A great website is essential for the success of any small business, whether you are a freelance photographer, own a hardware store, or run another type of small business. There are quite a few best website developers in India who create websites that can blow your minds but with enough practice you can ace the kill too.
Here are 9 key steps to getting started and helping your small business website compete effectively in the online marketplace if you are looking to build a new startup website or make your current site more effective.
How to Create a Website for a Small Business (in 9 easy steps)
Once you’ve decided on a direction for your website’s goals, you can begin designing and building it.
Here are nine key steps to help you launch your business’ online presence:
Step 1: Select a platform for building your website.
You should ideally choose a user-friendly solution that will allow you to create a website without any coding knowledge. Here are our recommendations for small businesses:
WordPress. WordPress comes in two versions. We will concentrate on WordPress.org, which provides you with the most features and more control over your website. Hosting must be arranged separately (more on that later).
Website builders that are hosted. If you prefer all-in-one solutions, you should look into a reputable website builder like Squarespace or Wix. These platforms provide complete website designs that can be customized using a drag-and-drop tool. You will not need to outsource hosting to another company, but you will have less design flexibility.
The costs of hosted website builders vary depending on the plan you select. For example, the Squarespace Business package will set you back $18 per month.
WordPress, on the other hand, is an open-source project, which means it is free to use. You will, however, be responsible for locating a web hosting provider, which is an additional cost.
Here are a few reasons why we recommend WordPress:
Step 2: Choose a domain name.
Your domain name should ideally be the same as your company name. If you’re not sure what name to choose, there are several online generators that can help you get started, such as DomainWheel:
Here are some pointers to consider when choosing a domain name for your website:
We also have some posts that go into greater detail about domain name selection:
Step 3: Locate your hosting company.
If you use an all-in-one website builder, you can skip this step. WordPress users should read on.
You have several excellent beginner-friendly hosting companies to choose from. Bluehost is our top choice, and it is officially recommended by WordPress.org:
We recommend Bluehost for a number of reasons. For example, its hosting packages include the following features:
Step 4: Set up the WordPress software.
Step 5: Choose the templates
WordPress and Squarespace both provide a plethora of templates (or themes) that are easily customizable. Many of them are also free to use.
You can access free theme options in WordPress by going to Appearance > Themes from your dashboard.
Viewing free WordPress themes in the dashboard.
You can customize your theme after you install and activate it. Alternatively, you could look into a premium WordPress business theme. Pre-built portfolios, e-commerce pages, and page builder integration are common features of these products.
Squarespace, on the other hand, lists all of its templates directly on its website. You can preview each one and then click Start with This Design when you’re satisfied with your selection:
Step 6: Add plugins or extensions.
Plugins (in WordPress) and extensions (in Squarespace and other page builders) can be used to extend the functionality of your website. You may struggle to get the most out of your small business website if you do not have these tools.
Squarespace’s extensive library of extensions is available for browsing. WordPress gives you access to nearly 60,000 plugins.
With so many options, it’s tempting to install as many plugins or extensions as possible. However, doing so may cause your site to slow down and affect its performance.
Step 7: Include your content.
As you customize your website, you will almost certainly want to add content right away. It’s a good.
The majority of business websites will require the following:
Homepage. Many visitors will see this as the first thing they see when they arrive at your website. It should provide a concise overview of your services. It should also include clear navigation to other sections.
Page for Products, Services, or Portfolio. This is where you will display your work and describe what you have to offer potential customers or clients.
About us: Include your story or information about your team in this section.
Contact us. Ideally, you should include a contact form and encourage customers to contact you if they have any questions.
Blog. This is a must-have for many businesses these days, as well as an excellent content marketing tool.
Step 8: Make your website search engine friendly.
Once you have content online, you must ensure that people can find it. One strategy that can help with this is SEO.
SEO is the practice of improving your content so that it ranks higher on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). There are a few key practices to keep in mind, including:
Step 9: Launch your website.
Many website builders allow you to keep your site private while it is being built, then publish it once it is ready for visitors. Your WordPress site will be publicly accessible as soon as you install the software on your hosting account.
In order to start driving traffic to your new site, you might consider reaching out to existing customers to let them know you’re now online. You can also promote your website on social media or via email.
Building your own website is great but then you cannot match the expertise of professional coders. In such a case hiring a website and apps development company is a good option. Visit BizBrolly.com for more information on the subject.
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