Running a business is no walk in the park, especially when the government closes everything down months at a time.
Now, more than ever, creating an online presence is no longer optional, but crucial to keep your business alive and thriving. In this article, I’ll share some tips on how to create your business website.
DIY VS. WEB DESIGNER
The first question you may have is, “Can I do it myself?” There are a plethora of DIY website builders out there, but I’d like to focus on the only one I feel is worth mentioning: Wix.com – based on its user friendly platform that many people can figure out.
Wix is a good choice for you if:
- You’re tech savvy
- You need a basic informational website
- Your basic site will suit you long term
Wix offers a robust template gallery, an easy to use page builder, and lots of modules to help expand your website. That being said, from experience, Wix is great, but only if you know your way around the computer, and are open to learning a new platform.
What many of my clients have found is that it takes a LOT longer than they expected. They were hoping for a quick DIY solution, but it is definitely a process if you want to get it right. Another thing people don’t realize is that if you want to add e-commerce to your site, your monthly costs are going to quickly add up. If you want the basic ability to accept payments online, you have to pay at least $17-$25/month – way higher than the average web hosting fees.
Which is why, if you fall into any of these categories, I do not recommend using Wix.
- You are not tech savvy
- You plan to expand your basic site in the future
- E-commerce stores
- Blogs
- Advanced websites
Wix websites cannot be moved to another platform easily, which is why I recommend against using the platform if you plan on selling online in the future at all- You don’t want all that time you put into creating your website to go to waste.
Using WordPress
If you fall into any of the above categories, I highly recommend using WordPress. WordPress is a platform that can handle sites of all sizes – from basic landing pages, all the way up to a multi- vendor marketplace, and everything in between. While a tech savvy person can navigate WordPress using the right tutorials (reach out and I can help you get started), it’s recommended to hire an expert for the smoothest experience.
An expert will guide you through the process, make sure you have all the content you need, and work with you to create a professional website for your business. You’ll pay more upfront, but save a ton on monthly costs.
Schedule a consultation to see how we can help your site come to life.
Domain names and Web hosting
The next thing to talk about, is Web hosting and domain names. If your website is a house, a domain name is your street address, and the web hosting is the piece of land your house is built on.
Domain Names
Domain names usually run around $10/year, give or take a few dollars. In your search you may run into Premium Domains – which could run into the thousands. Most people will just change their domain a bit, to avoid those charges. For example if yourwebsite.com is taken or Premium, you can try your-website.com, and see what you find. You may even want to try a new domain ending like .io, .info, .org, etc.
Domain Names in Israel
Speaking of Domain names, let’s talk about their use for Israeli run businesses. Should you buy a .co.il, or a .com? Well, it depends: Who is your target audience? If your target audience is both here and in the US, then you’ll want to skip the .co.il.
Country specific domain names are great when you don’t plan on doing business anywhere other than that country. So if you run a doula service in Jerusalem, and you don’t plan on moving back, you may want to go with a .co.il. Another factor to consider is that if your audience is specifically Anglos in Israel, you may want to go with a .com, since that’s what they’re used to.
Web hosting
This next piece is critical. Your web hosting company is a super important factor to consider. This could mean the difference between a slow vs fast website, lots of downtime vs none at all, free backup’s vs a lost website if something goes wrong, and more. Here are some things you should look for in a web host, and some
recommendations:
- At least 99.99% Uptime
- Free SSL certificate(there is no reason to pay for this-if they want you to, move on)
- Free regular backups: not all hosts offer this, but it’s worth finding one that does
- Excellent support
At Flyhost.me – we provide all of the above, plus some perks like fully managed hosting by a real person, Uptime monitoring, and Best Price Domain Search service. I can also recommend Chemicloud or Fastcomet. They offer all the features above, with great support. Try to avoid the big names like Godaddy and Hostmonster. They tend to overcharge for basic features, and don’t perform as well as they should.
And look out: Most web hosts offer an amazing discount for the first year, usually between $2- 5/month. Make sure you check the renewal price! I have had many clients completely shocked when their web hosting bill jumps through the roof. After renewal you should not need to pay more than ~$10/month for a basic hosting account.
In conclusion
Building a website can be a daunting task, and I hope I was able to break it down for you, so you can take this next exciting step in your business. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.