You've heard about all the benefits that come with having an online presence -- increased sales, improved brand recognition, greater customer service, better SEO rankings -- but what if you're just starting out and don't have any money to invest? What kind of website would be best suited for your particular business? How will you know which platform is right for your needs without spending too much time researching options?
Whether you need help finding a web design company, deciding between WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or another CMS (content management system), or simply want to learn about the different platforms available, this article provides answers to these questions -- and many others! We'll also discuss what it takes to launch a successful website for your business and offer tips on building one yourself to keep costs down. Let's take a look at some basic ways to get started.
The first thing you should consider when creating an online presence is whether you already have a domain name registered through Google Domains, Namecheap, Hostgator, or other registrar. If so, great! You can skip ahead to the next section to find out how much it might cost to set up your website using those services. Otherwise, let's talk about registering your own domain name.
It depends on who owns the domain name you're trying to register. Some companies sell their domains outright, while others may allow you to purchase them as part of a package deal that includes hosting space and email accounts. It's important to note that there are certain restrictions associated with selling your own domain name. For example, most names must end in.com,.net,.org, or.us. And just like buying a physical product, you won't be able to transfer ownership after the fact. However, if you decide not to buy a domain name before setting up your website, you probably won't run into these issues because you'll still be able to use whatever URL you choose for your business' landing page.
There are plenty of affordable options out there for businesses wanting to expand their digital footprint. The two most popular choices are WordPress and Wix. Both provide easy-to-use templates that require little technical skill to implement. Because they both feature drag-and-drop tools that enable users to customize pages and add media files, you shouldn't expect to pay anything close to $1,000 to set up a professional-looking website. Instead, pricing starts around $100 per month depending on the features you need and the number of people working on your project. In addition, each comes with its share of pros and cons.
For instance, WordPress has been called "the world’s most used blogging software," thanks to a large community of developers willing to lend support whenever needed. On the downside, WP requires coding skills in order to change things like colors, fonts, text placement, and even layout. This means hiring someone else to handle the work instead of doing it yourself.
Wix offers unlimited storage space and bandwidth for personal websites and blogs, along with several custom themes designed specifically for small businesses. Though the template library doesn't quite rival Wordpress', there are enough options to meet every need. Like WordPress, however, you'll need to hire a developer to tweak the design elements if you'd prefer something unique rather than following the standard template format.
In general, though, both services are perfect for beginners who aren't sure where to begin. They also tend to appeal to individuals who lack technological expertise. So if you're just beginning your search for a website, either option is likely to suit your needs well.
To host your content on the internet, you'll need to sign up with a cloud provider such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. These providers typically charge monthly fees based on the amount of data being stored and processed. Pricing varies widely among individual plans, but generally speaking, the lowest tier allows you to store 1TB of data and process 50GB daily. A higher plan usually bumps that figure up by 100MB/day.
As far as choosing an individual plan goes, it really depends on how often you anticipate uploading new photos, videos, blog posts, etc., as well as how frequently visitors access your site. Typically, you can save money by selecting a lower capacity plan and then upgrading later. But again, prices vary greatly, making it tough to give concrete advice unless you have specific requirements to match. That said, we recommend checking out our guide to the top three cloud solutions on the market today.
Finally, remember that it isn't necessary to spend hundreds of dollars upfront to set up a website. While it certainly helps to start off with quality hosting, you can easily upgrade later on if needed.
Setting up your own site is actually pretty simple once you understand the basics. Of course, you'll want to check with your bank beforehand to see if they'll accept payments over the Internet. Then follow these four steps:
Create a username and password for your account.
Make sure your payment method works online.
Install the appropriate plugins according to your chosen theme.
Upload images, documents, and links to existing sites.
Once everything is ready to go, you'll be up and running within minutes. Just remember to avoid giving away sensitive information (such as your Social Security Number) until you feel confident that you know what you're doing. After that, you can focus on improving your site's traffic and growing your audience.
Once you've got a functional website, the real fun begins. Here are six essential tasks to complete during the initial setup phase that will help you achieve success with your online marketing efforts moving forward:
Add social sharing buttons.
Set up analytics tracking code.
Optimize image sizes.
Clean up broken links.
Check spelling errors.
Update contact info.
By completing these tasks, you'll ensure that your visitors stay engaged throughout the entire experience. Plus, you'll earn valuable backlinks to increase your ranking across major search engines. Keep reading below to discover additional helpful resources for developing your online strategy.
Squarespace vs. WordPress vs. WIX vs. Others
We mentioned above that there are plenty of options when it comes to designing a website. But how do you determine which one is best for your particular situation? To answer that question, we took a closer look at the various factors involved in picking the ideal solution.
Here are five points worth considering:
WordPress - This program was originally developed for bloggers and hobbyists looking to put together a portfolio of sorts. Its ease of use makes it attractive for anyone who wants to create a website quickly and painlessly. WordPress also supports third party plug-ins and extensions that enable users to streamline functionality. There are dozens of premium themes available, ranging from minimalist designs to highly customizable ones.
Wix - One of the easiest website builders available, Wix boasts impressive customization capabilities and solid performance metrics. As long as you stick to the default layouts, adding extra bells and whistles is very straightforward. Users can upload pictures, video clips, audio tracks, and PDFs directly from the editor. Another nice perk: Wix lets you preview changes made to your site immediately in real-time.
Joomla - Developed by the same team behind Mambo, Joomla is similar to WordPress in terms of usability. Thanks to its modular structure, you can configure it to fit almost any type of business model. Although it lacks the extensive range of themes available in WordPress, it excels in areas such as security and scalability.
Drupal - Built upon the LAMP stack, Drupal powers thousands of websites worldwide. It's easy to install and manage, letting administrators update modules and settings remotely. It's also extremely flexible, enabling professionals to develop complex applications without needing programming knowledge. Unfortunately, few designers are familiar with Drupal because it's primarily intended for larger organizations.
Others - Many other programs exist that claim to be easier to use than traditional platforms. But most fall short of offering advanced features and reliable updates. For instance, Squarespace is only accessible via a browser interface and can't be customized beyond the point of no return. Similarly, Shopify and BigCommerce are geared toward ecommerce startups, while OpenCart focuses on smaller shops.
Ultimately, there's no single ideal tool for everyone. Whether you're interested in launching a personal blog or hoping to grow a thriving enterprise, the decision boils down to weighing features against price. Ultimately, the best choice depends largely on your budget and objectives.
When it comes to building an effective website for our businesses, there are dozens of options available to us today - and each one has its own benefits. But if you're not sure which route to take, this article will help you decide what's best for your needs.
There are many different ways to start creating a website for your company, but whether you choose to go with a free option like WordPress, or pay for something like Shopify, it all starts with finding out exactly who you'll need to work with.
This can often seem daunting at first, especially when you have so much information that could potentially be useful, but we've put together a few tips below to help guide you through the process.
So let’s begin by asking ourselves “what should be in a companies website?”
Before we dive into specifics about what makes a good website, it’s important to think about why people visit them in the first place. Many people come across these sites as they search for products and services related to their interests (or maybe just browsing), while others use them to research potential employees, vendors, suppliers, partners, etc.
Whatever reason someone visits, it’s clear that having relevant content up front is vital to being found quickly. So before diving deeper into specific features and components, check off the following items as priorities for your web presence:
- A clearly defined mission statement/vision
- Your logo
- Contact details (email address, phone number)
- An About Us page
Of course, if you already know the answers to those questions then great! You might also consider adding links back to other pages within your site, such as blog posts or product catalogues. This way visitors can easily navigate around your entire site without needing separate bookmarks or URLs.
And finally, don't forget about SEO (search engine optimization). If you aren't familiar with it, essentially it involves making changes to your website design and copywriting to increase visibility among Google users searching for certain keywords. It isn't necessary if you're only planning on selling locally, but it can definitely improve traffic if you plan on reaching a wider audience.
Now that we've covered the basics of what goes into a typical company website, let’s move onto how to actually find one.
There are tons of websites available to us today, including niche forums, social media profiles, directories, blogs, even YouTube channels. However, depending on where your target market lives, you may prefer to focus on local resources. For instance, if you sell to clients based in New York City, you'd probably want to look for NYC-based companies rather than nationwide ones.
But regardless of the size of your company, there are still plenty of places you can turn to find suitable candidates. The easiest method would be to simply ask friends, family members, colleagues, and anyone else you trust for recommendations. People love talking about themselves (and their favorite things!), so chances are they'll gladly share names of companies they use regularly. And besides, it never hurts to see what’s out there and learn from their mistakes too.
Another easy solution would be to post ads in your local paper, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, LinkedIn Groups, or anywhere else you feel comfortable advertising.
Finally, if you’re really short on time, try using one of the many directory tools available on the internet. There are a handful of well respected platforms that allow you to upload your contact info, add descriptions, photos, videos, press releases, testimonials, and any other marketing materials you wish to include. Then, whenever someone searches for "X Company" you'll appear right alongside everyone else listed on the same category.
Once you've got a list of possible contacts, now is the perfect time to check out their respective websites. As mentioned earlier, most companies will have a blog section somewhere on their homepage, so if nothing else, read through a couple articles to gain insight into their personality and style.
Next, you'll want to review their social accounts -- Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook Pages, etc. These provide further insights into their brand identity and overall message. Finally, if you haven't done so already, grab yourself a cup of coffee and spend 5 minutes reading over their terms & conditions. Make sure everything looks legit, and if anything seems suspicious, skip moving forward until you're 100% confident.
After that, you're ready to move on to step 2...
Websites are very diverse, ranging from simple static HTML files that contain no interactivity whatsoever, to full-blown eCommerce stores that require extensive backend management. In between those extremes lies thousands upon thousands of possibilities, and the choice largely depends on how sophisticated you want your site to be.
For simplicity sake, however, here are three basic types of websites you can expect to encounter:
1. Blog
A blog allows you to write a series of articles or publish regular updates on whatever topics interest you. Typically, you can link directly to individual entries from the main navigation bar, or display excerpts along side a larger summary entry. Some blogging platforms even offer built-in analytics that track visitor numbers per day, average view duration, bounce rate, etc., allowing you to better gauge your success and grow accordingly.
2. Portfolio Site
Similar to a personal portfolio, a portfolio site showcases various projects completed by your team. Whether they consist of photography, video editing, graphic design, software development, etc., every project gets included under the umbrella of "work." Again, you can link directly to individual pieces from the main menu, or showcase a large selection of images or videos.
3. Ecommerce Store
An eCommerce store typically includes inventory management functionality, allowing customers to browse products for sale and purchase via credit card or PayPal payments. Most of the heavy lifting happens behind the scenes, leaving you time to manage customer interactions, respond to orders, and keep tabs on sales data.
As you can see, there are literally hundreds of variations on the themes above, and each offers unique perks suited to particular industries and audiences. That said, if you’d like to stick closer to home, you might want to explore SquareSpace, Weebly, Wordpress, Wix, Dreamweaver, Hubspot, or another similar platform. Each one provides access to templates designed specifically for entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers, photographers, designers, and nearly every type of professional imaginable.
Now that you have some ideas about what kind of website you'd like to build, let's talk about how to get one for FREE.
The truth is nobody wants to pay $15-$20k+ dollars for a custom site, especially if they're just starting out. Thankfully, there are several affordable alternatives that won't break the bank and still give you plenty of room to expand your audience beyond your immediate circle.
One popular option is Squarespace. Though it doesn't allow for customization down to the smallest detail, it does offer unlimited storage space, easy setup, drag-n-drop layouts, responsive designs, and advanced security features. Plus, you can always upgrade later on once you've gained experience and confidence.
Shopify is another excellent option, especially for smaller brands that don't yet warrant a dedicated storefront of their own. With a wide range of pre-made templates to choose from, you can customize almost everything except the actual text itself. From colors, fonts, layout styles, logos, banners, backgrounds, widgets, and much more, you'll be able to craft a unique interface that perfectly fits your aesthetic.
WordPress is arguably the most versatile option of all. Not only does it boast millions of active installs worldwide, but it's completely free to use and edit. To top it all off, you can download and install plugins for virtually any task imaginable, from shopping carts and payment processors to live chat support and email campaigns.
However, if none of the above suits your fancy, don't worry. Plenty of other platforms exist that cater to both beginners and professionals alike. Just remember, though, that unless you're willing to invest significant amounts of money upfront (usually upwards of $10k+) you're going to have to hire someone to handle the technical aspects of setting up and managing the site.
That brings us to step 3...
The final thing you'll need to figure out is a name. While it's tempting to pick a generic domain like.com or.net, there's absolutely no guarantee that your chosen domain will remain available forever. Sure,.org domains tend to hold value longer than most, but if you're trying to appeal to a younger demographic, you'll likely end up paying premium prices for an adult-oriented URL.
It’s hard enough building a startup without having to worry about an internet presence that will help grow your brand awareness and customer base. But if you're not already using one, then there's no reason why you can't have a company website right now. A well-designed and optimized website can be just as important (if not more so) than any other marketing tool you use when starting out with your own business.
A good website provides a way to showcase who you are and what you offer by providing valuable information about yourself and your products/services directly to potential customers. It also gives people easy access to contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, etc., which helps them connect with you more quickly. An optimized website also allows you to keep track of all those leads in case they become interested in working with you further down the road. And finally, websites provide a great opportunity for businesses to increase their sales via product reviews, coupons, testimonials, and even advertising opportunities on the website itself! So whether you're setting up shop for the first time or trying to improve upon what you currently have, knowing where to start and how to go about making this happen may seem overwhelming at first glance. Here are some tips for creating your very own company webpage.
Before we dive into the rest of these helpful hints, let us briefly discuss exactly what it takes to set up a website for a company. First off, you should know that there are several different types of companies available including startups, established firms, and government entities like cities, counties, states, and countries. There are pros and cons associated with each type of organization, but the main difference between a startup and a large corporation is simply size. The biggest drawback of running a smaller firm is that it doesn't usually have the resources necessary to pay someone else to design and maintain its website. However, startups often don't have the luxury of hiring someone full time either because of financial constraints or lack of experience. If you fall into this category, then you'll most likely find yourself needing to take matters into your own hands. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available today to help streamline the process of putting together a quality web page for a business.
The next thing you'll need to consider before jumping into designing anything is deciding on the name and domain for your new company. This step might sound tedious, but actually choosing something unique is crucial to driving traffic back to your website. You obviously can't have two sites named "Company Name" because chances are high that Google would recognize only one of them as being owned by the same entity. Therefore, it's best practice to avoid naming your company after an existing trademark unless it has been approved ahead of time through legal channels. Also, remember that your chosen domain needs to be easily recognizable across search engines. For example, a.com address won't work for a company known primarily as a local service provider due to the fact that many consumers will misspell the name. Instead, choose a short yet catchy word combination like "boutique", "hair salon", or "café". Then add "-company" onto the end of that phrase to give your site a professional feel.
Once you've decided on a name, you'll probably want to register both domains at once since doing so makes it easier to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Once that's done, you'll need to come up with a plan for hosting your content on the Internet. While there are definitely options available for hosting services like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace, and others, the simplest solution is generally going to involve purchasing space on a major platform such as GoDaddy or HostGator. These providers allow you to upload files with ease while giving you control over every aspect of your online presence. They also typically charge affordable monthly fees based on the amount of bandwidth used, storage capacity, and number of users accessing your pages.
Now that you have a solid foundation, you can move forward with developing your website and adding useful features and functionality to attract visitors and convert them into paying clients. Keep in mind that although creating a website is relatively simple, it is still a lengthy process involving countless hours of research, writing, editing, testing, reworking, and tweaking. In order to save yourself some time, you may wish to hire a freelance developer to handle the bulk of the grunt work involved. Some developers specialize in certain areas of expertise and can assist you with everything from coding to graphic design to SEO optimization. Others focus on specific platforms such as Wordpress, Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, meaning you won't have to learn another language or spend endless amounts of money learning HTML code to develop your site. Depending on your budget and project scope, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 - $500 per hour.
One last piece of advice I'd like to pass along relates to pricing. When determining which type of development package works best for you, you'll want to compare hourly rates against upfront costs. Most freelancers charge less per hour for initial consultations and estimates rather than actual work performed. As such, you could potentially save thousands of dollars depending on the complexity of the task. Another option is to split the price tag evenly among various tasks instead of charging individually for each individual job. Finally, be sure to ask questions regarding the overall timeline for completion and whether or not additional revisions will incur extra charges.
Although it varies greatly depending on the nature of your business and industry, the average yearly hosting fee ranges from approximately $150 - $300 per year. That said, it is possible to lower your bill considerably by opting for a shared server model versus a dedicated setup. Shared servers are ideal for anyone operating a single website or blog, whereas dedicated setups are designed for larger organizations with multiple locations or employees sharing office spaces. Dedicated servers tend to cost slightly higher initially but offer greater flexibility in terms of scalability and performance.
While there isn't really a standard term in place when referring to the aforementioned website for a company, the general consensus is that it should include the following elements:
Homepage
About Us Page
Contact Information
Services Offered
Blog
Terms & Conditions
Photos
Social Media Profiles
Business Hours & Directions
This list is certainly not exhaustive, but it serves as a brief overview of the essential components needed to successfully launch a website for a company. Now that you understand the basics of what goes into creating a successful website, you should have a better idea of what kind of investment you'll need to put forth in order to achieve results. Remember though, that webpages aren't cheap things to produce, especially if you opt to hire a freelance designer or developer to complete the job. Even if you decide to purchase hosting software and tools outright, the process of uploading images, video clips, and custom graphics still requires plenty of effort.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.