Consumers today turn to the internet for everything. That’s why your website is the most effective sales and marketing tool. Even a simple, well-designed website can give you an advantage in your field.
At Impact Group Marketing, we create affordable, responsive, and search engine-friendly websites that engage visitors and convert. Our website team has over 35 years of combined experience in digital marketing and is passionate about website design and development.
Here’s our step-by-step guide on how to build a successful small business website.
1. Choose a domain name.
Your domain name is one of the most vital elements of your website. It’s the unique URL you’ll share with potential and current clients, so use one that matches your business. This keeps your branding consistent and helps you appear higher in search engine results.
Here are some tips to consider as you brainstorm domain names:
- Make sure it’s descriptive and easy to remember.
- Include keywords relevant to your business to boost your visibility in search engines.
- Keep your domain short, but avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and numbers.
- Try to use traditional top-level domains (TLDs), such as .com or .net
Once you choose your domain name, you need to confirm it’s available and purchase it through a domain registrar like GoDaddy or domains.impactgroupmarketing.com.
2. Select a web host.
You also need to find a website host – a server where data is stored for public access. To simplify things, register your domain with a provider that offers registration, hosting, and design.
We partner with QTH Hosting and offer hosting as part of our website builds for $300/year.
If you decide to use separate companies to manage your web design and hosting, look for a hosting service with an SSL certificate which stands for Secure Sockets Layer. The SSL certificate is a global standard security technology that enables a secure connection and protects your user’s sensitive information. Visitors and search engines expect this extra security measure.
3. Build your pages and add engaging content.
You’ll want to create multiple pages dedicated to different aspects of your business. Make sure each page has a clear purpose, supports your website’s primary goal, and includes a call to action (CTA) that leads users to a landing page.
If you still need a logo, hire a graphic designer to create one for your website, business cards, and social media profiles. You want a cohesive brand image that clearly identifies your company.
Aim to include these essential pages on your website:
- A captivating homepage – Since this is the central hub of your website, you want to engage visitors and tell them who you are and what you do. Use readable fonts, eye-catching graphics, clear and concise descriptions, and compelling calls to action.
- An informative ‘About Us’ page – Tell your story and highlight your mission, values, and achievements. Introducing team members lets customers put real names and faces to your brand.
- A detailed contact page – Include phone numbers, emails, a physical address, social media accounts, operating hours, and a contact form so people can easily reach you.
- Compelling content – Sharing engaging and informative content establishes you as an expert in your industry and helps grow a loyal community for your business. Some content ideas include blogs, case studies, videos, podcast episodes, and more. This content helps increase site visitors and boost your ranking in search results.
- Testimonials – Create a page to share positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers.
- A valuable FAQs page – Answering common questions builds trust with your brand and reduces the number of calls you get for frequently asked questions.
Read More: Top 9 Ways to Improve Your Website Content
4. Invest in search engine optimization (SEO).
A beautifully designed website is crucial, but search engines want more than that to establish your authority when they index it in their search results. SEO is improving your website so your pages rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Keep these basic SEO practices in mind as you build your website:
- Choose relevant and intentional keywords.
- Consistently publish fresh and valuable content.
- Maximize your site speed so pages load within a few seconds.
- Optimize images so they don’t slow down your website’s loading time.
- Use internal and external links.
- Make sure your design and content work properly on smartphones, computers, and tablets.
Read More: 4 Proven Ways to Improve Your Website Performance
5. Test and publish your website.
Before releasing your site into the world, ensure that each page and feature work on all major browsers and that your website displays correctly on all mobile devices. Google and other search engines use mobile-first indexing, which prioritizes the performance of your website’s mobile version in search engine rankings.
Another essential feature to include from the beginning is an analytics program. Setting this up before launching lets you work out any issues before your website is live. After it launches, you can monitor its performance based on the analytics.
Share it on your LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to help drive traffic to your website and increase your audience reach.
6. Maintain your site.
After publishing your website, you must consistently maintain it to keep your target audience engaged and improve your search rankings. You can stay relevant by updating your site frequently with informative blog posts that keep visitors coming back.
Bottom Line
Building a website doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. When done correctly, it will be an invaluable marketing tool for your business for many years. Contact Impact Group Marketing today to learn more about our professional website packages.