Whether you’re starting a new business or growing an existing business, you need a website. Today’s consumers expect businesses to have websites. They consider a website to be a sign of a reputable business. They want the convenience of learning more about a business whenever they want… and without having to talk to anyone. You simply can’t afford not to have a business website. The problem is that many business owners are intimidated about setting up their own website. We’re here to put your minds at ease. Here are 6 simple steps to help you create a professional business website. Step 1: Choose a business name with an available web domain. Step 2: Get a custom logo designed. Step 3: Choose a web hosting service. Step 4: Register your domain. Step 5: Get your website design. Step 6: Hire a developer to code and deploy your site. Here’s what you need to know… Step 1: Choose a business name with an available web domain. You know that your business will eventually need a website. We suggest that you start planning for that right from the start. That means keeping your web domain in mind when choosing your business name. Today, businesses race to stake their claims to web domains. Having a prime web domain increases the chances that your business will be found by your customers – they’re valuable internet real estate. So, when choosing your business name, make sure that there’s an accompanying web domain available for your business. A common mistake we often see: a business operates under one name but a completely different web domain. This will only confuse your customers and prospective customers. So, what makes a good web domain? The best domains are short, include your business name, and feature a common domain extension – like “.com.” This makes the website easy for customers and clients to find and remember. While .com domains remain the most popular, .net, .biz, .org, .edu, and .io have grown in usage and are worth considering. Aim for a domain that is simply “yourbusinessname.com.” But, it’s also a good idea if you have a small budget, to register any parallel domains (sunshine.com, sunshine.biz, sunshine.net, etc.) and then redirect them to your main website. This way, if a customer searches and gets the domain extension wrong, they’ll still find your business. So, as you consider your top business name options, check to see which names are available as a strong domain. If a nice, short domain featuring your business name of choice is not available, you may want to consider a different name that does have an available web domain. Searching for a Web Domain: To verify that an acceptable web domain for a particular name is available, search here. Your web host may eventually help you register your domain, but avoid domain searches affiliated with web hosting services. Many hosting services will buy the domain you searched (if you don’t buy it immediately) and then offer to sell it back to..
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