So you’ve decided to start your own business. This can be a new and exciting journey for you, and it can potentially turn into a highly lucrative career. However, in order to maximize your success as much as possible, it is important to use the tools at your disposal.
One of the first things you need to do is make a website. The Internet has completely transformed the way we understand and conduct business, and without an online presence, it’s nearly impossible nowadays to have a successful business.
If you’re not sure how to go about making your own website, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss all the easy steps you need to take in order to build a website for your business.
1, Choose the platform for your website
The first step is choosing the right platform for your website. There are plenty of platforms to choose from, but Wix and WordPress are undoubtedly among the most popular. They are free to sign up for, but some of the more premium features come at a price.
The cost will depend on what kind of plan, domain, and hosting provider you choose. The best part is that anyone can make their own website – you don’t need to hire a professional to do this step for you. If you’d like a good rundown of the different options you have, there are plenty of website builder reviews online that can break down the pros and cons of each platform. However, be sure to do your research, after you choose a website builder it is incredibly difficult to move to a different one down the road.
2. Conduct a domain search
We’ve talked about the importance of your domain name before. This is the name of your business, and it’s how people will remember and recognize you. Come up with a few ideas that are relevant to your business. They should be easy to spell, memorable, and short.
Then, be sure to conduct a domain search to see if the ideas you have are available. This is because domain names need to be registered, so you can’t use the same one someone else did.
3. Find a secure hosting provider
Choosing the right hosting provider is absolutely essential to the success of your website. If you chose an all-in-one website builder for the first step, then you’ve likely already chosen a hosting provider. However, if not, there are plenty of options available.
A hosting provider essentially provides space for you to have your website on the Internet, and the more secure and reputable the provider is, the better your website will perform. One of the most popular hosting providers is Bluehost, which WordPress users especially like you use.
There are different plans to choose from depending on your budget, some being as low as $2.75 per month.
4. Choose a theme
Once you’ve gone through the essentials, now it’s time for you to start building your actual website. The first step involves choosing a theme. The theme should be simple and easy to use, but something that will set your website apart from others.
Many website platforms like Wix will offer users templates that can be easily customized. A lot of these themes and templates are also free. You can edit the theme as you like, including changing the color, photos, and adding pages to your site.
5. Include pages relevant to your site
After you’ve chosen a theme and added pages to your site, you should immediately add content. There are some important pages that you should be adding right away, such as an about page and content page.
The about page will enable potential customers to get an idea of the story behind the business, and the contact page will let people get in touch with you and your team if they run into problems. There should also be a homepage, which should be attractive as it’s the first thing people will see when they visit your website.
The homepage should also include links to the other sections. There should also be a products/services page, which is where you will include what you’re selling specifically. Finally, many websites nowadays prioritize having a blog because it has been proven to be a wonderful marketing tool.
6. Optimize the website
The final basic step involves optimizing your website. Surely you’ve heard of SEO, or search engine optimization. This will enable your content to be refined in a manner that will bring your website to the first page of a Google search.
Some of the most important parts of an SEO strategy involve using the right keywords in your posts (you can conduct a search of the most-used keywords for your topic), making your website fast, choosing a good design, and having external and internal links in your blog posts.
A lot of businesses might hire an SEO specialist, but you can also install plugins, such as Yoast SEO, which will scan the content you post and give you tips for how to improve the SEO. With the right strategy, you can propel your website to the front pages of Google, which will surely bring in more and more customers.
