Build A Small Business Website

From Smallbusinesslibrary

A website can be an effective marketing tool for your small business that can attract potential customers and convert them into paying customers. Today creating a small business website is easier than ever and can be done very inexpensively and quickly using open source software like Wordpress or website creation sites like SquareSpace. A high percentage of consumers use the web to research products and services and to make purchases, so a website is as important as ever for small businesses.

Step 1 Register Your Domain Name

Once you have chosen the name you want for your website you will need to check if it is available and if it is you can register it for about $10 per year. You can register your domain at any domain registrar like GoDaddy or Netfirms.

GoDaddy
The most popular domain registrar.

NetSolutions
Another domain registrar.

Netfirms
A well established domain registrar who offers domain registration for $8 for the first year and around $10 for

Step 2 Get Website Hosting

In order for the pages of your website to show up, you will need a hosting provider that will keep your website files and "serve" them to visitors who come to your domain.

Web hosting usually costs $60-$100 per year for a basic package, which is typically all that is needed for most businesses. Some hosting providers include Host Monster, Blue Host, and HostGator.

Step 3 Connect Your Domain to your Hosting Account

Login to your Domain Registrar account and go into settings. You will need to change the nameservers so they point to the servers at your hosting account. For example the Host Monster servers might be NS1.HOSTMONSTER.COM and NS2.HOSTMONSTER.COM.

Step 4 Install A Content Management System

Most hosting servers have an interface called Cpanel which allows you to install a content management system such as Wordpress, Drupal, or Joomla. Go to the icon for installation of web applications on your hosting account, which is usually either Simple Scripts or Fantastico.

Step 5 Upload Theme Templates to your Hosting Account

Content management systems like Wordpress, Drupal, or Joomla use themes or templates, which are pre-designed layouts for a website. This is a huge shortcut compared to having a web designer create a website architecture and design from scratch. You can find many themes for free online by searching in Google or you can buy them for $20-$40 at Themeforest.net. You will download the theme as a Zip file. Next you will have to go to Cpanel on your hosting account and click on the icon for "File Management". Navigate to the file folder called "Themes" and upload the Zip file there. Then you will need to select the Zip file and click on "extract". Now log into the content management system that you installed and activate the theme you selected.

Alternative Online Website Solutions

SquareSpace
SquareSpace is a hosted website creation site that allows you to set up a site pretty effortlessly and SquareSpace will host the site for you for a monthly fee. You can also select different themes and customize them with the Wysiwyg editor.

Hire Someone

NiceRobot Digital
NiceRobot Digital is a small business online marketing company that will setup a professional Wordpress site for you and host it for a one-time setup fee and annual hosting fee.