Whether your business turns out hand-spun textiles or you run a sophisticated mill, ignoring digital marketing is just like leaving money on the table. Having a website can give clothing manufacturers immense benefits, including the ability to accept orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In this post, we will show you how to develop a website for your textile or clothing business.
India’s textile exports are expected to more than double over the next two years.
Are you one of those who are not aware of the perks of having a website or have questions about how to develop a website? This tiny guide will take you through all such questions.
How to develop a website
One no longer needs technical knowledge to build a website. Thanks to builders such as WordPress, anyone can do it by following these steps.
- Register your website name.
- Get a web host.
- Build your website.
Before we walk you through the steps, let us touch upon your website options.
What type of website do you need?
There is a very common misconception that building a website needs technical knowledge and skills. However, it is not true. With the emergence of content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, building a professional styled website has become a breeze.
But before you start building a website, it's obligatory to know what kind of website you need. Here is a list of types of websites that you can create based on your requirements:
One-page website
You just need a single web page, along with a background note and a Contact Us form. All you need for this type of website is a nice photo taken with your phone and your basic contact details.
In this case, you might consider GoDaddy Online Starter Bundle. In less than five minutes, you can get an Indian domain name, a professional email account and a one-page mobile-friendly website.
Online brochure
Taking a step ahead, you could build a website like an online brochure reflecting the products or services that you sell. Add some nice pictures of your products/services along with details, specifications and the rates.
It might also be nice to add an About Us section that tells the story of how your company came to be. If you have customer testimonials, be sure to feature one on your home page, with a link to more.
Be sure to feature your location and contact details prominently on each page.
eCommerce website
If you wish to sell products directly through your website, you need an eCommerce website.
For this purpose, you would need to add a shopping cart and payment processing to your website. Alternately, you could use an all-in-one eCommerce store builder that takes care of all the payment and shipping details for you.
Regardless of which option you choose, you will want to go beyond just one-sided communication of a brochure and start to interact with your customers. You can offer an email form and link to your social media profiles directly from your website.
Related: 5 eCommerce website templates
How to build a website through WordPress
There are many easy tools for building websites, but one of the most popular is WordPress. The reason behind its popularity is the unparalleled versatility of developing one-of-a-kind websites.
1. Register your website name
The first step in how to develop a website with WordPress is to choose a domain name.
Your website address should include your business name (e.g. YourBusiness.com or YourBusiness.in), not the WordPress business name (e.g. YourBusiness.WordPress.com).
You can check the availability of the domain name matching your business name below. If it's available, grab it before someone else does.
See if your domain name is available now
Once you register a domain name, no one but you may use it for any purpose.
2. Get a web host
After you register a domain name, the next step in how to develop a website is to get a web host.
Hosting makes your website visible to people the world over.
The host is responsible for storing all your data including web pages, images, videos and all the digital content on your website. A 'host,' in reality, is a computer that operates 24x7 throughout the year. Every visitor who opens your website will access this computer to view your web pages.
If you are not interested in researching hosting companies, opt for WordPress Websites as it includes hosting.
3. Build your website
Here are a few steps that clothing manufacturers can follow to build a website using WordPress.
Outline your site
Think about what pages your website will include. For example:
- The home page is the first thing a visitor sees. It should include the name of your business, logo, address and contact info.
- A page showcasing your products or services with the pricing.
- An About Us page that tells the story of why you started the business, years of operation, etc.
- A Contact Us page that includes a query form and your business contact information.
It’s helpful to think about what customers and suppliers are likely to be looking for when they come to your website. Then put links to these elements on your home page.
Create these pages in WordPress
Use Pages > Add New in the left margin of the WordPress builder to create as many pages as you’ve outlined for your website. Each and every page should be unique and optimized for search engines.
You can add as many pages as you want to your WordPress website.
Choose your theme
WordPress comes pre-installed with a theme — which controls how the website will look and behave. If you don’t like the included theme, you can easily swap it out for one of thousands of free and paid themes available online.
Clothing companies need to make their websites look trendy yet professional.
Whatever theme you choose, make sure it is responsive. This way, your website will be easy for people to use on any device — from the large screen of a desktop computer to the smaller screen of a smartphone.
Editor's note: Need to create a logo for your website, but short on time? Consider using GoDaddy's free logo maker. It comes with hundreds of easy-to-use design templates and fonts you can put together in minutes.
Create a site menu
A menu is the best way to show your visitors, at a glance, what pages your website has. This helps them quickly find what they are looking for. Try not to have more than six items in your menu.
Learn more about filling out your WordPress site so it perfectly suits your business and attracts new customers here.
Take your manufacturing business global
The internet never sleeps — people around the world go online looking for information, goods and services at all hours of the day and night. You don't wish to lose customers while you're asleep, right?
Just like the other smart clothing manufacturers, get a website and take orders while you're deep asleep.
If you're someone who is not so familiar with building websites, WordPress can act as a blessing for your business. Use this guide to build your clothing business website quickly and beautifully.
