Everything you need to launch your business website, from domain setup and design to SEO, security, analytics, and launch-day testing.
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Domain and Hosting Setup
Register your domain name
A .com domain costs $10-$15 per year. Register for 2-3 years minimum and enable auto-renewal. Expired domains can be purchased by resellers within hours and may cost $500-$5,000 to buy back.
Confirm the domain matches your business name
Enable domain privacy protection to hide your personal info
Choose a web hosting provider
Shared hosting costs $5-$15 per month and works for most small business sites. Managed hosting costs $25-$100 per month but includes automatic updates and security. Choose a host with 99.9%+ uptime guarantees.
Set up an SSL certificate for HTTPS security
Most hosting providers include free SSL certificates. If not, you can get one for free through a certificate authority. Sites without HTTPS show a 'Not Secure' warning in browsers and rank lower in search results.
Configure your domain DNS to point to your hosting
DNS changes take 24-48 hours to fully propagate worldwide. Make this change at least 3 days before your planned launch date. Verify propagation using an online DNS checker tool before going live.
Design and Content
Plan your site structure and page hierarchy
Most small business websites need 5-8 pages: Home, About, Services/Products, Contact, FAQ, and 1-2 landing pages. Map out the navigation before designing. Users should reach any page in 3 clicks or fewer.
List all pages needed for launch
Create a simple navigation structure
Write compelling copy for each page
Write for your customer, not about yourself. Lead with the problem you solve, not your company history. Average reading time for a business webpage is 52 seconds, so front-load the most important information.
Source and prepare professional images
Original photos outperform stock images by 35% in engagement. If using stock photos, choose images that feel authentic and match your brand. Compress all images to under 200KB each to maintain fast page load times.
Design a clear call-to-action on every page
Every page should have one primary action you want visitors to take: call, email, buy, or book. Place your CTA above the fold and repeat it at the bottom. Buttons with action verbs ('Get a Quote', 'Book Now') convert 25-30% better than generic labels.
Create a contact page with multiple ways to reach you
Include phone, email, a contact form, and your physical address (if applicable). Businesses with a visible phone number on their website receive 40% more inquiries than those with email only.
SEO Fundamentals
Write unique title tags and meta descriptions for each page
Title tags should be under 60 characters and include your primary keyword. Meta descriptions should be 150-160 characters and include a call to action. These are what users see in search results before clicking.
Add alt text to all images
Describe each image in 5-15 words. Alt text helps search engines understand your images and makes your site accessible to screen readers. About 8.1 million Americans use screen readers, so this is both an SEO and accessibility requirement.
Create and submit your sitemap to search engines
Most website platforms generate a sitemap automatically at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. Submit it through search console tools to speed up indexing. New sites typically start appearing in search results within 1-4 weeks after submission.
Set up a free listing with major search engines
Claim your business profile on the major search and mapping platforms. Complete every field: business hours, photos, services, and description. Businesses with complete listings receive 7x more clicks than incomplete ones.
Install analytics tracking on all pages
Set up free web analytics before launch so you capture data from day one. Add your tracking code to every page via the site header. Also set up basic goals: form submissions, phone clicks, and email clicks.
Technical Testing
Test the website on mobile, tablet, and desktop
Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Use your browser's device emulation tool to test at least 3 screen sizes. Pay special attention to text readability, button tap targets (at least 44x44 pixels), and image scaling.
Test on at least 2 different mobile screen sizes
Verify all buttons and links are easy to tap on mobile
Test all forms and contact methods
Submit every form on your site and verify the email arrives at the correct inbox. Test your phone number links (tel: links) on a real phone. About 30% of contact forms break during launch because the delivery email is misconfigured.
Check page load speed
Your pages should load in under 3 seconds on a mobile connection. Use a free speed testing tool to identify issues. The most common fixes are compressing images, enabling browser caching, and minimizing code files.
Test all internal and external links
Use a free broken link checker to scan your entire site. A single broken link on your homepage can reduce trust with visitors. Check that external links open in new tabs so visitors do not leave your site.
Launch and Post-Launch
Remove any 'under construction' or placeholder content
Search every page for placeholder text like 'Lorem ipsum' or 'coming soon.' Check image alt tags and page footers too — these are commonly missed. Have someone unfamiliar with the site do a final review.
Set up website backups
Configure automatic daily backups and verify that restoring from a backup actually works. Hosting providers often include backups, but test the restore process — 23% of businesses that lose their website data without backups fail within 2 years.
Announce your website launch
Share on all social media platforms, email your contact list, and add the URL to your business cards and email signature. Include a direct link in your announcement — posts with links generate 3x more traffic than those without.
Monitor analytics for the first 30 days
Check your analytics weekly during the first month. Track page views, bounce rate, time on site, and which pages get the most traffic. If a page has a bounce rate above 70%, the content or design likely needs improvement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to build a business website?
A DIY website on Squarespace or Wix costs $16-$45 per month including hosting and a custom domain. WordPress with a premium theme runs $5-$30 per month for hosting plus $50-$200 for the theme. Hiring a freelance web designer costs $2,000-$10,000 for a 5-10 page site. Agencies charge $10,000-$50,000+. For most small businesses launching on a budget, Squarespace or WordPress delivers a professional result for under $500 in the first year.
Should I use WordPress, Squarespace, or Shopify for my business?
WordPress offers the most flexibility and scales best for content-heavy sites with blogs and SEO goals — 43% of all websites run on WordPress. Squarespace is ideal for service businesses, portfolios, and restaurants that want a polished design with minimal maintenance. Shopify is purpose-built for e-commerce and handles product management, payments, and shipping out of the box. If you sell physical products online, start with Shopify. If not, choose between WordPress (more control) and Squarespace (less maintenance).
How long does it take to build a business website?
A simple 5-page website on Squarespace or Wix takes 1-2 weeks if content and images are ready. A custom WordPress site takes 3-6 weeks with a freelancer. Agency projects typically run 8-16 weeks from kickoff to launch. The biggest delay is almost always content — writing copy, gathering photos, and getting client approvals. Start writing your page content and collecting brand photos before hiring anyone.
Do I need SSL for my business website?
Yes, and it is non-negotiable in 2026. Google Chrome and other browsers display a Not Secure warning for sites without SSL, which drives away 85% of online shoppers. SSL (HTTPS) encrypts data between your site and visitors, protecting form submissions, login credentials, and payment info. Most hosting providers include a free SSL certificate through Lets Encrypt. Squarespace, Shopify, and managed WordPress hosts enable SSL automatically.
What pages does every business website need?
Five core pages cover most small businesses: Home (value proposition and clear call to action), About (your story and team), Services or Products (what you offer with pricing if applicable), Contact (form, phone, address, business hours), and a Privacy Policy (legally required if you collect any user data). Adding a blog or FAQ page significantly boosts SEO by giving search engines fresh, keyword-rich content to index.