Whether you’re a freelance makeup artist or a local business owner, having a great website is vital to your brand’s growth and success. A good website will excite your audience and educate consumers about your products and services, attracting new customers while retaining old ones.
Though most may think that a good website is only possible for larger businesses with big marketing budgets, that is simply not the case. Small businesses can make some of the greatest and most effective websites!
Before you start making an online home for your business, review these keys to building a great small business website:
- Domain Name. First thing’s first, get a good domain name. Once you start using one, it’s harder to change it later down the road, so make sure it represents your business well. Try to keep it short and easy to spell, avoiding numbers, hyphens, and any names that are non-sensible or irrelevant to your business’s purpose. Make it memorable, and research to ensure the domain name isn’t in use. And make sure it ends with .com! Endings like .net or .co look off to some people unless you’re using a .gov or .edu extension, which could be more appropriate for you depending on your business. You’ll also want to check on the price of the domain to ensure you can afford the cost of it.
- Web Hosting Provider. A website host is the third party that provides the technology and services your website needs to act like…a website! Some popular website hosting providers are GoDaddy, DreamHost, and SiteGround. Review what each one offers to determine what host is best for your website needs. Just make sure they provide an easy-to-use interface and have phone or chat support available to you during reasonable hours so that if your website ever has issues, you can easily contact them.
- E-Commerce. If you can sell your products and services online, then definitely incorporate e-commerce elements on your website. This will make certain financial transactions go through confidentially and correctly. Many small business owners love using Shopify, BigCommerce, and Squarespace on their websites, because they are fast, reliable, and offer excellent business management tools. Again, take some time to review the differences in each platform so that you can pick an e-commerce service that fits the needs of your business.
- Images. Good, engaging images are everything! Unexciting or irrelevant images can quickly turn a user away from your site, so review the current images on your website. Remove any outdated images, and add visually interesting photos, graphics, and communication materials that will educate the user on your brand. If you’re using stock images, just make sure you’re using royalty-free images to avoid paying the owner of the photo any additional royalties to the owner.
- Text and Descriptions. Text is essential on a website because it’s your one chance to let users know your business’s mission, products and services, and background. But don’t go overboard on the text: any messaging should be short yet clear and concise. And double check everything you write for any typing or grammar errors and incorrect sentence structures, as this can make your business look sloppy.
- Content. Provide content on the rest of your website that engages your audience, including photos and videos of your business at work, reviews and testimonials from past customers, blogs, or links to related websites in your industry. Once you’ve launched your website with your planned content, make sure you update the content regularly so that your website is maintained with accurate information.
Trust Wellspring Business Solutions with your business’s digital marketing strategy! Our team consists of skilled, passionate (and fun!) professionals specializing in an array of digital marketing solutions, including content writing, email marketing & automation, social media marketing and ads, video marketing, SEO, and cross-channel marketing.
We’ll create a unique solution that fits your brand’s needs, helping you meet your business goals. Visit our website to learn more, or call us at 262-751-1634 to get started today!
