Mathias Everson

If you're a new business owner, chances are you're juggling a lot right now. Setting up your online presence shouldn't add to that stress. The good news is that you don't need to figure it all out at once. You just need a solid plan and the right tools in place.

My name is Mathias. Over the past nine years, I've helped over 80 businesses get their online foundations right. Working at Threesides, a digital marketing agency in Canberra, I've seen every setup imaginable. Some are meticulously organised. Others are a bit of a mess. Most of the time, it's not the business owner's fault. These platforms simply don't make it easy to know where to start.

That's what this article is for.

Background

I grew up in a family business, learning early that getting the fundamentals right matters. When I finished high school, I joined the team at Threesides. From day one, I was involved in onboarding new clients. I saw firsthand how confusing it is to set up accounts across multiple platforms. The good news is that most businesses follow a similar path, and once you understand the order of things, it becomes much more straightforward.

Over the years, I've also learned what works and what doesn't. I've seen businesses thrive because they took time to set things up properly at the start. I've also seen others struggle because they skipped steps or chose the wrong platform for their needs.

Objective

This article series is designed to help you avoid common pitfalls and get your online presence sorted. Here's what I'm aiming for:

Provide clear, practical instructions that don't require a technical background. No jargon. Just straightforward steps.
Help you reduce risk and complexity by recommending reliable options and keeping you focused on what matters. Security and simplicity come first.
Set you up for growth with a solid foundation you can build on as your business scales.

Step 1: Getting started

Let's walk through the essentials. Think of these as the building blocks of your digital presence.

Dedicated Business Email Account

Before you do anything else, create a Gmail account you'll use just for your business administration. This will be your "master key" account for setting up everything else. Choose something simple and relevant to your business name.

Important: Use this account only for setup. Once you've got your domain sorted, you'll switch to a professional business email address for everything else.

Domain

Your domain is your address on the internet. It's the first thing customers will type to find you.

Domain Name

Pick something memorable, easy to spell, and relevant to what you do. For Australian businesses, a .com.au or .au domain is worth investing in. It helps with local search rankings and builds trust with customers. If your first choice is taken, don't overthink it. Pick something close and move on.

DNS (Domain Name System)

Think of DNS as the internet's address book. When someone types your domain, DNS tells their browser where to find your website and email. Your domain registrar handles this automatically, but you can switch to an external provider like Cloudflare if you want more control. For most new businesses, the default setup is fine.

Website

Your website is where you control your message. It's your storefront, your brochure, and your hub all in one. You own it. You control it.

Web Hosting and Platform

You need somewhere for your website to live on the internet.

Option 1: All-in-One Platforms (Squarespace, Wix, Shopify)

These are Commercial Off-The-Shelf solutions. Everything is bundled together: hosting, builder, security, updates. You don't have to think about the technical side.

Pros: Easy to use, drag-and-drop editors, professional templates, and built-in security. You can launch quickly without technical knowledge.

Cons: Less flexibility if you need custom features. You're locked into their ecosystem.

My recommendation: Start with Squarespace. It strikes a good balance between ease of use and professional quality. It's reliable and has a clean interface that doesn't feel clunky.

Option 2: WordPress (Self-Hosted)

WordPress powers a huge chunk of the internet. It's incredibly flexible. But it requires more hands-on work.

Pros: Ultimate control. Thousands of plugins and themes. Scales well as you grow.

Cons: Needs separate hosting. More technical setup. You manage updates and security yourself.

My recommendation: Only choose WordPress if you're comfortable tinkering, or if you plan significant custom functionality from day one. If you do go this route, use managed WordPress hosting like WP Engine or WPMUDEV. It takes some of the technical burden off your shoulders.

Business-Grade Email

Once your domain is set up, you'll want email addresses that match it (info@yourbusiness.com.au). This makes you look professional and keeps things cohesive.

Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365

These are the two main players. Both offer professional email, cloud storage, and productivity tools.

Google Workspace is great for collaboration and integrates seamlessly with Google's other tools. It's straightforward and feels familiar if you've used Gmail.

Microsoft 365 is the more "enterprise" option. If you're already using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for your business, it integrates well. It also has stronger user and device management features if you're planning to grow a team.

My recommendation: Choose whichever feels more natural to you. The key is using a professional, domain-based email address instead of a generic Gmail or Outlook account. That one change alone makes you look established.

Social Media (Meta Platforms)

For most businesses, your customers are on social media. Meta (Facebook's parent company) gives you the tools to reach them.

Meta Business Suite

This is your control centre for Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, and advertising. It keeps everything organised in one place.

Facebook Page

Still one of the most important platforms. It's where many customers look for proof that you exist, and that others know about you. It's where you share updates, answer questions, and build community.

Instagram Account

The 'new Facebook'. Even if your business isn't 'camera friendly', Instagram is great for showcasing what you do through images and video.

Ads Manager

Where you'll create and manage paid campaigns across Facebook and Instagram. It's a powerful tool, and we'll cover the basics later.

Meta Pixel

A small piece of code you add to your website that tracks what people do when they visit. This data helps you understand your audience and run better ads. It's especially useful for retargeting (showing ads to people who've already visited your site).

Catalogue

If you sell products, upload your inventory here. This lets you run dynamic product ads and create a shop section on your Facebook and Instagram profiles.

Analytics

You can't improve what you don't measure. These tools show you what's working.

Google Analytics (GA4)

Tracks how many people visit your website, where they come from, and what they do when they're there. Essential for understanding how your website performs.

Meta Pixel

(Mentioned above) Tracks what people do after clicking your ads. Invaluable for improving your advertising.

Microsoft Clarity

A free tool from Microsoft that shows you visual data. Heatmaps show where people click. Session recordings let you watch (anonymously) how users move through your site. It answers the "why" behind user behaviour.

Advertising

Once the foundation is in place, advertising helps you reach more people and drive business.

Google Ads

Show up in Google search results when people are actively looking for what you offer. Great for capturing demand.

Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram)

Build awareness and reach people based on their interests and demographics. Strong for lead generation and sales.

That's the core of what you need. Yes, it's a lot. But each step builds on the last. Tackle them one by one, and you'll have a solid online presence that positions your business for success.

In the next parts of this series, we'll dive deeper into each of these areas. I'll walk you through the actual setup steps, share practical tips I've learned from working with over 80 businesses, and help you avoid the common mistakes I see most often.

You've got this.

Part 1: Getting started online