How to build a business website from scratch


1. Identify the major goal of your website.

A business website is typically used to provide basic information about your organization or as a direct platform for e-commerce.

How to build a business website from scratch


 Whether you construct a simple website that communicates a bit about your company or a more complex e-commerce site, the most important thing you must do is state what your firm does – in straightforward terms – on the homepage. Customers should not have to dig around to find out if your organization can meet their needs, advised Erin Pheil of website design firm Follow bright.


2. Choose a domain name.

One of the most crucial aspects of any website is its domain name. It's the URL you'll share with present and prospective clients, as well as promote on social media. As a result, it should be descriptive and simple to remember and write in. To avoid consumer misunderstanding, try to keep it short and eliminate abbreviations, acronyms, and numerals.


You must also choose your top-level domain or TLD. This is the suffix that appears at the end of your domain name, such as.com,.net, or.biz. Nontraditional TLD names, on the other hand, have gained in popularity in recent years. These TLDs can be based on location, such as.nyc, or company kind, such as.marketing,.agency, or.law. While these can be useful, be descriptive, .com is still the most popular option. For additional information, see our post on selecting an unconventional TLD.


3. Select a web host.

Every website requires a host — a server where all of its data is kept and accessible to the public at all times. Because hosting your own website is likely too expensive for your small business, you'll need to choose an external host.


You can choose one of two ways, depending on your budget. The less expensive option, shared web hosting, entails sharing a server with other websites. Dedicated hosting is substantially more expensive, but it provides you with your own private server and eliminates the need to compete with other sites that could slow down your speed. Web hosting is included in certain web builder platforms' monthly prices, such as Squarespace and Wix.


4. Create your pages.

A decent website is more than just a single page. Create many pages dedicated to various elements of your business, such as a full inventory of your products or services or a blog section for corporate updates. In terms of your general website, ensure that each page supports the major goal of the site, has a clear purpose, and includes a call to action (e.g., "learn more," "sign up," "contact us" or "buy this").