Studies show that the average person spends just a few seconds deciding whether to stay on a website based on its design and appearance. This isn’t to discourage you but to emphasize the importance of an eye-catching and user-friendly design. From appearance and functionality to navigation and discoverability, a lot goes into creating a successful website.

No need to fret; we’re here to break down the essentials so you know exactly what you need to get your site up and running.

Pick a Domain name

Start by selecting your domain name. Domain names play a crucial role in shaping online identity and accessibility. Your domain name should convey a lot while saying very little and most importantly, reflect your business’s voice.

It also impacts SEO, ease of spelling, and brand recognition. Incorporating relevant keywords can boost SEO, but prioritize brand identity and memorability. Always opt for a domain name that aligns with your business name whenever possible, especially if it’s short and reflects your brand’s essence.

For lengthy business names, consider shortening them to maintain professionalism. You can do this by abbreviating words, removing non-essential elements, or using acronyms, ensuring the domain remains easy to spell and memorable. Sometimes, you may find that your preferred domain name is already taken. Tools like Afrihost or GoDaddy can help you check domain availability and suggest alternatives.

Get Hosting

So a website is a set of related web pages located under one domain name, however these website files and applications need a place to be stored and become accessible on the internet. Simply put, hosting is what allows your website to be accessible by the people you want to access it.  There are many web hosting companies with various packages. Here’s what to consider when selecting a package:

• Content Requirements: If you plan to feature a lot of media content such as images, videos, or interactive presentations, ensure that the hosting plan can handle the bandwidth and storage requirements without compromising performance.
• Technical Support: Do you have in-house technical expertise to manage server issues, or do you require reliable and responsive support from the hosting provider?
• Backup and Security: Investigate the backup, security, and additional features offered by the hosting provider. What measures do they have in place to protect your website from security threats, and do they offer regular backups to safeguard your data?

Backend Content Management System

Many belittle these tools, but they are really convenient. A backend content management system (CMS) allows you to create, manage, and edit content without needing extensive technical knowledge or programming skills. A CMS provides an intuitive interface, making it easy to interact with and manage the website. This is convenient for business owners, bloggers, and entrepreneurs who don’t want to deal with a developer or can’t afford to hire one.

CMS options like WordPress, Wix, and Joomla offer non-threatening dashboards and a variety of plugins and themes that simplify designing and updating your website. They prove that building a fully functional, professional, and attractive website without a professional web developer is possible.

Now it’s time to customize your website

Remember how we learnt that appearance matters on the onset of this article.Create a clean, appealing design that is easy to navigate. There are many sleek themes and templates available—some free and customizable, some for sale with a high-quality look. A clean and quality design helps viewers see the value of your brand because they associate a good-looking website with the quality of your business and products.

If you haven’t already designed a logo and selected brand colors, do some research on the perfect colors to represent your business. Colors can evoke emotional responses, so this decision shouldn’t be made lightly. Make sure your logo is professionally designed and included in everything your business does. If you decide to change your logo and color schemes, announce it and let people know your business is rebranding.

Navigation

You have under 15 seconds to convince your viewers to stay on your website. Ensure your website is easy to navigate to avoid frustrating visitors. Conduct an in-depth site review as if you are a new visitor or ask someone else to do it. Test the site on different devices—cell phones, desktops, laptops, and tablets.

Streamline navigation by eliminating unnecessary or underperforming pages, which can decrease load time and improve the quality of your brand’s online presence. Help your viewers easily access whatever they need whenever they need it. Understanding their patterns and responses to particular pages and calls to action (CTAs) helps you create a smooth and usable navigation experience.

A Clear Call to Action

Your website will advertise your business 24/7, so don’t just let it show face. Use it to collect client information for lead generation and sales. Invite visitors to sign up for your newsletter and provide a clear button that directs them to a contact page. Place a clear CTA on every page if possible.

Multiple Device Compatibility

Making sure your website is compatible with multiple devices is very important, especially Mobile Compatibility. According to recent statistics, over 60% of all reaches are conducted through mobile devices. This user-behavior stretches the importance of having your website perform well across various screen sizes and devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and desktops, else this results in poor user-experience, higher bounce rates and worse, a loss of potential clients

A mobile-friendly website not only benefits the users experience browsing your site but also helps your search engine ranking. Search engines like Google, prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their search results, so a responsive design can improve your SEO efforts, and give your website, and business, a wider reach.

Get Discovered 

Once your website is set up and looks stunning, the next step is making sure it’s easily discoverable by search engines and potential clients. Here’s what you need to do:

• Google Verification: Verify your website with Google Search Console to help Google index your website and identify issues that may affect your site’s ranking.
• Submit a Site Map: Creating and submitting an XML sitemap to Google Search Console is essential. A sitemap lists all the pages on your website, ensuring that search engines can find and index them efficiently. Many CMS platforms and plugins, like Yoast SEO for WordPress, can automatically generate a sitemap for you.
• Google Business Profile: For local businesses, setting up a Google Business Profile helps your business appear in local search results and on Google Maps. Ensure the profile includes accurate information, such as an active phone number, business hours, and the correct website URL.

After setting everything up, it may take a few days to a few weeks for Google to fully index your new site. You can expedite this process by requesting indexing through Google Search Console and ensuring your site is free from technical issues that might hinder the crawling process.

Creating a successful website involves several key steps that contribute to your online presence. Start by selecting a domain name that reflects your brand and is easy to remember. Secure reliable hosting to ensure your site runs smoothly, and choose a user-friendly CMS like WordPress to manage your content effectively. Customize your website’s appearance and navigation to keep visitors engaged, ensuring it’s mobile-friendly to reach a wider audience. Enhance discoverability by verifying your site with Google Search Console, submitting a sitemap, and setting up a Google Business Profile. This will help your site appear in search results and attract more visitors. Your website is a 24/7 ambassador for your business. By following these steps, you’ll create a website that looks great, drives traffic, and helps your business grow.