You’ve got the best small to medium business in town, but customers can’t find you online... so you might as well be invisible.
We’ve seen too many businesses lose customers every day to competitors because their website is either:
Ancient and out-of-date
Unclear and hard to use
Their site is just an eternal ‘Coming Soon’ or ‘Under Construction’ page (cringe)
Don’t let this be you!
It’s time to let the world know just how amazing your business is, and the best way to do that is with an awesome website that will be more affordable and easier than ever.
(Oh, and your skill level doesn’t matter! Whether you’re a total newbie or have some experience, this list will be exactly what you need.)
1. Domain Names and Hosting
Let’s talk about two terms you’ve probably heard a thousand times, but never really knew exactly what they meant.
If you want to have a website, you need these two things no matter what: a domain name, and hosting. Think of these terms in this way:
Domain Name: If the internet was a street, this would be your street address.
Hosting: If the internet was a street, and your domain name is your street address, think of hosting as the piece of land your house sits on.
No matter what, you need a domain name. But, before you buy hosting, read the next tip.
2. It’s Easier and Cheaper Than You Think
If you’re like most small to medium business owners, when you hear someone mention re-doing your website, you immediately think of dollar signs.
Like, lots of dollar signs. Many basic websites done by freelancers will cost you thousands of dollars.
And whether you hire that freelancer on a site like Upwork or Fiverr, or it’s your sister’s nephew helping, these freelance developers often use a platform called Wordpress.
Wordpress in itself is a wildly popular platform that is very stable (it makes up 33% of the entire internet according to Wordpress hosting giant WP Engine).
But when starting out, you don’t need Wordpress (and depending on how savvy you are, you might not even need your sister’s nephew either).
Instead, use a site builder like Wix or Squarespace.
By doing this, you’ll have access to many pre-made sites that you can just “turn on” and customize. (Their plans also include hosting, which is very convenient.)
3. What’s the True Purpose of Your Site?
When building a site, you need to know what purpose it will serve. Sounds simple, right? Yet so many business owners miss this crucial step.
To find the true purpose of your site, ask yourself: “What do I want my customers to do when they find my site?”
Are they coming to look at a menu? To sign up for a service? Are you looking for people to purchase something directly from your site?
You need to know this answer and make sure the site’s language, images, and layout drive people toward them taking the action you want.
4. The Pages You Need on Your Site
Don’t be intimated by choosing which pages your website should have. Keep it simple and lean, using this list as a guide.
Homepage - Say everything crucial that you want customers to see
Contact - Make it easy for people to contact you
Products and Services - Keep it clear, but simple
About Us - Tell your story, let people get to know you
Blog - Update this at least once a month, letting folks know your site is active
5. Make Sure You Hold the Keys
No matter what options you choose for your website, be sure that you have all of the logins, usernames, and passwords.
It’s common to have freelancers, friends, and others help you when creating your website. But never let them “set it up for you” without being in the loop.
And while many of them are professional and honest, you never want to be in a position where someone else can hold your website hostage.
You may also need help from someone else in the future, and you don’t want to have to text message ‘Doug who you used to work with’ to get your login credentials.
You’ve Got This
Having the best small to medium business in your niche is something to be proud of.
But getting new clients every day through your awesome website is how you’ll achieve the level of success you deserve.
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