I have visited so many websites – including small business websites – on daily basis, mainly looking for information and checking out some great feature the websites have. Unfortunately, I often find myself lost in my search. Disappointed. Why?
Honestly, many of the small business websites I visited are simply, um, not well-designed. Some are poorly navigated; some are poorly written; some are, well, simply ugly. SEO-wise, many are simply not doing it at all, and some are simply doing it all wrong.
Please don’t get my honest review wrong… I assure you I’m not ranting. Instead I see untapped opportunity for someone entrepreneurial to contact those small business owners and offer their web design/development and SEO service. I also see that the online space is still very much open for small business owners who have a vision to focus on online marketing and promotion.
I am running such small business; I offer website building service, ranging from design to SEO. My clients are typically having established websites either in need of rejuvenating (design update) or something fixed.
I understand that one typical problem small business owners have is one: They don’t really understand how to build a website, let alone working on the SEO part. That’s why many small business websites fall flat, rammed by Google algorithm updates, which even some of the most popular websites can’t escape.
So, if you feel that you are one of such small business owners, no worries – you still have a chance to get things right.
I’m not going to give you tips on how to design a good website or how to SEO your small biz website. Instead, I’m going to give you some services that can help you build a small business website – at the lowest possible costs.
1. Small business website solutions
Instead of hiring a web designer, sign up for web hosting account and so on, you can try a suite, such as Yahoo! Small Business, offering you the ability to buy domain name, access free website design tools, web hosting, business email and so on – and have them managed in entirety by Yahoo! (Pricing starts from $6/month.)
There are also free business website builders, from which you can create a website and publish it free of charge. Companies like Puzl, Wix, and so on.
2. Crowdsource!
Crowdsourcing is growing in popularity. It’s basically having many people involved in your project. Want to crowdsource your website design? Try 99Designs. Want to outsource almost anything you can think of? Try Fiverr. Want to hire a pro – at an affordable rate? Try Freelancer.
3. Learning resources
Okay – what you just read above is just the tip of the iceberg – if you want more tips, you should go to these resources:
Build a Website for Your Small Business: 5 DIY Services
If you need a basic website to house and promote your business, these five services let you design, publish, and host your site for free–or for a small monthly fee–all from the comfort of your browser.
Top 5 Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make
5 common web design mistakes you must avoid to create a great user experience and grow your bottom line.
Top tips for designing a business website
Our experts shared their advice for optimising your website. Here is a roundup of the web design tips.
Six uncomplicated social SEO tips for small businesses
Here are six uncomplicated social SEO tips you can easily start implementing today.
7 small business SEO tips to help earn more business through traditional organic search rankings.
Takeaway
There are many alternatives you can take, other than Do-It-Yourself your small business website design or hire an inexperienced web designer. So, if you do have some suggestions, please let us know!
