Need a Business Website? How to Get Online
What is the first thing you do when you want to make a purchase? If you’re anything like me, you’ll go straight to Google and search for what you want. Whatever your business plan is, and whoever you want to sell your products/services to, you have to have an online presence.
After you’ve done your research, made the decision to start your own business and you’re ready to get started, you need a website.
Where to start
Many people have no idea how to get online or where to even start – but that’s OK! Do not let this put you off starting up on your own.
To get a good, reliable website for your business, you need to speak to a web developer. Please please avoid the really cheap options which claim that you can set up a website on your own for under £100! You really do get what you pay for and these options tend to be difficult to use, very limited and generally terrible for SEO (search engine optimisation).
Imagine if you were buying a new car. You’ve decided you want a car which is reliable, safe and which will last you for years. You’ve been quoted £3000 by one dealership, then someone comes along and tells you they can do exactly the same car for just £50.
Clearly there is no way it will be the same and you would expect the £50 car to be slow, unreliable and to have a very short lifespan. The same logic applies to website development…..you get what you pay for.
WordPress Websites
I’d recommend a professionally-developed website built with the WordPress platform (don’t get this confused with the blogging site WordPress.com which is completely different).
Here are just a few of the reasons why:
- It is cost-effective and can be up and running quickly.
- The content management system (CMS) is very user-friendly.
- It is mobile-friendly so your website will work just as well on mobile devices as well as desktop PCs.
- It is a really good platform for SEO (search engine optimisation) with many features which help with your rankings on Google.
- It has a huge range of themes and plugins and therefore offers brilliant flexibility to fit the needs of all businesses.
How To Choose a WordPress Developer?
Your website is most likely going to be one of the most valuable sales tools for your business – it’s vitally important that you get this bit right.
There are a lot of WordPress developers out there and who you decide to go with is entirely your decision, but make sure you make the right choice. You need someone who takes the time to listen to you and understand your business idea and what you want to achieve. You need someone who knows what they’re doing and who can offer information and advice in a way that you understand.
It’s also important that your developer provides ongoing support, and that they are approachable and contactable. Please take a look at “10 Questions to Ask a Web Developer” which will give you an idea of what to ask to ensure you get all of the relevant information.
What About the Content?
You might be fully capable of writing your own web content – if so, that’s great! If not, you should ask for help. Your web content needs to showcase your business and appeal (and engage) to your target market. It also needs to be optimised for SEO. I know I keep repeating that but it’s so important!
You need to include relevant keywords across your website but avoid duplicating content as Google doesn’t like this at all. If you’re unsure and need help – please get in touch! Writing optimised web content is what we do and we would love to help you get your business off the ground.
What Next?
Stay focussed on what you’re doing and why, and don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you’re based in the North East and need some advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can meet for a coffee and informal chat to get you started.
