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Thinking of starting a small business? If so, then you will need to create a website to promote your business online and connect with your customers. Creating your own website may seem like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be! In this post, we provide 21 tips for building your first small business website. We’ll cover everything from choosing the best web hosting company to designing your site. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to a successful online presence for your business.
1. Choose the Right Hosting Company
When it comes to hosting your small business website, you want to choose a hosting provider that is reliable and has a good reputation. You’ll also want to make sure that the company offers good customer service to help you with any questions or problems that arise.
The best way to find out which web hosting company is right for you is by reading reviews. and learn about the pros and cons of each company.
Going with Bluehost might be a good idea if you’re on a budget, as they offer shared hosting plans starting at $13 per month. SiteGround is another good option and offers shared hosting plans starting at around $5 per month. Plus, their plan includes a free domain name registration when you set up a hosting account with them.
If you’re looking for a more robust hosting plan, then WP Engine might be the right hosting provider for you. . . Their hosting services include managed WordPress hosting plans, and WordPress users can create a stunning, mobile-friendly website in just a few minutes. This type of hosting is perfect if you want a fast, reliable and secure website.
2. Choose Your Website Address Wisely
The next step is to choose your website address, and your URL address (domain name) for your entire site will be based on it. It will also speak volumes about your business, and a good website address should be part of your website’s feature list. So when you choose your address, you want to make sure it’s easy to remember and includes the keywords you want to rank for in search engines. Doing so will make it easier for people to find your business online and increase your traffic.
A great example of this would be if you own a pizzeria. You may want to choose a website address like pizza-restaurant-name.com or even better pizza.com. If you’re having trouble finding a good website address, there are many domain name generators online that can help you come up with ideas. Just make sure the website address is available for purchase before registering it. If you really want to optimize your domain name, there are some great tools out there for finding imaginative domain names.
3. Choose a good website builder
Once you’ve determined that a website builder works for you, it’s time to choose one. If you are on a budget, we recommend using the free WordPress website builder. However, while a WordPress website is free to start, you can realistically expect the price of WordPress software to drop to between $11 and $40 per month after shelling out a one-time cost of around $200. There are plenty of tutorials available online that can help guide you through the process of setting up a WordPress site.
If you’re looking for other professional website builders, then Squarespace might be the one for you. It offers beautiful templates that are easy to use, and business plans start at $18/mo. Plus, they offer a 14-day free trial, so you can test drive the platform before committing.
Wix is another popular website builder that offers a wide range of templates and features. They also offer a free trial to try out the platform before committing to a paid plan. Wix’s unlimited plan for entrepreneurs and freelancers starts at $18/mo and increases the price based on your needs (eg more storage space, visitor analytics).
Other good website builders They include:
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If you are a small business owner and want to learn about free website builders for your small business, be sure to visit Small Business Trend article on 20 Free Website Builders for Your Small Business.
4.Plan for Future Expansion
If you think you’ll be expanding your business in the future, it’s important to plan ahead when designing your website. Make sure your website is easy to update and add new pages as your business grows. Also, choose a platform that can handle increased traffic and bandwidth needs.
A WordPress site can keep up with the expansion of a small business, but some other great site platforms Websites that are flexible and powerful enough to grow with you include Wix or Squarespace. Of course, GoDaddy is also fine for growth if you want a simple website.
Two of the best ones that allow e-commerce and larger stores to expand are Shopify and BigCommerce. Also, if you’re tech-savvy, Joomla and Drupal are great open source options.
5. Have a Professional Website Design
A professionally designed website is paramount to the overall success of your business. And the best websites are easy to use, fast-loading, and optimized for mobile devices.
When customers visit your site, they need to know who you are and what you sell in a matter of seconds. If they don’t know how to navigate your site or find what they’re looking for, there’s a good chance they’ll leave your site and go somewhere else.
Also, when you design with a professional touch, business site design it should include a logo that speaks to your brand. It should also feature high-quality images and videos, clear calls-to-action, easy navigation, fast loading time on all site pages (including behind the scenes), and security features.
Templates Website designers can help you get started with a professional website design. Still, if you don’t know where to start, it’s probably best to hire a professional web designer who understands your business and can create a site that accurately represents your brand. They will be able to help you create a website that not only looks great but also converts visitors into customers.
When you hire a professional web design agency, they will be able to help you with everything from choosing the domain name and website builder just right to create a compelling logo that speaks to your brand.
Here are some tips for finding the right web design agency:
- Find an agency that specializes in small business sites.
- Ask for case studies and a portfolio of their work.
- Ask for references from previous clients.
- Make sure they the agency offers a free consultation to discuss your needs and get a quote.
- Compare prices before making a decision. Be sure to ask about hidden fees (for example, design changes).
Plus, many agencies offer affordable monthly packages, so you won’t have any up-front costs or hidden fees. You can also ask them about other services, such as social media management or optimizing your website’s copy for search engines, if you’re interested in growing your business online.
If your budget It’s tight, it’s usually best to start with a free website builder and spend only a few dollars a month on hosting. You can always hire an agency to help you build stronger features on your site later when it makes sense for your business.
6. Get an SSL certificate right away
If you want to accept customer payments online, it is essential that your website has an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a security protocol used by websites to protect the connection between visitors’ web browsers and their servers. It encrypts data so that hackers can’t access it without having an encryption key.
SSL certificates are important to small businesses because they help protect customer data and increase the trust of the clients. Even if consumers don’t know what SSL is, 78% of them say they are reassured when they see the familiar lock symbol associated with an SSL certificate in their browser.
If your website doesn’t know has an SSL certificate, then you risk losing customers who don’t want to risk it with a site that doesn’t have one (especially if they’re making online payments). Additionally, Google can penalize sites that do not have SSL certificates by lowering their search engine rankings.
You can get a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt or pay for it through your domain registrar or domain registrar. web hosting.
7. Look to Similar Small Business Websites for Inspiration
If you’re not sure what you want your website to look like, it’s a good idea to look to similar small business websites for inspiration. That way, you’ll have an idea of the types of features and design elements you might want to include on your site.
You can find examples of some by doing a Google search for “small business websites” or browsing through some of the best design galleries online.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to copy another company’s website; You should try to create a site that is unique and reflects your brand. But looking at other small business sites can give you some great ideas about what you might want to include on your own site.
It’s also a good idea to check out local small business websites in your area so you can see what’s on. they’re doing and get some inspiration for what might work best for you too.
8. Install plugins to enhance the features of your website
Plugins can help you add features for anything from a contact form to a search bar to powerful SEO tools . If you want your website to do more than just display information about your business, then it’s a good idea to install WordPress plugins to enhance its functionality. Keep in mind though that there shouldn’t be too many plugins and there are many free and paid plugins available for WordPress that are great.
We recommend starting with the following plugins:
- Yoast SEO Plugin – Optimizes your website for search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find you online.
- MonsterInsights – Tracks your website traffic and sees how people are finding your site.
- Jetpack – Provides a ton of features and options, including social media integration, security enhancements, and image optimization.
- WPForms: Create custom forms, such as contact forms, payment forms, survey forms and more.
- SeedProd: Let us create pages for your site, including a beautiful coming soon page for Capture leads while your site is under development.
9. Choose a suitable WordPress theme
Once you have installed the plugins you need, it is time to choose a theme for your website. This theme is the design and layout of your site, and there are thousands of themes available. When choosing one, it’s important to make sure it’s responsive, which means it will look good on all devices, from desktop computers to phones and tablets.
The following themes are great for small businesses because of its responsiveness, ease of use, and mobile-optimized attributes:
Divi
Divi is a versatile drag-and-drop page that comes with 46 content elements and 20 layouts that they allow you to get up and running on your website immediately. This functionality makes the theme completely unique and more complete in terms of user experience.
XTheme
X Theme by Theme.co is a multipurpose theme that has four unique layouts that you can use for your website. It also includes over 40 modules and 20 widget areas that give you a lot of flexibility when building your website.
OceanWP
Offers a free and flexible theme that Highly customizable, lightweight, and easy to use, OceanWP is a great choice for small businesses. Features that set it apart include a mobile-friendly look and feel, responsive design, and lightning-fast loading capabilities.
BeTheme
BeTheme has over 650 pre-built websites that can be customized and put into production without any coding. It also includes a drag and drop builder, 20 header styles, unlimited color options, and more.
Astra
Astra is a lightweight, highly customizable multipurpose theme that integrates with the seamlessly with popular page builders and ecommerce plugins. Its wide range of features like unlimited layouts and beautiful appearance make it especially suitable for restaurants, niche-based sites, and many other purposes.
Let’s add a caveat here about themes that advertise themselves themselves as “completely free”. .” Some experts warn against using it, as some are not as safe as the ones you buy. Still, you don’t have to make getting your theme a big expense, even investing a small amount of money in one can help keep your site secure.
9. Simple is better
Whether you’re working with a designer or just choosing a template, you want to keep design elements simple on your business website and not have flashy colors (unless of course , that are recharged and showy). is aligned with your brand). Too much will only confuse and distract visitors from what you want them to do, which is buy from you.
While the goal is simplicity, you also need to know how to choose colors for your website. your company. A good rule of thumb is to use a maximum of no more than three colors. Also, use only two or three different fonts and make sure they are easy to read.
10. Have a Contact Page
New customers and long-term buyers need a way to contact you through your business website, so it’s important to include a contact page or something similar. on your site. Your contact page should contain information such as your business address, phone number, email address, and a form that allows customers to send you a message.
Many WordPress plugins, such as WPForms and Gravity Forms, allow you to create a contact form with ease.
Another option is to have a live chat feature that allows you to have a more personal and meaningful conversation with your online visitors.
11. Search Engine Optimization Is Key
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving the ranking of your website on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. The practice is important because it can help your website appear on the first page of search results when potential customers search for the products and services you offer.
This is often called organic traffic and is Important because studies show that 75% of users go no further than the first page of search results.
Some of the best ways to improve your website’s performance and SEO include:
- Create high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience and add keywords and phrases throughout your website
- Include on-page optimization and optimize your images for online searches
- Use social media to share your content and increase the exposure of your website
- Create a blog and include keywords in the titles and posts
- Create backlinks to your website from other high-quality websites
- Adding keywords to your website’s title tag, meta description, and header tags.
In addition, search engine result s pages, or SERPS, are constantly changing, so it’s crucial to stay up to date on the latest techniques to improve your site traffic.
12. Invest in SEO Tools
To improve your website’s SEO, you need access to the right tools. Fortunately, there are many great SEO tools available that can help you with everything from keyword research to backlink analysis.
Some of the most popular SEO tools include:
- Moz Pro
- Google Analytics
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs
- Keyword Finder
- Ubersuggest
- Google Search Console
While all of these tools are great for improving your website’s SEO, it’s important to remember that no one tool can guarantee success. Therefore, it is essential to use a variety of different tools and techniques to get the best results.
13. Consider a content management system
A content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows you to create, edit, and publish digital content from a central location. A CMS is important because it can help you manage your website content more effectively, which can improve your website traffic and SEO. Many also do not require in-depth technical knowledge to use them.
Some of the most popular CMS include:
- WordPress.org
- Hubspot CMS Hub
- Wix
- BigCommerce
- Ghost
- Magento
- Text Pattern
14. Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices
To provide a great experience for your mobile visitors, it’s important to optimize your small business website for mobile devices. You can achieve this by using a responsive design or by creating a separate mobile version of your website. Additionally, you can use tools like Google’s mobile-friendly test to check how well your website performs and how user-friendly it is on mobile devices.
15. Internal and External Links Are Important
Hyperlinks or simply “links” are an important part of any website and can be used to improve your website’s traffic and SEO. Internal links point from one page of your website to another. External links, on the other hand, are links that point to pages outside of your website.
Internal and external hyperlinks are important because they help Google and other search engines understand the structure and content from your website. Additionally, they can help you increase traffic to your website by providing more opportunities for people to click through to your pages.
16. Add Social Media Integration
Social media integration can help you improve your website traffic and engagement. By adding social media buttons to your website, you make it easy for visitors to share your content on their favorite social networks. Additionally, social media integration can help you track how your content is performing on social media.
Here are some ways to add social media integration:
- Add a Facebook Like button on your website and blog posts so visitors can easily like you on Facebook.
- Install a Twitter Follow button so visitors can follow you on Twitter without leaving your site. Add a Tweet This button to make it easier for people to share your content with their followers.
- Auto-publish your blog posts to your social media profiles so your followers can see them as soon as they’re posted .
- Create a social stream to display your latest social media updates on your website.
17. Having an Online Store or a Reservation Section
If you have a product to sell, it is vital to have an online store or a reservation section on your website.An ecommerce site can help you grow your small business by letting customers buy your products from their computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Also, many e-commerce platforms allow you to track sales and inventory so you know how well your products are selling.
18. Use professional photos and images
If you’re selling products or services, it’s important to use professional photos and images on your website. These help visitors understand what you offer and can be used to show your products or services in action.
If you don’t have the budget for a professional photographer, there are many options available online. You can buy stock photos at sites like iStockPhoto, Shutterstock, and Dreamstime.
Resist the temptation to use low-quality stock images, though. If you’re not willing to invest in professional-looking images, it’s best to skip it altogether. Also, from a design standpoint, images should be used sparingly and only if they support the message you’re trying to communicate.
19. Use Reviews and Testimonials
Small business owners can benefit from reviews and testimonials. So, if you have any of your satisfied customers, be sure to list them on your website. These can help improve your credibility and convince visitors that they should do business with you.
Some ways to incorporate reviews and testimonials on your site are:
- Adding a link in the footer of every page so visitors can see them no matter where they are.
- Link to reviews and testimonials in your email marketing campaigns so new subscribers can learn more about you without leaving their inboxes.
- Add a link to reviews or testimonials on your social media profiles so that visitors who click through from there can easily find positive feedback about you.
20. Use Video Elements
Video is a great way to engage website visitors and can be used to explain your products or services in more detail. Also, including videos on your website can help improve your SEO results.
There are a few ways to add videos to your site:
- Embed videos from popular videos to sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo.
- Upload videos directly to your website’s server.
- Create a video landing page to introduce visitors to your business and your products or services
21. Test, test, test!
The best way to ensure that your website is effective is to test it regularly. This method allows you to learn and modify things as you go. Be sure to track the performance of each item so you can make changes as needed. Also, use analytics to see how visitors interact with your website. This information can help you decide what content to keep, change, or remove.
Start Building Your Small Business Website Today
Now that you’ve read the tips, it’s time to put them in action! Start by creating a list of the most important things you want your website to accomplish. From there, start designing and building your site using these tips as a guide. And don’t forget to test, test and test along the way to make sure you’re getting the results you want.
Image: Depositphotos.com
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