The modern world is a globalized world relying heavily on technological advances. So, doing a business today also means having a digital footprint and solid online presence to be visible to potential and current customers. An attractive website will serve both existing businesses and amateur entrepreneurs. It will educate the target audience about products and services offered, answer the frequently asked questions, advertise the key features, facilitate the ordering and order tracking process, and maintain the brand’s reputation on the market.
The below article can serve as a guide on how to build a small business website if you are an amateur.
What A Small Business Needs
It is important to remember that a small business needs to go online fast but does not need to have complex functionality on its website. It is more about the digital presence and brand promotion than immediate automation of the selling and customer-contact processes. So, it is recommended to just save budget and efforts and to concentrate on quick, effective media launch.
The website should be catchy and easy to navigate so that new visitors stay and explore its content. It should also provide all necessary information the customer needs but not be overloaded with excessive content, either. Remember to stay right to the point when preparing texts and images for your first website.
Marketing Comes First
Before starting to think about the implementation of the website, an entrepreneur should concentrate on marketing. Digital strategy, brand positioning, and defining the target audience come first. Working on these questions will help the small business owner understand whom he/she is building the website for and what its purpose is. Does it inform or persuade?
Obviously, websites helping Internet surfers to find the location details and menu of a physical business like a cafe will look differently from websites presenting an online business selling digital services like audit, business consulting, or content writing. So, remember the goal and focus on the overall business strategy first. Remember the main idea that is helping the small business to differentiate from its rivals. It should also be obvious when visiting the landing page.
Technical Side of Website Creation
You should not be a technical guru or have a solid budget to build your first small business website. Use website builders for your convenience and customize your site according to your needs focusing on brand appearance instead of technological complications. The trusted services that resolve this goal you can find on this site. These tools are organized in a user-friendly way, suggesting a wizard-based approach to website creation. The user goes through the process of template choosing and customization it for their own purposes in a way that does not require any specific learning of web mastering and administration.
Start from buying the domain name which corresponds to the small business name. Then, buy hosting services and you will normally get access to all major website builders for free. Choose one that appeals the most and browse the category that covers your business needs as discussed above in the marketing section of this article. Then, choose the best fitting template and install it. Website templates’ main advantage is that they look great on all types of devices, both portable and non-portable, Mac- and Windows-based. This means the first impression of a small business will not be spoiled by technical issues and bugs.
When a chosen template is installed via a website builder, you will need to go through the customization process, including the website structure, overall appearance, and small design elements, as well as technical functions such as customer contact form. Concentrate on the main features first and do not try to do them all at once. The number-one goal is to make the website good-looking, not complicated and unstable because of untested features. After everything works fine, more features can be added, too.
Filling In the Content
After the website is build using the technical tools described above, one should fill it with the content. It should be unique and informative, correspond to the brand identity, and implement the required function to sell, inform, persuade, etc. It is usually enough for a small business to have just a landing page with the basic description of the company and products/services offered. In this case, pay close attention to the visual elements as they are the main attention drawers.
However, sometimes businesses need a blog to enable their storytelling and educating the public about what they do from different perspectives. Blog posts demonstrate professionalism, draw attention, teach about new features and novelties, and provide tips and hints for more comfortable use.
Consider adding a blog later if you lack the resources to maintain it. There is no sense to be blogging if a regular posting is impossible. Along with educating function, a blog is suitable for the search engine optimization (SEO) process, which makes the newly launched website visible for Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yandex, and other searchers.
Promoting the Ready Website
When your website is ready, don’t forget to promote it. Mail or text your existing customers to notify them about the launch and invite them to check it up. Ask for feedback in exchange for promo codes, discounts, or gifts. Create inviting posts in your personal social media accounts as well as register new business accounts on all suitable platforms to represent the brand. Include links to the newly launched official website of the small business to build links and promote visits for those who want to know more.
If you have an extra budget and are ready to promote your business online, outsource regular SEO activities to a professional freelancer or an agency. Additionally, registering your small business’s location on Google Maps through the Google My Business feature with a link to the official website will be another efficient and free way to promote the company online.
