We can all unanimously agree that shopping trends in the last two years have largely shifted to the digital-first approach. Now more than ever, businesses are delving into the eCommerce space to meet customers where they are. This is the perfect opportunity for small and medium businesses to create an eCommerce store to reach a wider audience and sustain. In this article, we’ll explore the essential things to know before building a small business website.
Reports suggest that in the near future, smaller retailers are likely to see 30% higher mobile conversion rates compared to their larger counterparts. Therefore —as a small brand— if you have not yet delved into the eCommerce space, now is the great time to start.
In 2020, eCommerce sales globally amounted to $4.9 trillion and it’s expected to grow to $5.4 trillion by the end of 2022. Going by the trend of small business owners taking their business online in 2021, we can expect more small business websites to come up in 2022. In 2023 total worldwide e-retail sales, which to $6.5 trillion in 2023.
However, building a website from a scratch is not easy with way too many data points to take into consideration and compliance guidelines to follow. However, known basic things will help you take your business to the next level. In this article, we will guide you through the five most basic but essential things to know before building a small business website.
Choose a Unique Yet Simple Domain Name Building a Small Business Website
Choosing and buying a domain name is one of the first and most important steps towards building a website. Avoid choosing a domain name that’s too long, generic, or similar to competitor brands. Ideally, your domain name should be very short, easy to remember, and relevant to your niche.
Your domain name will be your identity on the web and therefore you must choose one that not only reflects your brand identity but is also easier to find and promote. The best domain names are easier to type, are memorable, and convey what your brand is all about.
To begin with, choose a domain name that doesn’t have any trademarked or copyrighted material. To have a good recall value, try to get a domain name as close to your brand name as possible. Once you find the perfect domain name for your website, don’t waste any time registering your small business website.
A Powerful Website Builder
The next step is to find a powerful yet easy-to-use website builder. A good website builder will provide all the necessary backend tools that are required to create a functional website. Make sure that the builder you pick has a drag-and-drop UI and the ability to add interactive elements like videos, maps, and images.
There are low-code or no-code website building services, which are helpful for founders with a non-technical background to get the desired interface. You can draw out a ‘low code vs no code’ comparison to determine what’s ideal for your situation. Moreover, a good builder will also provide a host of ready-made website templates to pick from.
This way you wouldn’t have to start from scratch when designing your first eCommerce website. If you’re just starting, choose a service with 24/7 on-call support to address your issues whenever and wherever.
A Cohesive Design Language Building a Small Business Website
The website design for small businesses is their first impression on the web. So, it could make it or break it for them. Therefore, its imperative for the website to have an impressive yet easy-to-use interface and design.
Web design is one of the most important factors when it comes to eCommerce websites. A well laid out and cohesive website design will result in a great customer experience. Potentially leading to more conversion in terms of sales.
eCommerce websites are as much about the backend services as the frontend elements. Therefore, it’s a must to implement a cohesive brand and design language across the entire website. According to a report, around 38% of website visitors often leave a website due to a bad or outdated website design.
Therefore, focus on providing your website visitors with a consistent and unique experience. Pick your logo, color palette, and visual elements to reflect who you are as a brand and reflect it on your business website.
Quality Content Across the Website
Your website must have relevant and crisp content to rank better on SERPs or Search Engine Ranking Pages. Whenever your website is set to go live, ensure that it has accurate and quality content related to your niche.
Integrate a blog on the website and use it to put up. As well as persuasive articles to improve SEO performance and attract potential leads. Experiment with leadership content, whitepapers, and articles to build your website’s domain authority and trust.
An Efficient Website Hosting Service
Most small businesses have a limited budget to begin with. This means that they don’t have the resources to manage a personal web server for their website. Website hosting is having dedicated space on online servers to store the website data. While this is different from having a domain name, most domain name registration websites also offer web hosting services.
One of the best options for smaller businesses that are looking to operate on a smaller scale is to opt for shared hosting. Look for a dedicated and specialist web host that specializes in the eCommerce space instead of bundle offers. Before picking the web hosting service, analyze the server demands of your website. So, requirement, and do due diligence to pick the one that best fits your requirements.
These are the five essential factors that any small business needs to focus on when creating an eCommerce website. These will not only help in saving money but also in launching a small business website quickly.
