According to Blue Corona, a marketing solutions platform, 97% of consumers go online to find and research businesses. A website is essential for small businesses because they establish credibility and provide invaluable business information, among countless other benefits. We really like Wix for small businesses because of its affordability and ease-of-use. Wix further offers step-by-step guidance and an interactive website building tool. Here's how to get started with your brand new Wix website.
1. Create your FREE Wix account, and answer key questions about your website and experience.
Visit Wix, and click "Start Now."
Then fill out your email address and create a password. Next, Wix will ask you to share some things about your business and website needs. We encourage you to proceed, since Wix will provide targeted guidance based on your answers.
Wix will ask you about the purpose of your website, your past experience creating websites, and what kind of website you will need. When you get to the part about the kind of website, use the search feature. It might surprise you how specific it will become, and will pull purposes as detailed as "mortgage broker," "real estate agent," or "mortgage lender."
2. Use the Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) to create your unique website design.
Wix will ask you if you want to design your own website from scratch or use their interactive tool. If you are new at building websites, we suggest using their tool. Get started by clicking the blue "Start Now" button.
Then Wix will ask you which features you will need for your site. You can explore from several options, but we recommend at a bare minimum selecting "Subscribe Form" and "Blog." (More information on that will be provided later in other tutorials).
3. Start putting in your business information.
The first step is providing your business name.
Then you have the option to pull content from an existing website and to find your business on Google. If you have a website with the basic information you need, it might be a good idea to input it. Otherwise, you can always start from scratch. Adding your business information by searching in Google always helps add credibility, but this is also optional. Click "Next" once you have inputted your information or "Skip" to move on to the next step.
Next, review and edit your business information. You can also upload your logo if you have one, or check out the Wix Logo Maker if you need one.
4. Design your website.
Now comes the fun part. Wix will show you six templates with themes. Pick the one that resonates with you and represents your business the most.
Based on your theme and business needs answered previously, Wix will show you three different home page designs. Select the one you like best.
Congratulations! You now have your very first draft of your website.
We will get into more specific instructions on editing the pages and which content will be in future tutorials. Subscribe to receive our marketing tutorials directly into your inbox here. Also, be sure to check out our Marketing Solutions Resource Page.
Not signed up for Wix? Sign up here for free.
Related: 7 Components of a Social Media Marketing Strategy, Why Small Businesses Need Email Marketing Platforms
