A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business Website

In 2023, 71% of businesses had a website, with 2,52,000 web websites being created each day!

So, in 2024, it would not be of any surprise if the percentage gets to 75-80%. Right?

For any sort of business, a website is the most effective sales and marketing tool that opens up several doors of opportunities because one key channel that your customers go for to learn about your business, contact you and transact with you is your website.

However, certain entrepreneurs often hesitate to establish a website because they are already daunted by the perceived complexities and time investment associated with the website creation process. However, building a business website is not as intimidating as it seems.

Below, we will guide you step-by-step through how to make a business website using 7 simple steps. Unlock your untapped potential and embark on the journey of building your website today!

Here’s a comprehensive overview of what we’ll be covering:

Key takeaways:

1. Clarify your business objectives
2. Decide and register your domain name
3. Design your business website
4. Develop engaging content
5. Invest in search engine optimisation
6. Secure your business website
7. Publish, monitor and update

Build your business website in 7 simple steps

Create a robust foundation for your business website with these seven essential steps.

1. Clarify your business objectives

Identify the primary purpose of your website

Determining the purpose behind your website is a fundamental question; though it might seem straightforward, it holds higher significance. Whether it’s a place to sell stuff or just share info about your business, being clear about your goals upfront makes building a website that works for both you and your customers much easier. Because customers come with certain expectations, and your website should adeptly fulfil them.

Always set measurable goals like how many leads you aim to generate through your website within a specific timeframe. Or establish sales targets and track conversions from website visitors to paying customers.

Figure out your target audience

As a company, don’t aim for a broad user base. Instead, you need to focus on a specific demographic when tailoring the products, website, and marketing strategies.

Do some demographic analysis: Understand the key demographics of your target audience, including age, gender, location, and interests. Suppose different age groups have varying preferences and expectations regarding website design and content. And prioritise location, as regional differences can impact the relevance of your content.

Develop user personas: Create detailed user personas to represent your ideal customers, helping you tailor your website to meet their specific needs.

Analyse their behavioural patterns: Analyse online behaviours and understand the preferences of your target audience to anticipate their expectations from your website. Consider the platforms they use, the content they consume, and their preferred communication channels.

Research competitors and industry trends

List and analyse direct and indirect competitors in your industry. Then, examine the visual appeal, functionality, and user-friendliness of competitor websites. Also, do some content analysis and investigate their search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts, identifying keywords, backlink strategies, and on-page optimisation.

Staying updated on industry best practices is a crucial aspect of maintaining a competitive business website. Try to access market research reports that provide comprehensive insights into industry dynamics, consumer behaviours, and emerging technologies.

Networking can offer a direct line to the latest information and trends. So, build relationships with industry leaders, influencers and experts to stay updated on industry best practices.

2. Decide and register your domain name

Your domain name is like the unique address for your website. And it’s usually one of the initial things your potential customers will encounter. So, it’s worth spending some time to pick your domain name wisely as it is a crucial element in shaping their first impressions.

Select a brandable domain name

• Make sure your domain name aligns with your business brand.
• Avoid complex spellings, hyphens, or numbers that can be confusing.
• Add keywords relevant to your business.
• Try to keep it short.
• Conduct a thorough search to ensure no other businesses are using a similar name.

Register your domain

Once you have settled on a domain name, register it through a service that might typically cost $10 to $20 per year. Check its availability on the ABN lookup page to ensure uniqueness and avoid trademark conflicts. You can register your domain name by choosing a registrar or reseller listed on the .au Domain Administration Ltd (.auDA) website. To learn more about registering a domain name for your website, click here.

3. Design your business website

Pick the right website builder or content management system (CMS)

Choosing the right website builder or content management system (CMS) is a crucial decision in the process of creating a business website. Conduct thorough research on available website builders and CMS options. Compare pricing plans and user reviews, considering factors like ease of use, available templates, and the level of technical expertise required.

Also, look for drag-and-drop editors, easy navigation, and a straightforward setup process. Check if the website builder or CMS includes built-in SEO features or allows for easy integration with SEO plugins. Then, considering all these factors, make an informed decision on the website builder or CMS that aligns with your business goals, technical proficiency, and long-term scalability requirements.

Prioritise a professional and mobile-responsive design

In order to ensure a positive user experience and meet the diverse needs of your audience, selecting a professional and mobile-responsive design is a must. With the increasing use of mobile devices today, Google prioritises mobile-friendly websites in search rankings, impacting your site’s visibility. So, use responsive web design techniques that employ flexible grids and layouts.

Today, mobile commerce comprises 23% of current online sales. Also, studies revealed that companies with mobile-optimised sites triple their chances of increasing mobile conversion rate to 5% or more.

Customise the layout, colour scheme, and typography

Design a business website that not only looks visually appealing but also effectively communicates your brand identity and message. The layout should complement the type of content you are presenting. Prioritise a user-centred design. The layout should guide visitors through the site seamlessly, leading them to important information or conversion points.

In addition, consistency in colour helps in brand recognition and creates a professional appearance. So, choose one that aligns with your brand identity. Ensure that text is easily readable against the background. When choosing fonts, make sure that they are easy to read both on desktop and mobile devices. Consider factors like font size, spacing, and line height to enhance readability.

Focus on an intuitive navigation structure

An intuitive navigation structure will ensure that visitors can easily find the information they are looking for, leading to increased engagement and conversions. So, keep the main navigation menu simple and uncluttered by including only essential categories to avoid overwhelming users.

Add a search bar prominently in the header or another easily accessible location. Keep navigation elements consistent across pages so that users do not feel disoriented when moving between different sections.

4. Develop engaging content

Craft an engaging homepage

Use a concise headline or tagline highlighting your unique selling points to create a captivating homepage. Consider using a visually appealing slideshow or background video to showcase key products or services. Also, place a clear and compelling CTA prominently on the homepage by using action-oriented language, such as Shop Now, Explore Our Services, or Get Started.

You can also display positive customer reviews or testimonials by featuring real quotes, names, and even photos for authenticity. Or consider showcasing any ongoing promotions, discounts, or limited-time offers to draw attention.

Add informative product or service pages

Here’s a breakdown of key elements and strategies to implement when creating informative product pages.

• Provide thorough and clear descriptions of each product or service.
• Highlight key features, benefits, and specifications.
• Illustrate how your products or services can be used.
• Clearly outline pricing structures and any available packages.
• For technical products, include specifications, dimensions, and compatibility details.
• If applicable, include size guides or dimensions for products like clothing, furniture and electronics.
• Include a comprehensive FAQ section.

Incorporate multimedia elements

Incorporating multimedia elements into your website is a powerful way to boost user experience, engage visitors, and effectively convey information. Alongside high-resolution images, infographics can enhance the overall aesthetic of your content while providing valuable information.

Use image slideshows or carousels on your homepage to highlight key products or services. You can also use video format or written quotes with accompanying images to showcase customer testimonials.

5. Invest in search engine optimisation

Search engine optimisation plays a pivotal role in enhancing not only the visibility but also the ranking of your website across various search engine results pages (SERPs).

Use keywords strategically

Keywords are the terms users enter into search engines. Strategic use of keywords involves incorporating relevant terms naturally within your website content, headings, and meta elements. Begin by conducting thorough keyword research considering factors such as search volume, competition, and user intent.

Optimise meta titles, descriptions, and headers

Meta titles and descriptions are HTML elements that provide concise information about the content of a webpage. Headers (H1, H2, etc.) organise the content hierarchically. Optimisation involves using target keywords in these elements to represent the page’s content accurately.

Create a sitemap for search engines

A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your content. By providing a clear structure for your site, a sitemap helps search engines navigate and understand your website’s hierarchy.

Implement clean and SEO-friendly URLs

URL structure plays a role in both user experience and search engine rankings. Clean and SEO-friendly URLs are short and descriptive. Including relevant keywords in your URL can positively impact search engine rankings. Always avoid unnecessary parameters, session IDs, or complex query strings like ?id=123 or symbols that can make URLs less readable.

Build internal and external links

Building a network of high-quality internal and external links can improve your website’s authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines, positively impacting its ranking. When external links, also known as backlinks, are links from other websites to yours, internal links establish a hierarchy and help search engines understand the relationship between various pages.

6. Secure your business website

Install SSL certificates for data encryption

Consider the SSL certificate to be of significant importance, as it represents a globally recognised security technology. Securing sensitive data is paramount, and SSL plays a crucial role in this regard. By encrypting information like login credentials, personal details, and payment information, SSL adds a robust layer of protection, making it significantly challenging for hackers to intercept and exploit the data.

In straightforward terms, it adds the crucial S to the beginning of a website’s URL, transforming it into a secure HTTPS connection.

Regularly update plugins, themes, and CMS

Regular updates are crucial for Content Management Systems (CMS), plugins, and themes. These updates serve to tackle security vulnerabilities, enhance functionality, and optimise overall performance. Also, set up automatic updates when possible, but ensure you have a backup in case issues arise.

Implement strong passwords and user authentication

Enforce periodic password changes to reduce the risk of unauthorised access and implement multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection beyond passwords. Regularly review and update user access permissions to align with organisational changes.

7. Publish, monitor and update

Once all are done, hit Publish. Again, your website isn’t complete the moment you hit the publish button. To sustain a prominent position in search rankings and enhance your visitors’ experience, ongoing website maintenance is crucial. So, you need to periodically monitor and update your website.

Regularly assess the website’s performance metrics, including page load speed, server response time, and overall responsiveness. Evaluate the relevance and freshness of the content while removing the outdated ones. Make sure to check for potential security vulnerabilities to ensure that there are no suspicious activities or malware on your website.

Wrapping up

Even if there is no one-size-fits-all solution, that’s pretty much all you should try to cover to build a business website. Overall, it demands meticulous planning, deliberate design, and a focus on user experience.

So, define your objectives, select the appropriate platform, develop a polished interface, create compelling content, and integrate essential features. This comprehensive approach will result in a website that not only reflects your brand professionally but also contributes to the growth of your business.