Setting up a website for your business can be an intimidating task.
But it’s easier than you think.
When starting a business, it's vital to know how to create a business website. With the internet being so popular and most people spending most of their day glued to the internet, having an online presence is crucial for any business.
This is the ultimate guide for business owners who are looking to create a website. You'll learn everything from how to choose a domain name for your business, hosting services options, and more.
Let’s dive in.
3 Reasons A Business Website Is A Must
Here’s why having a site for your company is a requirement.
How To Build A Website For Your Business In 10 Simple Steps
Now that you know the benefits of a company site let’s get into the details of how to build one shall we?
1. Choose A Domain Name For Your Business Website
Your business will need an address on the internet, called a Domain Name. It’s your brand’s online identity. There are a lot of different providers out there who offer Domain Names at prices that can fit any business budget, e.g. Namecheap and GoDaddy.
Simply type in the name you have in mind and hit ‘search’. The algorithm will tell you if it’s available and how much it costs.
Quick tips for choosing a domain name:
Get your small business domain name right from the beginning. You will be glad you did when you reap the rewards later.
2. Pick A Reputable Web Hosting Company To Host Your Small Business Website
Many business owners do not bother to learn about and research the web hosting company they are planning on using. That’s a big mistake.
Take your time to read reviews and visit the web host website to find out more.
When hunting for a hosting company for your small business, look for the following:
Popular hosting companies include Site Ground, GoDaddy, and Bluehost. Most of these have run free domain names or even free website specials from time to time.
3. Pick A Theme Template And Website Design
So, what do you look for in a good theme?
Some of the leading free themes are Sydney, Astra, and Jayla.
Jayla is excellent for online shops. Astra is beginner-friendly. Sydney is superb for freelancers.
4. Settle On A Good Website Builder And Content Management System (CMS)
Now that you have a company Domain Name and Web Hosting provider, it's time to create your own website.
Thankfully, these days website building is doable without spending a fortune on a web developer.
How easy it is to set up your site might vary depending on what business you are in. To help make the process easier, consider a website builder. Website builders include tools and templates specifically designed for small business owners.
While website builders make creating sites easy, their functionality and flexibility may vary depending on business size. Some builder tools have a professional design that provides greater control over the business's online presence, while others provide simple templates with minimal customization options.
The following are the most popular content management systems and drag-and-drop website builders out there:
1. WordPress
WordPress is the most popular CMS with business websites. WordPress is easy to use. Anyone who knows how to upload a video on YouTube or add an article on Google Docs can customize it. The downside of WordPress websites is they don't have business-specific features such as inventory management, CRM, or job postings unless you install them separately.
2. Squarespace
Squarespace is a cloud-based builder that does not require any coding skills to create sites. It uses templates and you can set your business apart by customizing it yourself or hiring professionals to customize it for you. The downside with Squarespace is that you are limited in what business models you can build. For businesses that need custom sites, you will be restricted to using one of Squarespace's business models.
3. Weebly
Weebly is another site builder. With Weebly, you can easily create a business site with or without their online forms and email marketing integration but unlike Squarespace, if your business requires any custom features, then some of them are available through programs and services provided by Weebly.
4. Wix
Wix is a business website builder that uses templates and requires no coding skills to create websites. If you are looking for business site templates, then Wix would be an ideal choice as it has a wide range of website templates, but it also restricts the business model options available to its users. All in all, Wix provides a good site builder for small business websites.
For a professional website use pro builders that allow you to build a customized site without touching CSS code or hiring a pricey web designer.
5. Create A Smooth Easy-To-Use Interface For Visitors
When creating a small business website, you must understand how your site visitors will use it. It should not be difficult for users to find business products and services they are looking for on your site. They don’t have to spend hours and hours searching for info. If users don’t have a pleasant experience when using your site, they will abandon it and take their business elsewhere.
This means that your business website needs a user-friendly interface.
Your site should be easily navigable. It should have well-organized sections with an appropriate menu structure so people find their way around easily. Basically, it shouldn't be cluttered with a lot of business information that the business user does not need.
It is also important to build a business site that has all the essential business features. It should have all the business content sections like product pages, services page, pricing pages, contact page, about us page, testimonials page, etc.
Your site needs to be business mobile-friendly. Users use sites from different locations. Some of the visitors might be on the go, on a train, or sitting at home. Your site needs to look good on business computers, business tablets, and business mobile phones.
Sites that are business mobile-friendly will attract more business visitors whenever they access business information online.
Also, your site needs an appropriate color scheme. It should be pleasing to the eyes and help business visitors find what they are looking for easily.
6. Incorporate Social Media Marketing Into Your Site
Social media marketing is an integral part of the online marketing mix.
That’s why you must integrate it into your website.
When your brand pops up all over social media, you generate buzz around your products and services. New audiences get to know about your company.
7. Optimize Your Business Website For SEO
One of the most cost-effective ways to advertise your business online is through Search Engine Optimization. Optimized sites are more visible in search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. You can opt for search engine optimization (SEO) services provided by specialized websites or you can do it yourself if you have some basic knowledge of search engine optimization.
Here are a few tips to help your business website get maximum exposure in the search engines:
1. It's All About Content
Content is the king and if you don't have high-quality content on your website then it simply doesn't matter how well SEO optimized or even how attractive or unique it looks, because Google is going to ignore it. Always make sure there are some well-written articles on your business website that provide useful information. Apart from having informative content, be sure to update your small website regularly with new and relevant content so Google keeps indexing it.
2. Meta Tags Should Be Unique And Optimized
Always use unique meta tags that are optimized according to business needs and also include some relevant keywords in them., This will help Google index the website. So if a user searches for topics related to what you do in Google search then your content will show up in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and people will click through to your website.
3. Get Listed In Business Directories To Dominate Local Search
If you own a brick-and-mortar business then a local business website should be one of your top priorities, because most internet users search for local businesses in their vicinity using local business directories.
4. Business Websites Should Be Mobile Optimized And Responsive
Since most web traffic comes from mobile devices, then it's necessary to make it mobile optimized to improve its overall performance. Use responsive web design to ensure your small business website layout is well displayed on all devices and responsive HTML code is always updated.
5. Page Speed Should Be Rapid
Sites that load very slow result in visitors leaving your site quickly, which is not good for your site’s ranking. So always make sure it loads very fast on all devices because page speed is now a ranking factor.
6. Optimize UX/UI Design
Make sure your users can access all the necessary content of businesses in a very easy way. Use breadcrumbs navigation to improve the navigation experience for visitors and use clear navigation so that users can easily find their way around your website.
SEO optimization never stops. It’s an ongoing job.
8. How To Set Up An eCommerce Online Store Website
Source: Pixabay
While building an online store is similar to creating a standard website, there are some major differences.
Here’s a quick run-through of how to set up an online store:
Small Business Website: The Gateway To Online Business Success
Website development is the most business-critical process you need to get right to make your business a success in today's online arena.
Use these best practices and tips to build your perfect small business website.
Now go set up that winning money-generating website.
Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by Hanson Cheng