What is a website?

A website refers to a collection of related web pages where an individual business or corporation stores its information online. It is a collection of publicly accessible interlinked web pages that share a single domain.
A web page is a simple document displayable by the browser. It has a unique uniform resource locator that identifies it. It also contains other resources like images, scripts, and style sheets.
A domain name is a string of texts that maps to a unique IP address that directs searchers to a website using a browser. Users use the domain name to identify computers on the internet. Domain name registration allows users to own and use it to build a website for any intended purpose.

Types of websites with examples

● Blog website – Provides information on various topics. It enables owners to write long-form content about issues and industries. An example is Seth’s blog (seth.blog) is published daily by legendary marketer Seth Godin.
● Business website – Enable business owners to sell their services and products. They include web pages displaying services, business stories, and contact information for businesses. www.sadjawebsolutions.com is a great example.
● Ecommerce websites are online stores that allow you to sell products online. Most web pages include product sections, checkout, and shopping carts. An example is www.blendject.com.
● Membership websites – Enables site owners to only gate some resources for paid members. It can be an online magazine or publication. For instance, www.Theinformation.com.
Generally, many different websites exist, like online forum websites, non-profit organizations, and portfolio websites, creating an online presence for businesses and individuals.

Why is a website essential?

Websites give an online presence to businesses and organizations. Here are reasons why your business needs a website;
● 93% of all searches start at Google. People begin their buying decision with a quick on the company website.
● In the age of massive competition across industries, having a well-designed website signals professionalism.
● Websites build business credibility and trust when users can browse them and get the necessary information before making a buying decision.
● It acts are a free marketing channel through search engine rankings. Additionally, if you add SEO content, your website will appear on the first page for specific keywords generating leads and sales.
● You can share company updates and announcements through your website.
● Websites save businesses time on customer support because the FAQs section answers the most common questions for customers.
● You showcase your brand to potential customers and stand out from the competition.

Steps before creating a website

1. Pick your website builder.
There exist several website builders to choose from, with top examples like;
– WordPress
– Wix
– GoDaddy
A website builder is a tool that amplifies your website, making its user experience and interface user-friendly. It’s essential to do your research before settling on any website builder.
Some of the factors to consider include;
● Cost – Depending on your budget, website builder pricing will determine the platform you choose to build your website on and the possibility of future scaling.
● Support – In the event you need guidance from the company support team. This depends on the kind of website you are designing. Consider website builders with complete tutorials and 24/7 customer support to guide you.
● Technical know-how – The learning curve for some platforms is not worth your time if you don’t have any technical background. Consider website builders you can easily drag & drop and edit in a few hours.
2. Get a web hosting plan.
Web hosting is a type of internet service that hosts websites for clients. Depending on your website budget, a reliable web hosting provider has the following features;
– Built-in security features to protect your website from fraud and hacking, such as SSL Certificate and automated backups
– Bandwidth and storage scalability features to cater to your future growth.
– 24/7 customer support communication channels like live chat or emails.
3. Get a Domain name.
Registering a domain name for your website is essential for customers to locate you on the web. A custom domain name will drive organic traffic to your site.
To find the right domain, consider these two factors;
● An easy-to-recognize domain name is short, clear, and easy to spell for users. Consider relatable words that visitors will easily remember.
● Use a domain name checker to determine the domain’s availability and price.

How can you design a stunning website?

Designing your website may be scary if you have no technical background. However, you can drag & drop templates to build your dream website with website builders like WordPress.
Here are the steps to designing a stunning website from scratch;
1. Decide on the purpose of the website.
Start by figuring out the purpose of the website. Are you trying to sell services or products?
This question will help you determine;
– What kind of web pages to design and publish ( about us page, pricing page, product pages)
– The type of content you want to feature ( images, blogs, product descriptions)
– If you need to add any technical requirements to the website, like email integration or shipping partners.
2. Research the latest website design trends
Sufficient research on the kind of designs trending will help you find a competitive edge against the competition when designing the website.
During the research, shadow 3-5 top competitors in your industry by checking the following;
– The about us page to understand what makes them unique
– The pricing page gets design ideas and makes price comparisons
– What kind of content is written for their blog section
– What happy customers are saying about them in the testimonial section
– Their social media links and which ones they are focusing on most.
– How their email lead magnet works
3. Choose your website builder.
The best website builder to choose must meet the following criteria;
● It provides access to thousands of high-resolution images to add to your pages.
● Should automatically make your website mobile-friendly
● Make it easy to integrate all necessary tools, like marketing solutions, into your website.
● Provide reliable and affordable web hosting services on the platform.
● Automatically secure your website from cyberattacks using encryptions like SSL certificates.
4. Add and optimize the website.
You want to build a website that you can add, remove, edit and optimize using available resources provided by your website builder. Here is the checklist of what you should be able to do;
● Add and remove pages that don’t align with your desired design.
● Customize what goes into your navigation menu
● East integration of external tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel
● Add social icons like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram
● Manage individual website pages by editing the titles and descriptions and adding different content formats.
● Design your content ( buttons, links, images, icons, etc.)
● Add payment, shipping, and inventory partners easily.
5. Set the website live.
Before you publish your website, double-check if everything looks stunning using the ‘Preview’ feature. Don’t expect everything to be perfect, as you can keep improving on the design as the website grows.

Who needs a professionally designed website?

Any business that wants to tap into the potential of an online presence needs a professionally designed website. You can design it using website builders like WordPress or hire a website development company to create it from scratch.
A professionally designed website will help improve the status of your company in the industry as well as make your competitors take you seriously.