Starting a business venture is truly an exciting yet terrifying experience. The task list is long and there isn’t enough time to get everything done. 

One of the most crucial tasks during this stage is creating your business website. It is one place where you cannot overlook even minute details as it acts as your business face in the online world. But what are the things you should not neglect before building your website? 

FX2 Digital is here to answer this question with our blog. In this blog, we will share the top 10 things you should check off your to-do list before creating a business website. So, let’s get started!

1. Set Your Goals

Creating a website just for the sake of having one is a waste of time, money, and effort. That’s why it is essential to set a goal for your website. What do you want the visitors to do? Sign up for your newsletter, buy the products, or opt for your vices? 

Whatever the primary goal is, having a clear understanding of it will help you design your website better to achieve that goal. Every aspect of your website, from images to the content, will be oriented to achieve that goal. 

2. Know your Target Audience

The next phase involves comprehending your prospective customers, as they are the ones you aim to captivate. Collect as much information as you can about them, How old are they, and which gender do they belong to? Do they like modern designs, or are drawn to traditional styles? 

What devices do they like to browse the internet on? All these details will help you create a site that attracts your customers. Doing surveys, and checking out competitor sites is a great way to collect such information. 

3. Set Your Expectations

Now that you know why you want a website and whom you want to target you will be inclined to start the building process. But before you start there is one crucial step you need to take: it is setting your expectations.

If you are planning to build a quality website that delivers results be ready for the time and effort it would take. By giving it the time and attention to detail the first time, you will face fewer headaches later on. 

4. Plan your Website

Creating a website is just like building a house. You need to plan each element on your website. Whether it is the layout, colour scheme, call-to-action buttons, or images everything should be chosen with care and purpose. 

It should reflect your brand’s values, tone, and style. You can take inspiration from other sites and create a sitemap that flows logically and seamlessly. Doing so will eliminate chaos and overstuffing elements on your website for a clean and sophisticated feel. 

5. Decide on the URL

The URL of your website is your address in the online world. Having a clear and easy-to-understand URL will help you attract clients more easily and rank better on the search engines. Choose a URL that showcases your business name clearly as URLs cannot reflect capital letters. 

If your company name is long consider using acronyms instead as shorter URLs are better. Ensure that it is unique, so you don’t have to worry about copyright infringements or other legal issues.

6. Choose the right CMS

Your CMS will play a vital role in building your website and maintaining it after the launch. There are various popular CMS you can choose from including WordPress, Wix, and Shopify. 

Access the features and limitations of each platform and determine what works for you best. Most CMS platforms are user-friendly and offer multiple plugins and add-ons to customize the features of your website don’t forget to check them as well. 

7. Focus on Branding Elements

Studies show that 72% of people don’t want to do business with a company if they don’t trust it. Getting the branding elements right is critical for your website as it increases the credibility of your website. 

So ensure that your brand logos colour schemes and names are written properly on your website. If you had a website earlier and are revamping it, focus on keeping the branding elements the same so that there is no confusion or distrust. 

8. Identify SEO keywords

\Many people make the mistake of building a website first focusing on SEO later. SEO is all about optimizing your website so that it shows on top of the SERPs. However, what you may overlook is that SEO is a long-term strategy and it may take months for your website to rank at a good position. 

So, if you delay the SEO the time only grows which can harm your business. Hence identify and implement the keywords you want to rank for early on and add it to your content when you build the website. 

Use keyword research tools like SEMrush and Aherfs to identify low-competition keywords. Also, find out what your competition is aiming to rank for and build your SEO strategy around it.

9. Write Gripping Content

Content is the string that holds your website together. Ensure that you add valuable, relevant content to your website pages. From home page to blogs all your content should be top-notch and optimized for SEO. 

If writing isn’t your forte it is best to hire professionals for the job. They can create quality content that ranks in much less time than you can. At FX2 Digital we pride ourselves on creating compelling content for our clients that drives traffic and promotes conversions. Reach out to our experts to get started today!

10. Invest in High-Quality Visuals

Visuals play a vital role in capturing the attention of visitors to your website. A content-heavy website will always find it hard to hold the attention span of users even with high-quality content. 

Adding professional-quality pictures and videos to your website can elevate the quality of your website significantly. Investing in professional photography may increase your budget a bit but it is a worthwhile investment in the long run. 

Conclusion

Lastly, don’t forget to cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Proofread edit and double-check every little detail before launching your website. Ensure that you test your site’s functionality on all devices before you click on the launch button. 

And don’t forget nothing is perfect, there is always room for improvement and you can keep updating things as you grow!

Are you Ready To Get Started With Your Website Design?

Creating a business website is a challenging yet exciting endeavor and these tips will help you meet that goal effectively. However, if you need more help or professional advice, FX2 Digital is here to ensure your website is just perfect. Contact us today to get started!