8 Steps To Build A Small Business Website in 2023 (For Free)

Every customer and every penny is important for a small business. While that is the case, in this digital environment, it is also important for your small business to have an online presence. In such a situation, going to a web development company and spending your capital doesn’t make sense. In that case, there are multiple online tools and technologies that allow you to DIY your business website.

You can build a stunning website without any prior experience. All the tools are extremely affordable and can help you build your online presence with pennies. This article will explain what tools you can use to build your website while being on a tight budget. However, the best way to solidify your brand and make your message consistent across platforms is to hire the best Web Development Companies in Chennai to build a website. You can get to it once you grow your business and are ready to reinvest your profit into the company’s growth.

The following are our best suggestions for building your own website:

Decide Your Website’s Primary Goal

Websites serve as the gateway to your brand. It speaks for you and your brand 24×7, even when you are not available. Hence, your website should talk precisely to your audience without any bloated explanations/ jargon. Ensure that the website contains complete general descriptions of the company, the products or services that you offer, as well as a way to reach you. The purpose of the website is to make sure your target audience can reach you easily without any hassle. Build your business website while constantly reminding yourself of the same. Make an effort to plan the theme and design, how to market your website, and perhaps most importantly, how much money you are willing to spend on website development in advance.

Choose A Website Builder

The best choice for a beginner small business owner to build a website would be using a website builder. With a website builder you can easily,

  • Customize your website fonts, color schemes, and other design elements to suit your business requirements.

  • Set up an online store and online booking services using the built-in plugins and tools.

  • Use on-brand email campaigns to promote their business, connect with their audience, and expand it.

Some of the budget-friendly website builders are:

  • WordPress – ₹1260/month
  • Wix – ₹499/month
  • GoDaddy – ₹500/month

Get Hold Of An Excellent Domain Name

Frequently, the gateway to your website is your domain name. It must leave a positive first impression in order to be effective for both search engine optimization and usability (SEO). It must also rightly represent your brand and make it a household name.

When choosing your website’s address, keep the following in mind:

  • Ensure that it is simple to spell.
  • Try to keep it as brief as you can.
  • Include keywords that are related to your industry.
When it comes to buying a domain name, the average cost is around ₹800 – 1500/year.

Get A Reliable And Consistent Hosting Plan

And, because going online is now the norm for businesses, it is critical to discuss the hosting options that are appropriate for your small business. To choose the best plan, you must first find an affordable and dependable web host who can effectively assist you in your online success.

A dependable web hosting company can mean the difference between your company’s success and failure. Although dedicated hosting is significantly more expensive, you will have access to a private server and won’t be forced to compete with other websites that might slow down your speed. Some website builders such as Wix, and GoDaddy offer hosting services along with builders. The average cost of a web hosting plan for a small business is around ₹300 – 800/month.

Personalize Your Website Via Using Themes And Templates

Free themes are a fantastic starting point for any business owner who wants to build a basic or even extensive site without incurring too much expense. An easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor is frequently included with website builders, along with pre-made templates for your website. In its official repository, WordPress offers more than 9,000 themes. Additionally, you can sort each theme by subject, features, and layout to find the ideal one for your small business website. In short, you can get themes based on your niche and customize them for your business website. The average cost of a premium theme and template (as a one-time purchase) is ₹4000 – 6000.

Once done, your website is ready for marketing. Marketing is a process and you can only do basic marketing if you don’t have extensive knowledge. However, that isn’t to say you shouldn’t try. Try the following basic things to get started with your website marketing. You can hire a professional marketing agency once you grow your business.

Strengthen Your SEO

Your small business website can become more visible through SEO, which will also help you draw in more clients. SEO is a process that needs consistent effort. As a small business owner, you would have your priorities scattered all over the place. The best practice would be to optimize your website for SEO and work consistently for a set amount of time every week. 

SEO involves the following steps,

  • Choosing the right keywords to use in your posts and pages
  • Website speed optimization – which comes with the right hosting and theme.
  • Making sure your website is mobile-friendly.
  • Including links on your site, both internal and external

Do your basic research and learn what is what and get started. The higher your site ranks on search engine result pages, the better would be your reach. Once you reach a place where you can spend on marketing, you can hire an SEO agency that can help you. A good SEO agency usually charges anywhere around ₹15000 – 40000/month based on their size and experience.

Create And Publish Content Frequently

You must update your website with fresh, important and relevant content as frequently as possible if you want to rank highly in search engine results and draw visitors back time and time again. Ensure that the tone of your content is appropriate, consistent, and enjoyable to read.

Again, this can be similar to your SEO strategy, where you spend a fixed amount of time every month on producing content for your website. This would add to your website strength and would improve your chances of ranking higher easier once you work with a SEO agency.

Total Cost and Breakdown

S. No Description Average Cost/ Month (₹)
1 Website Builder 700
2 Domain Name 100
3 Hosting Plan 500
4 Website Theme 5000 (One-Time)
5 Other Work - SEO, Content Free - Just Need Your Time
Total Average Cost/ Month (₹) 1300

The theme is a one-time purchase and would not come under monthly cost. 

Conclusion

As stated before, as a growing business you can do it yourself. Just get started. Build your website and grow your business. At the start, you would have tight budgets and a lot of things to accomplish. Make a simple website and focus on the important things. Don’t spend your time and money with an agency, yet. Once you got your return on investment, that you are confident to invest back on the business go ahead and connect with the best web developers in Chennai.

For your new website, invest on custom design and development so that your brand stays fresh and unique. Looking for support on your digital journey? Connect with Absolute App Labs today – A Leading Web Development Company in Chennai.

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