12 Steps to a Small Business Website
We explain the complex topic of website development in easy to understand terminology. We explain what goes into building a website, who builds websites
Menu
Step 7 – Design Your Small Business Website Frontend
12 Part Series for a Small Business Website
Okay, so you’ve registered your domain name, purchased a hosting plan and set up a WordPress template on your web hosting server. You’ve also created a sitemap, written content for each of your web pages. With your Branding Guide in hand, you’re ready to build your website.
Creating a visually appealing and functional website for your small business is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. With WordPress, you have a powerful platform at your disposal to achieve this. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up and design your small business website using WordPress.
Setting Up Your Small Business Website Frontend
Choose a WordPress Theme
Choosing the right WordPress theme is essential. Your theme should align with your business type and brand aesthetics. Here are some points to consider:
- Industry-Specific Themes: If your business belongs to a specific industry (like healthcare, financial services, or legal), look for themes designed for that industry.
- Versatile Themes: For more general purposes, there are versatile themes suitable for a variety of industries.
Premium WordPress Themes:
These typically cost between $50-$100 for a single-use license, including six months of support and updates. It’s advisable to choose a theme that has sold hundreds or thousands of licenses to ensure robust support and frequent updates.
Responsive Themes:
Most modern themes are responsive, meaning they automatically adjust to various devices and screen sizes. This is crucial for providing a seamless user experience.
Once you’ve settled on a theme, browse its demo sites to understand its capabilities. If it fits your vision, purchase, download, and install the theme on your hosting server.
Configure Your Small Business Website
With your theme installed, it’s time to configure your website’s content. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Pages:
- Go to Pages > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
- Enter the title and content for each static page (e.g., Homepage, About Us, Services).
- Add a featured image if desired.
- Click Publish when done.
General Settings:
- Go to Posts > Add New.
- Enter the title and content for each blog post.
- Add a featured image if desired.
- Click Publish when done.
Posts:
- Navigate to Settings > General.
- Enter your website’s name and description.
- Adjust basic settings, such as comment permissions.
- Set the site Title and Logo under Appearance > Customize.
Enhancing Your Website with High-Quality Content
Source High-Quality Images
Images play a critical role in the first impression of your website. Here’s why and how to source great visuals:
- Professional Look: High-quality images enhance the visual appeal of your site and communicate professionalism.
- Unique and High-Resolution Images: Avoid using common, free images. Instead, invest in high-quality images from sources like iStockphotos. This investment is worthwhile for achieving a polished look.
Consistent NAP Information
Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) are accurately listed on every page of your site. This consistency is vital for both customer trust and search engine optimization (SEO). Here’s why:
- Search Engine Understanding: Consistent NAP information helps search engines understand your business better.
- Customer Trust: Accurate contact information makes it easy for customers to reach you, building trust and credibility.
Designing your small business website with WordPress involves careful selection of themes, thoughtful configuration of content, and attention to detail in visuals and contact information. By following these steps, you can create a professional and engaging online presence to boost your website traffic to attract and retain customers.
Step 1 – Get a Great Domain Name
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 2 – Create an Outline of Your Small Business Website
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 3 – Write Compelling Content for your Website
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 4 – Choose Your Content Management System
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 5 – Select Web Hosting for Your Business
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 6 – Create Your Branding Guide
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 8 – Test Your Responsive Website Design
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 9 – Connect Your Domain Name to Your New Website
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 10 – Security Measures for your Small Business Website
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 11 – Local SEO: Tell Search Engines about Your Website
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Step 12 – Establish a Website Support Plan
Let’s take a look at what a domain name is, what a URL is, how to get a website domain name, a bit of
Simple Website Service
Simple Website Service is an affordable, turn-key, custom professional website service for small business owners. Our website design solution comes with full ongoing support for updates, maintenance, security and backup. Our customers speak with a REAL person. With over 100 customers, our singular focus allows us to keep costs down for our customers. Small business websites are ALL we do. For over 17 years, we’ve listened to our customers – small business owners who need help creating professional websites that truly represent their brand. But, traditional options are expensive and time consuming while templated do-it-yourself solutions fail to capture the essence of what makes their businesses unique. That’s why we created Simple Website Service for small business owners who don’t have the time to wade through the complexities of a web project.