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How to Build your first small business website

For most small business owners, the idea of “building a website” conjures images of complex coding, exorbitant costs, and endless frustration. It doesn’t have to be that way.

This guide aims to break down website creation into manageable, beginner-friendly steps. This isn’t an in-depth how-to of every single thing you need to know or learn, just an overview to help chart a course with minimum wrong turns.

And if you do need help with any of this, we’d love to help! Just click below and send us a note.

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Why You Need a Website

Lots of small businesses start with a social media page or two and use those like a website. It works great up to a point, because that’s where your customers are, right? It’s how they find you, it’s where they ask questions and where you can easily offer answers. But there are limits. Social sites have rules about what you can and can’t say, and what kinds of content you can showcase.

A website of your own is different, it’s your space, your branding, your rules. Social media becomes how your customers find you, your website is what you have to say to them.

Even a simple one-page site lends credibility in the eyes of customers. It signals that you are established, reliable, and serious about what you do. Social posts, email campaigns, and online ads all direct traffic back to your site.

You’re in charge of what you say and how you say it.

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We can help:

Having clear answers to these questions will serve as your compass throughout the entire website building process.

Step 1: Define Your Website's Purpose and Audience

Before you touch a single design element, ask yourself: What do I want my website to do, and who is it for?

What are your primary goals?

Is it to generate leads, sell products directly, provide information, showcase a portfolio, or offer customer support? Your goals should guide your website’s structure and features.

Who is your target audience?

Understanding your ideal customer, their demographics and needs, helps guide content, design, and calls to action. A website for a consulting firm will look and feel different from one for a local bakery.

This is good advice for any business, not just online businesses. Even if you think you know the answers to these questions, writing things down helps clarify and guide intentions and actions in often surprising ways.

Step 2: Choose Your Domain Name (Your Online Address)

Your domain name is your website’s address on the internet (e.g., yourbusiness.com.) It’s crucial for branding and memorability.

Keep it relevant

Ideally, your domain name should match your business name or be closely related to your services.

Keep it memorable and easy to type

Avoid complicated spellings and hyphens if possible.

Keep it easy to say out loud

If you tell someone about your website over the phone, how hard is it to say out loud, will you need to explain the spelling?

Get the .com

While extensions like .net, .org, or even industry-specific ones exist, .com is the most recognized and trusted. Even if you use the .net or .org as the primary address, owning the others helps control your brand.

Check Availability

Use a domain registrar like Namecheap.com or Name.com to search for available names. There are lots of other registrars for domain names, these are the two that we use and trust, but make your own decisions.

Check business registrations

Even if the domain name is available, if your business name is already registered with your Secretary of State or city, you’ll have other problems down the road.

Check for similar domains

A quick Google search will help find out how much competition you’ll have. If there are already 50 websites called “Jack’s Awesome Arcade,” it’s worth thinking of something with a little less online competition.

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Once you’ve found an available domain, register it immediately to secure your online identity.

This is also a good time to claim all of the matching social media handles, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Yelp, Reddit, Bluesky, Etsy, etc. etc. etc….

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Step 3: Select a Website Platform

This is where you choose the “engine” that powers your website.

WordPress

This is what we use for sites that we build. It offers flexibility and control for beginners and expert developers alike. These days, most good web hosts will also offer one-click setup of WordPress.

Other Site Design Platforms

Other services include Squarespace, Wix, and Shopify. All of these offer fast setup with pre-built templates and built in features for ecommerce, mailing lists, etc., but be aware that building a website on one of these platforms means that you are “locked in,” you won’t be able to move your site to another web host later, or add features that the platform doesn’t support.

Step 4: Design Your Website (and Template vs. Customization)

Most beginner-friendly platforms like WordPress offer templates or themes. These are pre-designed layouts that you can customize with your own branding and content. Picking an off-the-shelf theme is the quickest way to start out, though hiring a designer and/or developer to create something a bit more customized can be affordable too.

Prioritize Mobile-Responsiveness: Your website must look good and function perfectly on smartphones and tablets, as a significant portion of internet traffic comes from mobile devices. All modern templates should be responsive.

Choose a Clean, Professional Theme/Template: Select one that aligns with your brand’s aesthetic and industry. Simplicity often trumps complexity.

Key Pages to Include:

Home Page: Your digital storefront window. Clear, concise, and engaging.

About: Tell your story, build trust, and highlight your values.

Services/Products: What you offer with clear descriptions and appealing visuals.

Contact Us: Include a form, phone number, email, and location if you have a real storefront.

Portfolio or Gallery (if applicable): Showcase your work!

Blog (optional but recommended): Search engines, and people, like fresh content. A blog is one of the best ways to provide it.

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Need help?

We’d love to help with your site design or setup:

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Step 5: Create Compelling Content

Even the most beautiful website won’t succeed without engaging and informative content.

High-Quality Text

Write clearly, concisely, and with your target audience in mind. Focus on the benefits you offer, not just features. Ask yourself if each piece of content answers a question that someone searching for you would ask online.

Quality Media

Invest in high-quality images and videos. Professional photos of your products, services, or team can make a huge difference. Stock photos are an option, but personalized content is always better.

Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)

What do you want visitors to do next? “Buy Now,” “Contact Us for a Quote,” “Schedule a Consultation,” “Download Our Guide.” Make your CTAs prominent and actionable.

Step 6: Launch and Promote Your Website

Once you’re happy with your site, it’s time to go live!

Pre-Launch Checklist:

Test all links and forms.
Check for typos and grammatical errors.
Ensure mobile responsiveness.
Set up basic SEO: Meta titles, descriptions, etc. Popular WordPress plugins like SEO Press, Yoast, and RankMath, and will help guide this process. You can read more about this is our DIY SEO Guide.
Connect Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Bing Webmaster Tools to track visitors.
Announce Your Launch: Share your new website across all your social media channels, send an email to your existing customer list, and update your business cards and marketing materials.

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Step 7: Maintain and Update (It's Not a One-Time Thing)

A website is a living thing, not a static brochure. Maintenance is crucial for security, performance, and relevance.

Regular Updates: Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated.

Backups: Always have a recent backup of your website.

Security: Monitor for potential threats and use security plugins.

Content Refresh: Update old blog posts, add new services, change prices – basically keep your content fresh and relevant.

Wrapping Up and Next Steps

Building your first small business website can feel overwhelming and maybe even impossible, but by breaking it down to tiny steps, you can definitely get it done Remember, you don’t need to launch with a perfect, feature-rich masterpiece. Start simple, get your foundational online presence established, and then iterate and grow over time. Your website is a foundational tool for connecting with customers and building credibility.

If you feel stuck, have questions, or want help with any or all of this, we would love love love to help!

Get in touch

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