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If you own a small business, you will possibly already have a business website. However, if you don’t have one yet and are confused about the details you should add, then the following article will help you make the best website for your small business. This article will cover everything from the best web hosting company to effective methods to design your website.
- The Right Hosting Company
The hosting provider used by your company is one of the most important aspects of a business. You want to choose a hosting company that is highly reliable and has a good reputation. It should also have great customer service as you will most definitely need some.
The best method to narrow your search would be to read reviews of different providers online and making a pros and cons list. However, there are a few respectable organisations that you could take a look into. These include Bluehost and SiteGround. However, if you are looking for a more robust alternative, then WP Engine might be the right option for you. Their hosting services will cover your WordPress needs to generate a mobile-friendly website in mere minutes.
- Selecting the Website Address
The next step is to choose your website address, which will serve as the basis for your complete site’s address URL (domain name). It will also say words for your company, and a good website address should be included in the list of website features. So, when choosing your address, make sure it’s simple to remember and contains the keywords you want to rank for in search engines. This will make it simple for consumers to find your company online, resulting in increased traffic. Moreover, remember to choose a name that is unique and is easy to rank in search engines as well. If you still feel lost, then there are plenty of domain name generators online with some excellent suggestions.
- Choosing the Website Builder
Once you have all this sorted, it is important to choose a reliable website builder. For businesses running on a budget, it is advisable to use WordPress. It is a free and highly reliable website builder that will help you with numerous tutorials online. For businesses looking for a more professional touch, Squarespace is an excellent proposition. They offer beautiful and highly interactive templates. Pricing plans start from $18 per month with a 14-day free trial period. Wix is also gaining popularity and offers a variety of features and templates.
- Always Plan for Expansion
If you anticipate your company will grow in the future, it’s critical to plan ahead of time while developing your website. As your company grows, make sure your website is simple to update and expand. Select a platform that can handle rising traffic and bandwidth requirements.
A WordPress site can keep up with a small business’s growth, but Wix or Squarespace are two additional outstanding website systems that are flexible and powerful enough to grow with you. If you want a no-frills website, GoDaddy is also good for expansion.
- Display Professional Touch
A well-designed website is critical to the overall success of your company. The greatest websites are also simple to use, load quickly and are mobile-friendly. Customers need to know who you are and what you sell in seconds when they visit your website. If people can’t figure out how to browse your site or locate what they’re searching for, they’ll likely leave and go somewhere else. Additionally, while designing with a professional touch, a logo that speaks to your brand should be included in the design for a business site. On all pages of the site, it should also have high-quality photos and videos, clear calls to action, easy navigation, and a speedy loading time.
Website templates can greatly help you get started and can give your website a highly professional touch. However, if you still don’t know where to start, it is advisable to seek the help of a professional website building agency. If you have a tight budget, then there are multiple free website builders available online. However, if you have the room to spend some money, then look for respected agencies.
- SSL Certificate can Help Your Business in the Long Run
Online payments have been on the rise. With more businesses accepting online payments, it has become a necessity for businesses. As a result, as a small business owner, you should have an SSL certificate for your website. Such a certificate helps secure the connection between the visitors’ web browsers and the company’s servers.
SSL certificates are important for businesses as they help protect customer data and generate higher customer trust. If you don’t have an SSL certificate, the chances are that a potential informed prospect might not convert as they might be unsure of the reliability of your website. Also, it reduces your chances of ranking higher on search engines.
- Look for Inspiration from Competition
If you’re not sure how you want your website to look, it’s a good idea to get ideas from other small company websites. That way, you’ll have a better notion of what functionality and design aspects you’d like to add to your site. You can find some examples by searching for “small business websites” on Google or going through some of the best design galleries online.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to imitate another company’s website; instead, you want to develop something distinctive that matches your brand. Looking at the websites of other small businesses, on the other hand, might provide you with some wonderful ideas for what you might want to put on your own.
- Plugins can Greatly Boost Website Features
Plugins can allow you to add features such as a contact form, a search bar, and strong SEO tools to your website. Installing WordPress plugins to increase your website’s functionality is a fantastic idea if you want it to do more than just present information about your business. However, keep in mind that there shouldn’t be too many plugins and that there are many outstanding free and premium WordPress plugins available.
- Simplicity is the Key
You want to keep the design aspects on your business website simple and not have bright colours, whether you’re working with a designer or just using a template. Minimalism is on the rise. Too much happening on will simply confuse and distract visitors from doing what you want, which is to buy from you.
While keeping things simple is the goal, you should also know how to choose colours for your company’s website. A decent rule of thumb is to employ no more than three colours at a time. Similarly, stick to two or three fonts and make sure they’re easy to read.
- Display a Working Contact Page
New consumers and long-term customers both need a way to contact you through your business website, so include a Contact Us page or something similar on your site. Your contact page should have information such as your company’s address, phone number, and email address, as well as a form for consumers to send you messages.
WPForms and Gravity Forms, for example, are two WordPress plugins that make it simple to create a contact form.
A live chat function is another alternative that allows you to have a more personal and meaningful dialogue with your online guests.
- Search Engine Optimisation will Be Your Friend
Search engine optimisation is a practice that helps websites improve their ranking on search engines to display themselves at the top. The practice should be diligently followed as it helps businesses put their websites at the top when prospects come looking for their product. There are multiple methods to improve your SEO ranks. However, there are a few best practices that will greatly help you improve. These include:
- Create high-quality content that helps drive customers to your website, which includes keywords and phrases.
- On-page and off-page optimisation with images.
- Using social media to organically market your website.
- Creating a blog strategy that focuses on covering keywords.
- Building backlinks from respected websites.
- Develop a Content Management System
A content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows you to create, edit, publish, and manage your digital content from a centralised location. It can greatly improve your management practices and help improve your website’s SEO and traffic. Some of the popular CMS providers include WordPress, Hubspot CMS, Wix, BigCommerce, TextPattern, etc.
