5 Tips to help set up your business website

Building a website doesn’t have to be as complicated as it sounds. So, we’ve listed our top tips to help you get started.

Even if you don’t think you need one because of the type of work you do, having a website is useful for many reasons – particularly for catching the eye of new customers. Below you can find our top five tips to help you set one up.

Tip #1: Choose your domain name

A domain name is what you call your website. It’s the central part of your website address (also known as a URL), which sits between www. and whatever your URL ends in, such as .com or .org. For example, www.hayleystulips.com (if your business name is Hayley’s Tulips).

It would be ideal to match this with the name of your business, as above. However, if that’s already taken or isn’t in your budget (some popular names are more expensive than others), get creative and add one or two extra words – such as the industry you work in or the service you provide. For example, www.hayleystulips-florist.com.

To get started, explore Domain.com to search for, reserve and buy your very own domain name.

Tip #2: Explore free resources, including hosting

Creating a website doesn’t have to cost a lot. Of course, there are expensive options out there but there are also plenty of free or low cost tools to help you build your own, which are also very easy to use. For example, HubSpot, Wix and WordPress.

Many web builders also offer hosting services within packages – often creating bundles. This means that you can use the web builder to create your website, then use the same company's hosting services to launch your website on the internet.

However, it's important to note that not all web builders offer hosting options, and not all hosting services are created equal. So, if you’re looking for this added option, check whether the web builder you’re interested in offers full hosting, limited hosting or requires you to purchase this separately from another business.

Tip #3: Make your website easy to find

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is when you make your website as visible as it can be on a search engine’s results page (like Google).

Results pages are what come up when you type what you’re looking for into a search engine. Ideally, you want your website to be easy to find so customers are less likely to be pulled in by one of your competitors. The best result is if you are on the first page of suggested websites!

Want to learn more about this? Read our article on SEO for beginners.

Tip #4: Add information that shows off your business

When it comes to creating a website, we recommend adding content and photos that make it easy for visitors to know exactly what you do. The less guesswork, the better.

Other things to consider:

• Building your website so it’s easy to use: make sure that visitors can easily move from page to page. To do this, consider including a site map, or a simple list of contents, which can make navigating your website easier.

• Providing an overview of what you do: potential customers will want to know exactly what it is you offer.

• Including contact details: such as a phone number, email address and social media channels. You can learn about choosing social platforms for your business here.

• Writing answers to questions: these are often called FAQs (frequently asked questions) and answer any immediate customer queries, and are normally the most commonly asked questions

• Adding customer reviews: 82% of consumers have purchased a product based on reviews, so it would be smart to include some.

  
  
  

Tip #5: Create a Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is the information that comes up on the right-hand side of a Google search page. People might come across it when they’re searching for your business, or a specific topic, service or brand.

The best part is that it’s free to set up. Find out more on how a Google Business Profile can help you stand out from the crowd. Follow these five easy steps and you’ll not only have your business’ website up and running in no time, but you’ll be creating a memorable and informative site for your customers to return to, time and time again.

You may have already spoken to one of our V-Hub Digital Advisers, but if not and you're looking for more support you can get in touch here. Our Knowledge Centre is also packed with information and tips to help you on your digital journey.