Secure and Easy Websites for Small Business

March 14, 2019

Is your business online?

It should be. A lot of customers can’t find you if you’re not online.

So, why aren’t you online yet?

I have a guess—it’s another skill to learn. You’re juggling a million other things. You’re constantly learning new skills and you don’t have time or energy for tackling a website yet.

But your business needs to be online. What should you do?

Alternatives to a custom website

You could pay someone else to do it. Depending on what you need, you’d pay a couple hundred dollars or a couple thousand. That’s a lot of money. And you have to be involved in the whole project. That’s money plus time and energy. Once it’s done, you’ll have to maintain it. Customers hate finding your hours online and seeing a ‘Closed’ sign when they stop by.

Building a website is a commitment. Is it a commitment you’re ready for? Or is there something else you can do that won’t take as much time, energy, and money? Something that will get you online today?

Luckily, there is.

1 - Don’t build a website

Building a website means learning lots of new skills. Don’t start with a website. Start smaller instead.

These services are free. You don’t need to learn any coding. You just need to know what information is useful to customers and add it. In less than an hour, your business can be online.

You don’t have to do much, but you still need to check in once a week, at least. Customers love asking questions…and they also love complaining. But they hate being ignored. Think of this feedback as a gift. You get a peek into what your customers think of your business. That’s valuable information. Thank them for this gift and respond with kindness—no matter what was said.

What if an informational listing or page doesn’t work for your business? What could you do instead?

2 - Use a website builder platform

Maybe you really do need a website. You can still use those other services and have a website too.

A website builder platform is a great option. They give you the designs and tools to create a unique website—no coding necessary. They have lots of documentation and support to help. They host it for you. They worry about the little details like site and server administration so you don’t have to. They aren’t fully customizable, but you don’t need that right now.

If you did, you’d hire a web developer. Then you’d need someone to host it. You’d need someone to maintain it and keep everything up and running. You’d have more functionality, but a lot more worries to go along with it. Until then, consider a website builder platform.

There are lots of website builders out there. I recommend searching for “website builder platforms” and explore the options available. Your situation is unique. Do some research and find one that works for you.

No matter what you decide, you still have to practice good cybersecurity and protect yourself online. What are some ways to do this?

3 tips to keep you safer online

Use a password manager, with a strong master password, to store all your logins. Use a password that’s unique, random, and strong for every account.
Enable 2-factor authentication on every account—including your password manager and domain name(s). Use private registration on your domains to hide personal information. Set them to auto-renew.
If someone needs access to your account, create a separate login just for them. If that’s not possible, share only that login with them using your password manager. Give them access to do their job, and nothing more. Be sure to revoke their access once they’re done.

Your business must be online. But it doesn’t need much. What can you do right now to get it there? What do your customers want to know? Start with that. Start small. Like everything else, your skills will grow with practice.

But take the leap and get your business online today.