Creating a website for your business on Google involves utilising the Google My Business and Google Sites. It does require a level of design skill without which you will most likely end up with a very unprofessional looking website. That said, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Step 1: Set up a Google My Business account
1. Go to the Google My Business website (https://www.google.com/business/) and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, create a new Google account.
2. Click on the “Manage now” button to create a new Google My Business listing for your business.
3. Provide the necessary details about your business, including the business name, address, phone number, website URL, and category.
4. Verify your business by following the verification process. This usually involves receiving a verification code by mail or phone.
Step 2: Access Google Sites
1. Open a new tab in your web browser and go to Google Sites (https://sites.google.com/).
2. Sign in with your Google account if you’re not already signed in.
Step 3: Create a new website on Google Sites
1. Click on the “+ Create” button to start creating a new website.
2. Choose a template for your website. Google Sites offers several pre-designed templates to choose from. Select a template that suits your business needs or start with a blank template.
3. Customise your website by adding your business name, logo, images, and content. Google Sites provides a user-friendly interface where you can easily edit and format the content of your website.
4. Add pages to your website to organize your content. You can create different pages for About Us, Products/Services, Contact, etc. Click on the “Pages” tab to manage and add new pages.
5. Customise the layout and design of your website using the available options in Google Sites. You can change colors, fonts, and other design elements to match your brand.
Step 4: Publish your website
1. Once you’re satisfied with the design and content of your website, click on the “Publish” button.
2. Choose a domain name for your website. You can either use a free subdomain provided by Google Sites (e.g., yourbusinessname.google.com) or use a custom domain name that you already own.
3. If you choose a custom domain, follow the instructions provided by Google Sites to connect your domain to your website. This may involve modifying DNS settings or adding CNAME records.
4. Review your website one last time and click on the “Publish” button to make your website live on the internet.
Step 5: Optimise your website for search engines
1. Within your Google My Business account, go to the “Website” section. You can access it from the left-hand menu or the “Website” tab within your business listing.
2. Customize the design and content of your Google My Business website. You can add more information about your business, upload images, and customise the theme.
3. Optimise your website for search engines by adding relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and optimizing the content on your website pages.
4. Preview your Google My Business website and make any necessary adjustments.
5. Once you’re satisfied, publish your Google My Business website to make it visible to potential customers.
By following these steps, you can create a website for your business on Google using Google My Business and Google Sites. It can take some time for the entire process and much like an oil painting, the results will depend very much on the level of design skill there person has that is doing the work.
If you are looking for a website for your business, why not quickly fill in the form on the right at the top of the page and see what it would cost to have your website professionally designed and built for you.