The year is past half, and if you were planning to launch your website this year, this is the time. Website development can be a bit challenging for small businesses. But with the right information, it can make the process quite easy.
We have put together the ultimate guide to help you set up your website in the best way possible.
Get a Competitive Domain Name
The domain name or the name of your website is the basis of a great site. Choosing the right name may be an uphill task bearing in mind many people are starting their website.
You can do the following things to get a great name:
- Use ideal domain extension such as .com as opposed .co or.net.
- Use other extensions such as .edu or .org or .gov if your institution is in those areas.
- Make the domain name possible to help future growth.
- Do not use your name or a specific product line because of potential future extension.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers.
- Since there are many websites online, make yours memorable by avoiding hyphens and numbers.
- Keep the name the shortest possible.
- It will be possible for your prospects and clients to type and remember.
- Check the price of the desired domain.
- The price should be reasonable for your small business. If it is already bought, it will be too expensive to acquire. It is not a good idea when starting.
Get Professional Hosting Services
Once you get a great domain name, you’ll need to host it with a reputable company. Ensure that the company can provide mobile calls or chats to help you when the services may be down.
You have the option of a shared domain or dedicated server. The latter is more expensive but the best for your site. The shared domain is okay, but should one of the websites you are sharing with gets hacked, your site may be affected.
The specific hosting provider allows back end web development through the c-panel. Beyond that, the server’s security should be unparalleled. Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is the ideal means of accessing your server.
Some popular and reputable hosting companies include Namecheap, GoDaddy,
Bluehost, Siteground, Inmotion, and Dreamhost, among others. These are companies that use the latest web technologies to host your site.
Get an Appropriate Content Management System (CMS)
A CMS is an application or a program used to manage online content. An amazing CMS should allow you to develop your site successfully, even with the least tech knowledge.
The factors to consider when acquiring a CMS are budget, user-friendliness, and extensibility.
The most popular CMS is WordPress. It is free and straightforward to install. Since it is simple, extensible, and flexible, it the best for small businesses. You can also get appropriate plugins and themes that address your particular needs.
However, you can consider other CMSs such as Joomla, Drupal, Squarespace, or Wix.
Install an Ideal e-Commerce Platform
As a small business, you will need to choose the right e-commerce platform to help you display your goods and services to your potential clients.
eCommerce website development is a straightforward task with the already existing platform templates. For example, you can use WooCommerce to turn your WordPress site into a digital store.
Other eCommerce platforms that you can choose from are Shopify, Shopify Plus, GoDaddy online store, Wix, and Business Square.
The specific choice depends on your budget, type of business, user experience, and preference.
Provide a Clear Business Description
Let people know right away what your business is about when they visit your homepage. You should maintain clarity in your description and use appropriate images on your homepage.
Your footer and main navigation should display the about page to help your visitors to know you well.
Create an Exceptional and Engaging User Interface
The user experience of your visitors should be memorable and exciting. Consider using the right graphics and images to attract prospects.
On the page, use easy to read fonts and easily accessible contact information.
Research to see how your competitors have optimized their websites and incorporate such components.
Incorporate visible ‘call to action’ buttons such as ‘buy today’ for an easier purchasing process. A QR code is also an important aspect to incorporate in your online store. Creating a QR code by using QR code c# for backend development.
Optimize your Site for SEO
You should optimize your site for search engines. You should use site maps and create helpful content to attract your clients and rank high on search engines.
Launching your website in the last half of 2020 requires you to get a great domain name and host it with a reputable company. With your website live, you should choose an ideal eCommerce platform, a CMS, and an appealing theme. Finally, you should optimize your website for SEO through great content, site maps. You can use your competitor’s website to give you an idea of how to start.
By Katherine Perkins