Approximately 40% of businesses are currently operating without a website. Is yours one of them? Are you interested in bridging the gap and finally creating a website for your customers?
If you want to figure out how to put a website online, you’ve come to the right place.
Table of Contents
Read on for 10 tips that will help you build an eye-catching website that people will be eager to visit
1. Create Your Website Strategy First
Before you start messing around with web hosting and website builders, it’s a good idea to sit down and plan your website strategy. A lot of people create websites and then find that they’re not successful because they didn’t have a clear strategy beforehand.
Figure out what the purpose is behind your website. Why do you want people to visit it?
Think, too, about the kind of resources do you want to provide with it. Who is your target demographic? How can you make your website appealing to them?
2. Register a Domain Name
Once you’ve thought about your website strategy, it’s time to register a domain name. Choose a domain name that’s easy to spell and remember. This will make it easier for people to find your website and keep it in mind for future use.
When you’re searching for available domain names, keep in mind as well that the most ideal domain name for a website is one that ends in “.com” rather than “.net” or “.org.” A “.com” ending carries more weight and will be easier for your visitors to remember.
3. Choose a Website Builder
If you aren’t particularly tech-savvy, your best option for putting a website online is to use a website builder. These programs take all the guesswork out of website development and design and make the process a lot simpler.
They’re very affordable too, and they often make it easy for you to sign up for hosting. That way, you can kill two birds with one stone by designing and picking a host for your website all in one place.
When choosing a website builder, look for one that fits within your budget. Read reviews too, to see what people who are currently using that particular website builder (or who have used it in the past) have to say about it.
4. Pick a Design You Love
Once you’ve signed up with a website builder and claimed your domain name, you’ll be ready for the fun part. It’s time to start designing the website.
Most website builders come with free themes or templates that you can use to get started. Don’t stick with the pre-made version though. Look for ways to customize it with your brand’s colors and logo, as well as images of your products or your employees.
5. Start Adding Content
When you’re happy with the design of your website, the next step is to start adding content. This includes content for your About Us page and Services page, as well as blog posts that you might share to keep your customers informed and provide additional value to them.
When you’re creating content for your website, make sure it’s simple and easy-to-read. Avoid big blocks of text and keep your paragraphs to two or three sentences in length. The more readable your content is, the more likely people are to stick around and actually take in what you have to say.
6. Optimize Your Website
Make sure you’re optimizing your website content for search engines too. Use keywords in your content that your current and future customers might be using to search online for products or services like yours.
If you have a brick and mortar business, consider optimizing your content for local searches by using key terms like “near me” or “in [my city].” This can help you attract more foot traffic and bring more local customers into your store.
7. Use the Right Website Plugins
The right website plugins can help you better optimize your website and get the most out of it. There are plugins that offer all kinds of features, from search engine optimization (or SEO) plugins to this website plugin, which helps you to build WordPress pages with ease.
Before you decide to use a specific plugin for your website, do some research to make sure it’s legitimate and will actually benefit you. There are tons of plugins out there, but they’re not all created equally.
8. Preview Your Website
Before you decide to launch your website, it’s a good idea to preview it first. This helps you ensure everything looks the way you want it to look and that you don’t have any errors that might deter your customers or affect your business’s reputation.
9. Launch Your Website
Now, it’s time to launch your website! You’ve put a ton of effort into designing it and making sure it looks the way you want, so now it’s time to celebrate.
Be sure to announce your website launch on social media and in your physical store (if you have one). That way, people will know it exists and will be more inclined to check it out.
10. Keep Your Website Updated
The work’s not over yet. After you’ve launched your website, you have to continue to keep it updated.
Updating your site on a regular basis will help to improve your search engine rankings. It’ll also help it to run in the most efficient way possible and stay secure so that you’re less vulnerable to data breaches.
You Know How to Put a Website Online: Now What?
You may have been feeling a bit intimidated by the idea of figuring out how to put a website online. Hopefully, though, now that you know more about the process, your confidence has increased. As long as you follow these guidelines, you shouldn’t have any trouble making a website that gets people’s attention and helps your business grow.
Do you want more information about website design or online marketing? If so, we have plenty of resources available on our site. Check out the business section today to continue learning.
