As an experienced webmaster, I‘ve helped hundreds of small business owners create successful online presences.
A well-designed, user-friendly website is crucial for reaching potential customers and growing your business in today‘s digital world.
This comprehensive guide shares my proven insider tips to help you launch an effective small business website.
Contents
Choose the Perfect Domain Name
Your domain name is the first impression your brand makes. Studies show that 40% of users will abandon a site if the domain is hard to remember or spell.
Here are my top tips for picking the right domain:
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Keep it short – Single words or 2-3 word domains are best. For my landscaping business, I chose "GreeniusLawncare.com".
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Use target keywords – Incorporate keywords related to your service area and location if available.
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Get the .com – The .com extension is the most trusted and recognized by users.
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Avoid hyphens – Hyphenated domains are harder to remember. Instead try combining words like GreeniusLawncare.
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Check availability – Search on GoDaddy, Namecheap etc. to see if your preferred domain is available. Act fast if it is!
Find Reliable Web Hosting
Choosing the right web hosting provider is crucial – your site‘s speed and security depends on it.
Here are the key factors I look for when evaluating hosts:
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99% uptime – Anything less than this can negatively impact your business.
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Fast server speeds – Sites hosted on SSD servers with caching load much faster.
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Top-notch support – 24/7 customer service via chat or phone is essential.
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Easy WordPress installation – 1-click installs make setup effortless.
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Free SSL certificate – For secure HTTPS website addresses.
My favorite hosts that meet the above criteria are InMotion Hosting, SiteGround and Bluehost. Plans start around $6-$10 per month.
Set Up WordPress
WordPress powers over 40% of all websites thanks to its ease of use, customization and abundant themes and plugins.
Your web host likely provides a simple 1-click installer tool for WordPress. I‘d also recommend enabling auto WordPress updates for enhanced security.
Once installed, be sure to update your admin credentials from the defaults for better security.
Pick an Intuitive Theme
Your theme controls the appearance, layout and user experience of your WordPress site.
As a professional web designer, I have a few theme recommendations for small business sites:
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Astra – Very lightweight and fast theme. Easy to customize design.
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OceanWP – Beautiful free theme with lots of style options.
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GeneratePress – Speed-optimized theme great for beginners.
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PageBuilder Framework – Integrates with Elementor for drag and drop pages.
Spend time previewing themes to find one that best reflects your brand.
Craft Compelling Content
The content on your website is what ultimately convinces potential customers to do business with you.
Here are some must-have pages I recommend for small business sites:
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Homepage – The homepage is your opportunity to make a great first impression to visitors. Include an engaging headline, overview of your business, strong call-to-action and contact information.
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About – Share your brand story and values to build trust. Let customers get to know the real people behind your business. Photos and bios of your staff help connect.
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Services/Products – Thoroughly describe what you offer. Use bullet points to list key features and benefits. Include pricing or quotes to encourage conversions.
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Contact – Make it easy for customers to get in touch by adding a contact form linked to your email.
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FAQ – Answering common questions upfront builds credibility while reducing customer service inquiries.
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Blog – Publish 4-5 relevant, useful articles monthly. Aim for 500+ words optimized with target keywords to drive organic search traffic.
Extend Functionality with Plugins
WordPress plugins are like apps that add cool functionality to your site. They‘re easy to install and activate.
Here are 5 free essential plugins I recommend:
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Yoast SEO – Optimize your pages for search engines with meta descriptions and titles.
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Google Analytics – Review visitor statistics and traffic sources.
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WPForms Lite – Easily build conversion-optimized contact forms.
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Smush – Compress images for faster load times.
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UpdraftPlus – Back up your site daily to prevent losing data.
Limit plugins to crucial ones for best performance. Check for plugin conflicts or outdated versions.
Promote Your New Website
Now comes my favorite part – spreading the word about your awesome new site!
Here are proven promotion tactics:
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Search engine optimization – Research target keywords, optimize pages and content, build backlinks to rank higher in search engines.
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Social media – Share your page and content across all your social channels. Leverage hashtags related to your industry.
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Local listings – Create free profiles on Google My Business, Facebook Business Pages and other local directories.
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Paid ads – Consider small Google/Facebook ad campaigns to get in front of local searchers.
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Email lists – Send an announcement to your email subscribers when launching your new website.
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Content marketing – Blog posts and videos will attract organic visitors from search over time.
With consistent promotion across these channels, you‘ll be on your way to growing your online presence and achieving your business goals! Let me know if you have any other questions.
