- Amanda Bellucco Chatham
- Aug 12
- 21 min read
Every great business idea deserves—and requires—a great business website. And while there was a time when learning how to build a website was a complex, time consuming and expensive process, those days are long behind us. Now, website creation is accessible to everyone, no matter how tech savvy (or tech averse) you might be.
With an intuitive, user-friendly website builder like Wix, anyone can learn how to make a business website complete with fully customizable features, AI tools, enterprise-grade security and built-in options for managing and growing your business. All it takes is 10 simple steps.
Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should be easy and exciting. With Wix, you can customize and launch a professional website in minutes, no coding needed. We’re all about simplifying the process so you can focus on what matters most–bringing your ideas to life. So why wait? Let’s get started on creating the website you’ve always wanted.
TL;DR: how to make a business website
You can build a complete, professional business website with Wix in 10 simple steps—no coding needed. Start with one of 2,000+ customizable templates, get free secure hosting and connect your domain. Add essential pages like Home, About, Contact and Store, then fill them with content that works—blogs, testimonials and visuals.
Make your site mobile-friendly, easy to navigate and optimized for SEO. Use built-in tools like AI text, CRM, analytics, email marketing and social integrations to grow your business. Try a one-page site or dedicated landing page if you're just starting out, and experiment with AI features to speed up the process. Add legal pages like a privacy policy and keep things fresh with regular updates so your site stays relevant, trustworthy and ready to scale.
Types of business websites and what they need
Type of website & examples | Key pages and features to include |
|---|---|
Basic website features (included in all sites) | Homepage, About page, Contact page, Privacy policy, Terms and conditions, Calls to action (CTAs), SEO basics, Mobile-friendly design, Social media links |
Service business (consultants, lawyers, coaches, freelancers) | Services page, Testimonials, Online booking or inquiry form, CRM or lead capture forms |
Online store / eCommerce (retail shops, boutiques, handmade goods sellers) | Shop and product pages, Cart and checkout, Payment options, Return and refund policy, Inventory management, Customer reviews |
Local business (restaurants, salons, gyms, repair shops) | Menu or Services page, Map and phone number on Contact page, Online booking or reservation system, Testimonials |
Portfolio or creative professional (photographers, designers, artists, writers) | Portfolio or work samples, Blog (optional), Newsletter signup, Testimonials |
Blog or content site (personal bloggers, industry news, influencers) | Blog page, Categories and tags for posts, Newsletter signup, Comment system |
Nonprofit or community organization (charities, clubs, advocacy groups) | Mission and values page, Events page, Volunteer or donation page, Donation/payment options |
How to make a business website in 10 steps
01. Pick a business website template
Start by taking a look through our top picks for some of the best business websites and best business website examples. This will give you some inspiration ahead of creating your own.
If you’re just starting a business, Wix offers hundreds of professionally designed, fully customizable business website templates based on industry research, from finance to farming and everything in between. (There’s a reason it’s lauded as one of the best website builders for small businesses.)
Choose a template that works for your business
As you set out to choose a template, browse through the different categories to find the best match for your business goals and personality. It could be a tech startup site, a construction company website or something else entirely—but the look and feel should match your style. Think modern, minimal, bold or even retro. Also consider what pages and features your business needs most. Dafna Rabin, template design team lead with Wix, suggests making this your first step.
Next, Dafna suggests thinking about the kind of content you plan to add to your site and choosing a template that supports it. Are you planning to write a blog? Do you want a big image or video at the top of your homepage? The story your content tells about your business should shape the layout you go with.
Create your site from start to finish with Wix's website builder.
“Think about the flow of the content and the story that you want to tell your users,” Dafna recommends. “What is the first thing they see? What is the second? What is the main call to action (CTA) that you need on your website? What is the most important information that you want your users to see?”
Finally, your template should accurately reflect your brand. “Make sure you fit the website to your brand colors and that your logo is well positioned,” Rabin advises.
Learn more: Website vs CMS
02. Choose a web host and domain name
To get online, you need a web hosting provider for others to discover your website.
If you’re looking for the best website hosting for small businesses, Wix offers free web hosting that’s protected and reliable, with 24/7 security monitoring and integrated SSL certificates to keep customers safe. It also boosts an impressive 99.9% uptime, meaning your site will stay up and running on secure and stable networks.
Next, you’ll need to get a domain name, also known as your website address, and connect it to your hosting provider. Selecting a strong domain name will add credibility to your business site and provide visibility for your brand. Ideally, it should match your business name for consistency. If you’re stuck on the naming front, try Wix’s free Business Name Generator and domain name search tool to see what’s available.
Best practices when picking a domain name:
Make it easy to pronounce and spell: Your domain name should be easily shareable and understandable.
Keep it brief: Shorter names are user-friendly and easier to remember. Typing a lengthy name into the address bar is more susceptible to typos than a short name.
Be unique and consistent: You want to stand out against the crowd. It’s also a good idea to keep your domain name in line with your brand, paving the way for a cohesive online presence.
Avoid numbers and hyphens: These are often too confusing (is it 5 or five?) or difficult to remember. Hyphens, in particular, are easy to misplace when typing.
Consider what domain extension you want to use:
Build your business website today with Wix.
03. Optimize for SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, helps your website show up when people search for things related to your business. As Rebecca Tomasis, SEO expert for Wix Blogs, puts it: “The higher you rank in search, and the more keywords you rank for—the greater your visibility, traffic and potential for conversions or sales.”
You don’t need to know everything right away, but you can start with a few basic strategies to help your site get found on Google:
Find relevant keywords: You’ll need to do keyword research to better understand what your potential customers search for—the exact phrases or words they use to find specific products, services and solutions. Implementing these keywords naturally on your website, from the page heading and content to the image alt text, will help improve your rank in relevant search results. "Make sure your content is helpful and answers the intent behind the search term as directly and as clearly as possible," advises Rebecca.
Improve your website performance: Website performance impacts your site’s position on search engine results. Your web pages should fully load or display in both desktop and mobile browsers in one to two seconds. Some ways to improve your website performance include uploading correct image sizes, for example, using JPEG files over PNG, and avoiding overloading your web pages with content.
Add a meta description: This is the short summary of your website that appears below your URL in search results or social shares. Having strong, keyword-optimized meta description copy can enhance your website’s click-through rate, boosting your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
There are a number of robust Wix SEO tools you can use to start optimizing your website right out of the box, including customized structured data markup, a flexible URL redirect manager and integration with Google Search Console and Semrush.
04. Focus on the user experience
An effective website design will influence how your customers perceive you and your brand. Moreover, creating a good user experience can help your visitors feel satisfied with your business and can positively affect your website’s traffic, conversion and bounce rates.
When you're done editing your website, check how it feels live. “You need to check it in the browser; check how it looks and scrolls,” says Dafna. “Check it on mobile (which a lot of times people forget to do). Check it in other screen resolutions and make sure everything is visible, everything is accessible and people can read it.”
Mobile devices account for more than half of web traffic worldwide, so it you’ll definitely want to consider how visitors view this version of your site. Wix’s mobile editor will show you how your site design looks on mobile view so you can optimize your pages accordingly.
Additionally, you’ll want to pay attention to the following:
Navigation menu: Website navigation can make or break a user’s experience. To optimize navigation and satisfy visitors, choose the right menu for your audience and site. A classic menu sits at the top of every page (the site’s header), while mobile navigation design often uses a hamburger icon as a mobile menu to keep things clean and easy to tap on smaller screens.
Calls to action (CTA): A CTA button is an element with the goal of getting people to take a certain action, such as “contact,” “buy,” “subscribe” or “submit.” An effective CTA depends on the text, color, size, shape and even placement on your site, all of which entice a user to click and move towards making a purchase or filling a contact form.
For help writing CTAs that get clicks and choosing the right style for your button, check out how to write a CTA that converts. You can also see real CTA examples to find what fits your site best.
Social media links: The social media icons or links displayed on your site can affect the user experience. You can add X (formerly Twitter), Facebook or Instagram icons in your copy to help visitors further engage with your business. Place them prominently in headers and footers as reminders to visitors, or integrate live social media feeds. Additionally, you can implement a social bar to your site, linking visitors directly to any of your social channels.
If you need additional features and functionality, the Wix App Market offers hundreds of solutions for third-party integrations for your business. And, if you need different—or more—visual assets, you don’t have to turn farther than your Wix site editor. “We have this huge content library that you can go to and find thousands of assets: images, videos, stickers, icons, everything you need for many different types of businesses and industries,” Dafna notes. And, all assets are available in resolutions that work across multiple screens.
Wix user spotlight: Serving people throughout North and South Carolina, The Law Office of David McWilliam specializes in family law, estate planning and mediation. The firm’s website features a clean, user-friendly design with clear navigation and call-to-action buttons that are easy to read and find.
05. Build relevant pages
In learning how to create a website, you’ll discover that having multiple pages is a must for your business. This allows you to cover a broad range of content, products or services and nearly every nut and bolt of your venture.
Consider these essential pages when deciding what to include on a business website:
Homepage: Think of your homepage like the front door to your business—it should be clear, welcoming and give people a reason to stick around. Use strong visuals, easy-to-read text and simple navigation. Add call to action buttons in the right spots to help visitors know what to do next, like explore your services or get in touch.
About: People want to know who they’re doing business with. Use your About page to share your story—what you do, what sets you apart and why it matters. Include your values, mission and a bit about your background. If you run a small business, adding a short professional bio can also help build trust. Not sure where to begin? Wix's AI text generator can create an "About" page for you in seconds. Our guide to how to write a bio can also help.
Contact: A contact page is the best way for potential customers to get in touch with you. This page should include all your contact information, such as location, business phone number, social media links, business email address and a short contact form.
Learn more: Does Wix have email for my business?
Online store: With online sales on the rise, it has become essential for many businesses to adapt to an eCommerce model. Building an online store comes with several benefits, as advanced web tools can help you manage and scale your small business. These include everything from managing order fulfillment and creating a customized checkout experience for customers to accepting payments. Once you’ve decided how to make your eCommerce site, you’ll be able to streamline all your operations from a single powerful dashboard—on desktop and mobile.
Bookings page: If you’re a service provider, you know that extending convenience and efficiency to potential clients is a crucial part of your business. Adding an online scheduling software to your site will allow you to seamlessly accept bookings and payments. An all-in-one booking solution lets you manage your calendars for clients and staff, plus sell membership plans, subscriptions and open trial sessions. It also allows you to host sessions via Zoom, enabling you to reach larger audiences and build your clientele.
Legal pages: As a business website you'll need to include several important pages on your site. You should also check in the country your business is registered in to make sure you're not missing anything you should have. You'll need a privacy policy page (explaining how you collect, use and protect user data on your site), a terms and conditions page, a page or section on your privacy page concerning your cookie policy and how you use cookies on your site, a disclaimer limiting your liability, a GDPR compliance statement (if you have or target EU customers), a copyright notice and clear contact information. All legal pages should be easily accessible and written in clear, understandable language.
Wix user spotlight: Next Door Alliance offers comprehensive customer support and administrative services for businesses, including reputation management, human resources, quality control and more. NDA’s business website features a top navigation with key pages of interest: "Home," "About NDA," "Our Services," "Our Vision," "Contact" and "Career Opportunities." From this navigation, potential clients can learn valuable information about the company’s history, experience and offerings.
06. Fill your site with rich content
Having quality, fresh content on your website not only encourages visitors to return to you, but also signals to search engines that your site includes up-to-date information.
As you start thinking about incorporating or writing website content that drives traffic and engages your target market, consider these forms of content on your website:
Blog
Many businesses create business blogs, providing insights into their field of expertise and sharing content with their clients. Bloggers write and post articles—dedicated to specific subject matter—that often serve as a platform for active online discussions. You’ll want to prioritize and choose relevant blog post topics that resonate with your audience and can establish you as a voice in your industry.
Compelling blog content can also draw new audiences to your brand. For example, if you make and sell wine, a blog post about “How to store wine at home” can capture new audiences and introduce your brand in the process.
Wondering how to make a blog? Wix has got you covered with hundreds of blog templates, built-in SEO features and marketing tools that will allow you to scale your content, your brand and your business. Give the Wix blog maker a spin to see for yourself.
Testimonials
Testimonials usually come from customers, peers or anyone who has benefited from your offerings or work. Incorporating testimonials into your website helps boost your business’s credibility and build trust among clients. This is crucial, since potential clients can assess if you will meet their needs based upon others’ experiences.
With different testimonials out there, most businesses use customer quotes as they’re easy to obtain. Just ask a customer directly for one. You can place testimonials in just about any section of your website, including the home page, product or service page, or even a dedicated testimonial page.
Here are some tips to help you plan your content:
Engage with customers to identify relevant topics: Talk directly to your customers and pay attention to their questions, feedback and concerns. Observe social media platforms to uncover trending topics and discussions relevant to your industry, then craft content that addresses these interests.
Answer common search questions: Think about the questions your audience is likely typing into search engines. Create content that provides direct, helpful answers and positions your website as an expert resource they can rely on.
Collaborate with industry experts: Partner with professionals in your field to generate guest content or share fresh insights. This not only boosts credibility but introduces your business to a broader audience through the expert’s connections.
Use analytics to fine-tune your strategy: Monitor your content’s performance using analytics tools. Pay attention to metrics like visitor engagement, time spent on pages and conversion rates to identify what’s working and where adjustments are needed.
Target evergreen and trend-driven content: Focus on a mix of lasting topics that provide continuous value and trendy subjects that attract immediate attention. This balance keeps your audience engaged, whether they’re seeking timeless advice or up-to-date industry news.
Wix user spotlight: Registered dietician Nathalie Rhone owns and operates Nutrition by Nathalie throughout the Greenwich, Connecticut and New York City areas, offering everything from refrigerator makeovers to functional lab testing. Nathalie’s blog adds engaging content to her website by sharing healthy recipes and photos, while her “Success Stories” page features client testimonials praising her services.
07. Implement a strong CRM
Once you realize that your business needs a website, you’ll also discover that you need solid customer relationship management (CRM) to build long-term rapport and capture more leads. Once connected to your website, a CRM provides you with marketing and sales force automation, as well as customer contact and project management.
Wix offers a complete, powerful and free CRM software that can be easily integrated with your website. The tool includes a wide range of advanced features, such as forms to collect key contact details like emails, leads and testimonials.
You might also want to consider using AI agents to improve how you run your business through your website. Wix's AI Custom Agent is a no-code platform that lets you create personalized AI assistants aka agents without technical expertise. Your custom agent will work autonomously to drive growth and can be built to automatically send targeted coupon codes to win back inactive customers or to monitor inventory levels to prevent stockouts or it can be built to implement dynamic pricing for underperforming products. You can setup an AI agent tailored to your business requirements and free yourself to focus on strategic decisions while your digital assistant handles routine but critical tasks.
08. Include a privacy policy
Many countries around the world require businesses to disclose how they collect, handle and process visitor data. In turn, users have become more protective of their personal data and concerned about how companies use it.
As a result, it’s crucial that you write a privacy policy for your website explaining how and why you gather visitor information. This transparent, upfront communication will establish trust with your users. You can also install a permission banner for cookies.
09. Promote your business site
After you build a business website, you’ll notice that you’ve also created a hub of all your digital marketing efforts. You can use your site to increase your business’s exposure to prospective clients by applying a couple of these low-investment and effective marketing strategies:
Email marketing: This targeted communication generates conversions and develops relationships with customers. Additional benefits include building engagement with your brand, driving traffic to your site and promoting your business. A robust email marketing service, like the one from Wix, allows you to create and send various types of email campaigns and customize them for your target audience. A Hubspot study in 2024 found that 43% of marketers believe email brings the highest ROI from their efforts with the medium.
Social media marketing: Today, many businesses leverage the power of social media and reach out to mass audiences from across the world through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest and X. With social media marketing, you can regularly promote and share content around your business in the form of live streaming, user generated content, stories or posting in specific groups. What’s more, you can create and manage both Facebook and Instagram Ads from your Wix eCommerce dashboard. The same Hubspot study found that 63% of marketers believe that social media drives the highest ROI on their marketing efforts.
10. Track web performance
To fully understand your site’s performance, turn to web analytics tools and dive deeper into your site’s traffic trends. Visitor behavior can clue you into where your users come from, how they got to your site and which pages they stay on for longer periods of time. Wix Analytics is a useful tool for gleaning these insights, providing an in-depth look into your site’s traffic trends, content performance and visitor behavior.
Once you have a better understanding of your visitors—first time or returning—you can make data-driven decisions on what your site needs in order to improve overall performance.
How AI can speed up building your business website
Many website builders now include AI assistants that ask you a few questions about your business and automatically create a website layout, color scheme and even write some of the content for you. For example, a small florist could answer questions about their style, services and favorite colors then get a ready-made website to customize instead of starting from scratch.
Beyond design, AI can help generate blog posts, product descriptions, social media captions and more, saving hours of writing and brainstorming. Imagine a personal trainer using AI to quickly create workout program descriptions or a craft shop owner generating unique product listings without struggling over every word.
If you want to test the waters, start by trying an AI-powered website builder or content generators and see how much easier it makes your launch. AI won’t replace your unique touch but it’s a powerful helper that can get your site live faster and with less hassle.
Learn more: How to create a website with AI
Landing page vs full business website: Which one should you choose?
Not every business needs a full website with multiple pages. Sometimes, a landing page is all you need. A landing page is a simple single page designed to focus on one goal like collecting email addresses, promoting a new product or driving sign-ups for an event.
For example, if you’re launching a new fitness coaching program and want to gather interested clients quickly, a landing page with a clear offer and signup form can do the job. It’s fast to build, easy to update and great for testing ideas without investing too much time or money upfront.
On the other hand, a full website is better for businesses that need space to tell their story, showcase services, share customer reviews or run a blog. Think of a bakery that wants to show its menu, share baking tips and sell cakes online—that requires multiple pages to cover everything well. If your goal is long-term growth, SEO visibility and building trust with visitors, a full website is the way to go. For many small businesses, starting with a landing page and upgrading later works well.
Learn more:
Can a one-page website work for my business?
Yes, a single-page website can be a powerful and simple way to get online—especially if you want to keep things straightforward. These sites present all the key info visitors need on one scrollable page. For example, a freelance photographer might use a one-page site with a strong headline, a gallery of photos, client testimonials and a contact form.
The key to a successful one-page website is to organize your content well and use anchor links so visitors can jump smoothly between sections like About, Services and Contact. This type of site works best for businesses or personal brands with a clear, focused message such as consultants, artists or small cafes with a simple menu.
One-page sites aren’t perfect for businesses with lots of products or complex services but if your offering is simple and your goal is to get visitors to take one main action, this can be a smart, budget-friendly choice.
Learn more:
How much does it cost to make a business website?
The cost of making a business website can vary a lot depending on your needs and who builds it. If you use a website builder like Wix, you can get started for free or with a low monthly fee to cover your domain, hosting and premium features. This option works great if you want to build the site yourself using templates and drag-and-drop tools. It’s affordable and lets you scale your site as your business grows.
If you hire a professional web designer or developer, costs can jump from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. This investment makes sense for businesses that want a fully custom look, complex features like online stores, booking systems or membership areas.
Learn more: How much does a website cost?
How to build a business website FAQ
How long does it take to create a business website?
A simple website can be created in a few hours, while a more complex website may take several weeks or even months to complete.
If you're building the website yourself, you can expect to spend at least a few hours on the design and layout. You also need to create content for your website, which can take some time, especially if you are writing all of the content yourself. Learn more: Small business website statistics
How do I choose the right business website template?
When choosing a website template, it's important to consider the following factors:
The type of business you have
The target audience for your website
The overall style and tone you want to convey
The features and functionality you need
It's also important to choose a template that is responsive, meaning it will look good and function well on all devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
What should you include on your business website?
The specific content of your business website will vary depending on the type of business you have. However, there are some general elements that all business websites should include:
A homepage that introduces your business and what it does
A contact page where visitors can get in touch with you
About page that tells visitors more about your business and its team
Services page that lists the services you offer
Portfolio page that showcases your work
Blog page where you can publish articles and other content related to your business
You may also want to include additional pages on your website, such as an FAQ page, a pricing page or a careers page.
How much does a business website cost?
The cost of a website can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size and complexity of the website, the features you need and who you hire to build the website. If you make the website yourself, that will cost less than hiring a web designer or developer.
Do businesses really need a website?
Yes, businesses really need a website in today's digital world. A website is a valuable marketing tool that can help businesses to reach new customers, increase sales and build a strong brand identity.
Here are some of the benefits of having a website for your business:
Increased visibility: A website makes your business visible to potential customers all over the world. People can easily find your website by searching for keywords related to your business on Google or other search engines.
Credibility: A well-designed website gives your business a professional and credible image. This is important for building trust with potential customers.
24/7 availability: Your website is always available, even when your business is closed. This means that potential customers can learn more about your business and make purchases at any time.
Lead generation: Your website can be used to generate leads by collecting contact information from visitors. This information can then be used to follow up with potential customers and promote your products or services.
Sales: You can sell your products or services directly through your website. This can be a great way to increase sales and reach a wider audience.
How do I create a free website for my small business?
Creating a free website for your business is simpler than you might think, especially with platforms like Wix. Wix offers a user-friendly interface where you can select from a variety of templates, customize them to your liking and add your business content. Even if you're not tech-savvy, you can navigate the platform easily.
How easy is making a website for my business?
It will depend on what you need your business for. If it's to represent your business online or to serve as a marketing asset, you can get started by creating a website with Wix from a selection of pre-designed templates which is relatively easy. If you need a website to sell for your business, best to choose an ecommerce website builder and how easy it will be will depend on which platform you choose and how advanced you need your business website to be.
Should I build a business website myself or hire a professional?
Consider these points when deciding:
DIY with Wix:
User-friendly drag-and-drop editor
Numerous customizable templates
Lower cost
Suitable for most sites
Hire a professional:
- Time-saving for you
What's the best platform or CMS for building a business website?
Wix is an excellent platform for building a business website and here's why:
User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
800+ customizable templates for various industries
Mobile-responsive designs
Built-in SEO tools
E-commerce capabilities
App market for extended functionality
Secure hosting and SSL certificate included
Regular updates and new features
24/7 customer support
Scalable plans for growing businesses
What content should I include on my business website?
Essential content for a business website can include:
Clear homepage with value proposition
"About Us" page detailing company history and mission
Products/Services pages with descriptions and pricing
Contact information and form
Customer testimonials or case studies
FAQ sections
Blog for industry insights
Team/Staff profiles
Privacy policy and terms of service
Call-to-action buttons throughout
How can I make my website secure?
To secure your Wix website you don't need to do anything initially due to it's enterprise grade security infrastructure which includes enabled HTTPS with free SSL certificate and auto backups, as well as 24/7 security monitoring. You can help your site security by implementing strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, limiting admin access and monitoring your site.
How often should I update my business website?
Regularly updating your business website is crucial, here's how you can go about doing it:
Review content monthly for accuracy
Update product/service information immediately when changes occur
Add new blog posts weekly or bi-weekly
Refresh design elements annually or in line with new branding efforts
Update team/staff information as needed
Check for broken links monthly
Update testimonials/case studies quarterly
Revise FAQs as new questions arise
Seasonal updates for promotions/events
Comments