Step-by-Step Tutorial on Setting Up a Business Website with Strikingly

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business's success. Creating a business website is one of the best ways to achieve this. A well-designed website can help you reach a wider audience, showcase your products or services, and establish credibility in your industry. Strikingly is a top choice for small businesses and entrepreneurs when building a business website.

Why Create a Business Website?

Creating a business website allows you to connect with potential customers 24/7, provide valuable information about your offerings, and stand out from competitors. Whether starting from scratch or looking to revamp an existing site, having a professional online presence is essential for any modern business.

Overview of Strikingly

Strikingly is an intuitive website builder that empowers users to create stunning websites without coding knowledge. With its user-friendly interface and customizable templates, Strikingly makes it easy for small businesses to build an attractive and functional website in no time.

Benefits of Using Strikingly for Your Business Website

Strikingly can be a powerful tool for building your business website, offering a compelling combination of features catering to budget-conscious businesses and those seeking an easy-to-use platform. Here's a breakdown of the key benefits Strikingly offers:

1. Cost-Effective Solution. Strikingly provides affordable website creation plans, including a free plan to get you started. This makes it a great option for startups and small businesses with limited budgets.
2. Drag-and-Drop Simplicity. Strikingly's user-friendly interface eliminates the need for coding knowledge. You can visually design your website using a drag-and-drop editor, making the process accessible and intuitive.
3. Mobile-Friendly by Design. In today's mobile-first world, a responsive website is essential. Strikingly's templates and design tools ensure your website looks perfect and functions flawlessly on all devices, from desktops to smartphones.
4. Built-in E-Commerce Features. Strikingly empowers you to set up an online store with ease. You can add product listings, manage inventory, accept secure payments, and even integrate features like shipping calculators – all within a user-friendly platform.
5. Free SSL Encryption. Security is paramount. Strikingly, all plans include free SSL encryption, ensuring your website and customer data are protected.
6. SEO Optimization Tools. Strikingly offers basic SEO tools to help your website rank higher in search engine results. This can increase organic traffic and drive more potential customers to your business.
7. Customizable Templates. Strikingly provides a variety of website templates designed for different industries. You can customize these templates with your brand colors, fonts, logos, and images, allowing you to create a website that reflects your unique identity.
8. Focus on Content Management. Strikingly's user-friendly content management system (CMS) lets you easily update your website with fresh content, special offers, or blog posts without coding knowledge.

Leveraging Strikingly's features allows you to build a professional, mobile-friendly business website without breaking the bank. The easy-to-use interface and built-in functionalities, such as e-commerce and SEO tools, make it a valuable option for businesses of all sizes looking to establish a strong online presence.

Choosing the Right Plan

Strikingly Pricing Page

When creating a business website, choosing the right plan that suits your needs is crucial. Strikingly offers both free and pro plans, each with its own set of features and benefits. The free plan is an excellent option for small businesses or startups looking to build a business website on a budget. On the other hand, the pro plan is ideal for businesses looking for more advanced features and customization options.

Free vs. Pro Plans

The free plan allows you to build an essential website for business with limited features. In contrast, the pro plan offers more advanced customization options, including custom domain names and e-commerce capabilities. With the pro plan, you can access priority customer support and remove Strikingly branding from your site.

Features Included in Each Plan

The free and pro plans include essential features such as mobile optimization, unlimited bandwidth, and 24/7 support. However, the pro plan offers additional features such as site password protection, advanced analytics tools, and the ability to create multiple websites under one account.

Selecting a Plan that Fits Your Business Needs

When choosing a plan for your business website, consider your specific needs and budget. If you're starting or have limited resources, the free plan may be sufficient to get your business online. However, upgrading to the pro plan may be worth considering if you require more advanced features or want to create a professional-looking website.

Setting Up Your Strikingly Account

Strikingly Landing Page

Strikingly makes it easy to get started when creating a business website. To begin, you'll need to create an account with Strikingly by providing basic information, such as your name, email address, and password. This quick and straightforward process allows you to quickly build your small business website.

Creating an Account

After signing up for Strikingly, the next step is choosing a domain name for your website. Your domain name is essential as it represents your brand and helps customers find you online. With Strikingly, you can use a free subdomain or register a custom domain for a more professional look. Take the time to brainstorm and select a domain name that best reflects your business.

Choosing a Domain Name

Once you've set up your account and chosen a domain name, it's time to customize your website's design. Strikingly offers a range of templates that are easy to customize according to your branding and preferences. You can add your logo, change colors and fonts, and arrange sections to create a unique look.

Customizing Your Website Design

Strikingly understands that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't fly in the business world. They offer a rich library of customizable website templates for various industries. These templates act as a launchpad, allowing you to infuse your brand identity with colors, fonts, logos, and images to create a website that reflects your unique style and resonates with your target audience.

Adding Content to Your Website

Strikingly Make Your Own Section

When building a business website, you must add compelling content that engages your audience. Uploading high-quality images and videos that showcase your products or services can help capture potential customers' attention. Visual content is essential for creating an appealing small business website that leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

Uploading Images and Videos

To make your business website visually appealing, upload high-resolution images and engaging videos highlighting your products or services. Use professional photos to showcase your offerings and create a positive impression on potential customers. Videos can also demonstrate how your products work or provide valuable information about your services.

Writing Compelling Copy

Writing compelling copy is essential for conveying your brand message and attracting customers when creating a business website. Use persuasive language to describe the benefits of your products or services and communicate what sets your business apart from competitors. Incorporate keywords related to your industry to improve your small business website's search engine visibility.

Integrating Social Media Platforms

Integrating social media platforms into your business website is crucial for expanding your online presence and reaching a wider audience. Adding social media buttons or feeds can encourage visitors to connect with you on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This integration helps build credibility and trust with potential customers while increasing engagement with existing ones.

Optimizing for SEO

Strikingly SEO Checklist

Utilizing Keywords in Your Content

When creating a business website, it's crucial to incorporate relevant keywords into your content to improve search engine rankings. Building a business website with Strikingly allows you to seamlessly integrate keywords into your copy, ensuring potential customers can quickly discover your small business website.

Customizing Meta Tags

Customizing meta tags is essential in optimizing your website for search engines. With Strikingly, you can easily customize meta titles and descriptions for each website page. This allows you to effectively communicate your website's purpose for business and attract organic traffic.

Understanding Strikingly's SEO Tools

Strikingly offers a range of user-friendly SEO tools designed to help you enhance the visibility of your business website. From optimizing image alt text to creating SEO-friendly URLs, Strikingly's platform equips you with the necessary tools to build a business website that ranks well in search engine results.

Utilize Strikingly for Your Business Websites

Maker Template from Strikingly

Strikingly offers powerful e-commerce capabilities, allowing you to set up an online store for your business website easily. With features like inventory management, secure payment processing, and customizable product pages, you can create a seamless shopping experience for your customers. Whether selling physical products or digital downloads, Strikingly's e-commerce tools make it easy to build a successful online store for your small business website.

E-Commerce Capabilities

Strikingly doesn't shy away from empowering businesses. Their platform offers robust e-commerce capabilities, allowing you to easily set up an online store. You can add product listings, manage inventory, accept secure payments, and even integrate features like shipping calculators and discount codes—all within Strikingly's user-friendly interface. This makes it a perfect solution for entrepreneurs and small businesses to jump-start their online sales journey.

Lead Generation Tools

In addition to e-commerce features, Strikingly provides powerful lead-generation tools to help you grow your customer base. From customizable contact forms and pop-up notifications to integrated email marketing services, you can capture leads and nurture relationships with potential customers directly through your business website. These tools are essential for creating a steady stream of new leads and converting them into loyal customers.

Analytics and Insights

Strikingly offers robust analytics and insights tools to track the success of your business website. You can monitor visitor traffic, engagement metrics, and conversion rates to understand how users interact with your site. This data is invaluable for making informed decisions about optimizing your content and improving the user experience on your small business website.

By leveraging Strikingly's e-commerce capabilities, lead generation tools, and analytics insights, you can create a powerful online presence for your business that drives growth and success.

Launch Your Business Website

Macro Template from Strikingly

Creating a business website is essential in establishing your online presence and reaching potential customers. With Strikingly, you can quickly build a professional website that showcases your products or services. By choosing the right plan and utilizing the platform's features, you can launch a small business website that effectively represents your brand.

Once you have set up your website on Strikingly, it's time to launch it. Share the link on social media, add it to your email signature, and include it on your business cards. This will drive traffic to your site and help potential customers find you online.

Tips for Maintaining Your Website

Your website is a vital asset in today's digital landscape. But just like a car, a website needs regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly and attracting visitors. Here are some essential website maintenance tips to ensure your online presence stays polished and effective:

1. Content is King (and Queen). Regularly update your website with fresh content. This could include blog posts, news articles, product updates, or even new team member introductions. Search engines favor websites with dynamic content and fresh information, which keeps visitors engaged and returning for more.
2. Security Matters. Security breaches can be disastrous for a business website. Ensure your website software and plugins are regularly updated to address security vulnerabilities. Additionally, consider using strong passwords and backing up your website data regularly.
3. Link Checkup. Broken links can frustrate visitors and hurt your SEO ranking. Use a link checker tool to identify and fix broken links on your website. This ensures a smooth user experience and avoids sending visitors on dead-end clicks.
4. Mobile Marvel. The majority of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. Test your website regularly on different mobile devices and screen sizes. Ensure it remains responsive, user-friendly, and visually appealing on all platforms.
5. Analytics Advantage. Website analytics tools provide valuable insights into how visitors interact with your website. Use these insights to understand your audience better, optimize your content for better engagement, and identify areas for improvement.
6. Speed it Up. Nobody likes waiting for a website to load. Regularly test your website's loading speed and take steps to optimize it if necessary. This can involve image compression, code minification, or upgrading your website hosting plan.
7. Promotional Prowess. Your website shouldn't exist in a vacuum. Promote it through social media, email marketing, or even online advertising. This will drive traffic to your website and keep visitors engaged with your brand.
8. Embrace Feedback. Pay attention to any feedback you receive about your website, directly or through website analytics. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and make changes that enhance the user experience.

Website maintenance doesn't have to be daunting. By incorporating these tips into your routine, you can ensure your website remains a valuable asset for your business, attracting new customers and keeping existing ones engaged. Remember, a well-maintained website is a website that works for you.

Leveraging Strikingly for Business Success

Utilize Strikingly's e-commerce capabilities to sell products directly from your site. Use lead generation tools to capture valuable customer information. Track visitor behavior with analytics tools provided by Strikingly so you can make informed decisions about improving your website's performance.