Creating a Website for a Small Business

A small business website is a communication tool. It allows your customers limitless opportunities to connect with your core values, mission, products and services. That is precisely why creating a website for your small business is an integral part of your brand strategy and professional image. If designed properly, a small business website can not only provide a 24 hour window into your business operations, but can increase your sales and marketing efforts exponentially.

Things You'll Need

• Domain name
• Website hosting
• Content
• Website template
• Pictures and images
• Keywords for search engine optimization
• Promotion and marketing strategy

Instructions

1. Create a website budget. From design elements to content and hosting, list all of the essential elements of your small business website. Items to include in the budget include fees for: domain registration, hosting, website design, advertising and website content. Typical small business website budgets can range from $50 to $10,000 depending upon the number of pages, visual design, functionality, maintenance and site traffic volume. For a small business website, plan to allocate 30 percent of your total marketing budget to create your website. After you create a wish list of the critical components needed to design the site, decide which items to create yourself or outsource to a professional.

2. Reserve your URL. Input your desired domain name into a domain search engine. Find a domain name that is similar to the name of your small business to increase the name recognition of your company. Once your desired domain name is available register it for use. Domain prices range from free to $10 per year.

3. Get website hosting. Hosting is necessary to upload content and images to your site. Compare domain and hosting prices with a minimum of five website hosting companies to find the ideal price for your budget. Call each hosting company’s customer service line to compare prices and ask questions about their technical support services. Hosting prices can range from free ad-based hosting to hundreds of dollars a year.

4. Decide whether you will outsource the creation of your small business website or design it yourself. With numerous do-it-yourself website builders, you can build the website in a matter of minutes. Depending on your budget, you can find a template to upload yourself or hire a web designer to create your small business website. Small business owners can request quotes from freelance web designers based upon their budget parameters. Websites such as Elance, Guru and GetaFreelancer (see Resources) have qualified freelance web designers available to submit proposal to create your website. Small business website design fees range from $150 dollars to upwards of $10,000 dollars or more depending upon the addition of graphics, intricate website architecture and use the use of flash animation.

5. Write website content. A basic small business website requires seven pages: home, about us, products/services, contact us, privacy policy, links and sitemap. Write content that will give your website visitors a basic overview of your company. Incorporate keywords that describe your site to ensure that you will be included in search engine listings.

6. Promote your small business website. Place your website URL on the bottom of your business card and at the end of your email transmissions. When commenting on blog posts and in online forums, insert your domain name into your messages. Research free methods to promote your small business website that require minimal effort, but maximum returns.

Tips & Warnings

• You only have one chance to make a great impression. A poorly designed website can affect your sales and brand image considerably.

• Decide how many marketing elements you will need to incorporate into your website before you attempt to create it yourself.

Resources

• How to get traffic to your website or blog
• How to find a website host
• Guru
• Elance
• Website budget planning