How to Create a Website for Your Small Business
The decision to build your own website can be daunting. There are several projects that need to be completed like choosing a domain name, designing a logo, deciding on your content, and finding a host for the site. With so much to do, you may be wondering if it is a good idea to go through with it. Well, here are some tips to get your project started and help you get down the road to building a successful website!
First, let's talk about why a business owner needs a website. Your website is your storefront. It's where people go when they want to learn more about who you are and what you do. And if you're going to be selling goods or services, it's also where people go when they want to buy those things from you.
That means your website needs to be professional-looking and easy-to-use. It needs to represent the kind of company you are—and if possible, it should be designed in a way that makes visitors feel good about doing business with you.
So think about what you want people to see when they visit. What's the purpose of your site? If you're just selling one product, there's no need for a long-form website. Just add some images and links to your online store. If you have multiple products or services, think about what kind of information would be helpful for potential customers and create that content.
It should also have all of the information someone could need about what your business does, who works there, and how they can contact you if they have questions or concerns about anything related to what your company does or sells (which is basically everything).
Next, what's your budget? You can build an entire web presence from scratch for free these days—and we highly recommend that you do! But if you have some money available to spend on this project, look into hiring someone else to help out with things like design and coding so that you don't have to do it all yourself (or get stuck with a bunch of mistakes).
Do some research! Look at other websites in your industry or niche; see what they're doing well (or not so well) and use that as inspiration when planning out your own site. I always ask my clients about websites in their industry that inspire them or have functions that they'd like to include on their websites. When designing your site, make sure it add some of that flair with your own stamp of creativity to represent your brand.
Get to know your audience. What are their demographics? What are their interests? What kind of content do they like to consume online? These questions will help you figure out what kind of information you need to include on your site, and how you should organize it.
Don't forget about SEO! You want your content to show up on search engines, so make sure you include keywords that people are likely to use when searching for information about your business or industry (and make sure those keywords are relevant). In addition, some SEO experts say that the words on your site have an impact on search engine rankings—so if you want to improve those rankings, make sure your content uses the same keywords repeatedly! The best way to do this is to create a site map. This will help you organize all the pages on your site, so you can figure out what's missing and what needs more content. It'll also make it easier for people to find exactly what they're looking for when they visit your website!
You should also think about the language and tone you use in your content. This is important because it will help establish a brand identity for your company, which will make it easier for people to remember you when they're looking for information online.
Lastly, if the idea of designing your own site sounds daunting (and it can be) consider purchasing a website template. We offer them and small business owners and artists who want to be up and running within a weekend, find templates to be the best solution to having an online presence without having to figure out a ton of tech. You can check out our website templates here: lmkdigitallab.com/templates
Overall, taking some time to consider these important website factors will give you a fantastic start. I've also included a full checklist of other important factors to consider before you begin the designing process. This is the very same checklist that I use during my consultations with clients to ensure we’re on the same page. Working through this checklist ensures that I am clear about their design needs, interests, and priorities for their website, and the client is left feeling confident that their website will be designed based on what they want and need. It’s a win-win. You can download the checklist below!
I'm confident that if you put these tips into action, you will have a website you love...and don't hesitate to let us know if you ever need any help along the way!
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