It is no longer possible to run a business without a web presence. No matter what kind of business you have, a good website is essential to its success. If you run a small business, hiring a web designer can cost you your setup. However, the good news is that you can now create your own business website for free or at very affordable prices.
However, you need to keep in mind that a “one size fits all” solution will not work when building a website for your small setup. Different business websites will have different purposes. In addition, they will need a variety of tools to help you achieve your goals as well.
Once you have decided on the objectives of your small business, you can start building your website. We cover seven important steps to start a small business website in this article. These steps will help you to establish an online presence for your successful setup.
Select Website Builder Platform
A good website building platform does not require coding knowledge. You can choose WordPress, which is the most popular free content management system. Although originally introduced for blogging purposes, it was later developed into web-based software.
WordPress is an open source project that is completely free to use and will give you complete control over your website. However, you will need to find a web hosting provider for yourself. Other popular free website building platforms are Webflow, Wix, and IM Creator.
Choose Your Domain Name
A domain name is one of the most important features of any website. It is a URL that you share with people and use for advertising purposes. Therefore, you should think carefully when deciding on a domain name for your website. It should not only explain but make it easier to type with.
Make sure you do not use numbers, abbreviations, and commas in the domain name you bring. Apart from this, one may need to decide on a TLD or a top-level domain. A TLD is an add-on to the end of your domain. Other common examples of this TLD are .com, .biz, and .net.
Additionally, you should also check the availability of the domain name you have selected and make sure it does not violate someone else’s domain. If you don’t know how to register a domain name yet, don’t worry – it’s a really simple process.
Select Web Host
Your business website also needs a webmaster. If you have selected a website builder for everyone, then you can skip this step. Web Host is a server where your data is stored. The public can always access your data through a webmaster. Hosting your website is something you can’t afford at the moment. For this reason, you will need to select an external administrator for your website.
There are two different web hosting methods. You can choose between shared web hosting or dedicated hosting. While a shared web host is a cheap way, you should share your server with other sites. In contrast, dedicated web hosting allows you to get your most expensive private server.
Build Your Pages
A good website is not the only one with a standalone homepage. That’s why you should create more pages for your website. Pages should cover various aspects of your business. For example, there should be a blog section and a catalog of the services and products you offer.
You also need to create a business logo if you do not already have one. The logo should be used on the website, social media profile, and business cards. It will help potential buyers quickly see your company online.
Configure Your Website to Find Search Engines
Once you have successfully published the content on your website, you will need to make sure that people can find it online. This is where making a good search engine can help. It is customary to put your content at the top of search engine results pages. There are many SEO plugins you can use with the website building platform you have chosen. The most popular SEO plugin is YOAST SEO. It scans the content you want to publish online and suggests some improvement tips.
- A few critical habits you need to keep in mind when using your website with a search engine are as follows.
- Use keywords on your pages.
Optimize your website faster’.
Create responsive design for your website.
Include internal and external links to your website.
Use post names in their permalinks.
Set up a payment plan
There are many companies out there that offer their customers the online payment option. If you also want to offer an online payment option to your customers, then install an electronic payment system on the website. That can be done easily with the help of third-party payment systems or any e-commerce software.
Many web hosts out there offer integration with e-commerce programs and in-house shopping cart. Therefore, do some research to choose a solution that best suits your needs.
Check and Publish Your Website
You should make sure your website is running on all major browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Also, check each page and its features to make sure the images are appearing, the format looks good, and the links are working properly. While this may take a while, it will save you from future complaints about whether the website is working properly.
Additionally, you should also check if your website is working properly on mobile devices and tablets. It is an important step that should not be taken lightly. Once you are satisfied that the design of the website is working properly, you can declare it live online.
