6 Tips for Small Businesses Creating Websites for the First Time
Having a website is practically a requirement these days for any business. In the past, small businesses have suffered from the lack of affordable or simple hosting services. These days, however, there are several hosting options available and hundreds of applications and widgets that make creating a website a breeze. If it’s your first time creating a website, here are some tips to help you along the way.
Tip One – Start Small
Starting small is always recommended to ensure you don’t go too far over budget when you start out. Hosting websites can get pretty expensive, but there are several budget-friendly options you can explore first. The worst thing you can do is overestimate how much traffic or upload spend you’ll need and end up overpaying for something that isn’t giving your business the same kick-back.
Web hosting providers these days often allow you to upgrade or downgrade your plan as you need, but there’s still an adjustment period during the transfer. It’s a lot easier to upgrade your account than to downgrade it. So don’t go buying a full dedicated server if a shared hosting plan will keep up with your website.
Tip Two – Know the Different Hosting Services Plans
Picking from the available hosting services can be a little confusing at first. There are four main categories to choose from, each with its own benefits and hold-ups.
Shared Hosting – Shared hosting is the most cost-effective option and is pretty common for many small businesses. Because you’re sharing server space with many other websites, there’s not as much customization or power available. However, it’s a great place to start so you can get a feel for what your website needs.
VPS Hosting – Virtual private server hosting provides you additional resources and power, but at a greater cost. You’re still sharing a server with others, but only a limited number can share the space, and your website is guaranteed access to a devoted amount of resources and customization to help fine-tune your hosting needs.
Cloud Hosting – Cloud hosting is a great new way to host small businesses. Instead of hosting on one physical server, you host on a server in the cloud that’s made up of connections to many different physical servers. It’s a little more costly than using a physical server. However, it’s the best option for small businesses that see regular trends in their website traffic/use and need to adjust their plan accordingly.
Dedicated Server Hosting – Dedicated servers are often used by larger businesses because they cost so much more. While they are costly, they allow full use of resources and customization for businesses that host through them.
Tip Three – Get Familiar with Widgets and Apps
Hosting services have developed far beyond the old days of hiring a website developer or coder to design your site. Now, there are dozens of third-party applications and hundreds of widgets that make designing and maintaining a website easier than ever. Web hosting plans usually offer integration with these applications, allowing you to get their hosting power while benefiting from the design aspects of your chosen apps. Getting to know which widgets and apps are best for your website can help you design and run your site without having to worry about finding a developer.
Tip Four – Know Your Brand
This may seem like an obvious tip, but knowing your brand and understanding your online presence is an important part of building your website. Websites help boost your SEO scores and online presence, but only if used properly. Be sure to research keywords and develop content on your pages around those words. Using the right content will help users find you in online searches, boosting your business.
Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash
Tip Five – Get to Know the Competition
When you’re building your first website, it’s easy to get lost in the options and design plans available. One of the best ways to curate your website and make it work for you is to identify popular competitors and take a look at their websites. This can give you ideas for page layouts, widget use, and even content. Many websites also list somewhere what hosting services or applications they used, so you can get an idea of what will work for you as well.
Tip Six – Find the Right Hosting Service
There are a lot of hosting services out in the world, and you want to make sure you’re only working with the best. A good hosting service can help boost your business and make sure your first web hosting experience goes smoothly and efficiently. When searching for web hosting options, check for the following:
- 24/7 customer support
- Advanced security options
- Third-party integration and optimization
- Backups
- Fast storage
- Simple and easy-to-use cPanel
Make sure to do your research when picking out your hosting provider. Using the right provider is key to making sure your website stands out from the competition and works as you would expect.
Hosting Services with HostForWeb
At HostForWeb, our hosting services have helped hundreds of small businesses get their first website off the ground. We offer a variety of hosting plans perfect for small businesses, with third-party integration and WordPress optimization. Our customer support lines are open 24/7 to respond to any emergency situation, so you know we’ll always be there to back you up should something go wrong. If you’re ready to build your first website, let us help. Browse our available hosting options online, or give us a call at 1-833-201-8322 for more information.
