Every business needs an online presence, no matter the size of the company. Without a website, the likelihood of potential customers finding out about its products or services is slim to none. However, there are a few crucial steps to take before you start working on the actual site. Here are five important things to consider in advance.
- Determine the main goal
Generally, a company’s website is a space to provide information about its activity or an e-commerce platform. You must clearly state what the website does, whatever the case may be. Your future customers need to be able to figure out if you can give them what they’re looking for.
Consider the specific user experience and journey to navigate your site before you start building it. Whatever the main goal or focus of your website, the visitor should be able to achieve it easily, and you should reinforce the goal as visitors navigate throughout the site. - Choose a domain name
The domain name is one of the most crucial aspects. It’s the name of the website and the URL you’ll share with clients and promote on social media. It should be as memorable and as descriptive as possible. Try to keep it short and avoid numbers, acronyms, and abbreviations to prevent confusion.
You also need to choose your TLD or top-level domain, which is what the website ends in, such as .com, org, or .net. Unconventional TLD names are becoming more popular. They can be based on location or type of company, for example, .law. The best option is still .com.
When you choose a domain name, check if it’s available and buy it through a domain registrar. Make sure you check copyrights to avoid the risk of infringing on a protected name. - Choose a web host
Website hosting companies provide a server to store website data for the public to access. You’ll probably have to choose an external party to host your website, as hosting your own can be an excessive expense for your small business. There are two routes to take depending on your budget. The cheaper one is shared web hosting. With this option, you’ll share a server with other websites. If you have the money, dedicated hosting is the go-to option. You will have a private server, and no other users will drag down your speed. Some web-building services include web hosting in their monthly packages.
You might have heard of free website hosting, and while that option exists, the hosting provider will take other measures to monetize your presence, like putting banner ads on your site.
Ask about your potential host’s reliability and server locations. Consider your potential customers’ chief location and how close the server is to it. A quality hosting service will make the tools available to show you how well they perform.
You likely expect your business to grow in the future. You might need to upgrade or sign up with more than one provider to handle your operations and traffic. To determine your hosting needs accurately, consider how much traffic you can expect and choose the respective plan, including capacity. - Consider branding
Your website represents your business, so considering its branding is paramount. It will attract customers and account for a big part of your returns.
The branding of a website includes the logo, design, fonts, color schemes, tone, and overall message. The logo contributes to the identity of your business a great deal because it’s what visitors recognize. You can use a specialized website to help you create a logo or hire a graphic designer.
Before you start building your website, consider what your business’s core message is. The website should reflect it. You need a tone that’s consistent with that core message. The fonts, design, and color schemes should complement the tone and message of your brand. - Security threats
Your website can serve as a medium to infect customers with malware. Before you start working on the suite, consider how you can protect it. Don’t underestimate server-side security tools and web application firewall services; your business and its reputation might not survive a hack.
