Although the prospect of setting up a website is potentially daunting, it doesn’t have to be. So long as you’re prepared and know just how to go about it, you’ll be fine. Here are the necessary features to consider when building your very own site.
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Hosting providers that cater to you
When it comes to choosing a hosting provider for your site, there are countless options to consider. It all comes down to what you want to get from your site – are you looking to keep your store relatively small and independent, or are you looking to expand and grow quickly?
If you’re opting for the latter, consider a dedicated server upon whichever hosting provider you decide to go with. A dedicated server is all yours, and eliminates the risk of your site going down should you receive a larger amount of traffic than usual.
However, should you not need to worry about gaining plenty of customers, a shared server is best for you. Although you won’t have it to yourself, effectively investing trust in whoever you’re sharing with, you will make a dramatic saving on your expenditure towards building your site.
The design to draw customers in
When creating the visuals for your site, it’s important to consider how your customers will see it and if it’s engaging enough for them to stay and explore further. Many sites fall behind in this aspect, with bloated and complicated layouts driving people away instead of drawing them in.
Websites are currently opting for a flat, minimalistic and clean design, so it would make sense to do the same. Although it’s usually good to stand out, do it for the right reasons – a garish, unpleasant design isn’t going to do wonders for drawing new visitors in or keeping the old ones around.
Your URL to make it your own
Depending on which platform you use to actually create your website – WordPress and Wix are currently two of the most popular – it’s likely your URL will come tagged with said platform, making your website look less professional and more inexperienced beginner.
Secure your own custom URL in order to boost your website into professional territory. It’s not expensive to do and will make your site both more trustworthy and accessible, especially when it comes to sharing the link.
The security of your site
Don’t allow yourself to be compromised.Employ an effective level of security upon your site in order to ensure you’re not at risk of any threats, including malware, stealing of information or entry attempts from people you don’t know.
There are plenty of ways you can ensure the safety of your site, but one of the most effective can be done yourself. Make sure details are confidential and not easy to guess, including credentials for different logins. If you’re not taking the right precautions, you won’t be at as much of a risk.
An effective line of communication
Be sure to establish an effective line of communication with your customers. With communication comes trust, and if these customers can always reach you in at least one way, they’ll be trusting enough to return to your site.
Phone calls are absolutely the most effective way to communicate with your customers, to provide a phone line if possible. If not, a dedicated email is also a good idea. Promise your customers a response within a suitable time frame and always fulfill this, and they’ll be just as likely to come back.
Your branding to make it uniquely you
Last but not least, you need to create a brand for yourself. A site identity is paramount for establishing a trustworthy business, and it flows through each and every part of the website, from the logo and the design to the way you communicate with visitors and customers.
Be sure to establish a brand that is welcoming to your target demographic, whilst also being engaging, intriguing and forward-thinking.
Do you have your own tips to suggest in the way of creating a website? Let us know in the comments below.
