Credit: Pixabay
No matter if you’re a freelance photographer, have a hardware store, or any other kind of small business, in order for your company to be successful, you need to create a website to promote your online business and come in contact with your customers. Even though building your own website can seem like a challenging task, it doesn’t have to be so. Whether you’re looking to create a new business website or you want to make your current website more successful, follow these tips to help you on that journey.
Pick your website building platform
If you have a limited budget, it’s recommended to use a free website builder like WordPress. However, even though WordPress is free to use, you’ll need to arrange a web hosting provider which costs additionally. Also, there are a lot of tutorials you can find online which can walk you through the stages of setting up a WordPress site. On the other hand, if you prefer all-in-one solutions, then you may want to think about acclaimed website builders like Squarespace or Wix. These website building platforms have complete website designs that you can modify with drag-and-drop tools. While with these platforms you don’t have to outsource hosting to another company, you’ll have less flexibility with design.
Choose an effective domain name
Your domain name, which is also known as your website address, is most commonly the entry point to your site. Remember that your domain name should perfectly align with your business name. Keep that in mind in order to make a good impression as well as for usability and search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. When coming up with an effective domain name, keep it descriptive, short, and easy to remember and spell. Also, you should add keywords that are relevant to your business. So, get creative and pick the me domain extension to help you create a unique online identity.
Find your hosting provider
If you opted for an all-in-one website building platform, you can miss this step. For WordPress users, there are several great beginner-friendly hosting companies to consider. For example, the first choice WordPress.org officially recommends is Bluehost. There are several options included in the hosting package such as a free SLL certificate, 24/7 customer service and support, and access to a user-friendly dashboard, to name a few. This is a great option for small websites, but you can easily boost your site as your business improves.
Select a suitable theme or template
Another important tip for creating a successful business website is to pick an appropriate theme and template. Keep in mind that your theme is the design and layout of your website. When picking a theme out of thousands that are available, ensure that it’s responsive which means that it looks suitable on all devices from smartphones and tablets to desktop computers. When it comes to templates, you should choose one that doesn’t have flashy colors and that keeps the design elements simple on your website. By having too many things going on, you will just mislead your visitors and distract them from buying, which is your objective. Also, when it comes to distractions of any kind, it’s highly advised to avoid them as much as possible as one of the ways to increase productivity in business.
Add your content
While you’re customizing your website, it’s highly likely that you would want to add content almost instantly. Before you add content to your website, it would be best to think about its rough structure. The main structure of most business websites includes the following elements. The first thing people see when they enter your site is the homepage which is supposed to give a short overview of your business. Next, the products, services, or portfolio page is where you’ll display your work and explain the things you can propose to customers or clients. On the about page, you can share information about your business story and about your team. Then, on the contact page, you’ll want to add information about how your customers can get in touch with you and encourage them to reach you if they have any questions. Also, it’s essential nowadays to have a blog as a great content marketing tool.
Optimize your website for search engines
After you’ve added content to your website, it’s important to ensure that people can find it. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the strategies to aid you with that. SEO refers to the method of modifying your content so that it will rank high on search engine result pages. Keep in mind that SEO includes practices such as the use of suitable keywords in your posts, fast loading speed, having a mobile-friendly site, including internal and external links throughout your site, and using social media to link to your site.
As you can see from reading the article, creating a successful business website isn’t as simple as it first seems. However, provided you use these tips as a guide, your business will have a great opportunity to succeed in the online marketplace.
Written by Brigitte Evans
