Nowadays, every single business ought to have their own website. With so many people relying on the internet to research and find brands, products, and services, not having a website can almost make a business invisible.
When we reached out to some companies for comment, they all said that they consider having a good website as one of the most important qualities in their marketing strategy. One organisation we reached out to – considered by some as one of the top IT support companies London based SMBs partner with – described their website as an integral part of their sales funnel. Sometimes it can feel daunting developing a strong website that represents your brand properly and is appealing to audiences. However, below is a brief checklist on the steps to building a good website:
1. Get a Good Domain Name
The domain name of a website is almost like the first impression a user will have of a company. There are some important tips to keep in mind when designing your domain name:
- Make it short & easy to spell
- Avoid numbers and symbols
- Use the .com extension
- Make it memorable
- Check it isn’t similar to other domain names
If you follow these rules, you will have a good, future-proof domain name.
2. Secure & Scalable Web Hosting
In order to have a website, you need to have it hosted. Once you have a domain name, you need to connect it to a web host – your host manages all the technology and processes required to publish your website and make it viewable by other users on the internet. Hosting can cost peanuts, or it can cost hundreds. Usually you choose between the following options:
- Shared Servers – the cheapest option, your site performance may suffer, though.
- Dedicated Servers – the most expensive option, but guarantees high performance.
- Virtual Private Servers – a good compromise; offers reliable performance at decent prices.
3. Showcase Your Brand & Services
Once your website is hosted, you can begin designing the site; and you should ensure that the site clearly showcases your brand and your services. For instance, if a company specialises in managed IT services London businesses can use to become more productive and future proof, they will definitely want to describe that clearly in the front page of their website. Site visitors should understand instantly what it is your company does.
4. Use the Right CMS
A Content Management System is a type of software which you will use to manage your site efficiently. It can help you create, design and organise digital content on your site – such as individual webpages. A good example of a CMS is WordPress, or Squarespace. You can use a number of pre-built plugins as well as customizable themes if you are using WordPress as your CMS.
5. Use the Right E-Commerce Solution
If your company trades online, then you will want customers to be able to use your website to purchase your products and/or services. For this, you will need an e-commerce solution. This technology ensures users can perform transactions on your website. Examples of e-commerce solutions include Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and more. Good e-commerce on a website can actually encourage users to make a purchase.
6. Create the Best Web User Interface
As well as all the technical stuff pertaining to your website, you also need to make sure that your website’s user interface is well designed. For instance, using clean, yet eye-catching graphics on your website, alongside accessible fonts, nice images, infographics, etc. These are just a few examples of how to build a website with a good user interface. Web design is an extensive field, and many businesses opt to partner with a professional to help them achieve the right aesthetic for their site.
If your business chooses to work with Microsoft cloud-based products to create your web interface, then you should partner with a trusted Microsoft Partner. They can provide your teams with expert support and guidance when using Microsoft tools, like your own Microsoft 365 consultant to help you make the best of your solutions and applications.
7. Implement Search Engine Optimization
Having an attractive website isn’t where it ends, however. Search engine optimisation is the practice of making your website appeal to the search engines your customers use. This is usually done by including keywords in your webpages that audiences are searching for frequently, but it’s also to do with how well your website performs – i.e. how fact pages load, how mobile-friendly it is, etc. It is worth researching how to optimise your website for search engines, as this will help you achieve the best possible website.