Business Website
Setting up a website is a necessary action for any business large or small. Even if you don't plan on offering online services at all, a website is something that you simply must have. What happens when you don't have a website? People will look for your company online, find a competitor, and move away from any thought that was originally attached to working with you.
But, where do you begin when it comes to setting up a site? How can you get your site off the ground, and where can you get readers or site visitors? It's all a very big puzzle to put together, and it can seem like an impossible task at first. I've put together this really simple three-step guide to help you get your site ready, up, and running.
Business Website:
Step I: Build a website. I highly recommend hiring a professional website designer. Sure, you can set up a free site through a company like WordPress (and it's not that hard to do, really), but things will be a lot slicker and simpler if you hire someone to build your site. The cost for a good website can be in the thousands, but it will be entirely worth it to have the best site in the business.
Step II: Choose a domain name. This is a lot easier to say than it is to do. Your domain name is vital. It is the name that people will remember, search for, and see when they visit your site. It's best to avoid any dashes in a URL, and it's also a good idea to pick a name that serves two purposes: is easy to remember and has something to do with your site.
Step III: Choose a hosting company. Most hosting companies will tell you that they have a 99% uptime. The truth is that no company is up and running almost 100% of the time. Select a hosting company based on reviews (you'll find a lot on this site); customer comments; and reputation. Companies that have been around for a very long time tend to have solid reputations, but it also pays to find a hosting package that works for you – choose one that comes with technical support!
Step IV: Get people to visit your site. This is the hard part. Attracting people to your site isn't the simplest thing in the world to do. This is precisely why there are thousands of SEO experts out there. Choose a social media manager, content manager, and SEO expert that will really help your company grow.
Ask for references, get recommendations, and always trust your instincts. Setting up a really nice blog will help too. Plus, ask your SEO expert about link building, or look through the works on this site to find out more about SEO tactics.
In the end, your website will be one of the most important business investments that you make. It will pay, in the long run, to hire the right people to make your site work. Questions?
Photo By Squish_E Via Creative Commons
