Looking to create your own business website but worried about getting things wrong? Here are ten things you should know before you start work on your first website.
1. A website is a crucial element of brand building
You can build a business on social media and third-party ecommerce sites, but your business will be associated with someone else’s brand. Having your own website will provide a home for you to build your brand as well as your business.
2. You should plan your website before you start building it
You don’t have to write every word of content for your site before you start creating it, but you should plan out the features, functions and pages your site will need. This guide explains more about planning and creating your website.
3. You don’t need technical knowledge to build your own website
In the early days of the web, if you wanted to build a site you needed to know how to code. Those days are gone, and you can now build a fully-functioning website using a drag-and-drop interface. No technical skills required. Just check how easy it is to make a free website.
4. If you build your own website, you don’t have to go it alone
Worried that building your own website means you won’t be able to get help when you need it? If you use GoDaddy’s Website Builder, the GoDaddy Guides will be on hand to support you.
5. You don’t have to spend big to get the website you need
A simple website will cost you just a few pounds a month. An ecommerce website can cost you as little as £20 a month. There’s often no need to spend big when getting online. You can learn more about how much a website should cost here.
6. You’ll want to change your website in the future
If you want to change your opening hours, do you really want to have to call your web designer to make the adjustment? Make sure you can quickly and easily edit your website by yourself.
7. A business website will fail without marketing
If people don’t know about your website, they can’t visit it. Social media marketing and search engine optimization will play a crucial part in your website’s success.
8. You’ll need to understand how people use your website
If you don’t know how people use your website, you won’t be able to make improvements to it. If you create your site using GoDaddy’s Website Builder, you’ll have access to GoDaddy Insight, which provides data-driven recommendations on how to improve your website. You should also make use of tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to get a fuller picture.
9. Your website will need to grow with your business
A few pages might be enough when you first launch your business, but what about two or three years down the line? Before you create your first website, make sure that you’ll be able to expand your site to add new pages and features in the future.
10. You don’t have to build the perfect website first time
Even if it’s just a single page, getting your website up and running is better than no website at all. Once your site is live, you can add to it, make improvements and expand it into something to be proud of.
Want to build your own website? Get started with a free trial of GoDaddy Websites + Marketing.
Need help? Contact the GoDaddy Guides on: 020 7084 1810.
