This article will walk you through the process of creating a small business website in nine simple steps. Let’s get started!

Here’s an overview of what we’ll be talking about:

1. Select a website building platform.
2. Choose a domain name.
3. Locate your hosting company.
4. Download and install the WordPress software.
5. Choose a theme or template.
6. Install any necessary plugins or extensions
7. Insert your content.
8. Make your website search engine friendly.
9. Launch your website

What To Think About When Creating a Small Business Website

There is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to website design. Before you begin, you should consider your goals so that you can implement design elements and tools to achieve your objectives.

A dentist’s office, for example, would require a completely different website than an architecture firm. Whether you want to inform visitors about a physical business or conduct sales online has a big impact on how your site should look.

Select A Website Building Platform.

You should ideally choose a user-friendly solution that will allow you to create a website without any coding knowledge. Here are our recommendations for small businesses:

WordPress: WordPress works both ways. We will concentrate on WordPress.org, which provides you with the most features and more control over your website. Hosting must be arranged separately (more on that later).

Website builders: that are hosted. If you prefer all-in-one solutions, you should look into a reputable website builder like Squarespace or Wix. These platforms provide complete website designs that can be modified using a drag-and-drop tool. You will not need to outsource hosting to another company, but you will have less design flexibility.

Choose A Domain Name For Your Business.

Your domain name should preferably match the name of your company. If you’re not sure which name to go with, there are various online generators that can help you out.

Here are some pointers to consider when choosing your website address:

• Make certain it’s simple to spell.
• Make it as brief as possible.
• Include keywords that are relevant to your business.

Locate Your Hosting Company

You can skip this step if you choose to use an all-in-one website builder. Continue reading if you’re a WordPress user.

You can choose from a number of good beginner-friendly hosting provider.

The most affordable Basic plan starts at just $2.95 per month. This package is typically adequate for small websites, but you can easily upgrade as your company grows.

Download And Install The WordPress Software

WordPress is a popular open-source content management system (CMS) that is much more versatile and simple to use. There are several methods for installing WordPress, ranging from using an installer provided by a website hosting service to manually using an FTP client.

Choose A Theme Or Template

WordPress and Squarespace both provide a plethora of templates (or themes) that are easily customizable. Many of them are also free to use.

You can access free theme options in WordPress from your dashboard by going to Appearance >

Themes:You can customize your theme after you install and activate it. Alternatively, you could look into a premium WordPress business theme. Pre-built portfolios, e-commerce pages, and page builder integration are common features of these products.

Plugin, on the other hand, lists all of its templates directly on its website. You can preview each one and then click Start With This Design when you’re satisfied with your selection:

Then you’ll be taken directly to the editing area, where you can change almost every aspect of your site. We recommend that any changes made on the front end be reviewed to ensure that they look good.

Install Any Necessary Plugins Or Extensions

With so many options, it’s tempting to install as many plugins or extensions as possible. However, doing so may cause your site to slow down and affect its performance.

As a result, we recommend concentrating on plugins/extensions that address the following issues:

• Optimization and performance: Most website owners prioritize having a fast-loading website. As a result, you may want to think about caching and database optimization to improve the performance of your site. All of these tasks are handled by the WP-Optimize plugin. Check out Optimal for best-in-class image optimization.
• Security: We recommend using a plugin to protect your website from spam, hackers, and other malicious actors. Security, for example, is an excellent all-in-one solution with a free and premium version.
• Backups: Database and file backups are essential in case something goes wrong with your website. As such, you might consider using a plugin such as Updraft Plus to handle these critical tasks.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO can make your small business website more visible and help you attract new customers. We recommend using the Yoast SEO plugin to help with optimizing your content.
• E-commerce: If your small business has an online store, you’ll need an e-commerce plugin to handle your sales. WooCommerce is one of the best choices for a WordPress website.

When choosing plugins or extensions, we recommend opting for tools with high ratings and regular updates. You can also read other users’ feedback to see if the plugin will be suitable for your needs:

Read other users’ reviews to see if the plugin will work for you:

Insert Your Content

As you customize your Website, you will almost certainly want to add content right away. It’s a good idea to have a rough structure in mind before you start.

The majority of business websites will require the following:

• Homepage. Many visitors will see this as the first thing they see when they arrive at your website. It should provide a concise overview of your services. It should also include clear navigation to other sections.
• Products, Services, or Both? The portfolio page. This is where you will display your work and describe what you have to offer potential customers or clients.
• Page about me. Include your story or information about your team in this section.
• Connect Page – Page of contact information. You should ideally include a contact form and encourage customers to contact you if they have any questions.
• Blog. This is a must-have for many businesses nowadays and an excellent content marketing tool.

WordPress and popular website builders all allow you to easily create pages and blog posts. As a result, you have the freedom to curate your content as needed.

Make Your Website Search Engine Friendly

Once you have content online, you must ensure that people can find it. One strategy that can help with this is SEO.

SEO is the practice of improving your content so that it ranks higher on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). There are a few keys practices to keep in mind, such as:

• Including relevant keywords in your posts and pages.
• Increasing the speed of your website.
• Choosing a responsive design to ensure that your content is accessible on all devices.
• Including internal and external links on your website.
• Use post titles in permalinks.

If you use WordPress as your website platform, you can install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO, which scans your content and makes recommendations.

Launch Your Website

Many website builders allow you to keep your site private while it is being built, then publish it once it is ready for visitors. Your WordPress site will be publicly accessible as soon as you install the software on your hosting account.

• Regardless, before you begin promoting your website, there are a few things you should double-check:
• Check how your website will appear on mobile devices to ensure it is readable.
• Check your content to ensure that everything is correct.
• Filler content should be removed from your theme or template.

To begin driving traffic to your new site, consider contacting existing customers and informing them that you are now online. You can also advertise your website.