Creating a website for your small business is a crucial step in establishing and expanding your online presence. With potential customers searching for services online, having a professional and engaging website can make a significant difference.
You need to make it as easy as possible for prospects to find you and learn about what you offer. And depending on your business, ideally convert to becoming customers as well.
If you’re a startup or a small business owner with limited resources, Wix offers an excellent platform to build your site, with great tools to make it fast and easy to check off all the boxes. Plus the Wix platform integrates seamlessly with Cookiebot CMP for privacy compliance peace of mind.
In this guide we will walk you through setting up your online presence using Wix, including expert tips and essential tools to take full advantage of the platform’s capabilities.
Why choose Wix for your small business website?
Wix is one of the world’s most popular website builders, known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features, making it an ideal choice for small business owners.
Here are a few reasons why Wix is a great option for busy business owners.
- Ease to use: With its drag-and-drop editor, Wix enables you to build an engaging and professional website without any coding knowledge.
- Flexible templates: Wix offers over 900 customizable templates tailored for various business types. Get exactly the look you want without having to DIY.
- SEO tools: Built-in SEO tools help improve your website’s visibility on search engines to get you noticed by your target audience.
- Rock solid security: Wix provides enterprise-grade security so your site and customer data stay safe.
Step-by-step guide to creating your website
We walk you through creating, customizing, and optimizing your Wix website, and of course, making sure you can easily achieve and maintain privacy compliance.
Step 1: Sign up and choose a template
- Sign up: Create your account on Wix.com. You can start with a free plan and upgrade later as your business needs develop.
- Choose a template: Browse through over 900 templates and select one that fits your business and branding strategy. Templates are categorized by industry, making it easy to find the right design.
Step 2: Customize your site
- Edit the template: Use the drag-and-drop editor to customize your chosen template. Add your business logo, edit colors, and update fonts to match your brand identity.
- Add the content: Input your compelling content to provide engaging and informative information to visitors. Ensure your value proposition is clear and compelling and CTAs are in the forefront.
Get inspired to promote your brand online: Check some of the best examples of small business websites on Wix.
Step 3: Add essential business features
- Domain name: Choose and register a clear and memorable domain name that reflects your business and services.
- Business apps: To enhance functionality, add essential features, such as an online store, booking system, or contact form.
- SEO tools: Take advantage of Wix’s built-in SEO tools to optimize your site for search engines.
Step 4: Optimize for SEO
- SEO basics: Follow Wix’s SEO setup checklist to ensure your site is properly indexed by search engines.
- Meta tags: Optimize meta descriptions and title tags for each page to improve search engine rankings.
Step 5: Mobile optimization
Responsive design: The world is mobile. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Wix automatically adapts your site for different screen sizes, but you can also manually adjust elements if needed.
Step 6: Security and privacy compliance
- SSL certificate: Ensure your site has an active SSL certificate to secure data transmitted between your website and visitors.
- GDPR compliance: Use the Usercentrics for Wix consent app to enable your website to meet GDPR compliance requirements and handle user data responsibly.
Must-have apps and plugins for your Wix site
A beautiful and informative website is a great first step, but you can make it even better with a few key additions. Let’s look at some apps and plugins you’re absolutely going to want to install.
1. GDPR compliance: Usercentrics for Wix
Usercentrics for Wix: This app helps your site comply with GDPR data privacy requirements with a customized, user-friendly consent banner. Manage user consent for trackers, components, and third-party apps on your Wix site. It’s essential for protecting user privacy and avoiding legal issues.
2. SEO optimization: Wix SEO Tools
Wix SEO Wiz: A step-by-step interactive plan to help you improve your site’s SEO. It includes keyword suggestions, on-page optimization tips, and more.
3. Analytics: Wix Analytics
Wix Analytics: Gain insights into your website’s performance with detailed reports on visitor behavior, traffic sources, and more. Use the insights to iterate and optimize.
4. Email marketing: Wix Email Marketing
Wix Email Marketing: Create and send professional email campaigns directly from your Wix dashboard. It’s an effective way to engage with your customers and promote your business.
5. Customer relationship management: Wix CRM
Wix CRM: Manage customer relationships with a built-in CRM system. Track interactions, manage contacts, and streamline communications.
Expert tips for a successful small business website
Small business owners have a million things to juggle, so you need your website to just work. Here are some important tips for how you can make sure your website is clear, engaging, and keeps bringing visitors back.
Clear navigation and structure
- User-friendly navigation: Ensure your site has an intuitive navigation menu that enables visitors to find what they need quickly and easily. Use analytics to learn about audience behavior and optimize.
- Logical structure: Organize your content in a hierarchical structure to help search engines understand your site’s organization. Take inspiration from other Wix sites that audiences love.
Compelling content
- High quality content: Provide informative, engaging, and relevant content that appeals to your target audience and quickly answers their questions. Keep user experience best practices and SEO keywords in mind as well.
- Calls to action (CTAs): Use strong and prominently placed CTAs to guide visitors towards desired actions, such as making a purchase or subscribing to your newsletter.
Engaging visuals
- Professional imagery: Use high quality images, infographics, and/or videos to enhance the visual appeal of your site and communicate and educate for multiple visitor preferences. Ensure they are well branded and relevant to your content.
- Consistent design: Maintain a consistent design across all pages to create a cohesive brand experience. Ensure that also includes newsletters, email templates, forms, and more.
Social media integration
- Social media links: Integrate links to your social media profiles to boost engagement and drive traffic to your site.
- Live feeds: Consider adding live social media feeds to keep your site content fresh and engaging.
Regular updates and maintenance
- Content updates: Regularly update your site content to keep it relevant and engaging for visitors. A content or editorial calendar can help you keep your content and schedule consistent so it’s a strong part of your strategy and not an afterthought.
- Performance monitoring: Use analytics tools to monitor site performance along with visitor activities and make necessary adjustments.
Usercentrics tips for the best Wix websites
Creating a small business website with Wix is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your online presence. By following this guide, you can build a professional, engaging, and effective business website that attracts and retains customers. You will also set yourself up to make it easier to maintain and achieve peace of mind for critical functions like data privacy compliance.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the various apps and plugins available on Wix to optimize your site for new visitor engagement, SEO, achieving GDPR compliance, and managing customer relationships efficiently.
With the right tools and strategies, you can create a small business website that not only looks professional and engages your audience initially, but also performs in converting visitors. Good luck with your website building journey!