Getting your Guernsey business online: where to start

Most people I meet on the island are great at the service they sell, but dread the online side of it.

If you rang me and asked, "Where do I even start?", this is what I'd tell you. By the end, you'll know what to do first, what to leave for later, and why.

First, why does any of this matter?

Because the way people find businesses has completely changed. Word of mouth still matters. The difference is that "word of mouth" now happens on a phone.

The numbers back it up:

People searching on their phone for "emergency electrician near me" or "kitchen designer Guernsey" are not browsing. They are ready to spend. They just need to find you.

What you actually get out of being online

Forget "building a brand" for a second. Here's what being online does in practical terms for a small team trades business:

• You get found by people who are ready to buy now.
• You look like the safe choice. When someone can see your work and your reviews, you become the obvious pick over the business with no online trace.
• You can charge what you're worth. Looking professional online lets you stop competing on being the cheapest, because people pay more for someone they trust.
• You fill your diary with the jobs you want. Once enquiries come in regularly, you can build your online profiles around getting more of your ideal work, instead of saying yes to everything.

There are three things worth setting up: a Google Business Profile, social media, and a website. They are not equally urgent, and you shouldn't do them all at once. Here's how I'd rank them for a Guernsey trades business, and why.

Start here: your Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is the free listing that makes you show up on Google and on the map when someone searches for your service nearby. It's the single highest-value free asset most businesses on the island haven't finished setting up.

Why it's first:

• It's free, and it takes an evening to set up properly.
• It puts you on the map, literally, exactly when someone's searching for what you do.
• It's where your Google reviews live, and reviews are what turn a search into a phone call.

We've written a full step-by-step on this, so when you're ready, follow our Setting up your Google Business Profile guide and you'll have it sorted in one sitting.

Next: social media (Facebook and Instagram)

Once your Google Profile is live, social media is next. It's where you build trust with people, and where your finished work can start to do some of the selling for you.

Here's the thing most businesses miss: people don't follow you on Facebook for entertainment. They look you up to answer one question: "Is this person any good and can I trust them?" A page with recent photos of your finished work can answer that question instantly.

And the reach is genuinely massive, even on a small island:

For most businesses, Facebook usually does the heavy lifting, with Instagram as a nice-to-have for showing off the work. You don't need both firing on day one. Start with Facebook, set it up properly, and post your jobs. When you're ready, our Getting started with social media guide walks you through it.

Then: a website

A website comes third, and that ordering is deliberate. You can absolutely get enquiries with just a Google Profile and a Facebook page. But once you're being found consistently, a website is what makes you look more established and gives people a place to land that you fully control.

What a website does that the others don't:

• It's yours. Facebook can change its rules overnight. Your website largely plays by your rules.
• It's the credibility check. When someone's deciding between you and another quote, a smart website can tip it your way.
• It does the explaining for you. Services, proof, reviews, an easy way to get in touch, all in one place.

Quick note for websites, first impressions are brutal and fast:

In other words, an outdated website can do you more harm than no website. So when you do build one, get someone to do it properly. It doesn't need to be huge. It needs to be clean, fast, and easy to contact you from. We have a separate do guide that talks about when you need a website.

One last thing

Every month, more of your competitors get their presence together online. The business that started two years ago, posted steadily, racked up reviews, has a head start you can't buy back.

It's a bit like compound interest. So start now, small and steady, and in a year you'll be the established name people find first. Leave it another year, and you'll be the one playing catch-up while someone else gets the calls.

If you would rather just pay for someone to set all this up for you, you can arrange a free call with our team here.