Building the basics in website design

Gone are the days in which businesses could get by without a strong internet presence. In 2024 how does a burgeoning entrepreneur go about building a website?

Technology has advanced to the point that even brick and mortar businesses need to have an online presence to prosper. While the traditional criteria for success are still relevant, for example word of mouth marketing and credibility, it is fair to say that modern business requires a modern touch.

For new or inexperienced entrepreneurs it can be a tricky business designing a website that is fully operational and adequately projects company goals and values. But when it is done correctly, the benefits, such as increased consumer reach, improved market competitiveness and streamlined data analytics, can significantly boost a business’ profile. 

So, what basic steps and skills do you need to build and grow your own business website?

Pre-plan

When you make the decision to build your own website from scratch, the pre-planning stage is critical and should not be overlooked. The plan is essentially your roadmap, guiding you throughout the process and keeping you on track, so at the end, you have a functional website that resembles your vision. 

This is the point at which you should calculate your budget, including discretionary expenditure for unexpected costs. You should also make note of your primary objectives, your target audience and your unique selling proposition (USP). 

When this is done you should secure your chosen domain name, pick your website builder (more on that later), choose your design elements and create sections or labels for core aspects of the website. It is also a good idea to have a few pieces of quality content prepared in advance and ready to go live once the website has been built. 

Part of the reason why the pre-planning stage is so important, is because many of the decisions made here could have a long-term effect on the overall success of the website.  For example, if the domain name is misleading it won’t attract the right audience, similarly, if your USP is muddled consumers may also find overall marketing to be confusing. 

Website builders

Website builders can be an immense help to entrepreneurs who are new to website building, as they are tools that allow you to set up, design, personalise, publish and manage a website without having to use code. 

Previously, creating a website involved having a knowledge of code and while this is still an incredibly useful and worthwhile skill, for tech newbies, it is a lot to get your head around. As it often means you don’t need to hire external help it can also be more cost effective. 

To get started, you can install an application or use the online version that doesn’t require you to download the software. Then using templates and easy drop and drag features, you can customise the website in no time at all, massively simplifying what has the potential to be a complicated and labour intensive project.

Once everything is designed as you would have it, consistent maintenance and updates keeps it all ticking over. Different companies offer unique website builder content, so if you are considering using such a service to promote your own venture, it can be helpful to take advantage of free trials, to see which application best suits your vision. 

Payment technology

If you are selling a service or product from your website, it is vital that the appearance and usability of said features are efficient and compel confidence in the consumer. A regular design flaw, such as mislabeled sections or incorrect colour formatting may not deter a customer in the way that a seemingly untrustworthy payment system would. 

These days, people are extraordinarily careful about online financial actions, therefore, easy to use, streamlined, credible payment features are an absolute must. Depending on the particular needs of your business, there are a range of payment systems to choose from.

For example, if you want your business to redirect the transaction to the bank for processing, as an intermediary of sorts, then a payment gateway would be ideal. If you would prefer a classic payment system that transfers money from the buyer to the seller via a protected processing centre then you should consider an internet acquiring service. 

There are a number of factors to consider in relation to the installation of a payment feature, such as the international reach of the system, transparent fees and charges, security and compliance and does the option you selected offer tech support?

Once you register on the payment platform’s website and your integration application is approved, you can choose your own method of integration, which will be provided to you by the payment service. 

Popular options include a payment button, which makes simple, quick transactions with minimal navigation, or online invoicing that generates and issues invoices via email or social media. 

Testing and maintenance

To ensure everything looks and operates as expected, thorough testing is required. Key focus should be on UI (user interface) and UX ( user experience), via usability testing and a website audit, which will indicate how users are interacting and determine if the website is optimised to reach traffic goals, respectively. 

Once you are live, you should make use of SEO and other analytics to ensure you are reaching your target audience. Word of mouth, social media and traditional forms of media are also great ways of promoting your new venture, with options for all, regardless of your budget. 

With a website, the work never really ends as the site will need constant updates as technology advances, but if you develop a routine that incorporates regular audits then progress will be gradual, rather than a large project undertaken once or twice a year. 

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