Create a Website for Your Business
You’ve probably Googled “create a website for business” because you know you need one, but you’re not sure where to start.
You’re busy running your business, not building websites, and that’s completely understandable.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to plan, build, and maintain a website that actually works for your small business.
Step 1: Plan Your Small Business Website
Before you create a website for business, it’s important to have a plan. Jumping in without one is where most people go wrong. You need to be clear on these things:
- What is the purpose of your website?
I don’t mean “to get more business”, I mean, do you want people to buy directly through it? Do you want people to contact you through it to book an appointment? Do you want people to book a call with you?
Whatever it is you need to be clear on this for your website to work well for your business. - Which pages do you need?
Think about the information you need to get across, the pages you need to be able to do this effectively and make a plan of the pages you need.
Think about the journey your visitor will take. Most small business websites need:
– A homepage
– A services/products page
– An about page
– A contact page - What content needs to go on those pages?
Write with your ideal customer in mind and make it clear what action you want them to take. Keep in mind what your website visitor is likely to want to know if they are looking to work with a business like yours. Also think about those actions you want your website visitor to take so make it clear in the content how they can book a call with you or buy your products. - What images will bring your business to life?
Consider the images that you want to have on each page. These images need to convey what your business does and make people want to find out more when they see them. - Ensure you have a good brand to use on your website.
Your brand should be consistent everywhere someone sees it, on your website, your printed marketing materials, on the side of a van, on a uniform, wherever, it should always look the same. The more someone sees your business and recognises it, the more they trust it and are likely to work with you.
Step 2: Choose How to Create a Website for Business
DIY, Supported, or Done-For-You – Which Is Right for You?
Once you have your website planned and your content and images ready you need to decide how to create your website.
Do you feel confident to go with a complete DIY approach?
Maybe you like the idea of understanding your website and giving it a go but would like someone to support you and do some bits for you.
Or maybe you don’t want to think about it and want to hand it over to someone else completely.
All of these options are great and only you can decide which one is right for you. But regardless of the option you choose you will need to plan your website first.
Step 3: Once Your Small Business Website is Created Keep it Up to Date
So many business owners create a website and then just leave it there and forget about it. The best business websites that actually generate leads and sales are the ones that are updated regularly and have traffic sent to them proactively.
Aim to add one new piece of content a month. This could be:
- A blog post
- A new testimonial
- A recent project
- A case study
- A new image or gallery update
Search engines love fresh content, and so do your customers. Plus, it gives you great material to share on social media or in newsletters.
Need Help to Create a Website for Business?
If you’re ready to create a website for business, then we’ve got a few resources to help small business owners like you create a website that really works:
- Website Planning Checklist – Before you jump in and create your new business website, download our free 6 point, website planning checklist now to make sure you get it right from the start.
- Website Planning Workshops – Join us live to get your ideas organised and your plan mapped out.
- Small Business Website Template – A professionally designed starting point you can use with our DIY or Done-For-You plans.
- The Website Handbook – Our book that guides you through every stage of creating, launching, and maintaining your website.