-
Step 1
Choose a domain name. Your domain name should include your business name or be very relevant to catering or your particular business.
-
Step 2
Write down a list of potential content for your site. Content is far more important than the look of a site. Contact information and menus should be central to your catering web site. Additionally, photos of your culinary creations will give your customers a good idea of what to expect.
-
Step 3
Choose whether you want to design a site from scratch, use a pre-made layout, or hire a designer. The first two are the most cost-effective, with the second being the most time efficient as well. For this example, we'll assume you're using a pre-made layout that you've either purchased, one packaged with your WYSIWYG editor, or with the site builder through your hosting company. There are many pre-made templates specific to catering businesses (see Resources for some places to start).
-
Step 4
Create pages for your website. Open your template in a Web editor or open your site builder (they usually are available through reputable hosting companies) to start creating your content. At this point you will at least want to create three pages: "Home," "Contact" and, most importantly, a "Menus" or "Services" page. In your editor, you can start typing your content as you would in a word-processing document. When you're ready to publish, the editor generates the necessary HTML coding for you.
-
Step 5
Add your content to the site. Write up an introduction to your business, describe your menu and highlight your catering services. Make sure your prose is well-written and free of any grammatical errors. Also be as descriptive as possible, especially with regards to what sets your catering service apart. See References for an excellent example of an existing catering site with a menu.
-
Step 6
Ask friends and family to proofread and critique your site before you publish it. This step will ensure you don't have any grammar errors, and that the site is easy to navigate. Ask your testers to also be honest in whether they would consider your catering services solely based on the website. Take any suggestions you get into consideration, and do not take criticism personally.
-
Step 7
Publish your brand new catering service website. Reputable hosting companies will have user interfaces that will allow you to easily upload your pages. Contact customer support if you run into any issues publishing your site.
