How to Create a Small Business Website

This article is part of the WWW 101 Series which provides an introduction to small business websites.

So, you are ready to create a website for your small business or non-profit organization – that’s great. But you may not be sure where to start. This article provides an introduction to the key activities involved with planning and developing a website.

Register domain name
Purchase website hosting
Write content
Create website design
Gather graphics and multimedia
Plan for search engine optimization
Prepare to monitor your website with analytics
Market your new website
Maintain your website

Select and Register a Domain Name

A domain name is also called a URL or website address. It is the unique address of your website - just like a phone number. All domain names have an extension such as .com, .net, .org. Your domain name should reflect your business / organization and be easy to remember. As you brainstorm possible domain names, you can check to see if they are available on a domain registrar website. Which brings us to purchasing your domain name… There are many companies that are authorized to sell domain names, so you can shop around to compare prices. I am partial to Go Daddy because the prices are competitive and the company provides good customer service. Domain names are purchased on an annual basis, so you must plan to renew the name each year.

Get Website Hosting

A website host stores all of the files that make up your website – think of it like an electronic file cabinet. There are many companies that sell hosting services, so it is a good idea to shop around. Some of the key considerations in selecting a web hosting company include price, reliability (do they have technical issues that cause your website to be temporarily unavailable), service (if you have a problem, will someone be there to answer your phone call or email 24/7), and extras (some hosting accounts include extras such as email). I’m partial to Go Daddy. Hosting can be paid monthly or annually.

Domain Name and Website Hosting Tip

I prefer to purchase my domain name and hosting from the same company so it is easier to manage. I set my accounts to auto-renew and charge to my credit card so I don’t forget to renew.

Write Website Content

Content is one of the most important parts of your website. Your visitors are likely to stay or go based on the quality and relevance of the content they see. Here are some topics to consider for your website.

About your business or organization (history, staff biographies)
Products or services (description, prices, portfolio)
Contact information (address, phone, hours of operation, map)
What sets you apart from the competition (awards, testimonials)
Resources (links to other websites, articles you have written)

Website Design

Your website design should reflect your company / organization’s brand and appeal to your target market. If you are just getting started with creating your brand, think about what image and mood you wish to portray: professional, sophisticated, fun, funky, artistic, conservative, etc. Also consider which color palate will portray this: bright, bold, subtle, subdued, etc. A great way to get ideas is to visit other websites and write down things you like and don’t like.

Website Graphics and Multimedia

Your website should have a good balance of content and images. The types of images you include will depend on your type of business. For example, if you are an artist, it is important to include a portfolio of your work. Some examples of possible images for your site are: business location, you, staff, products. If you don’t have original photos, there are many websites where you can find free or low-cost stock art (see Low Cost Website and Blog Images). If you have videos, you can include them as well - just upload them to YouTube and Vimeo and embed them on the site.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

If it is important for your website to rank well on search engines, you must optimize it. Search engine optimization is a specialty and optimizing a website is an ongoing effort, but here are the basic elements that should be included when your website is developed.

Identify keywords that people type in search engines and use them in your content.
Put a unique Title with keywords on every page – the title displays at the very top of the computer screen.
Put a unique Description with keywords on every page – some search engines display your description on the results page (some pull content from the page).
Add an alt tag (alternative text) to every image – a short phrase that describes the image; search engines can’t read images, but they can read alt tags.

Search Engine Optimization Tip

When you talk to potential Website Developers, ensure you discuss including the basic SEO items above. If you are interested in developing a solid SEO strategy that includes keyword research, you may wish to find a SEO consultant.

Website Analytics

It is very helpful to monitor your website’s activity to know if you are achieving your goals. Analytics will provide key information such as, number of visitors per day; which pages were viewed; where the visitors found you, e.g., search engine, link from other website; and average time spent on the site. Google provides an excellent, free analytics tool. You can create and monitor your account or ask your Web Developer to assist.

For more on analytics, see What is Google Analytics and How can it Help me?

Marketing

After you launch the website, it is important to spread the word so people know you are there. Your website project should include a marketing launch plan. Here are some of the things you can do to publicize your new website.

Put the website address everywhere – business cards, brochures, newsletter, letterhead, signs in your location, company vehicle
Send an email announcement to your customers
Post links on social networking sites
Write and distribute a press release

Website Maintenance

You have launched your new website – hooray! But the work is not done. It is important to have an ongoing maintenance plan to ensure your website is current and useful to visitors. Here are some typical components of a maintenance plan.