Whether you’re starting a car washing business, operating a food truck, or establishing a new CPA firm, one thing is always true: your business needs an online presence. Not only that, but your website needs to be professional and project the right image.

A flawless business website is the prime requisite to market self among a tight well-rounded fierce competition. A clutter-free and aesthetically pleasing home page can help in attracting more followers, and establishing a real brand connection.

The best part is driving that inbound website traffic towards creating a brand, generating leads, closing sales, etc. So design your online business address by carefully reading all the tips in this article, and make them better in your own way. Here are 10 steps to help you establish a website for your business.

1. Choose and purchase a domain name.

Choosing a domain name is the first step in building a website. While it may seem daunting at first, the best approach is to keep it simple. If your business is called Mike’s Hardware, for example, stick with mikeshardware.com. If your desired domain has been taken, usually some variation of your business name is available. Try tacking your physical location onto the end, for example.

2. Start thinking aesthetically.

If you already have a brand and a marketing plan, integrate your website into the structure. You want your business to have a consistent aesthetic in both the virtual and physical world. If you’re in the process of updating your business model for the 21st century, or are considering rebranding entirely, this is also a great time to build a website.

3. Purchase web hosting.

You can purchase the domain name, but if you don’t have a reliable web hosting company, you’ll miss traffic on your site. Think of the relationship between your domain name and web host like this: the domain is your mailing address, but web hosting allows you to actually build and construct your physical location. There are many companies out there like Shopify that offer very reasonable hosting packages, so be sure to shop around.

4. Explore DIY layouts and templates.

Some business owners are more adventurous than others. If you feel like a DIY design is something you’d be interested in attempting, or you’re extremely picky, you might want to check out premade templates. Web design has become increasingly user-friendly these days, especially with the multitude of premade templates available on platforms like WordPress.

5. Hire a web designer.

If you don’t feel comfortable spearheading the web design yourself, there are many web designers who can help at reasonable rate. You need someone who understands your visionand can turn it into a reality. According to an infographic from KISSMetrics, one of the most common reasons people leave a website is because the design is boring or distracting. Regardless of how you build the site, make sure that you get an end result that will compel customers to stick around.

6. Give your customers something to look at.

Once you get the nitty-gritty down, you can start to fill in your content. Content is one of the most important parts of your website, and will be a determining factor in whether your customers stay andreturn. Content refers to pictures, text, or other items that your customers can engage with. Whether these are graphic elements, like logos or infographics, or actual photography, no visitor wants to read through a wall of text when they first reach your website.

7. Promote your website to customers.

Mention your website in conversations with customers and clients. If a customer calls inquiring where your food truck will be parked that day, mention that you update a regularly updated schedule on your website. Try putting out a deal for web visitors only, offering a discount with a promo code or printable coupon. If you make your website a valuable resource that nets customers real world rewards, you’ll attract more visitors.

8. Social media is your best friend.

Even if you’re unsure about how to use social media, there are small steps you can take. Start with creating a page for your business on Facebook and go from there. Establish Twitter and Instagram accounts and keep them updated with relevant information that leads back to your website. For example, did you cook up a batch of fresh cookies that will be on sale today? Instagram a picture and make mouths water.

9. Refine your social media presence.

In a recent article featured in The Guardian, social media consultants encouraged business owners to imagine their target market, such as what their customers think about, what their interests are, and what their lives are like. Then, use this information to confirm which social networks you can utilize to reach them. For example, if you want to sell your handmade jewelry to women between the ages of 25 to 35, you need to be on Pinterest.

10. Analyze your web traffic.

Analytics are important when as you continue to build your website traffic. To newbies in the world of web design, this may sound like a scary word. In reality, though, it’s just another way of measuring how and why customers visit your site. You can install free services like Google Analytics by simply inserting a code generated by Google directly into your page.

Setting up your website takes careful planning and hard work, but with the right combination of elements, it can increase your customer base. The key idea to always remember is that your website should provide something of value to visitors. Start thinking about shareable content on social media sites or developing a blog after your design is complete. As the Internet keeps evolving, it’s essential for your business to keep up.