Creating a solid online presence encompasses different things. But at the center of it all is your website.

 

These days, you can have a website in just a couple of clicks. But having a robust online presence goes beyond that.

 

You need to consider its design, function, mobile responsiveness, and more. Otherwise, it will not rank for relevant keywords and receive the eyeballs it deserves. You will not be attracting the right audience either.

 

With that in mind, we will walk you through everything that you need to know when building your website.

1. Domain and Hosting

When to launch your website is one thing you should consider. Technically speaking, this is web hosting.

 

This will store your website's files and show them to anyone who will type your site address and hit "Enter."

 

You might also need to reserve the address itself (such as example.com), also known as the domain name.

 

Keep the following things in mind when choosing a domain name:

 

• Keep it short and sweet
• Use at least one keyword in your domain name so that people can easily find it.

 

Now, here are the things that you need to avoid in picking a domain name:

 

• Don't choose a misspelled domain
• Don't get a hyphenated domain
• Try to avoid numbers

 

Fortunately, you can do both your hosting and domain name in just a single go because many hosting providers offer domains in a bundle.

2. Responsive Web Design

People who browse the Internet using their smartphones are increasing. That's why it's vital to make your site mobile-friendly for people who use smartphones and tablets.

 

Mobile-friendly sites will usually adjust the image of the site depending on the screen size of a device.

 

Sites that aren't optimized for mobile are usually of the same size as those you would see on a computer screen.

3. Website Structure and Navigation

Your site structure is another essential element that you should consider. Think of your site navigation as a tree with branches.

 

When you click through certain areas of your site, you'll be redirected to places that are relevant to what you're searching for. On the other hand, poor site navigation will frustrate your site visitors.

 

When they are frustrated, they will bounce off of your website, which can increase your bounce rate. A significant bounce rate can hurt your search engine ranking.

 

Ideally, you should have a simple website structure. That's because you only have a limited amount of time to impress your site visitors.

 

A wrong impression can hurt the reputation of your site in the long run.

4. Branding

Without branding, your site won't have any identity. Even if you use your website for personal reasons, it still needs to have branding.

 

We're talking about logos, colors, fonts, or any branding materials you might have done for more prominent companies. Lucky, there are now online logo maker websites that allow you to kickstart your branding.

 

Alternatively, you can also use all types of branding material if you want to spruce up or modernize your brand.

5. Security

If you own an online store, it is imperative that you have an SSL certificate. This is the reason some URLs have a lock icon in the address bar.

 

Doing so will encrypt all communications between you and your customers. Also, check if your hosting provider provides you with a free SSL, as this is usually offered in one of the top hosting providers these days.

 

This will ease their qualms about providing sensitive data like their credit card information.

 

As an extra precaution on your part, you need to make sure that you backup your site regularly.

6. Quality Content

In the same way, the content that you produce should also be top-notch.

 

Messy, disorganized content with poor grammar gives off an impression that your site isn't professional.

 

This might lead to higher bounce rates, causing your site to rank lower on search engines.

 

So, always come up with quality and valuable content that provides value to your site visitors. It should also be optimized to rank better on search engines.

7. Calls to Action

Nothing will stifle your site's functionality other than forgetting to place a call-to-action.

 

Ideally, every web page should have a CTA. If it is a blog post, it would only make sense to add a CTA to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

The key here is to consider what you want your site visitors to do after consuming your content. It can be to buy your products or book a discovery session with you.

8. Social Proof

When you incorporate social proof in your website, you encourage brand engagement and loyalty. Here are ways how you can do it:

 

• Place photos and logos of your certifications to show people how qualified you are in your field.
• Whenever possible, place links to your company's social media pages.
• Put photos and links featuring influencers in your niche that use your products, or show support to your brand.
• On your site, place a media page where you'd be linking these articles and publish content that mentions your brand.
• Add social sharing buttons on your blog, and then show how many times your post has been liked or shared.

 

When you consider the above-mentioned factors, you can build a search engine-friendly website. This means you get to establish your online presence and rank for relevant search terms. That way, you can drive quality traffic and achieve your desired goals.