With COVID-19 disrupting jobs around the world, many people are considering starting their own small businesses. The good news is that, in 2020, anyone can start a business, even if you are using an old Mac or other aging tech.
There are many routes into the gig economy. You can use freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, although you are unlikely to find lucrative clients there. Alternatively, you can position yourself as a small business. To do so, you will need nothing more than a professional website and email address.
To get you started, here is a brief guide to setting up your small business website.
Web hosting
The first thing you will need to take care of is finding the best web hosting for a small business. Web hosting essentially gives you space on a server to host your website. It is the most essential service you will need. Without it, you cannot get online.
Because it is such a basic need, many people see it as a formality. You register for space on a server and that’s all you need. However, the wrong web hosting can tank your small business before you get it started.
Bad web hosting is unreliable, with too much downtime and poor customer support. Users of some of the biggest brands have found that they are constantly let down and customer service leaves them hanging.
Do your research before you choose a hosting provider. It is well worth it to pay a little more for a better service. If you are not expecting a lot of traffic, you will only have to pay around $3 a month, in any case.
Content management system (CMS)
A content management system (CMS) is a software package that gives you all the tools to create an attractive and effective website. The most well-known example of a CMS is WordPress. As a comprehensive free package, it has the biggest share of the market. Other good examples include SquareSpace and Wix.
The CMS you choose will be your medium for getting your message across. It will give you a massive range of themes to choose from, along with plugins to provide added functionality as well as analysis tools.
It will also make it easy to communicate with your visitors through blog posts and regular helpful content. In creating the facade of your website, it is crucial in getting visitors to take you seriously.
Personalized domain and email
Many new small business owners make the mistake of thinking a personalized URL and email can wait for later. However, with a free domain name and a Gmail address, potential clients are more likely to treat you as spam than as a real business.
A personalized domain name is not expensive, and it should come with the functionality to create a number of email addresses. You can easily access your email from these addresses through Mac’s native mail client, as you would with your Gmail and other accounts.
In order to present yourself as a serious small business, you will need to put in some time and money. Create an attractive and effective website, and you will have your first clients in no time.