How to Launch Your First Business Website: A Step-by-Step Guide for Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners
If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, launching your first website is one of the most important steps you can take to establish credibility, attract customers, and grow your brand online. But knowing where to start can feel overwhelming.
At BNA Web Design, we’ve helped dozens of businesses go from idea to online, and we’ve seen what works (and what causes delays). Below, we’ve broken the process into eight clear, manageable steps that will take you from concept to live website.
Let’s get started.
1. Register Your Domain Name
Your domain name is your online address. Make it count.
Think of it as your brand’s digital front door. It should be:
- Easy to spell
- Relevant to your business name or industry
- Ideally a
.com(unless you’re a nonprofit or have a country-specific domain)
Use domain registrars like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains to search for and register your name. A good domain typically costs $10–$20 per year.
We use and recommend HostGator for domain registration and hosting.
Pro Tip: Secure social media handles that match your domain name if they’re available. Consistency builds brand recognition.
2. Create a Simple Logo
You don’t need a Fortune 500 budget to have a professional-looking logo.
Here are your options:
- DIY Tools: Use tools like Canva, Looka, or Hatchful to create your own.
- Hire a Designer: Platforms like Fiverr or 99designs offer logo creation for a wide range of budgets.
- Partner with a Web Design Agency: At BNA Web Design, we include logo design as part of our startup packages.
Your logo should look clean and be legible at small sizes. Make sure you get both a full-color version and a black-and-white version for flexibility.
3. Choose a Web Hosting Provider
Once you have your domain and logo, you need somewhere to host your website. This is where your site files will live.
Look for:
- Reliability: 99.9% uptime or better
- Speed: Fast load times are essential for user experience and SEO
- Support: 24/7 access to support (chat or ticketing at minimum)
- Ease of Use: A control panel (like cPanel or a custom dashboard) that doesn’t require a computer science degree
Popular options include SiteGround, Bluehost, and Hostinger. Or, if you work with us at BNA Web Design, we offer managed hosting and take care of the technical details for you.
We use and recommend HostGator for domain registration and hosting.
4. Pick a Content Management System (CMS)
Now it’s time to decide how you’ll build and manage your site.
We recommend WordPress for most small businesses because:
- It’s free and open-source
- It powers over 40% of all websites globally
- It has thousands of themes and plugins for flexibility
- It’s easy to manage once set up correctly
Other CMS options include Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify (for e-commerce). These are easier to start with, but offer less flexibility and control in the long run.
5. Write and Organize Your Website Content
This is where many solopreneurs get stuck—but don’t overthink it.
Focus on the four most important pages to start:
- Home: Explain who you are and what you offer in a way that speaks to your ideal client
- About: Share your story, values, and what makes your business unique
- Services or Products: Clearly outline what you provide and how to get started
- Contact: Make it easy for people to reach you
Each page should have a clear headline, concise copy, and a call to action (like “Schedule a Free Call” or “Get a Quote”).
Pro Tip: Use keywords that your target audience would search for—this helps with Google rankings.
6. Add a Contact Form
Don’t just drop your email address on the page—use a contact form.
Forms:
- Look more professional
- Help prevent spam
- Make it easy to collect key details (like phone numbers or project type)
Plugins like WPForms, Contact Form 7, or Forminator make this easy in WordPress. Include fields like:
- Name
- Message
- Optional: phone number, service of interest, budget, etc.
Make sure the form sends submissions directly to your inbox, and that you test it before launch.
7. Submit Your Site to Google and Bing
Once your site is live, you want it to be findable, especially by search engines.
Submit your site to:
These free tools help your site get indexed faster and let you monitor how it appears in search results. You’ll also get alerts if there are any issues with your site that need fixing (like broken links or mobile usability problems).
Bonus: Create and upload a sitemap using plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO to make indexing easier.
8. Set Up Your Social Media Accounts
Your website is your home base, but your social media accounts are your outreach tools.
Even if you’re not ready to post daily content, claim your business name on:
- X (formerly Twitter)
- TikTok (if relevant)
- YouTube (especially if you plan to do tutorials or testimonials)
Make sure your bio, website link, and profile photo/logo are consistent across platforms.
Pro Tip: Link back to your website from each platform to build domain authority and send referral traffic.
Bonus Step: Keep It Updated!
Launching your website is just the beginning. To stay relevant and visible:
- Keep your software (themes, plugins, CMS) up to date
- Refresh your content periodically
- Add new blog posts, testimonials, or case studies
- Back up your site regularly
Or… partner with a team like BNA Web Design to handle updates, security, and performance monitoring for you—so you can stay focused on running your business.
Final Thoughts
Creating your first business website doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right tools, clear steps, and a bit of guidance, you can get your business online and in front of customers in no time.
And if you’d rather skip the DIY headache and get a professionally built site that works from day one? Contact us at BNA Web Design and let’s bring your vision to life.
