5 top tips for starting your own website

Starting a website can be an exciting time. Not only does it give you a chance to put your brand online and open yourself to new customers, but it’s an opportunity for you to express your personality and put your own mark on the internet. Before you start building your first website, make sure you follow these top tips to ensure you create a great-looking site.

1. Find a good web host 

One of the most important parts of building a website is finding a good web host. You need to find a company that offers good uptime and excellent customer service – without both, you’ll struggle as you grow your website and build your brand. We recommend that you buy web hosting from a company such as PAC Web Hosting, which offers UK-based support and free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates on all packages.

2. Decide which content management system to use 

Content management systems (CMSs) such as Drupal and WordPress were designed with users in mind. Instead of coding and programming every page on your website to get the desired look and functionality, you can navigate a back-end that’s easy to use and highly customisable. WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system, with more than 75 million users around the world. 

3. Buy a premium theme

If you’re using a content management system like WordPress, then you’ll be able to take advantage of the millions of free and paid-for themes available online. Although you’ll likely be able to find a free theme that offers everything you need, splashing out on a premium theme is one of the best ways to make an impression and show you mean business. Whether that means working with a web developer to create a truly custom theme, or using a marketplace such as ThemeForest to find a premade theme that’s right for you, you’ll be able to build a great-looking website without any web design or coding knowledge.

4. Take time when writing your content

Many web developers and business owners make the mistake of focusing only on the appearance of their new website and ignoring the basics such as content. Make sure that the content you write for your new site (such as your about page, services pages and blog posts) is well-researched and grammatically correct. Even the smallest of mistakes can put potential customers off from investing in your products and services, so proof everything!

5. Think about promotion

Don’t expect to launch a new website and have hundreds of customers flooding to your website. You’ll need to spend time and money if you want your website to be successful, so consider things such as pay-per-click and social media advertising, press releases, guest blogs, a content marketing strategy, top quality web design and an SEO strategy. The more eyeballs you get on your website, the more likely you are to find success online. Good luck!