Every client pitch is different, and nothing’s ever cookie-cutter about selling digital marketing services. There’s always a new ‘lightbulb’ moment. But there are a few winners which we’ve come across more often than not. We’re going to address one of them here. ‘My Company Needs A Hand-Coded HTML Website’ At first, we laughed the point off, then when the question began to pop up in various guises, we realised this was genuinely a question that needed to be answered. A concerning number of business owners believe the only way to have a ‘quality website’ is to have a team of coders hand-code a full website from a blank canvas. We were simply taken aback, honestly.  The ‘Good Old’ Days of Buggy Websites And before one assumes that these business owners are boomers ( which we had assumed as well ), the opinion was held firmly by boomers and millennials simultaneously. Gen Z business owners realise that swanky websites, Apple-esque glass panels and responsive builds need current-gen tech. Sure, an HTML website will load quickly and has unlimited potential in terms of animation, page layout and what not. But hand-coding a website required hundreds of man-hours then and still does now . What has changed is the cost of those man-hours - wasn’t cheap then… isn’t now, either.  Even if we removed the money and time constraints, there are still major flaws with an old-school website infrastructure. As we explained to a client, such a website will need the tending of a coder. With security patches, Google Lighthouse updates, near-constant A-B testing of said patches and updates, the coder will be gainfully employed as a full-time staffer. Do we really want that as a critical business expense? And days spent on bug-testing and responsiveness on different devices. Then…a website that  unique… might also have similarly distinctive, undocumented loopholes and vulnerabilities. Do we want to incur that headache and man-hours for testing and patching? We 👏🏼. Really👏🏼. Don’t👏🏼! See, we almost said that together.  Cookie-Cutter… Rules: Easy, Maintainable, Responsible Platforms like Wix, WordPress, Squarespace are robust, have been endlessly tested, broken and fixed by teams of coders and offer a vast variety of themes, pictures and video ( we’ll come to that ), business-focused and customer-friendly widgets, and support. Yes, maybe it’ll not have the one-in-a-million aesthetic and bespoke transitions, but a business’ website can be up in less than a week - with a one-man team. An agency can work even better. Give an agency 2-3 weeks, they’ll come up with numerous design choices and make the website SEO-ed to the gills. For growing businesses, this is a critical advantage. The ‘Custom Code’ vs. ‘Modern Builder’ Debate There are use-cases where modern site-builders will not work, and everything has to be custom coded. These are usually highly-complex websites - think social media platforms, banking and non-banking finance apps, video-sharing sites and so on. More often than not, these sites will house people’s personal and financial data, often biometrics and AI handling. Here, trusting modern website builders would be a vulnerability. The list includes government websites, defence and tech companies, deep science, and even dating platforms. Especially the last one - did you know that in the last five years alone, over 15-20 major dating sites and apps have been breached/ hacked/ leaked, leading to over 1.8 million personal pictures, details of people and banking records and more floating forevermore on the internet. Episodes like Tea Dating Advice, Tinder, Bumble, Grindr, Hinge… we can go on. Here, with so much at stake - building a website from the ground up is the only solution.  But for the other 85% of businesses - cookie-cutter templates works.  So, What Do 99% of Small Businesses Actually Need? A logical website design:  All great designs start with a structure, and so does a website. A website exists because there’s a need for a business to show up, connect to its customers and have a voice of its own. Therefore, a logical website structure and design.  A great mobile experience:  People reach for their phones first, not desktops ( OK, iPads comes a close second. ) With Wix, Squarespace and Wordpress, almost anybody can make a nice, basic website. A second-year developer can make a very slick website, and a matching mobile experience. But a marketing agency would tell you to make a website from the mobile experience first, and then expand the idea upward and outward for the tablet/desktop experience. Not all customers would wait to go home and fire up the laptop/desktop - just because “our design looks better on the big screen”. You’re a day late and a dollar short, friend. The ability to sell products or services:  For small shops, restaurants, bakeries, saloons, and dairies, ‘e-commerce’ does not start with Amazon. Yes, a presence on Amazon is great, but savvy customers would also like to visit your website and place an order directly.  Capturing leads:  Enter contact forms - friendly, hassle-free and great for connecting high-intent customers to you, quick.  To be found on Google: Your business website can exist on the internet for all ages and still be of little use, unless your coder (or you) puts in a sitemap, meta-headings and descriptions for pages and images, and puts in keywords so that Google understands your site clearly and then directs your future customers to you. That’s what SEO-friendly websites do - power businesses by directing customers to your website via search engines and then motivating them to call you. To be easy for you, the business owner, to update:  A bakery owner doesn’t have to build his brick and mortar shop physically, but they should know how to open the shop, where the light switches are and how to manage the ledger. The website is a digital storefront that new-age business owners have to be familiar with - passwords, making and deleting pages, and freewheeling with a new blog or a social media post. Basics, nothing more.  Hand-coded websites do not allow such liberties, but guess what? Website builders, on the other hand, have an extremely low learning curve.  The Power of a Template: Busting the ‘Cookie-Cutter’ Myth Templates are not a limitation; they are a starting point. Let’s see the business benefits of prioritising a template-based website.  Speed:  Most templates, regardless of platforms, have their structures tested, features reviewed and are updated with the latest security patches. This cuts down the website-building process by a factor of weeks, if not months. Basically, get visible now and not later this year! Cost:  A platformer is so. much. more. more affordable than a custom build from the ground up. Imagine it this way - several thousand owners banded together and pitched in a little cash to a developer to build them one great, tested website.  Control:  Here is where agencies like Neutonic differentiate themselves. We teach clients how easy it is to operate and update their website, add products, write simple blog posts, or add AI-assisted social media. Just as custom websites are completely hands-off, cookie-cutter templates are beginner-friendly and immensely fixable in case of whoopsies. It’s a hugely empowering fact for a business owner to not be dependent on a developer for every small change. Reliability & Security:  Platforms make it their job to ensure all their templates are pushing across latest security and usability updates ( if not, then at the very least warnings and emails ). These platforms are maintained by large teams, meaning they are secure, updated, and 99% reliable. Nothing is 100% in website development and digital marketing, and if anybody is peddling that, they’re hoodwinking you.  Focus:  And of course, leave the ‘web-tech worries’ to us. You can focus on what you do best: running your business. Your Website Grows With You, Just Like Your Business Platformed websites bridge the gap between free Google sites and bespoke websites with reduced time to live, backend updation, maintenance and a large set of choices for colours, designs, animation and UI. Here’s another thought. Any digital marketing agency can build websites. A good one builds websites the way clients desire. But only a really good digital marketing partner will take the time to understand what the client wants vs what the client’s business needs and then strip away the fluff to deliver a smart, online experience that helps customers find the business owner, and then connect both with a minimum number of clicks and taps.  Ready to launch your business online without the stress? Contact Neutonic Marcomm today, and let's talk about building a powerful website that works for you, fast.

In today’s digital landscape, local SEO is no longer optional for businesses, especially small and emerging ones. As the world grows increasingly connected online, local businesses need to make their presence known in their communities. Think of local SEO as a bridge that connects you directly with customers looking for services, just around the corner. Neglecting this can mean missing out on a significant share of potential customers. The Rising Importance of Local SEO The modern consumer relies heavily on online platforms to find products and services. Local SEO ensures your business shows up when potential customers in your area search for what you offer. Unlike generic SEO, which targets a broader audience, local SEO focuses on creating visibility for businesses within a specific geographical area. By optimising your business for local SEO, you’re not only driving foot traffic but also building loyalty among your community and fostering long-term relationships. It gives small businesses the edge they need to compete with larger corporations by leveraging their local presence. Decoding Local SEO Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimisation, refers to the practice of optimising your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. This involves processes like setting up your Google Business Profile (GBP), ensuring consistent Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) details across platforms, and tailoring content to target local audiences. Unlike generic SEO, local SEO emphasises appearing in localised search results, such as Google’s map pack or the ‘near me’ search queries. This ensures your business is visible to the right audience at the right time – a crucial factor in converting online searches into offline purchases. The feeling of finding the store you Googled... ( Video generated with Gemini Veo 2 ) Getting Started: Local SEO Basics Local SEO may sound complex, but starting with the basics can create a significant impact. Here are the foundational steps: Claim Your Google Business Profile : Your GBP is the cornerstone of Local SEO. It’s free, easy to set up, and offers a direct way for customers to find and interact with your business. Once claimed, keep your profile updated with accurate business hours, contact information, and engaging images. Ensure Consistent Business Information : Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) should be consistent across all platforms, including your website, social media, and local directories. Inconsistent information can confuse customers and hurt your search engine rankings. Target Local Keywords : Identify and incorporate keywords specific to your locality and industry into your content. This can include phrases like “[business type] near me” or “[business type] in [location].” Optimizing for these keywords helps your business appear in relevant local searches. Manage Customer Reviews : Reviews are a form of social proof that can make or break your business’s reputation. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and ensure you respond to all feedback—positive or negative—in a professional and helpful manner. This demonstrates that you value your customers’ opinions. Optimise Your Website : Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. Most local searches happen on mobile devices, and a poor user experience can drive potential customers away. Leverage Local Directories : Register your business in local directories and citation sites. This improves your credibility and increases your chances of appearing in search results. Mistakes to Avoid in Local SEO While local SEO can greatly benefit your business, certain practices can harm your efforts. Avoid the following mistakes: Overusing keywords/ keyword stuffing : Overloading your webpages or business profile with keywords can make your content read stilted and unnatural, in addition to risking penalties from search engines. Faking Reviews : Purchasing or fabricating reviews can damage your business’s credibility. Authenticity is key to building trust with your audience, and paid reviews will eventually be found out - and penalised. Ignoring Negative Feedback : Failing to address negative feedback can harm your reputation. Always engage constructively with dissatisfied customers. It may feel difficult and rage-baiting, but building a dialogue online will pay off in visible efforts, and help build a proactive reputation.  Inconsistent Information : Variations in your business details across platforms can confuse search engines and customers, negatively impacting your local rankings. It’s always a healthy practice to ensure one’s business details are consistent across search engine and yellow pages listings.  Neglecting Website Updates : An outdated or unoptimised website reflects poorly on your business. Regularly update your site with fresh content and ensure it’s optimised for local searches. Local SEO begins even before a website - it's just a few steps that can channel interested and motivated customers heading your way. ( Unsplash/Wix ) Wrapping It Up Local SEO is an invaluable tool for small and emerging businesses to thrive in today’s competitive digital environment. By focussing on basics and avoiding common pitfalls, you can connect with your local audience, foster loyalty, and drive growth. Remember, local SEO isn’t a one-time effort — it’s a continuous process that requires regular updates and engagement. Start small and grow steadily. With consistent effort, local SEO can elevate your business to new heights. If you’re ready to take the next step, begin optimising today and watch your local visibility flourish.

What does digital marketing mean for India and its businesses… today? The TL;DR version would be ‘very little, and at times a luxury’. The word ‘optional expense’ would be a strong second choice. Asian countries, and population-dense ones, would see this trend too. Micro, small, growing and even mid-sized companies would go for a domain, a website, sustained social media and even branding only after they’ve hit ₹ 10 crore turnover. Grassroot Digital Marketing, Globally… In first-world countries, people would register their domain before filing company registration taxes for their pop-up lemonade stand. Yes, there’s hyperbole present in the example, but only ever a gentle sprinkling. A bakery would have a not-insignificant portion of its start-up budget dedicated to branding, fonts, colour pairing, menu design, customer retention schemes, WiFi sharing - and we’re just getting started. For a hotel, the hiring of a mid-sized digital marketing agency is as important as designing the staff livery. For a new soft drink - custom QR codes, brand ambassadors, social media launches, the works. The competition shouldn't be ignored, just because India has a massive consumer market. …meanwhile, in India It would not be wrong to bet that more than 80% of all new and existing enterprises in India have not even thought of getting online in terms of marketing, let alone get a custom domain and a colour palette. Most MSMEs have barely functional websites, let alone update to the latest patches and test to responsive standards. In many mid-sized companies, the marketing department has responsibilities which have more to do with non-marketing areas such as sales, production, HR, (and sometimes even managing the factory floor 😱).  Companies in Tier-1 cities have funding, worldview and target both domestic and international markets. Therefore, the marketing teams can and do spend on design, presentation and branding, websites, social media, content curation, promotions, tie-ups with influencers, and more. That’s the visible side of activities. On the backend, there’s site health, mobile responsiveness, SEO, content, image and asset management, A-B testing, site reputation, and social media management. The latter includes social media presence, posting, tracking competitor activity and events, and cross-posting - that’s a separate beast in themselves. How do companies in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities manage the above? They don’t, because one, they can’t afford a full-size DM agency and two, if they do – the overheads will sink their margins. Heck, it would come under smartness for small companies to play to their strengths, do ‘bijness’ like their fathers did and not bother with ‘digital flimflam’ at all. Technology democratises grassroot digital marketing in India In the race to nab the latest, hottest domain and websites AI-ed up the gills, a lot of us have forgotten how freeing, empowering Internet basics are. The first steps are getting online and not ranking… #0. There’s ranking for #1 result, and Google’s default answer, up top, is called position zero. ( If you thought #1, you need proper SEO experts. ) We’ve been talking about mid-sized companies, but what about mom-and-pop stores, tailors, restaurants, garages, stationery stores, small factories, dairies and more? Of course, they can’t afford to even pay the gate fees to the above wargrounds, but should they accept being relegated to visual and memory-based search? Google has made getting an online presence free. Yes, you don’t get a nice domain, and it’s pretty basic. But that, combined with a Google My Business tag, is a world of visibility… for free, forever. Add a QR code which most businesses have in this country, and which people can't do without. Sometimes, we forget how cool technology can be at the grassroot level. No-Code, No-Fuss, AI-Powered Websites for Growing Businesses Getting online, and staying visible, is possible, easy and affordable. Not every company needs to be in the race to be the #1 search result in India, but every small business should be able to get a little bit of digital visibility. A decent website, a set of free fonts and images, a little gallery of videos, and a lively Contact Us page should be within every company’s reach. And with no-code and low-code website building tools like Wordpress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, it’s so very easy for businesses to get a little help and jump online. No one has to have an on-duty coder, a writer, or a designer to build a website. There is a little hiccup here and there connecting the site to the domain, but nothing a little Googling can’t solve. For businesses with no budget for marketing, all it requires is some time, learning and Google will set them up with a free presence. With a little annual budget earmarked, businesses can have glorious websites, thanks to no-code website builders. And with a monthly plan, digital marketing agencies can give a little extra push to get ranking. Getting visible and being noticed isn’t rocket science. Only rocket science is… well, you get it. Free and cheap works in digital marketing, too.  There’s another chain of thought that says how digital marketing of all things can help stem and combat scammers and spammers, but we’ll get to that bridge too. For now, it has been genuinely nice of you to stop by. Drop in your details in our Contact Us page, and we’ll love to talk about how we can help your company. Or, call us at +91 755 417 3379!