Building an Affordable Small Business Web Site

One That Looks Professional, Loads Fast, and Shows up in Search Results

Big or small, every business must have a website. But that website need not be expensive to build, host or update.

In fact, with a little bit of training and practice, most entrepreneurs or their small business staffers can add content to a website themselves, without the help of the ‘webmaster’ who originally built the site.

In many cases, I suggest entrepreneurs and small business people create a “professionally-developed do-it-yourself” website.

How? By letting a professional create a website framework underpinned with WordPress, an open-source content management system (CMS) that is easy to update by a do-it-yourselfer.

Of course, this suggestion assumes that you have the time and desire to really do the work required after the ‘professionally-developed’ part is done. Be realistic! If you are already stretched thin running your business, you won’t find new time to work on your website. If that is the case, you should consider complementing the initial site design with a monthly or quarterly package of ongoing content creation, plus the implementation of other online marketing strategies.

But if you can devote 4-5 hours per week to creating worthwhile content about your products or services, then the hybrid idea of a pro-built site with content that you add yourself is the perfect boot-strapping marketing solution.

Not sure you have the tech skills to create and manage the content of a WordPress blog? Here’s a simple test to pre-qualify yourself: if you can layout a professional-looking Microsoft Word document with headlines and pictures and well-written copy, you can handle posting content to WordPress.

[IMPORTANT NOTE: these suggestions are not directed toward businesses that need e-commerce sites, but for general marketing websites. If you want to sell product directly from your website, I strongly suggest partnering with a professional. True e-commerce success requires significant knowledge and constant development and marketing.]

 
So what’s the process for getting your own customized simple-to-update website?

First, let’s find an appropriate domain at an inexpensive registrar. If you already have an existing domain name, we can use that too.

Then hosting options must be discussed, typically requiring a server package secured under your own name and credit card.

Why do I suggest that you create both the hosting and domain accounts in your name? Control and cost-savings. Considerate web developers want you to set up the hosting account and register the domain(s) using your own credit card and contact information. Others will prefer to do it for you, because then they control your domain name and your hosting account. That way, they can mark up the costs. It also means you will always need their help when you want to change, update or move your site. Don’t get stuck: register domains and set up hosting under your own name or the name of your business. That way, it will be YOUR domain and YOUR hosting account always, and never under the control of someone else. (Plus you’ll pay exactly the amount it costs without markups!)

Once you have a hosting account and domain, you’ll need to activate WordPress on your server. It is a bit technical to do correctly. Your choices are: 1) you can read all of the instructions yourself, post the code, then correctly configure the required settings; or 2) you can hire me (or someone like me) to set it up for you.

I charge a reasonable hourly rate to get the backend framework set up, to create a custom site design that matches what you want to accomplish, and to teach you how to use the backend system to create and post content.

Usually, a starter WordPress site project takes 5-6 hours to get everything setup with a very basic design, and to create and provide the ‘instruction manual’ for your particular account. Of course, if you want me to write or develop more robust content about you and your business, that’s additional hourly work.

But that’s the beauty of WordPress: once it’s activated, theme designed and fully functioning, that startup expense is done. After that, you simply add content to it on your own via pages and posts. Since the primary template stays the same across those categories, pages and posts, your newly added content will always look great.

In the end, it’s all a matter of what you want to accomplish and how much you want to do yourself. So please be direct and talk to me about exactly what you want.

If you want a complete e-commerce site, I welcome such a discussion. If you are not a ‘do-it-yourselfer’, I understand that, too. I am happy to manage a site project from start through forever.

Make sense? Sound good? Then please get in touch!

 
Allen Freeman
Cleveland Creative Inc.
8069 Amber Lane, Brecksville, OH 44141
216.577.8756
Email me