A small business website can be a great marketing tool. Developing a website for a small business is not difficult. However, you want to make sure that you do it correctly to reap its maximum benefits.
Here are the steps you should take when creating a website for your business:
- Business Domain Name
When you pick the name of your website you want it to be a reflection of your business, yet creative and strategic all at the same time. Your business domain name should be something that people can spell and remember.Brainstorm possible ideas before you pick a business domain name for your small business website. If you already have a name for your business you may want to consider using your business name for your domain name.
Once you have a few ideas on tap for your small business domain name, do a little research. Google your domain name to see if anything similar comes up. Additionally, check other companies similar to yours to see what their domain name is.
If you have found the business domain name you want, make sure you reserve your domain name even if you are not ready to build your website.
- Hosting
To reserve your business domain name, you will need to find a company to host your domain name for you. There are plenty of options for domain name hosting.You can check with your Internet service provider to see if they offer domain name hosting options. Before you select a hosting company for your business website, make sure they offer all the services that you need your site to have.
- Website Plan
Before you start creating your website you should make a plan for your website. Decide what pages you want and how many pages you will need. Determine what will be on each page.Figure out if you are going to have an e-commerce site, and how you will set that up through your hosting company. The most important pages for a small business are the home page and the about us page. Make sure you know what these two pages will entail before you start building your website.
- Creating your Website
If you are not a tech savvy individual, you will want to either hire someone to create your website or use a program. Many companies have software included in their hosting packages that help walk you through the steps of creating a website.You can also buy web design software to create your website, if you feel that you have the skills to do so.
Having a web presence is an important part of small business success. It is very important to make sure that you take your time developing your website so that it looks professional. Follow the outlined steps and do your market research before creating your website.
With careful planning and decision making you can create a small business domain name and website that enhances your business – and increases your profit margin.
