Are you Planning to Publish a New Website on Your Own?
When starting a new business, entrepreneurs look to the internet to publish a new website. This action feels like a real beginning of what your company represents. In order to get a website ready for the internet there are some important parts that you need to know about.
In this article, we will look at major decisions that need answers in order to publish a new website for your business. Domain names, hosting companies, content management systems, search engine optimization and being found online, are very important. each of these are choices that need to be made and implemented to have success online. All of these can be done on your own but your online level of success will be directly tied to your level knowledge.
Think of your website as your virtual work place. Just like your storefront or building that houses your business. When they visit your store you want visitors to understand who you are and you want to direct them to the place where they will decide to buy your products or use your services. The same is true with a website.
I regularly ask my potential clients If they have a business that resides in a building or storefront. If they answer yes I then ask if they built their own building. Or, if they have a home office did they build their own house? There is a good chance the answer to these questions would be no. Most likely in both cases they know how a building or house is constructed, in a general sense, but would find it nearly impossible to build themselves.
The Important Basics to Understand to Publish a New Website
1. The Domain
Your domian name is the virtual address location of your business online; where you will live online. Just like your mailing address is the physical location of your business.
The first step is to secure a domain name that has a direct or implied connection to your business name or product. For example, if you plan to sell barbecue utensils you might search for BBQutensils.com. The result would reveal the domain to be owned. The price is $395.00 plus $17.99 annually. That’s a little pricey since there are many domains that are currently unowned.
However adding an adjective or a noun to your domain might make it unique and cheap. For example, changing BBQutensils.com to RicksBBQutensils.com or BestBBQutensils.com would drop the domain price to $11.99 or less for the first year. The future cost would be $17.99 or less annually.
There are many domain registrars. A quick search of the internet will reveal more than one page of options.
2. The Website Host
Deciding where your website will be hosted is like deciding the size and scope of the building that will house your company.
When looking for a website hosting company (there are quite a few), the least expensive option isn’t always the best. Many offer introductory pricing that will be good for the first year. Most average from $5.00 to $13.00 per month for mid-range hosting.
Basic hosting can give a majority of startup businesses what they need unless they are selling products online. Bandwidth and memory are determining factors. Another determining factor is the amount of interaction your company will be having with hosting providers.
The general advice I offer is to make sure you know what you need and what you are signing up for. This is also true for the next step.
3. Choose a Platform
The interface with your website when building and editing consists of choosing a platform to publish a new website. This is a lot like the architecture and location of general utilities of the business building.
There are many website builders available. Many hosts provide some kind of builder. Some are Q&A templates that offer generic sites like WIX or Squarespace. Some are IA generated but also produce a generic look.
Many hosts offer an interface with free software called content management systems (CMS). These make editing easy for the general user. They are fully customizable and make your website look just the way you want.
Finally, some are completely custom built using code. These are more of a legacy format and tend to be upgraded to newer CMS when redesigned.
Out In Front Marketing uses WordPress which is a CMS. WordPress powers 35% of the internet. Using a CMS to build makes editing easy for general users and develops your website with best security practices. Added layers of security are included for the first year of every Out In Front Marketing website.
4. Search Engine Optimization
Your input on design and content is more like the decoration of your office. Once the website has been designed and the content has been created, website builders that know what they are doing, will perform an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) analysis on the pages of your website. This process will assist in making your website found when potential visitors are searching for your business or products.
SEO cannot be successfully completed by a novice or a machine. There are subtle variables that take into account the target markets of the business when final editing is done.
5. Search Engine Submission
Finally you will need to let everyone know where your business is. Kind of like notifying the post office of an address change.
When the website is ready to launch, it is time to knock on the door of the most influential search engines and let them know you are ready to be found.
Google is the biggest player in the search engine market with an estimated 65% share of all searches. Bing, which also powers Yahoo, is number 2. If your customers are going to be US based, these represent the must submit search engines. There are others that could be of benefit based on demographics.
This is a simple list of major elements you will need to consider to get your business online successfully. It does not include additional steps that builders and webmasters complete to make your website attractive and functional. That is why they are good at what they do.
In Conclusion
Your hours and hours of researching how to do it right will still fall flat without good SEO. Consult a Professional when you want to Publish a New Website.
Think of a website professional as an architect and a webmaster as a contractor. Many are one in the same. But considering them as you would brick and mortar pros might give you an idea of what goes into a good looking fine tuned website.
If you are looking for a free consultation on building your own website Click the button below and fill out the form.