real story.
• A Contact page with your phone number, email and areas covered or address.
• Privacy notice and cookie information.
• Company details in the footer if you're a limited company.
• HTTPS (free certificates are standard with most hosts).
• Fast on mobile.

Our website must-haves checklist has the full list.

Then connect it to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools and submit your sitemap. See free Google tools for local SEO.

Stage 6: Get on the maps

Once you have your name, phone number and (if relevant) premises sorted:

• Google Business Profile: create it, choose your category carefully, and verify. If you're opening premises, Google lets you add an opening date so you can set up in advance. Our Google Business Profile checklist covers everything.
• Bing Places: import from Google once you're verified.
• Apple Business: add your location so you appear properly in Apple Maps.

See our Bing Places and Apple Business guide.

Video verification on Google often asks for proof of the business at the location (signage, equipment, a branded vehicle, tools of the trade). If you're brand new, plan for this: get your signage or van livery in place and have business documents ready.

Stage 7: The key directories

Set up a small number of good listings with identical details:

• Yell (free profile)
• Your trade body or professional register, if you belong to one
• Industry platforms relevant to you (for example TripAdvisor for hospitality)

Keep a spreadsheet of every listing and its login. See our NAP consistency and UK directories guide.

Stage 8: Your first reviews

New businesses with no reviews are at a disadvantage, so make asking part of your process from customer one:

• Get your Google review link and QR code.
• Ask every customer, in the same way, with no incentives.
• Reply to every review.

Don't ask friends and family to post reviews unless they're genuine customers, and even then be careful: Google's policy excludes reviews with a conflict of interest, which includes family relationships. Our honest reviews guide explains the rules.

Common launch mistakes to avoid

• Registering the domain in someone else's name, such as a web designer or a friend who "sorted it". If you ever fall out, getting it back can be painful.
• Using a personal email for business accounts, then losing access when you change phone or staff leave.
• Creating duplicate Google profiles while testing. Search first, and if you make a mistake, fix the existing profile rather than adding another.
• Launching with stock photos instead of real ones. Customers notice, and Google and Apple prefer real photos of the business.
• Stuffing keywords into your business name to try to rank. It breaks Google's guidelines and can lead to suspension.
• Forgetting renewals. Put domain, hosting and insurance renewal dates in your calendar.

Stage 9: Set realistic expectations

A new business starts with no reviews, no links and no history, so it usually takes time to build visibility in local search, especially in competitive areas. That's normal. What you can control:

• A complete, verified profile on Google, Bing and Apple.
• A clear, fast website.
• A steady flow of genuine reviews.
• Regular, useful posts and photos.
• Doing great work that people talk about.

Launch-week checklist

• Domain, email and website live.
• Google Business Profile verified, with photos and opening date.
• Bing and Apple listings submitted.
• Facebook and Instagram profiles complete with a launch post.
• Review link ready to send to your first customers.
• Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools connected.
• All logins stored in a password manager.

Sources

• Companies House: Search the register
• GOV.UK: Search for a trade mark
• Nominet: nominet.uk
• Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google
• Google Business Profile Help: Prohibited & restricted content
• Apple Newsroom: Introducing Apple Business (March 2026)

This guide is general information, written to be accurate as of October 2026. Platforms and rules change, so check the official sources linked above. Examples are illustrations, not real businesses or results. Nobody, including BizBoost AI, can guarantee a ranking position on Google, Bing or Apple Maps.