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The clock is ticking to protect your internet Brand and Identity 2018

Firstly, a bit of background.  Approximately four years ago the internet introduced a whole load of new domain types which had a suffix that was either business orientated, location based, and with a few more classifications besides.  Some of the rules that were introduced were based on who could register what, with the main one to consider was for domains like www.mybusiness.co.uk that only the domain owner of that domain could register www.mybusiness.uk. These rights of ownership were set as 5-years. 

That rule is going to change 10th June 2019, and anyone will then be able to register the .uk suffix domain, even if they do not own the .co.uk.

Since 2013 you could register a .uk domain without registering the .co.uk domain and obviously the rule above did not apply but typically was based on the .co.uk being also available at that time of registration.

You might think that is irrelevant to your business but just think of the implications where a competitor buys the .uk and points it to their business website, or, alternatively they set up emails and a new website cloning your existing business attracting your customers.

The biggest threat though is companies registering the .uk domains and looking to charge you an exorbitant fee to pass ownership.  So a £10.00 a year additional cost might run in to the £000’s for you to secure ownership.

So what next?

If you want to register the .uk domain you will need to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and enquire but the cost would be £10.00 + VAT per annum for each .uk domain.  Some clients recently have registered both anyway to protect themselves.

You have until early 2019 to decide so no immediate decision is required but we cannot guarantee availability once the above date has passed.  You will get people searching the internet to buy the .uk domains on or before the 10th June 2019 and then look to sell them to you at an inflated cost as the registrar will not have to check the .co.uk ownership.  If there are any other announcements we will keep you posted.

Search Engine Ranking (SEO) – Spam Emails… aargh

What really annoys me is the email from someone who sends an email which starts with….

“Having just visited your website and although a great design it does not rank well on Google, Bing, AOL, Yahoo,……”

They then go on to say they are a leader in the field, working for a professional business, and can get you on the 1st Page of Google, or words to that effect.

I always refrain from responding, other than flagging the sender and blocking the email but often smile at their laziness in making contact.

  • They have obviously found your website and taken the time to tell you that no one can find your website.
  • The professional business they work for encourages them to use Gmail, Outlook or other widely unaffiliated with a company domain address.
  • They have made an assumption on your keywords, very easy to say something is not performing when they are checking the wrong thing!
  • If they are checking the right thing, how do they know you are not getting all the business you want, what your marketing spend might be, or whether you have not already engaged someone?
  • Competitive analysis is critical, if you were starting an online retailer called solimoes.com (name of the upper reaches of the amazon) what would you need to do to compete? Typically, the spammers finish the email off saying if you are interested we will send a proposal. A proposal for what!

I am sure you all do it anyway but the best place to start with ranking your website is considering the content, how engaged visitors will be and ultimately the service you provide.  Once you have that sorted speak with someone agreeing what you are trying to achieve and allow them to formulate how they would deliver.  Spam emails are never the preferred route!

Lastly the final word of caution is that the internet search engine providers have complex algorithms that they will be constantly changing and developing. What is popular and how people are engaging with your internet presence over time. So, it is not a do it once approach to SEO, it should be a marketing campaign with deliverables and assigned budget and with an expectation there is no magic wand and results take time.  Your competitors will stay ahead of you in the rankings if they have a business strategy that encompasses an internet or web element.

Citations and why are they important

Following our blog post at the end of last month we have spent a lot of time researching the importance of citations and the requirement to register with companies and appear on their listings.

Firstly understanding how people search is a must because it can be time consuming updating and maintaining the listing. Also it can be costly if you are going for an advert listing to guarantee a position on a listing.

Secondly geography is all important as it will dictate where you will be found. Not much point listing high in a location where you have limited potential customers.

Thirdly having an address in the area where you are looking to acquire customers. The big thing now is “buy local” and search engines will look at both your website and listings to see whether you are trading from an area or not.

The fourth consideration is opening times and your business type. The ranking can be influenced by opening times. If you are not open then your ranking will drop and those that are open will improve, makes sense but can have a detrimental impact if you are expecting emails that you can respond to the next working day. People get in from work, have their tea and then maybe look for a service.

The final and fifth consideration is that citations are just one element to improving your rankings. A full SEO package or a marketing plan should underpin any business in attracting new customers.

To learn more do not hesitate to get in touch via our website www.mscbw.co.uk

We can provide a tailored package for any business and what you are looking to achieve.

What is a Citation?

In website speak a citation is an entry in a Business Listing which details the business, contact details and services you offer with a link to your website.

Why are they important?

Firstly it is another way of people finding you and your business but the Search Engines are now looking at these.

As Search Engines are now ranking on how many citations you have and the relevance to your location, which means that to trade in multiple places you will ultimately need an address in that location and further citations categorised for that town or area.  In summary the web is moving towards a "buy local" concept!

Help I hear people say, well the first thing is do not panic, secondly remember the ranking is determined by multiple factors and algorithms so the impact will vary between industry sector, services and geography.  Equally it will depend on what your competitors are doing.

We are happy to help across all areas of Search Engine Optimisation please call us on 0800 772 3640 to discuss.  Search Engine Optimisation is not meant to be easy and improving your rankings will cost you money, time or both! 

If you want to get some free citations why not have a look at the following and register your business for FREE with many of the following if you have not done so already.  Many offer a basic service and a free listing but try and get you to buy a paid advertising service.  Start with the Free as the search engines are looking for listings in the first instance.  Consider paid services as part of you company marketing budget.

  • ApprovedBusinesses;
  • 118; Scoot;
  • HotFrog;
  • Google;
  • Facebook;
  • Scoot;
  • TouchLocal;
  • The Independent;
  • The Sun;
  • Yelp;
  • Foursquare;
  • Central Index;
  • The Scotsman;
  • Daily Record;
  • Evening Standard;
  • WalesOnline;
  • Belfast News Letter;
  • iBegin;
  • iGlobal;
  • Cylex;
  • Brownbook.net;
  • 192.com;
  • Bizwiki.co.uk;
  • CityVisitor;
  • Bing;
  • Where To?;
  • Yell;
  • Infobel;
  • AroundMe;
  • Touch Local;
  • CityLocal

Speak to MSCB Web Design to discuss further, www.mscbw.co.uk