{"id":30414,"date":"2021-03-31T10:12:10","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T02:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crazydomains.com\/learn\/?p=30332"},"modified":"2025-09-12T17:28:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T09:28:33","slug":"creating-an-online-presence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crazydomains.sg\/learn\/creating-an-online-presence\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Steps to Creating an Online Presence that Grows Your Business and Profit"},"content":{"rendered":"

The strength of your\u00a0online presence\u00a0determines\u00a0the success or failure of your business these days.<\/p>\n

Putting together a good website can put your\u00a0business on the radar \u2013 helping you find new customers\u00a0while building retention and loyalty.<\/p>\n

But an online presence isn\u2019t simply publishing a site and slapping content and images on it. Customers need to learn to trust you before converting. With this in mind, we\u2019ve put together a start to finish guide every business owner needs to know before going online.<\/p>\n

9 Key Steps to Building an Online Presence from Scratch<\/h2>\n

Know what you want to achieve online<\/h3>\n

Almost every business benefits from an online presence. But before rushing in to throw content to your website, you have to first create an online strategy that fulfills your business goals.<\/p>\n

There has to be a reasonable goal\u00a0behind everything you’re doing\u2014\u00a0whether it\u2019s setting up a website to boost conversions or starting an SEO campaign to increase leads.\u00a0Otherwise, you\u00a0won\u2019t be seeing any ROI.<\/p>\n

Following the\u00a0SMART\u00a0method\u00a0means you can focus your\u00a0effort, time, and resources towards an actionable goal.<\/p>\n

What\u00a0are\u00a0S.M.A.R.T goals?<\/h4>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

SMART, or Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bounded\u00a0goals ensure that your objectives are attainable within a specific timeline.<\/p>\n

This approach eliminates guesswork, sets\u00a0clear timeframes, and makes it easier to track mistakes and missed milestones.<\/p>\n

Specific<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Great goals are well-defined and focused. Don’t be afraid to dig into those details. When drafting your plan,\u00a0state\u00a0the most significant goals that need attention. Think, why is this important for my business right now? Who do I involve when reaching this goal?<\/p>\n

Measurable\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Numbers are an essential part of the business. Put concrete numbers in your goal to know if you’re on track and have reached the finish line.<\/p>\n

Achievable<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Goals should be realistic and attainable to be successful\u2014no one has built a billion-dollar business overnight.\u00a0So,\u00a0give yourself a reality check. Is this something your team could\u00a0do? It’s important to consider any limitations that might impede your goal.<\/p>\n

Relevant<\/strong><\/h6>\n

When setting a goal, ask yourself what it means to you. The goal needs to be what drives your business forward.<\/p>\n

Time-Bound<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Lastly, goals must have a deadline. Having\u00a0the\u00a0right timeframe helps you connect the dots better and anticipate each task’s effort and time.<\/p>\n

\"Course<\/a><\/p>\n

Choose the Right Domain Name<\/h3>\n

Choosing the right domain name matters,\u00a0as it\u2019s a reflection of your brand online.\u00a0Keep the following in mind when\u00a0selecting\u00a0one:<\/p>\n

Keep it simple and straightforward<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Our recently published report,\u00a0The Online State of Australia\u2019s Small Businesses\u00a0(2021)<\/a>,\u00a0found\u00a0that 59%\u00a0of Australians agree that longer domains appear unprofessional.<\/p>\n

That said, you\u2019d want to choose a domain that\u2019s easy to read, type, and remember.<\/p>\n

Avoid symbols and other characters<\/strong><\/h6>\n

In keeping with the previous point, avoid using special characters such as hyphens or even numbers. This\u00a0complicates your domain name, making it less memorable and harder to find.<\/p>\n

Avoiding trademark conflicts<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Ensure that the name you plan on using doesn’t infringe on any trademarks or copyrights.<\/p>\n

Finding the right price<\/strong><\/h6>\n

There are\u00a0several\u00a0domain\u00a0registrars\u00a0out there, but not all\u00a0offer the\u00a0same price\u00a0or quality service.\u00a0Don\u2019t hesitate to compare\u00a0services to get the best value for your investment.<\/p>\n

Avoid alternative extensions<\/strong><\/h6>\n

The .com extension is the world\u2019s most popular and sought-after extension. But if you\u2019re a local business, you might want to go for\u00a0country code top-level domains. In Australia, for instance, we\u2019ve found that 82% of Aussies\u00a0trust the .com.au extension.<\/p>\n

Of course, this all depends on your industry. Educational institutions or non-profits should go for a .edu or .org address respectively.<\/p>\n

Partner with the Right\u00a0Web Hosting Service<\/h3>\n

\"Partner<\/p>\n

After registering\u00a0or reserving\u00a0your domain, you\u2019ll need\u00a0to host your website.<\/p>\n

A web host allows your website to be accessible online.\u00a0There\u00a0is\u00a0a wide range of hosting\u00a0companies\u00a0out there, each one offering shared or dedicated hosting\u00a0services.<\/p>\n

Now, the best hosting service doesn\u2019t\u00a0always come with a hefty price tag. It\u2019s all a matter of determining your current business requirements.\u00a0To help you narrow your choices, we\u2019ve compiled the following tips:<\/p>\n

Choose the right technology\u00a0<\/strong><\/h6>\n

One of the most important things to consider is whether\u00a0to use a shared server or a dedicated one.<\/p>\n

Shared servers, as the name suggests, involves you sharing a server with other customers. Naturally, this means it costs less but comes with reduced performance.<\/p>\n

Dedicated servers, on the other hand,\u00a0gives you an exclusive space to house your website.\u00a0It\u2019s generally more expensive than shared servers. But it\u2019s the ideal setup\u00a0for businesses that require higher website performance (ecommerce sites, corporate websites, wikis, forums, etc.).<\/p>\n

Virtual Private Servers sit on the middle ground between these two.\u00a0These servers accommodate several users on a single machine. It may sound similar to\u00a0shared hosting, but VPS provides a more optimal performance \u2013 without the hefty price tags of dedicated servers.<\/p>\n

Review security measures<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Distributed Denial of Services \u2013 or DDoS attacks \u2013 can quickly cause website or email outages.\u00a0So,\u00a0you need a web host that\u00a0prioritises\u00a0cybersecurity as much as performance.<\/p>\n

Server management<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Ensure that your hosting provider allows\u00a0server management through an intuitive\u00a0interface\u00a0like\u00a0cPanel.<\/p>\n

Typically, servers are\u00a0accessible\u00a0through terminal windows. Doing it this way can be confusing unless you’re hiring a server administrator to do it for you.<\/p>\n

\"Domain<\/a><\/p>\n

Select the Right Platform to Build Your Website\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are different options for building your\u00a0website.\u00a0Depending on your skill\u00a0level\u00a0and budget restrictions, you can either build it yourself, use templates or \u201csite-builder tools\u201d, or hire a web designer<\/a> to design it for you.<\/p>\n

But before you build one, make sure you have a clear understanding of your website\u2019s purpose. This will help you decide\u00a0what website elements and functions\u00a0the site needs.<\/p>\n

The first step in creating a website for your business is deciding which platform to build your site. If you are doing it yourself, you have two options\u2014 using an Australian website builder<\/a>\u00a0or installing a CMS like WordPress.<\/p>\n

Website Builder<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Creating a website used to be a lot.\u00a0It required a lot of time and effort, and extensive\u00a0coding, design, and development\u00a0knowledge. Thanks to\u00a0site builders,<\/a>\u00a0making a\u00a0website\u00a0has\u00a0never been this easy. It\u2019s also a smart choice for anyone looking for a quick \u2013 and affordable \u2013 solution to getting online.<\/p>\n

\"Learn<\/a><\/p>\n

When\u00a0researching options,\u00a0you need to look at the platform features. Do you want to add forms? Or maybe you want to\u00a0start blogging? Check if your website builder of choice\u00a0offers\u00a0these features and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PROS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

    \n
  • No coding skills required<\/li>\n
  • Easy to export\u00a0images, videos, content<\/li>\n
  • Affordable\u00a0and fast<\/li>\n
  • Minimal\u00a0design skills required<\/li>\n
  • Drag-and-drop editor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
CONS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n