Somewhere in the UK right now, a potential customer is searching Google for exactly what you offer. Are they finding your business, or are they heading straight to the competitor down the road?
A website helps put your business on the map (and in those all-important Google search results). And getting one is simpler than you might think: no developer or spare weekend required.
Here’s what you need to get started.
What every business website needs:
- ☑︎ A domain name. Your address online. Find a good domain early, even if you’re not ready to launch.
- ☑︎ A way to build your website. Use Website Builder to get online in minutes, Managed Hosting for WordPress for more flexibility, or Web Hosting for full control.
- ☑︎ Hosting to keep your site online, day and night. A trusted web host like 123 Reg means reliable uptime and fast page loads when visitors come calling.
- ☑︎ SSL security. This adds HTTPS encryption and the padlock, so visitors feel safe. You can add Domain Ownership Protection to help keep your domain yours.
- ☑︎ A professional email address with your domain looks the part and helps keep spam out.
Find and register your perfect domain name
Your domain name is your address on the web. It’s what customers type into their browser, see on your business cards and share with friends — so it’s worth choosing carefully.
A strong domain is short, memorable and easy to say out loud. Aim for something that reflects your business name or what you do, without making people guess how to spell it.
How to choose yours:
✓ Match your business name. Keeping your company name, trading name and domain aligned makes you easier to find and remember.
✓ Keep it simple. Avoid hyphens, numbers and unusual spellings. If you would need to spell it out on the phone, choose something clearer.
✓ Choose the right extension. A .co.uk or .uk signals a UK-focused business, while .com works well for just about anything. There are 400+ domains to choose from, and you can register more than one to protect your brand.
✓ Check availability. Use the 123 Reg domain search to see what’s available, or describe your business to the AI Domain Search for some great ideas.
✓ Register early. Good names get taken! If you find one you like, secure it now — even if you’re not ready to build the site yet.
See also: How to Buy and Register a Domain Name in the UK and What’s Included Free with a 123 Reg Domain Name?
Choose how to build your small business website
Your domain is the address. Now you need something to put there.
There are three main routes, from easiest to most technical, and none is “better” than the others. It’s about what works for you.
Option 1: Website Builder — easy, no-nonsense
Website Builder is the fastest way to get a professional site online without learning web development.
Choose a mobile-friendly template, replace the sample content with your own words and images, then publish when you’re ready. Hosting is included, so there’s no separate setup to manage.
Choose Website Builder if you want to:
▪ Start with a professionally designed template for your type of business
▪ Make changes, add content and customise pages with simple visual editing tools
▪ Add features like contact forms, image galleries and online booking
▪ Get your business online, literally in minutes
See Website Builder in action
Watch our tutorial to see how easy it is to create your own website. For a step-by-step guide, see: How to Make a Website with Website Builder
Option 2: Managed Hosting for WordPress — power and flexibility
WordPress gives you more room to grow. You can add themes, plugins and custom functionality as your business evolves, whether that means a blog, booking system, membership area or online shop.
With Managed Hosting for WordPress, WordPress comes preinstalled and 123 Reg handles core maintenance tasks such as updates, security and backups.
That makes it a strong middle ground: more flexibility than a website builder, without the full responsibility of managing a server.
Choose Managed WordPress if you want to:
▪ Build a website with thousands of themes and design options to choose from
▪ Add powerful plugins for SEO, bookings, forms, analytics and more
▪ Customise your website with extra features as your business grows
▪ Turn your website into a fully fledged online shop with WooCommerce
See also: WordPress — How to Build a Website for Your Business
Selling with WordPress? Meet WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a plugin that adds online shop features to WordPress. Add products, take payments and manage orders, all from the same site you use for everything else.
Both WordPress and WooCommerce are free to use. What you’ll need is hosting, so your shop has somewhere to live online. With Managed Hosting for WordPress, WordPress comes preinstalled, so you can add WooCommerce and start building right away. If you’ve got the time and tech skills to set everything up yourself, choose Web Hosting to install both WordPress and Woo on your own terms.
Read the Beginner’s Guide to WooCommerce: How to Start Your Online Shop
Option 3: Web Hosting — total control
Web Hosting gives you the space and tools to build your site your way with with cPanel. You can choose your own content management system, install applications and manage all setup yourself.
Premium Hosting offers the same features with higher specifications and more power for larger businesses and more complex websites.
Choose Web Hosting if you:
▪ You’ve got decent web dev skills or a team to help you
▪ Need a specific CMS, application or custom setup
▪ Want direct control over files, databases and server settings
▪ Are building a more complex or resource-heavy business site
Best options business website building
| Website Builder | Managed Hosting for WordPress | Web Hosting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Small businesses that want to get online fast | Businesses that want more flexibility and room to grow | Developers and confident users who want more control |
| Technical skill? | None needed. Just point, click and create | Basic WordPress knowledge helps | Some web dev know-how recommended |
| Why choose it? | Ready-made designs, AI tools and easy visual editing. No coding required | Thousands of themes and plugins, with updates and backups taken care of | Your choice of CMS, custom code and greater control over your hosting environment |
| See plans | See plans | See plans |
See also: Managed vs Self-Managed Hosting — How to Choose the Best Option for Your Business
Get trusted web hosting to keep business online
Whichever route you choose, your website needs somewhere to live. That’s what hosting is about: storing your website’s files on global servers and making them accessible online, so it’s available to customers day and night.
Unless you’re planning to run your own server from a cupboard (not recommended!) you’ll need a hosting provider to do this for you. All the 123 Reg plans we’ve covered above include the hosting you need to get online.
Why web hosting matters
Good web hosting does more than keep your website online. It helps your pages load faster, gives visitors a better experience on mobile and desktop, and supports the security and reliability your business needs.
A slow or unavailable website can frustrate potential customers and send them elsewhere. Choosing a trusted hosting provider gives your website a solid foundation, leaving you more time to focus on running your business.
Make sure you’re secure with an SSL certificate
Ever noticed the little padlock next to a web address, or the “https” at the start? That’s an SSL certificate at work. It encrypts everything passing between your visitor’s browser and your website, keeping names, email addresses and card details private.
That matters if you take payments or collect details, but even if not, browsers will flag your site as “not secure”, and that’s not the first impression you want.
Fortunately, annual 123 Reg website and hosting plans include SSL ready to go, so you won’t usually need to buy one separately.
Set up a professional email address for your brand
An address like @your-big-idea.co.uk does a lot of work on its own. It looks the part on quotes and invoices, it’s easy for customers to remember, and it keeps business messages out of your personal inbox.
There are two ways to get one. Buy either on its own, or look out for professional email included with most annual 123 Reg website and hosting plans.
See also: Why Every Business Needs a Professional Email Address
Professional Email
Get a custom email address that uses your own domain, set up in minutes. 123 Reg Professional Email is powered by Titan, so it’s simple to use and all you need if email is just for email. Step up a plan for extras like AI writing assistance, campaign help and analytics tracking.
Microsoft 365 Email
This is email powered by Microsoft 365, built to work with Outlook and the apps your team may already use. Step up a plan for the full suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams, plus AI productivity tools like Power BI and Copilot.
See also: More Than Email — M365 Add-Ons to Power Your Small Business
Take your business website online with 123 Reg
Ready to begin? Start with your domain and get everything you need to bring your business online.
Small business website FAQs
What do I need to launch a website for my small business?
It’s as easy as 1-2-3: a domain name, a way to build your site and hosting to keep it online. Add a professional email address to look the part. Most annual 123 Reg plans bundle it all, with a free .co.uk or .com domain for the first year.
Do I need a developer to build a website?
No. Website Builder lets you create a site from templates with no coding at all. If you want more control, Managed Hosting for WordPress and Web Hosting give you room to grow, and are worth a look if you need more customisation for your website.
How much does it cost to launch a small business website in the UK?
It depends on the route you choose, but annual 123 Reg plans bundle your domain (free for the first year), hosting and SSL, so most of the cost arrives in one go. Domains renew at the standard price after the first year.
Do I need web hosting if I use Website Builder?
Website Builder includes web hosting, so you have everything you need to create and publish your website. The hosting part is taken care of behind the scenes, keeping your site online 24/7.
If you choose to build your website with WordPress instead, you’ll need a separate web hosting plan to store your website’s files and make them accessible online. With Managed Hosting, WordPress comes installed and maintained for you. Web Hosting is the plan to choose if you want to install and manage your own content management system (CMS), whether that’s WordPress, Drupal, or any other you like.
See also: Managed vs Unmanaged Hosting
Do I really need an SSL Certificate for my website?
Absolutely. An SSL certificate encrypts information sent between your website and visitors, helping protect customer data. Without one, browsers may display security warnings, and Google is unlikely to even show your website in search results.
Can I get a professional email address with my domain?
Yes. A custom email address using your own domain helps your business look the part. Choose Professional Email, or Microsoft 365 Email if you also want Office apps, SharePoint, Teams and AI productivity tools.
