Things you need to get a website up and running

check_circleGet a domain

Choosing a hosting platform is the first step in creating a website. You can pick from several various possibilities. When using WordPress.com, for instance, you may easily set up a free blog on a free sub-domain, or you can opt for a self-hosted site with your unique domain name.

It is undeniable that having your domain name adds a lot of credibility (and not a sub-domain). When you’re trying to establish trustworthiness, professionalism, and a distinct brand identity for your website and business, a free sub-domain isn’t the best option.

check_circleGet a domain email address

Having an email address like you@yourdomain.com is only one perk of utilizing your domain name. Your website will gain the legitimacy and professionalism it needs with a custom domain email address. A lack of a professional domain email address can turn off potential customers.

If you need an attorney, would you write to ABCLaw@ABCLawPractices.com or ABCLaw@hotmail?

Because of the increased professionalism, credibility, and trustworthiness conveyed by a custom domain email address, you and many others are likely to contact ABCLaw@ABCLawPractices.com.

check_circleChoose a website-building application or platform

Website planning follows the selection of a domain name. Numerous programs and web-based frameworks facilitate the creation of websites. Some people enjoy the challenge of coding up a website from scratch, while others are dedicated WordPress users, but many more prefer the ease and accessibility of online drag-and-drop website builders.

There are a lot of different options out there for drag-and-drop website builders, and it can be difficult to choose the ideal one. While each has its advantages and disadvantages, they all accomplish the same goal: making it possible for anybody, from novices to seasoned designers, to build a whole website using a drag-and-drop editor with no coding expertise or experience required.

Wix, aaa-wa.com, Weebly, and Squarespace are just some of the many drag-and-drop website builders out there.

check_circleCreate and customize your website with a design template

Being faced with a blank page and no idea how to fill it is a terrifying prospect. For this reason, most website builders provide you with a collection of website design templates to use as a foundation for your unique creation.

You can have a high-quality website up and running quickly and easily with no prior knowledge of web design or the need to pay for a professional web designer if you use a website design template.

Keep in mind that not all design layouts are the same. You’ll find both minimal, bare-bones layouts and elaborate, feature-packed ones among the available templates. Templates are pre-made layouts that may be modified to suit a variety of websites.

You can modify the look of your site by altering its color scheme, font style, page backdrop, etc. after you’ve chosen a template design and the appropriate page layouts. There is no need to write or modify any codes; everything can be done within the editor. While it is true that a certain amount of technical expertise and experience is required, certain website builders allow you to alter the template at the code level.

check_circleAdd visual elements: logos and images

To improve the user experience, the conversion rate, the branding, and the aesthetics of your website, graphic components are a must. Websites without any sort of visual content are boring. However, photographs should be used on a website with the same level of deliberation as the rest of the site’s components.

Use high-quality, original photos as a rule of thumb.

There are a few different approaches you can take when designing a logo for your company or website. A logo can be created in a variety of ways, including with the help of a professional designer, a logo maker, or by your hand. You should only use professional-grade graphics and photographs on your website. Even the most carefully crafted website will fail to wow visitors if it’s littered with blurry photos and stock images that look like they were taken from a cheap stock photo website. To get the best photographs for your website, it is best to engage a professional photographer. Why not try making the picture yourself if you have the time and skill to do so? You can also use stock photographs if you’re short on funds or time for photography.

There is a plethora of excellent stock pictures available online for free and for a small fee.

For example,

 

check_circleGet website hosting

You should now publish your website online for access from any device. Simply put, a web host is a company that offers server space for websites. Browsers will automatically retrieve your site’s material from your web server when users perform an Internet search for your business.

There are various options for web hosting; picking one will depend on factors like the amount of protection you require, the volume of traffic you anticipate, etc. To get started, though, shared hosting is usually the best bet because it’s both cheap and simple to administer (the provider handles all the technical details).

Hosting your website is taken care of for you when you choose a website builder like Wix or aaa-wa.com.

check_circleSign up for Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a tool for analyzing how visitors engage with your website.

You may learn a lot about your website visitors, including how many you have, when they visit, which pages they viewed the most, and even where they came from. With this information, you can better comprehend your audience and determine which parts of your website require attention.

Google Analytics is widely used and is supported by most website builders. After signing up for Google Analytics, all you have to do is put the tracking ID it gives you into your website builder’s settings.

Keep in mind that certain website creation platforms have an integrated analytics dashboard. You can always rely on the in-house web statistics tool in place of Google Analytics.

check_circleSetup PayPal®

You will need a method to collect financial data if you intend to sell goods and services or take donations via your website.

To take payments online, PayPal® is a fantastic option. The only thing you need is a PayPal® business account, as it is supported by most website builders.