For most small businesses, it is well worth your investment to have a professional website, but the reason why it’s good to have a website depends on the type of business you’re in and how people find out about you.
If you’re a business that caters to a certain geographic location, your website will probably be the first impression people have of your business when they want to contact you. People will want to check out your business before contacting you to make sure you’re a legitimate business. Having a website will probably be the deciding factor between you and your competition.
Creating a small business website does not have to be a complex and stressful task. It is a straightforward process for small business owners who need a website and wish to make it as stress-free as possible.
GOA-TECH works with small business owners who thought creating a website was too complicated until they realized it’s just a series of simple decisions.
Why Your Business Needs a Website
A website gives your business legitimacy. People will Google you, find something, and trust will be built. This is all pretty obvious, though.
The not-so-obvious part is all the business you are missing out on by not having a website. A customer will Google something you provide, and your competitor with a website will come up, but you will not. Your competitor will get the sale before you even know it exists.
For businesses like professionals, contractors, and medical and legal professionals, it’s very good to have a professional website because it will give you the chance to explain your services in terms that people will understand, answer many of the questions people might have about your services, and make them feel comfortable before even making a phone call to your office. It’s a big part of their decision-making process.
For an e-commerce business, this is a no-brainer, but even for businesses that do not sell anything online, it is a great idea to have a website. It is a way to market yourself, to inform, and to lead someone down a path to do something specific, whether it is to call to arrange for a consultation or to ask for more information.
For small business owners, it is often a more complex process to have a website than it needs to be. You know you need a website, you understand that it is an expectation for small business owners, but as you sit down to build one for your small business, you quickly come to understand how complex it is.
When Professional Help Is a Smart Idea
Some business owners want to design their own website. Others want to run their business and leave the technical details to the professionals.
Professional help is a good idea if your website is a key part of your business, or if you don’t have time to do the job yourself. Working with some experienced professionals can save you a lot of time and frustration and help you avoid common mistakes.
The important thing to remember is that getting help is not a failure; it is a business decision that should be based on your business needs.
Website or Landing Page?
One of the most common questions small business owners want to answer is whether they actually need a website at all, or if a landing page will do the job instead. The answer will depend on how you run your business and how you interact with your clients.
A landing page is another name for this kind of page; it focuses on a single aspect and directs visitors to take a single action. This action might include calling your office, filling out a form, and requesting a consultation. Landing pages can be very useful when your business is running targeted advertising campaigns, when it is offering a particular service, or when it needs to introduce a new service or offering.
A full website, on the other hand, is more general in nature. This means you can explain your services in detail, build credibility, and answer all your potential clients’ questions before they even call your office. In professional service industries and those in which trust is a major factor in decision-making, a multi-page website appears more reassuring to visitors because it conveys a sense of stability, transparency, and longevity.
The right choice between the two options depends on your needs and requirements. If you need an online presence as soon as possible, in the shortest time possible, a landing page might be the answer. If your goal is to build credibility and explain your services in detail, a full website might be the better choice.
Choosing the Right Way to Make a Business Website
You have three primary options available to you, and the best choice for you will depend on your budget, time constraints, and comfort level with technology.
1. You Can Hire A Professional Web Design Agency
This is the hands-off option for you. The design agency will simply be presented with your needs and specifications, and they will build a website for you. The cost of a small business website can vary between $3,000 and $10,000+ and can take between 4-12 weeks. And the final product is polished.
2. You Can Use A Website Builder Platform
This is a do-it-yourself option that requires little to no technical knowledge. Website builder platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify offer a variety of templates and drag-and-drop editors that let you build a website without technical knowledge.
The costs can vary between free and $15-$40/month. The good news is that most businesses can be up and running over a weekend with enough flexibility and customization to look like a professional website.
3. You Can Build A Website From Scratch Using WordPress Or Coding
This is best for business owners who have some time and are curious about technology. The WordPress software is free to use, but hosting can cost $5-$30/month.
Getting Your Domain Name and Hosting Sorted
However, before you start building your site, you need to register your domain name (yourbusiness.com) and your hosting location (where your site files are stored). Your domain name is your business name online.
Domain Name Tips:
- Keep it short and easy to remember: A long and complicated name is hard to remember and frustrating to type.
- Choose “.com.”: It is what everyone is used to. Other options are okay, but .com is standard. Some websites offer free domain registration for one year when you sign up.
- Make sure it is not trademarked: A quick Google search can save you trouble later.
- Do not use hyphens and numbers: They are hard to explain to people when you tell them your site name.
Registration costs $10 to $20 per year for your domain name with Namecheap, Google Domains, or GoDaddy.
Website Builders typically include your hosting in your monthly fee. WordPress requires you to buy your own hosting from Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator for $5 to $15 per month.
Picking a Template That Works
Modern website templates offered by good website builders are professional because they were designed by real people, not just code. Your job is to customize, not redesign.
The right website template will help you create a professional look without having to start from scratch.
What to look for:
- Relevance to your industry: Most website builders arrange their templates by type (restaurants, consultants, retail, etc.). Start there, not by browsing. Look for website templates that relate to your business.
- Mobile responsiveness: Your website needs to look good on a mobile phone, because more than half of your visitors will access your website on a mobile.
- Simplicity: Good website design has good whitespace, simple navigation, etc. A simple website that works well beats a fancy website that’s confusing.
- Ability to customize: Can you easily change colors, fonts, pictures, etc.? Some website templates are better than others.
Find website platforms that will help you create a unique website on a proven website template.
Choose a website template that you don’t hate, but don’t spend too long on this part of the process. Most website platforms offer free pictures to help you create your website content.
Who Doesn’t Need a Complex Website
Not every business requires a large website with many features. Some businesses are successful with very little online presence, particularly if they depend on referrals, long-term contracts or established relationships.
If your customers never go online to look for information about you and your business model does not rely on being found online, a basic information page may be sufficient. In some cases, a simple site with contact information and hours of operation is all that is required.
It is also important to recognize when you already have your needs met through social platforms or directories. While a stand-alone website provides control and credibility, not all businesses need to invest a lot of money at the outset.
The goal is alignment. Your website needs to reflect how your business operates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the greatest mistakes is waiting too long to launch. A basic and functional website is better than no website at all. You can always get better over time.
Another problem that occurs more often than it should is websites that pay too much attention to design and not enough to clarity. Visitors are more interested in finding information quickly, rather than in visual effects.
Last but not least, many business owners forget to update their website. Outdated information raises doubts and can cost you potential clients.
Creating Website Content That Drives Traffic
This is where the project can sometimes come to a grinding halt. You’ve left the tech to the web builder, and now you’re left to wonder how to fill the pages with content. Here are some basic pages to consider for a small business website.
- Home page: This is your elevator pitch. You want to make sure you have a clear headline, concise content, high-quality images, and a call to action, such as “Schedule Consultation” or “Shop Now.” First impressions are everything, so make sure you come across as professional.
- About page: This is where you add the human element to your website. Tell your story, who you are, and why you started your business. People do business with people they like.
- Services or products: This is where you give visitors a clear idea of what you’re offering, including prices if possible.
- Contact: This is where you provide visitors with a phone number, email address, contact form, business address, and hours of operation.
Creating a website is not difficult, but it does require following a step-by-step guide. You do not need to be a technical wizard; you just need a reason, a simple design, and honesty.
If you do not know where to start, then start at a place where your customers are most important. A good small business website can be an excellent tool for years to come.
Other Content Creation Tips to note
- Write the way you talk to people. Don’t use corporate speak.
- Keep your paragraphs short.
- Don’t use stock photos. Use real photos of your business.
- Give visitors a clear next step on each page.
- Write a message that precisely explains what you do.
For businesses that want to create a feature-rich website, GOA-TECH can come in handy in terms of designing, organizing, and optimizing it. This means it can help with designing a user-friendly website, designing a website with content that communicates value, and designing a website that is optimized to function well across different devices.
The idea is not just creating a website, but creating one that helps you establish trust with your users and motivate them to take action.
Setting Up an Online Store If Needed
E-commerce features are a necessity for selling online, and some builders offer this as standard, while others charge extra for shop features.
Basic E-commerce Requirements:
- Product pages with photos, descriptions, prices, and options (size, color, etc.)
- Shopping cart
- Payment processing (using Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc.)
- Shipping calculator for physical goods
- Tax calculations based on location
- SSL security for secure online transactions
Shopify specializes in e-commerce and makes it very simple. Squarespace and Wix are good for basic online stores, but start with basic products and functionality and expand as you learn more about your customers’ needs.
Making Your Website Findable
Creating a site without considering search engine visibility is like opening a store in a dimly lit alleyway. Traffic will never magically appear. Be discoverable.
Basic Search Optimization:
- Use relevant keywords in your titles, headings, and copy
- Write unique title tags and meta descriptions for each page
- Include your location in your copy if you serve a specific geographic area
- Add image descriptions in alt tags
- List your site in Google My Business with a link to help local people find you
- Get links from local directories or partner sites
You don’t have to be an expert in SEO right away. These basic tips will get you ahead of most small businesses. Just make sure your site loads quickly, but this is usually a default function of modern site-building software.
You might also consider starting a blog or using email marketing as a way to increase your online presence.
Before You Publish Your Website
Almost there? Quick pre-launch checklist:
- Test on mobile: open preview on your phone.
- Click every link: test navigation, buttons, and forms.
- Verify contact information: phone number, working email address, address, and hours.
- Read aloud: catch typos and awkward phrasing.
- Get honest feedback: ask someone if anything is confusing or if they’d be interested in your business.
- Set up analytics: use Google Analytics or your builder’s analytics.
Perfection is unrealistic. Launch your site and improve it as you go. A live site that’s imperfect is better than an unpublished site that’s perfect. Websites are constantly improving after launch.
After Your Site Goes Live
Publishing is just the first step. Your website must also be maintained and updated for it to remain relevant and effective.
Use analytics tools to check your website. Which pages receive traffic? Where do visitors linger? Where do visitors leave? This will help you identify what is working and what is not, and how you can improve it.
Add new information regularly. This will prevent your website from looking stagnant and unmanaged.
Get feedback from customers. Ask your customers for their opinions. This will also give you new perspectives on how your website is helping their needs.
Choosing Between Landing Pages and Websites
Building a small business website does not need to seem overwhelming. When you know who needs a website, how the process works and when a simpler solution is sufficient like a landing page, the decisions become more obvious.
The most important thing is to align your online presence with how your business is actually run. A website or landing page should not complicate your goals, but support them. With the right strategy and support, your website becomes much more than just an online requirement.
GOA-TECH collaborates with small businesses in building simple, functional, purpose-built websites and landing pages. Instead of focusing on building unnecessary features, our approach is really an attempt to build online business assets that support real business outcomes.
For businesses that require a complete website, GOA-TECH assists with the structure, content organization, and performance. This means creating pages that are easy to navigate, writing content that clearly communicates value, and ensuring the site works smoothly across devices.
For businesses that are better-served by a landing page, GOA-TECH is all about simplicity and conversion. Landing pages are created with a single goal in mind, whether it is generating calls, form submissions, or appointment requests. Clear messaging, quick load times and simple design to reduce friction for visitors.
In both cases, GOA-TECH is working on behalf of small businesses by managing the technical side of the process. This gives business owners time to work on their business while knowing their online presence is professional, secure and scalable.
