There are templates all over the internet that will get you started on building a website for your business. However, in order to take yours to the next level make sure you understand the elements that aid in designing a successful custom website for your small business or startup.

1. SECURE A RELEVANT DOMAIN

Try to secure a domain that is consistent with your business name and is memorable. The most common are .com and .org. If those are taken there has been a growing number of unique extensions such as geographic (.austin, .texas), profession (.design, .web), sport (.yoga, .ski) and so on!

2. DEVELOP LOGO + BRAND IDENTITY

What is your business name? What do you do? Your logo should convey the answer to both questions. Your brand voice the tone in which you speak of your business and offerings should be consistent across all written and visual content. This overall uniformity will lend trust to your customers and solidify what you do and why you do it.

3. CREATE USER FRIENDLY NAVIGATION

Too often we see websites with pages and pages of content and too many navigation options. Is all that really necessary? Keep it simple. When looking at your navigation your viewers should know where you want them to explore. Allowing for a clean user experience lends to trust. Visitors average about 3 clicks per website before they leave. Make sure you direct them where they need to go before that 3rd click is up. At most your website should have no more than 6 navigation tabs. When deciding upon which navigation to keep, see if you can group similar ideas or content into a category described by one word.

4. DESIGN A HOMEPAGE WITH A CLEAR MISSION

Your homepage should clearly explain what you do at first glance. If it takes a while for a visitor to figure it out then you're missing the mark. You don't necessarily need to spell it out with type. Feel free to be creative. A well designed logo and carefully crafted mission statement will convey what you do or what the website is about. Imagery and icons also help tell the story and purpose of your website and brand.

5. ENSURE RESPONSIVENESS

With the ever expanding technological devices used to browse the web it is crucial to make sure yours is compatible. When a web design changes format or responds to the device it is on, that is called responsive design. Today 51% of users view website content via mobile devices. Those viewers are generally on the go and want to find the information they are looking for quickly. For successful user experience and responsiveness make sure your website converts nicely to a tablet and mobile device.

6. CRAFT A CLEAN DESIGN

With thousands of websites offering the same service or product as you it is challenging to stand out. The best way to get ahead is with a purposeful design that lets your product or service do the talking. Whether your style is bold typography, action packed hero shots, or clean minimalism, make sure the design elements you choose is on point with your brand. The easiest way to clean up design elements is with a consistent color scheme, no more than 3 font choices, and plenty of negative space.

7. DETERMINE A CALL TO ACTION

Get to the point, quickly. After your viewer reads all your great content, your carefully designed graphics, and navigates your pages what do you want them to do? Spell it out for them. Have a big call to action button that says Contact Me, Sign Up, Download or whatever it is you want them to do. Always be closing! Don't assume they'll know how to make the first move.

8. ENSURE CONTACT INFORMATION IS EASY TO FIND

With any services or product at some people the viewer will want to contact you. It can be via email, phone, contact form, or even social media. Make sure your preferred contact information is easy to find. The top right or bottom footer is most common.

9. DEVELOP A SEO STRATEGY

SEO is industry term for Site Enhancement Optimization. When a viewer types in any given keyword in Google Search, Bing, etc. make sure those keywords link to your website as one of the top few in the search results. Why is this important? You want to be found! What good is all of the above tips if no one can find you? Take some time to decide what keywords are most important to your industry and business. Be sure to use those words often on your website on both the front and back end.

10. HIRE A PROFESSIONAL

At the end of the day your goal should simply be having a successful business. Having a customized branded website is just one part. It is helpful to know all the key elements that go into designing a purposeful website. If you would rather simplify your life, hire a professional web designer to sort through all the crucial elements so you can get back to what you're passionate about. Growing your business!