How to create a website for a business in 2023

A common question among business owners is how to create a website for a business they own to have an online presence.

You might not have enough money to hire outside help for some jobs if you own a small business. 

For example, if you want to have an online presence, you might have to pay a lot to hire a site designer. 

However, if you want to create a website for a business on your own, it might be difficult.

Fortunately, this procedure is not as difficult as it might sound. Some small business-friendly website builders make it easy for people who have never built a website before to make a beautiful one. 

The best part is that many of these tools are extremely affordable.

Building a business website is now easier than ever, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

This post will walk you through the simple, step-by-step process of creating a website for a business. 

Let’s dive in!

What to consider before starting to create a website for a business

There is no “one size fits all” approach to building a website. Before you begin, think about your goals so that you can use design elements and techniques to help you accomplish them.

An architecture business would require an entirely different website than, say, a dentist’s business. Whether you want to sell things online or just tell people about a business should have a big impact on how you design your website.

Ask yourself the following questions before you begin to create a website for a business:

1. What information do you need to communicate to your site’s visitors?

2. What actions do you want visitors to take after viewing your site (e.g., buy products online, come to your brick-and-mortar store, request a quote)?

3. How will you display your products or services?

4. Do you need an online portfolio of past work to demonstrate your value to potential clients or customers?

You should also consider the estimated traffic to your website. If you wish to sell things online, you may get a lot more attention than a local business that mostly sells in person. 

Depending on what you need in this area, different platforms and hosting providers will be right for your site.

How to create a website for a business in easy steps

You should choose a solution that is easy to use and lets you set up a website without knowing how to code.

Once you’ve decided on a strategy for your website’s goals, you can begin designing and creating it. The following are essential steps that will help you start your business’s online presence:

1. Choose your website-building platform

You should choose a solution that is easy to use and lets you set up a website without knowing how to code.

1. WordPress. 

There are two versions of WordPress. Here I will focus on WordPress.org, which gives you access to the best features and more control over your website. You’ll need to purchase hosting separately 

2. Hosted website builders 

If you like all-in-one solutions, you might want to consider a reputable website builder such as WIX or Squarespace. These platforms offer complete website designs out of the box, which you can customize with a drag-and-drop tool. You won’t need to outsource hosting to another company, but you’ll have less flexibility with design.

Hosted website builder charges vary per plan. Squarespace Business costs US $18 per month. WIX’s business plan costs US $ 12.50 per month.

But WordPress is free and open-source. However, you must also pay for site hosting.

This tutorial focuses on WordPress.org since it’s the best option for most small enterprises.

Here are some of the reasons why we recommend WordPress:

• You don’t need to be a developer or techie to make a website.
• The WordPress software is free.
• It’s super flexible—you can easily change how your site looks or add new features.
• WordPress is used by more than 48.9 percent of all websites, so your small business website will be in excellent hands.

2. Get a Domain Name

Your domain name should match your business name as much as possible. If you don’t know what name to pick, there are several online generators, like DomainWheel, that can give you some ideas:

Don’t worry about getting a domain name just yet; you’ll be able to register one when you sign up for hosting (I will show you how in the next step). 

Alternatively, if you wish to use a tool like Squarespace or Wix, you may purchase your domain name using such platforms as well.

A domain name typically costs around $10 to $12 per year. You can usually get your domain directly through your website builder, or via a separate domain registrar. Popular domain name providers include Godaddy.com and NameCheap.

3. Find your hosting provider

If you decide to go with an all-in-one website builder, you can skip this step. WordPress users should keep reading.

There are several excellent beginner-friendly hosting companies you can consider. Hostinger, on the other hand, is the best company I can recommend.

I recommend Hostinger for various reasons. 

For example, its hosting packages come with the following inclusions:

• 24/7 customer service and support
• free SSL certificate
• A free domain name for the first year of your plan
• Access to a user-friendly dashboard
• In-built security features
• WordPress optimization features

The cheapest basic plan starts at just $2.99 per month. Most small websites only need this package, but you can easily upgrade as your business grows.

4. Install the WordPress software

Again, you can skip this step if you’d rather use an all-in-one website builder such as Squarespace. 

But if you want to use WordPress and a hosting company, you’ll need to install the Content Management System (CMS) software.

Hostinger features an intuitive dashboard and one-click WordPress installation. If you choose this hosting provider, it will be easy and quick to install the WordPress software.

Here’s how to use Hostinger’s Auto Installer.

1. Log in to your web hosting account and click Hosting on the main menu.
2. Pick a domain name for your new website built with WordPress, then click the “Manage” button to get to your CPanel.
3. On your cPanel dashboard, locate the Auto Installer button under the Website section.
4. Under “Automatic Installer,” choose WordPress and click the Select button.
5. Fill out the Install WordPress form:

Check your custom domain name and make sure it says “WordPress” next to it.

The administrator username, password, and Email are for the WordPress login. They do not need to be the same as the web hosting login information. 

Make sure to choose a strong password to prevent security breaches.

• Create a WordPress Site Title.
• Choose your preferred Language.

Select the Always update to the latest available version option for automatic updates.

After filling out all the necessary information, hit the Install button.

5. Select a theme or template

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

You may access free theme settings in WordPress from your dashboard by going to Appearance > Themes:

You may tweak your theme when you install and activate it. Alternatively, you may look at a premium WordPress professional theme. Pre-built portfolios, e-commerce sites, and page builder integration are common aspects of these products.

Squarespace, on the other hand, offers all of its templates straight on its website. You may explore each one and then click Start With This Design when you’re satisfied with your selection:

Then you’ll be sent directly to the editing section, where you may change practically every aspect of your site. I suggest that all modifications made on the front end be reviewed to ensure that they appear nice.

6. Install plugins or extensions

You can make your website do more by adding plugins (in WordPress) or extensions (in Squarespace and other page builders). You may struggle to get the most out of your small company website if you do not have these tools.

Squarespace’s wide library of extensions is available for browsing. WordPress gives you access to about 60,000 plugins.

SEO could make your small business website more visible and help you bring in new customers. I suggest you use the RankMath SEO plugin to help improve your content for search engine optimization.

7. Add content to your website.

As you customize your website, you will likely want to add content almost immediately. Before you do that, it’s wise to have a rough structure in mind.

Most business websites will need the following:

1. Homepage. 

This will be the first thing many visitors see when they come to your site. It should give a short overview of your services. Furthermore, it should include clear navigation to other sections.

2. Products, Services, or Portfolio page. 

This is where you will showcase your work and describe what you have to offer customers or clients.

3. About page. 

In this section, you’ll include your story or share information about your team.

4. Contact page. 

Ideally, you’ll want to include a contact form and encourage customers to get in touch if they have questions.

5. Blog. 

This is a must for many businesses nowadays and an excellent content marketing tool.

WordPress and other popular website builders all make it easy to add blog posts and pages. Therefore, you have the freedom to curate your content as needed.

8. Make your website search engine-friendly.

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

SEO is the technique of improving your content so that it ranks higher on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). There are a few important practices to bear in mind, including:

• Use appropriate keywords in your posts and pages.
• Optimizing your website for speed.
• Picking a responsive design so that your content works on all devices.
• Including internal and external links throughout your site.
• Using post names in their permalinks.

If you chose WordPress as your website platform, you can install an SEO plugin such as RankMath or Yoast SEO, which scans your content and suggests tips for improvement.

9. Make your website public.

Many website builders allow you to keep your site hidden 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 publicizing your website, there are a few things you should double-check:

1. Check how your website will appear on mobile devices to ensure it is accessible.
2. Check your content to make sure that everything is correct.
3. Filler content should be removed from your theme or template.

To begin increasing traffic to your new site, try contacting current clients and informing them that you are now online. You may also use social media or email to market your website.

Conclusion.

If you want to reach a larger audience, you must have an online presence. If you run a small business, hiring web developers may be out of your price range. 

Fortunately, with beginner-friendly platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix, you can design and create a website for a business quickly and affordably.