Owning a website opens up exciting opportunities for your business, particularly in attracting more customers and increasing sales. In the United States alone, online revenue is projected to exceed $740 billion by 2023, underlining the immense potential of the online retail market.
However, diving into creating your initial business website may feel overwhelming, especially if you lack web design experience. Building a website involves considering various aspects, which might be unfamiliar to someone new to the process.
No need to stress, though. This article aims to guide you through the essential elements to ponder as you embark on building your very first business website.
So, without further delay, let’s explore what you should know before diving into the world of creating your inaugural business website.
1.Purpose of Your Website
When you’re starting your first website, the main thing to think about is why you’re doing it. Do you want a simple site to explain your business and showcase your products or services? Or are you planning to sell things directly through your website?
These different goals influence how you build your website. For a straightforward site, you can use a website builder for a quick setup. But if you’re going for an online store, it might need more customization, possibly even some coding.
2.Choosing Web Hosting
Your website needs a place to store all its data and be accessible online. Hosting a website on your own can be expensive and tricky, so most people go to a web hosting provider. When choosing one, consider these factors:
•Check server response time and page load times.
•Ensure there’s enough storage and bandwidth.
•Look for excellent uptime.
•Check if it’s easy to scale.
•Ensure 24/7 customer support.
•Consider extra security measures.
Make sure the hosting provider offers various plans like shared, VPS, cloud, and dedicated hosting. This flexibility will help you scale your business as it grows.
3.Selecting a Domain Name
To enable people to discover your website, you require a domain name.. It’s akin to the internet home address for your website.To get one, you can use a domain name registrar, sometimes included in your hosting service. When choosing a domain name:
•Ensure it’s simple to recall and spell.
•Keep it short and straightforward.
•Avoid hyphens, numbers, and slang.
•Make it brandable and professional.
Your domain name is a key part of your brand, so choose one that represents your business well. Avoid random words; keep it professional and tied to your brand.
4.Choosing How to Build Your Website
With all the fundamental elements in position, it’s time to construct your website. There are two main ways to do this: use a website builder or a content management system (CMS) like WordPress.
•Website Builder:
•Created for novices without technical expertise
•Some hosting providers offer this service.
•A quicker route to create a website.
•Content Management System (CMS):
•Software running independently on a web server.
•Requires finding a hosting provider separately.
•Involves handling maintenance, updates, security, and customization on your own.
5.Prioritizing Website Security
The internet poses potential threats to your website, so having proper security measures is crucial. Your hosting provider should offer:
•Advanced firewall protection.
•Antivirus and malware scanning and removal.
•A free SSL certificate.
•Safeguarding against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
•Consistent, automated backups of your website’s data.
Consider adding extra security measures like multi-factor authentication, team training, and strict security policies.
6.Crafting Website Design and Content
Once you’ve chosen a way to build your site, it’s time to customize it. Use features like drag-and-drop to add elements, change colors and fonts, and resize details. Consider these tips for designing your website:
•Keep the homepage uncluttered, trying a minimalistic approach.
•Create a navigation bar or menu for easy browsing.
•Ensure it’s mobile-friendly for users on phones and tablets.
•Add call-to-action buttons.
•Include social sharing and follow buttons.
When adding content:
•Use short and simple sentences.
•Understand your audience and niche.
•Make the text easy to scan.
•Use images to illustrate your message.
•Employ an active voice to captivate your audience.
7.Getting the Word Out
Once your website is ready, it’s time to launch, but getting visitors and sales doesn’t happen automatically. You’ll need to participate in marketing and promotional activities.
Consider these strategies:
•Create valuable content to attract potential customers.
•Offer special launch discounts to entice early customers.
•Utilize Google Ads to show up in search engine results.
•Boost digital engagement through social media using hashtags and existing pages.
8.Standing Out with SEO
Launching your website is just the beginning. To truly stand out, focus on ranking high in search engine results through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Keep an eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) to know where you can improve:
•Page load times.
•Page ranking.
•Session length.
•Organic sessions.
•Bounce rate.
Conclusion
Creating your first business website involves considering various factors. With countless websites online, it’s crucial to be confident in your site’s design, ensuring it complements your business. Let’s review the eight key considerations:
1.Purpose of the website.
2.Web hosting.
3.Domain name.
4.Website-building platform.
5.Website security.
6.Website design and content.
7.Marketing.
8.SEO.
By carefully thinking about these aspects, you can craft an optimized, secure website that helps your business shine in the competitive online landscape. Best of luck!
