If you run a small business in Gateshead, whether that is a trade, a salon, a shop, or a service, there is a good chance you are missing out on customers simply because they cannot find you online. Gateshead has thousands of small businesses but a surprisingly small number of them have proper websites. That is a problem, but it is also an opportunity.
Gateshead is not Newcastle
Gateshead often gets lumped in with Newcastle when people search online, but plenty of people search specifically for businesses in Gateshead. "Plumber Gateshead." "Barber Low Fell." "Dog groomer Whickham." "Cleaner Birtley." These are real searches from real people who want a local business, not someone from the other side of the Tyne.
If your business is in Gateshead, Felling, Dunston, Whickham, Low Fell, Birtley, or anywhere across the borough, a website that mentions these areas will show up in these local searches. Without one, you are handing those customers to competitors who have bothered to get online.
The Team Valley factor
Team Valley Trading Estate is one of the biggest commercial areas in the region. If your business serves other businesses on Team Valley or the surrounding area, a website is essential. Companies looking for suppliers, contractors, and service providers search online first. A professional website tells them you are local, reliable, and ready to work.
What Gateshead businesses need from a website
You do not need anything fancy. What you need is:
- Clear information. What you do, where you are, how to get in touch. Sounds simple but most small businesses get this wrong.
- Mobile-friendly design. Most people will find you on their phone. If your site looks terrible on mobile, they will leave.
- Google visibility. Your site needs to be set up so Google knows you are a business in Gateshead. Proper titles, descriptions, and location mentions.
- Speed. A slow site loses visitors. Fast loading is not optional.
- A way to get in touch. Click-to-call button, contact form, or booking link. Make it one tap.
The cost is less than you think
A lot of Gateshead business owners assume a website means spending thousands. It does not. You can get a professional site built and maintained for less than you spend on your phone bill. No messing about with updates or hosting yourself. Just a site that works and brings in customers.
At Obrix, we build websites for small businesses across the North East, including plenty in Gateshead and the surrounding areas. No setup fee on our Starter plan, everything included, and we handle the technical side so you can focus on your business. Check your website score for free here.
Pair it with Google Business Profile
If you are a Gateshead business, set up your Google Business Profile alongside your website. It is free. It puts you on Google Maps. And when someone searches "electrician near me" while sitting in Low Fell, you show up on the map with your reviews, phone number, and a link to your website. The combination of a Google Business Profile and a website is the most effective marketing a small business can have.
If you run a business in Gateshead and want to start getting found online, get in touch and we will sort you out.