Before starting a website for your small business, you need to pick the right platform, the software that lets you create, manage, and modify your site. Before you choose, think about what you actually need: do you want to sell products directly, or do you just need a simple site that provides information about your business? Knowing this up front will guide everything else.
Popular website platforms
WordPress
A free, open-source platform offering flexibility, scalability, and extensive customization. Ideal for blogs, business sites, and more complex websites that will keep growing.
Wix
A user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, well suited to simple sites. It offers less deep customization than WordPress but is a fast way for small businesses to get online.
Squarespace
Another drag-and-drop builder, known for polished templates and ease of use, a strong fit for creative professionals and small businesses that want to look sharp with minimal setup.
Shopify
Built specifically for e-commerce, with robust tools for running an online store. If selling products online is the main goal, this is usually the right starting point over a general-purpose builder.
Take your time deciding
Research and compare your options before committing, the right platform makes building and maintaining your website meaningfully easier down the line, while the wrong one means a costly rebuild later once you've outgrown it.