Are you looking to design a new website for your new small business services? This week, we will talk about areas you need to focus on when building your first small business services website. This post is designed for first-time entrepreneurs and small businesses. If you know the foundation of creating a website, feel free to visit our other website posts.
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Note: This post covers the general process and helps you determine your website layout. It does not provide technical instructions for creating a website. You will need a website designer for that.
Are you ready to get your small business services website up and running? Let’s begin!
Gather your Business Information.
When we are a small business, our business information is most likely scattered across our minds, computers, and files. So we need to gather all these items together and determine what we want to share on the site.
- Make sure you share these items on the website in small chunks. You don’t need to add a novel to your website. People will get overwhelmed.
- Determine your page hierarchy. Determine which pages you want on your website. Do you want a blog? Do you want your services on a single page or spread across several pages?
- Have a clear focus on what to share. You don’t need to share every single testimonial.
- Research your successful competitors and check what they share on their websites. It’s OK to mimic their layout if it is working for them; it may work for you.
- Gather information for your story. Interview yourself and ask questions like, How did I become ….? Was there something in my past that directed me to this endeavor?
Now that you decided on what the business services content will be for your site. It’s time to move on to the order you want to display this material.
Outline Your Small Business Services and Create a Page or Pages for the Service.
Decide on what services you want to sell. Starting with one or two is fine. I started with one service and added more as my business and clientele grew.
- Ask yourself, what are the first steps I want to take to move a potential client forward in the funnel? Be precise and quick. People do not want to read a book.
- Start by designing the “About Me” page. This page will give people an intro to who you are and what you do. Check out this post for some tips: How to Write a Perfect About Me Page With Examples.
- From there, move into the various services you offer. Linking this URL to the About Me page may even work, so there is a path the potential client can take. Tell your clients (affiliate) what you can do for them and what are the benefits of using your service.
- And don’t forget to mention your call to action at the end of the page. Visit our Call to Action List for ideas on what wording to use.
Now is the time to do the design and work.
Pick Your Domain Name, Purchase it, and Choose a Reliable Host and Web Design.
Be sure to pick the right hosting company. They should have excellent customer service (24/7). They should offer a wide range of storage options so you don’t have to switch hosting companies later as your site grows.
To make it more convenient, pick the domain name and the hosting services at the same place.
First, purchase your domain. You can do this through several providers; even the host company you are buying from may offer domain purchasing. Feel free to check out Network Solutions, Squarespace, Wix, and GoDaddy to see what domains are available. The prices are usually the same between a third party and your hosting company. However, some may offer additional services that may or may not interest you. The cost of your hosting and themes varies, though. Below are some hosting sites for your reference.
Now that you have found what domain (URL) you want to use, you need to find a hosting company.
Decide if you want to design your own or use someone else’s theme.
Some places have hosting and website design included in their services. You can check out these companies: GoDaddy.com and Hibu.com. Prices vary for their services, and you can contact them directly for more details. They offer theme templates that you can use, modify, and set up through their site. They do have some flexibility, but you may want more.
Going with WordPress may be a better option if you want to customize your site. I particularly like the Genesis Framework (affiliate) because it is one of the most popular parent themes in the industry. They have several simple designs that you can use right out of the box.
Stay away from FREE themes. They may be coded incorrectly and may not be as secure as the ones you want to purchase.
Then, start entering your information and making your pages. But where do I start? We can help you there! Feel free to check out our website content services here.
You are now well on your way to getting your small business services website! I hope this helps you get your small business services website online and working successfully today. Please leave a question or two at the bottom, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Visit these articles I found online for more information and guidance.
30 Tips for Building Your First Business Website
10 Key Steps To Building A Great Small Business Website
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