The Internet has reshaped the consumer journey. It has revolutionized how individuals discover, engage, and buy from businesses. It has created a more equitable landscape, enabling small businesses to compete with the industry’s bigger players. But you might be surprised to know that 29 % of small businesses still don’t own a website.
If you’re among them, don’t worry. This article explores the fundamental stages of how to make a small business website. But first, let’s discuss what 29 percent of small businesses are missing out by not having a website.
Why Small Businesses Need Websites
It’s crucial to underline the reasons small businesses should completely embrace the eCommerce website development as we get ready to examine the specifics of how to make a small business website. According to the International Telecommunication Union, an astounding 66 percent of the global population engaged with the Internet during the preceding year.
In today’s world, individuals turn to the Internet for virtually every facet of their daily routines. So, opting to create a website unlocks a plethora of advantages. It allows businesses to:
- Broaden Your Horizons: A website acts as a worldwide stage for your business, transcending geographic constraints and enabling you to engage with customers well beyond your immediate locale.
- Harness Digital Dependence: Embracing a digital presence aligns perfectly with the modern consumer’s dependence on the Internet, fostering credibility and trust in your brand.
- Economical Marketing Solution: In comparison to conventional advertising avenues, small business websites provide an affordable path for promoting your products or services.
- Round-the-Clock Availability: Your website stands as an ever-accessible resource, offering customers information and the convenience to make purchases at any hour that suits them.
How to Make a Small Business Website
With a firm grasp of why a website is essential for small businesses, let’s explore the steps of how to make a small business website efficiently.
1. Plan your Small Business Website
The first step in website designing for small businesses is crafting a well-defined plan. This involves outlining your website’s primary objective, whether it’s centered around e-commerce, disseminating information, or combining both aspects.
Identify your target audience, delving into demographics and online behaviors. Also, work on outlining your content strategy side by side. You need to specify what information you’ll showcase, from product descriptions to blog posts.
A well-thought-out web planning streamlines web design, resource management, and goal-setting. It serves as the foundation for a successful website building. This planning phase transforms your vision into a tangible digital asset that engages and converts your audience effectively.
2. Select the Website Building Platform
Selecting the right website-building platform is a pivotal decision in your journey of how to make a small business website. It’s like picking the essential groundwork on which your online presence will rely.
Your choice of platform should align with your website’s goals and your level of technical expertise, such as CI/CD, terraform, and servers.
It’s essential to weigh factors such as scalability, maintenance requirements, and the ability to integrate e-commerce features if necessary. By selecting the right platform, you lay a strong foundation for your website’s success and ease of management.
Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace stand out for developing the best small business websites due to their user-friendly interfaces and versatile templates.
3. Choose a Brand Domain Name
The next vital step in your journey of how to make a small business website is opting for a brand domain name. Your domain name serves as the digital address of your online business, and it’s crucial to choose it wisely. This name will become synonymous with your brand. So, it should not only reflect your company’s identity but also be easy for customers to recall and type into their browsers.
When selecting a domain name, consider factors like brand consistency, simplicity, and memorability. Here’s what to avoid when choosing a domain name:
- Numbers
- Symbols
- Lengthy names
- Complicated names
- Names of other brands
Additionally, think about incorporating the main keyword if it aligns with your business’s goals. A well-picked domain name can make it easier for customers to find you online and leave a lasting impression. Ultimately contributing to your website’s overall success.
4. Find Hosting Provider
The next crucial step in your journey of how to make a small business website is selecting a reliable hosting provider. It’s critical for maintaining your website’s accessibility and performance. Your hosting choice directly impacts the user experience and overall success of your site.
When evaluating hosting providers, prioritize those with a proven track record of excellent uptime. Additionally, look for providers that offer responsive customer support, as technical issues can arise, and timely assistance is invaluable.
Equally important are robust security features such as SSL certificates and regular backups, which protect your site and user data from potential threats.
5. Choose a Theme/Template for your Website
You’ll be surprised to know that two-thirds of people favor beautifully designed websites for browsing. And guess what? Search engines also love it! You must be wondering already how to achieve an attractive web design for small businesses.
Well, when selecting a design, ensure it not only mirrors your business’s visual style but also connects with your intended audience. The art of customization plays a pivotal role in building a website that stands out and leaves a lasting impression. Tailor the colors, fonts, and layout to reflect your brand’s personality and values.
If you have chosen WordPress, then you can go with built-in themes available in the library. Otherwise, pro versions of Kedence and GeneratePress can be a decent choice.
Nevertheless, it’s vital not to overlook the significance of mobile responsiveness. In our contemporary landscape, dominated by mobile apps, ensuring that your website displays and operates seamlessly on smartphones and tablets is essential. But remember, your website should load faster, so never load it with unnecessary styles.
6. Download and Install Plugins & Extensions
Augmenting your website’s capabilities is instrumental in delivering an enhanced user experience and achieving your digital goals. An effective method to attain this is by integrating plugins and extensions that cater to your particular requirements.
For instance, for robust SEO (Search Engine Optimization), as part of your strategy on how to make a small business website, consider incorporating plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math. They assist in fine-tuning your on-page content, meta tags, and overall search engine visibility.
For any e-commerce business, a WooCommerce plugin can play a crucial role. Never forget to add some reliable plugins for creating automatic backups of your website to avoid data loss in any unforeseen circumstances.
However, it’s essential to exercise caution and select plugins judiciously when figuring out how to make a small business website. Overloading your website with too many plugins can slow it down and potentially lead to conflicts.
7. Do Keyword Research
Organic search stands as the predominant source of traffic for all websites. Conducting comprehensive keyword research is a foundational step when determining how to make a small business website that’s search engine-friendly.
This process involves identifying and analyzing keywords related to your business, products, or services. The objective is to identify the words and phrases that prospective clients use when conducting online searches.
You can use various SEO tools like;
- Ahrefs
- Semrush
- Ubbersuggest
- Moz
- Keyword Everywhere, etc.,
These help you analyze your competitors and find low-difficulty keywords with higher search volumes. These tools actually show what type of products/services people are actually searching for in different search engines like Google or Bing. While choosing keywords, don’t forget the intent of the users, as it is the backbone of ranking in SERPs.
The next essential step is to seamlessly include these keywords in the text of your website. By following this practice, you can make sure that your website aligns with user search queries. Resultantly, it enhances the website’s presence in search engine results pages (SERPs).
8. Create and Upload Value-added Content
On the Internet, content reigns supreme, especially when your focus is on how to make a small business website that is distinctive. Prioritizing the development of top-tier, informative, and captivating content should form the foundation of your approach.
This content goes beyond just the words on your pages. It encompasses product or service descriptions that are not only descriptive but also persuasive.
In addition to that, consider blog posts that address common industry questions or challenges. That’s not it. You can add other relevant content that showcases your expertise and offers genuine value to your audience.
By consistently delivering valuable content, you not only capture the attention of your visitors but also establish trust, authority, and a loyal customer base. All of these are integral elements in the success of your small business website.
Here’s a quick recap of what type of content should be part of your website;
- Homepage
- About Us page
- Blog section
- Contact Page
- Privacy Policy
- FAQs
- Product descriptions (especially important for e-Commerce businesses)
- Service pages: (supremely vital for local businesses)
You can add more pages depending on your business type.
9. Optimize your Website for Search Engines
Search engines initiate 68% of online experiences. Optimizing your website for search engines like Bing or Google is a crucial step in learning how to make a small business website if you want to successfully navigate the digital world. It takes a multifaceted approach to complete this process:
On-page SEO:
Within your website’s pages, it’s vital to fine-tune your content, headings, meta descriptions, and image alt tags with a strategic use of relevant keywords.
This meticulous optimization ensures that search engines can readily understand and rank your content. Ultimately improving your website’s visibility in search results.
You can get help from Rank Math, Yoast, or AllinOneSeo plugins. However, manual expertise in comprehending every stage is crucial.
Always add lightweight, high-quality, SEO-optimized, relevant graphics in the form of images, infographics, videos, etc.
Technical SEO:
Beyond the content, the technical aspects of your website play a pivotal role. Ensure your website is optimized for speed, mobile-friendliness, and structured data.
A fast-loading, mobile-responsive site not only enhances the user experience but also earns favor with search engines. As a result, it positively influences your site’s ranking.
Off-page SEO:
Off-page optimization extends your reach beyond your website itself. Engage in strategies to build backlinks from authoritative sources in your industry.
Furthermore, engage in proactive promotion of your website across social media and diverse online platforms. By growing your online presence, you can reach a larger audience and improve your website’s exposure in search engine results.
By incorporating these SEO techniques into the process of developing your website, you can turn your small business website from a mere digital presence into one that commands attention and influence. It positions your site favorably in search engine results, allowing it to reach and engage a broader audience. It is a vital aspect when considering how to make a small business website that thrives online.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, crafting a small business website is an absolute necessity in this digital era. By focusing on the intricacies of how to make a small business website, you’ll pave the way for a robust online presence. This digital gateway will not only entice prospective customers but also propel your business toward flourishing in an increasingly competitive market.
If you seek assistance in realizing this vision, then A’s top-tier website creation and development services are your solution. Our proficient team is an expert in designing visually stunning, user-friendly websites optimized for search engines.
Let’s start building your website to level up your business.
