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Whether you're a seasoned company or just starting a business , effective trucking marketing strategies  can help you stand out in a crowded market. In this guide, we'll explore how marketing for trucking companies can transform the way you connect with clients. We'll look at the perfect marketing mix for a trucking company and provide insights on how trucking companies find clients.  The marketing mix for trucking companies When it comes to crafting a successful trucking marketing strategy, it's crucial to start with the basics. The marketing mix, often encapsulated by the 4 Ps —Product, Price, Place and Promotion—is a time-tested framework that can be tailored to fit the trucking industry's unique needs. Product:  In trucking, your product is the service you provide. It's essential to define what you offer clearly, whether it's long-haul freight, specialized transportation or regional deliveries. Starting a box truck business ? Your marketing strategies might well differ from someone starting a tow truck business . Knowing your services inside out helps in communicating value to your clients. Price : Competitive pricing is key in trucking. You must balance costs with profit margins while remaining attractive to customers. Consider flexible pricing strategies that can adapt to market changes and client demands. Place : This refers to how and where clients can book your services. Today, making a website is vital. Ensure that clients can find you through search engines and industry platforms or directories. Promotion : Effective promotion for trucking companies goes beyond traditional advertising. It includes digital marketing efforts  like SEO , content marketing , email campaigns  and social media strategies —all aimed at increasing visibility and attracting leads. Understanding your trucking audience and services Identifying and understanding your target audience  is a cornerstone of any effective marketing strategy, including in the trucking industry. By recognizing who needs your services and what specific problems you can solve for them, you can tailor your offerings to meet those needs precisely. Identifying the highest paying trucking niches : To maximize profitability, it's important to identify which niches are willing to pay a premium for your services. This could include specialized transport like hazardous materials, oversized loads or high-value freight. Research and understand the requirements and regulations of these niches to offer unparalleled service. Customizing services to meet client needs:  Once you've identified your target niches, customize your services to address their unique challenges. This might involve investing in specialized equipment, training staff for exceptional service delivery or offering flexible scheduling options. By aligning your services with client needs, you create a compelling value proposition  that sets you apart from competitors. 8 effective trucking marketing ideas for your business To drive growth and stay competitive here are 10 effective strategies designed to take your trucking business to the next stage. Create valuable content Use social media platforms  Implement referral programs Share positive testimonials Attend industry events Use email marketing Invest in targeted advertising Provide stellar customer service 01. Create valuable content Consider starting a blog in order to be able to share blog posts and articles that address common industry challenges and solutions. This content helps position your company as a thought leader and if optimized for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)  can also generate organic traffic to your trucking website .  Learn more about how to create a landing page.   02. Use social media platforms Engage with your current and targeted audience on social media by sharing industry news, company updates and behind-the-scenes content to build a community around your trucking brand. Your first step will be to choose to market your business on the social media platforms  where your target market can be found. This might be Facebook, which is often effective for local marketing and small business marketing strategies , Instagram or another platform.  Next, you’ll need to create content for that social media platform and audience. On Facebook this might be with clear posts about the services you offer, on Instagram it might be sharing short reels or videos of your trucking services in action.  03. Implement referral programs Encourage satisfied customers to refer new clients by offering incentives, which can be an effective way to generate new business through word-of-mouth marketing . This can work well especially for small town business ideas , like trucking, where positive referrals can generate consistent business for you.  Incentives can include money off your services if they refer someone who commits to use you, or a free gift of some sort.  04. Share positive testimonials Build on attracting repeat and new customers by showcasing positive customer reviews on your website and social media channels to build trust with potential clients. Make sure to ask for permission from customers before sharing their reviews.  05. Attend industry events Increase your visibility by participating in trucking expos, trade shows and conferences where you can network with potential clients and partners. This can be a great way to build relationships and partnerships with other trucking or related businesses who may need your services or who can help you connect with your audience.  06. Use email marketing Send out newsletters , promotions and personalized offers to keep your company top of mind with current and prospective clients.  Email marketing  can be an effective way to build a community and to sell to that network.  07. Invest in targeted advertising Use platforms like Google Ads to place targeted advertisements that reach individuals searching for trucking services. You pay to have your ad as close to the top of search results pages as possible. This can be an expensive strategy, especially long term but it can be a good way to get your trucking business out there at the start.  08. Provide stellar customer service Provide reliable service and responsive communication to create positive experiences that encourage repeat business. When it comes to trucking marketing, this is one of the most effective ways to build a profitable, stable business. It also reduces your marketing costs at the same time as you can avoid formal and paid marketing campaigns, by relying on repeat customers and their referrals too.  Strengthening your marketing with a trucking company website Today a strong online presence is non-negotiable for trucking companies aiming to attract and retain clients. A website is often the first point of contact between you and potential customers and it should be prioritized as such.  A well-designed website acts as a central hub for all your marketing activities. It's where prospects go to learn about your services, company value and industry expertise. It also plays a crucial role in lead generation and conversion. Key features of an effective trucking company website User-friendly design:  Ensure your site is easy to navigate with a clear menu structure and calls-to-action. Learn how to make a website  with a website builder  like Wix.  Mobile optimization:  With more people using mobile devices to access the web, your site must perform well on smartphones and tablets. High-quality content: Provide detailed descriptions of your services, company background and testimonials from satisfied clients. SEO features : Incorporate SEO best practices to help your site rank higher in search engine results pages. Contact information:  Make it easy for visitors to contact you with visible phone numbers, email addresses and a contact form. Use a trucking website template to build your website and get started.

As a small business owner , you have plenty to worry about. You might be doing everything from staffing to payroll to website building and so much more. Ultimately, no organization will be at their best with one person stretching themselves too thin. With so much to balance, it can be easy to lose focus on bringing in new customers and retaining existing clients. Fortunately, there’s a way to take some of that work off your plate. Enacting business automation is just one of the ways you can free up time and improve your company’s marketing effectiveness at the same time. Ready to get your business up and running online? Start making a website with Wix. Not sure where to start? Learn how to build a website  with this easy guide. What is business automation? Business automation is the use of software to perform marketing tasks and campaigns without human intervention. This can include sending out automatic email responses, moving leads through your sales funnel and creating marketing flows for specific use cases. By integrating automation into various aspects of a business, you can save time, reduce errors and focus on more strategic activities that drive business growth .  In fact, marketers report saving 25 hours per week with automation, according to a 2021 poll by Zapier . And customer service representatives, salespeople and accountants say they save up to 16 hours a week with automation. Why is small business automation important? Automation can solve several small business challenges , and ultimately save you time and money when running a business . Some benefits include: Efficiency : You can streamline repetitive tasks that don’t require critical thinking or an expert’s touch. Consistency : Ensure that tasks are performed consistently and remain on brand all the time, even across multiple locations or users. Scalability : Automation makes it easier to scale operations like follow-up emails or appointment confirmations without a proportional increase in workload. Cost-effectiveness : By reducing the need for manual labor, you can save on labor costs and reduce errors that could lead to costly mistakes. As Adam Tuttle, ActiveCampaign’s senior business activation director says: “Automations are a driving force behind creating a quality customer experience. From the moment a lead is captured, automations empowers small businesses to create consistent and engaging brand interactions with potential customers, customers and former customers.” 28 things your small business should automate  There are dozens of different types of business automation worth exploring. While you might not necessarily need to automate all of these things, implementing even just a few of these examples could save you precious time and money—whether you’ve owned a business for years or are just learning how to start a business . Abandoned cart emails User accounts Inventory management Order confirmation emails Customer feedback requests Sales pipelines Sales reporting Customer quotes Upselling and product recommendation emails Electronic signatures Follow-up emails Lead scoring Landing page creation Lead inquiries Social media scheduling Email marketing PPC campaigns A/B testing Analytics and reporting Project management Spreadsheet and databases Business operations Internal communication efforts Document management User segmentation Customer support Loyalty programs Customer data syncing Ecommerce automation 01. Abandoned cart emails Often, potential customers put items they’re looking at in their cart but don’t complete the purchase for one reason or another. An automatic abandoned cart email is a great way to personally target those customers with the specific product they’re interested in. 02. User accounts User accounts allow customers to securely store passwords and payment information, which allows for quicker transactions and makes it easier for repeat customers to return. Plus, accounts allow users to set up alerts for when a product is in stock or discounted, and more. 03. Inventory management Regardless of your scale, your customers must have the right information. That’s why implementing an inventory management system (IMS) is vital; an IMS automatically updates inventory  levels in real time, reducing the risk of overselling. 04. Order confirmation emails After each purchase, a confirmation email can be instantly sent to each buyer with specific information, like their order number, product details and a shipping code if necessary. 05. Customer feedback requests A great way to iterate on your products or improve the experience when making a website is to solicit feedback. You could send an automatic customer feedback request within a week of purchasing to invite your customers to share their honest thoughts. Example of an automated email flow (source: ActiveCampaign) Sales automation 06. Sales pipelines Manually tracking potential sales is a time-consuming process that’s prone to error. With customer relationship management (CMS) software, you can automatically track and manage leads and conversations through custom sales funnels that you created. 07. Sales reporting Another helpful CRM automation is the ability to generate sales reports automatically to monitor performance and make data-driven decisions. 08. Customer quotes If your small business deals in quotes, an equation system can automatically generate and send quotes to potential clients based on predefined criteria. 09. Upselling and product recommendation emails A personal touch is huge when it comes to sales. While email marketing might not seem personal, it can be with personalized emails suggesting related products or upgrades based on a customer’s past behaviors. Example of an automated sales email sequence (source: ActiveCampaign) Lead generation automation 10. Electronic signatures Use tools like DocuSign or DocHub to automate the process of collecting signatures on important documents. This helps you to stay organized and close deals quickly. 11. Follow-up emails Much like abandoned cart emails and order confirmation emails, you can create automated follow-up emails any time someone contacts you, confirming that their request was received. Follow-up emails can even be used as transactional emails after a customer expresses interest in a product. 12. Lead scoring If you have a lot of leads, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. A lead scoring system  will automatically score and prioritize leads based on custom parameters and their behavior and interactions with your business. This allows you to prioritize hot leads and close those sales fast. 13. Landing page creation One of the most popular ways to generate leads is to use a landing page. This can be for specific campaigns or long-term strategies like email collection. Automated tools can create and test various landing pages on your behalf. 14. Lead inquiries Chatbots and other tools that automate lead responses have been spurred on by the recent AI boom and will be a crucial asset going forward. This large-language model can give potential customers some of the key information they need, and generate leads for you at any time of the day or night. Example of a lead nurturing email sequence (source: ActiveCampaign) Marketing automation 15. Social media scheduling Schedule social media posts months in advance with social media software. This allows your company to plan out marketing initiatives and stay consistent with branding across social media channels. 16. Email marketing Use platforms like ActiveCampaign  to automate email campaigns and newsletters that consistently engage customers and allow your company to market your products at a lower cost than most marketing channels. You can also auto-segment users and leads into particular categories based on their interests or behaviors, and send them marketing communication that fits their needs. 17. PPC campaigns Take advantage of AI-powered tools offered by Google and other ad platforms to automate your PPC campaigns. Stay within your bidding and keyword parameters without having to check them daily. 18. A/B testing Automatically run and analyze tests to optimize your marketing strategies and website design. For example, you can send out an email with two different subject lines that run to 200 people each. After those 400 sends, the better-performing subject line will automatically become your only subject line. 19. Analytics and reporting An easy way to stay on top of your numbers is to set up automatic reports in whichever analytics program you use. This is ideal for weekly sales reports and reports on specific marketing campaigns. Task management automation 20. Project management Platforms like Asana or Monday centralize all tasks that need to be done for specific projects or on a daily basis. They can also perform automation, including task due date reminders, stuck task notifications and recurring task creation. 21. Spreadsheets and databases While business software  like CRM is great at collecting and organizing data, sometimes you need an old-fashioned spreadsheet to do the job. Fortunately, tools like Zapier can automate data entry updates to important sheets and other databases as sales are made or leads are generated. 22. Business operations Invoicing and payroll processing can be a huge headache. Sites like Wix, ADP and Workday make routine business much easier by automating payroll processing, storing past paychecks and automating invoices. Discover all of Wix's features , including its built-in automation tools and free invoice generator . 23. Internal communication efforts If you have several employees or locations, you can use Slack or other instant messaging services to auto-post major company announcements and other internal communication so all your employees are sure to see it. 24. Document management An asset management system is a great way to use automated systems to manage, store and retrieve business documents. Document management systems allow for automatic storage and filing so you always know where important documents are stored. CRM automation 25. User segmentation Auto-segment users and leads into particular categories based on their interests or behaviors, and send them marketing communication that fits their needs. 26. Customer support Software like Zendesk allows any customer support tickets to be automatically applied to people on your customer experience team. You can even set up rules for specific types of tasks to go to specific members of your team. 27. Loyalty programs If you have a customer loyalty system, it’s far easier to use automation to keep track of rewards as customers complete purchases—specifically because the alternative is manually keeping track of points as purchases are made. 28. Customer data syncing If you’re using several pieces of software, check to see if you can integrate your platforms with your primary CRM so that customer data is synced across all your platforms and tools. Get the Wix Loyalty Program app for free. Trends in small business automation Business automation has never been more popular, and that is not expected to change. Rather, the type of technology available to small businesses is apt to change.  We asked ActiveCampaign’s senior business activation director, Adam Tuttle, what he sees when it comes to small business automation trends to get an idea of what to expect in the future. AI and machine learning “AI and machine learning are fed by data. Marketing automation is an incredible resource for gathering data and using the data that is being collected. It is no longer only used to send emails, but rather used to gather and manage data collection in real-time. This technology is now available to small businesses and is not isolated to enterprise organizations.“ Advanced chatbots "Chatbots are incredible resources to collect information in real time and feed that data back into a marketing automation platform. This provides the marketer with more opportunities to create personalized experiences along the customer journey. “ Hyper-personalization “Personalization in 2024 goes far beyond inserting a name into an email. It looks at the culmination of actions, non-actions and first- and third-party data to build an individual profile. It also provides the opportunity to react to the data when determining the types of messaging, and when determining the content of those messages, including text, images and colors. Personalization today means creating a unique experience on every level of interaction.”

With more consumers searching and shopping on their smartphones than ever, businesses are always looking for new ways to connect with customers on-the-go. This leads to a key question—should you build an app or create a business website  with a mobile site builder? Whether you're a startup owner or manage an established business, understanding the differences between a website and mobile app is crucial in leveraging the right technology to enhance your operations and customer engagement. What is a mobile website? A mobile website is essentially a version of your regular website that is optimized for use on smartphones and tablets. It's accessible through a web browser like Chrome or Safari, meaning there's no need to download anything from an app store. Mobile websites are designed to provide a good user experience on smaller screens with touch-based navigation. Learn more about the benefits of a mobile app  for your business. What is a mobile app? In contrast, a mobile app is a software application that you download and install on your device from platforms like Apple's App Store or Google Play. Apps offer more in-depth interaction and can tap into the hardware features of the device, such as the camera or GPS. The key differences between mobile apps and websites When it comes to choosing between a mobile app and a website for your business, several key factors come into play. These differences can significantly impact user experience, accessibility and the cost associated with each platform. Functionality and user experience Mobile apps take the edge with their functionality and user experience. They're designed with the specific intent of enhancing user engagement through a more intuitive interface and smoother navigation. This is achieved by giving apps access to device hardware such as cameras, GPS and accelerometers, which can be used to create a more interactive and engaging experience. Generally, apps run faster than mobile websites as they store data locally on the device and retrieve resources from the server only when necessary. This makes them easier to interact with. However, you can design a mobile website that gives a smooth user experience. When it comes to an ecommerce website or online store , websites and apps share the same functionality when it comes to selling a product. Accessibility and offline use One of the most significant advantages of mobile apps over websites is their ability to function offline or with limited internet connectivity. Once downloaded, most apps can provide content and features without an internet connection. Websites require a stable internet connection for access, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity. Cost, upgrades and maintenance The investment required for developing and maintaining a mobile app or website varies greatly depending on several factors including complexity, platform choice and functionality. Developing a mobile app typically requires a higher initial investment than creating a mobile website. Most website builders make it possible to create a website free and even paid plans are cost effective, starting from $17 a month. Both platforms require regular updates; however, updating an app can be more complex as it needs to be done across different operating systems and devices. When learning how to create a website with Wix, updates are done to your website automatically and include auto backup as well. Apps may also incur additional costs for users to download updates or new versions, whereas updates to websites are generally seamless and free for the end-user. Understanding these key differences will help you weigh the pros and cons of each option in relation to your business goals. How to choose between a website vs mobile app Choosing between a mobile website and a mobile app depends largely on your business objectives, target audience and budget. Here's how to evaluate which platform might be more beneficial for your business. When to choose a mobile website A mobile website might be the right choice if your primary goal is to reach a broad audience without the barriers of app stores and downloads. You'll need a business website in order to market and promote your business online via the mobile web and as a way to build your brand. Learn more: Small business website statistics There are other benefits too: SEO : Mobile websites are more discoverable by search engines, which can help in reaching new customers. Broad accessibility : Websites can be accessed on any device, including mobile devices and non - such as computers. Cost-effectiveness : They're generally less expensive to develop and maintain compared to mobile apps. Instant updates : Any changes you make can be instantly visible to website users without requiring them to update an app. When to choose a mobile app On the other hand, a mobile app could be advantageous if you're aiming for deeper engagement with users. Personalized experience : Apps can offer tailored content and remember user preferences for a more personalized interaction. Customer loyalty : Features like push notifications can help in retaining customers by keeping them informed and engaged. Functionality : If your service requires functionality that cannot be provided through a web browser, such as a certain type of game, an app will likely be necessary. Learn more about how to make a web app of your own . Website vs mobile app FAQ Is it better to use an app or a website? The answer depends on your business goals and customer behavior. If you need to offer complex interactions, an app might be better. However, if you aim to reach a wide audience a website is best. Do I need a mobile app if I already have a website? Not necessarily. Consider an app if it adds value beyond what your website provides. If your website meets all your customers' needs effectively, an app may not be necessary. Sometimes having both can cover all bases, with the website attracting new customers and the app increasing engagement. Decide whether an app would meet specific business needs that your website does not address. Which is more secure a mobile app or website? Both can be secure if proper security measures are in place and both can be similarly unsecured if not. How do I know if my consumers prefer an app or a website? You'll need to conduct market research or surveys to understand your customers' preferences and behaviors. Look also if your competitors use an app, website or both. Can I convert my website into an app? Yes, there are ways to adapt website content for an app. Learn h ow to turn a website into an app with this guide. Will I sell more on an app over a website? This depends on what you're selling and the behavior of your audience. In general consumers prefer to buy low ticket items on mobile and still use desktop for more expensive purchases.

Turn your ideas into a website you love with Wix  → Launching a new website isn’t as simple as hitting “publish.” A successful launch requires lots of preparation, as well as a distinct strategy for getting your site in front of the right people. In this article, you will discover essential steps and strategies that will guide you through how to make a website from start to finish. From defining your goals to selecting the right website builder , this guide will provide you with the insights you need to navigate the intricacies of a website launch. Behind every modern business is a strong website. These days, whether you're establishing a brand, expanding your business or showcasing your creative endeavors, a well-designed website launch is key to making a lasting impact on your audience. Get your site up and running today— sign up for Wix for free. 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. Wix is 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. How to launch a website like a pro Make a pre-launch plan Buy a domain name Create a sitemap Design your site Establish a content strategy Optimize your pages for SEO before you launch Test your site Set up analytics Launch and promote your site Maintain your site 01. Make a pre-launch plan Building a website from scratch is no easy feat, so it can be difficult to know where you should even begin. Before you even put pen to paper (or wireframe to web page), you need to start by creating a plan. When you map out how to plan a website , you’ll set expectations for your future website and define foundational rules that will maximize a smooth user experience. Read also: I built a Wix website for my mom—here's how it went Define your website’s purpose Whether you’re starting a blog or building an online store , chances are you’ve got a pretty good idea of what your website's purpose will be. Still, it’ll be helpful—both in the short term and in the long run—if you take a moment to jot down your thoughts on what exactly you’re hoping to achieve. What’s your driving motivation? What will it offer that other websites won’t? What emotions are you hoping to provoke? Once you've answered these questions, your purpose will start to take shape. It’ll serve as your North Star, guiding decisions about things like what sort of layout to use and what website features to include. Choose your target audience Choosing a target audience is a bit like deciding who to invite to an event—the people you invite will only show up if they feel like the event is meant for them and the event will only be a success if they show up. So, take some time to think about who you’re hoping to attract. Interview people who represent your target audience to learn about their interests, the problems that keep them up at night and where they like to spend their time. This kind of research can also involve surveys, online polls or social listening tools. The insights you gather during this process will help you develop your website around your user, structuring it in a way they’ll navigate effortlessly and filling it with content that grabs their attention. Like your website’s purpose, your target audience analysis shouldn’t just exist in your head because it’s easy to lose sight of it and it’s vital that you don’t. Make every decision with your audience in mind so you don’t accidentally make a choice that might push them away. Set your business metrics The business metrics you choose will function as signposts that tell you whether you’re heading in the right direction. You’ll use them to evaluate the effectiveness of your website at every step of the way. What does success look like to you in the context of this project? Here are a few examples of metrics you could use to monitor your website: Traffic volume: This metric measures the total number of visitors your website attracts. A healthy traffic volume indicates that your content and marketing efforts are effectively reaching a wide audience, while a decline might prompt you to explore ways to boost visibility and engagement. Conversion rate: This metric measures the percentage of visitors who take a specific desired action on your website, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. This provides more context to your traffic numbers because traffic alone isn’t useful; you want to make sure people are actually taking action and finding what they need on your site. A high conversion rate indicates that your website is successfully convincing visitors to take action, while a low rate might prompt you to optimize your design and content to improve the user journey and encourage conversions. Returning visitors: This metric gauges the percentage of customers who return to your website after their initial visit. This is useful for determining if your user experience and content are compelling enough to encourage repeat visits. A high retention rate suggests that your website's value keeps visitors coming back for more, while a low rate might prompt you to enhance user engagement strategies. Social shares: This metric reveals how often your content is shared on social media platforms. This metric helps you assess the virality of your content and its appeal to your audience. A high share rate indicates that your content resonates with users, making them eager to spread the word. A low share rate could lead you to refine your content strategy for more shareable material. Search engine rankings: This metric measures where your website appears in search engine results for specific keywords. You’ll want to pay close attention to your rankings to determine if your SEO efforts are effective in improving visibility. Higher rankings generally equate to greater visibility, though this will also depend on keyword volume. Poor rankings might prompt you to either revisit your old content or reevaluate your SEO strategy to climb higher in search results. Customer lifetime value (CLV): This metric calculates the total value a customer brings to your business over their entire engagement period. It monitors the success of your customer retention and loyalty strategies. A high customer lifetime value indicates that your website is fostering strong, long-term relationships with customers, leading to sustained revenue. A low value could inspire you to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction initiatives. Use Wix Analytics to monitor all these metrics and more. 02. Buy a domain name When it comes to establishing your presence on the web, a domain name is your unique identifier. So, you’ll need one that reflects your website's purpose and is easy to remember. If you can, choose a domain with a .com extension since most people still perceive it as the most trustworthy . You can use Wix’s domain name generator to find one that’s suitable and the domain name checker to see if your preferred name is available, then buy it right then and there. It’s important to perform this step sooner rather than later so that no one else scoops up the name you had in mind. Learn more: Website name ideas 03. Create a sitemap If you went to a bookstore that hadn’t separated its fiction and nonfiction books and had instead grouped things by category, you’d probably have a tough time finding what you’re looking for. That’s because you’ve built a mental model—or cognitive framework for how to navigate a space—based on how a bookstore is typically arranged. You might be amused to see a guide to tea-leaf reading next to the Harry Potter books, but you’d probably still walk out empty-handed. The concept of mental maps applies to sitemaps (which are sort of like blueprints for your site’s organizational structure) as well. For that reason, it’s best to keep your structure as simple as possible and use your creativity elsewhere. The average website has the following structure: Home: The main entry point to your website. It introduces your site's purpose, provides an overview of your offerings and directs visitors to other sections. About Us: This page delves into your company's background, history, values and team members. It helps visitors understand your brand identity and the people behind it. Products/Services: Here, you showcase the products or services your business offers. Each subpage could provide detailed information about a specific product or service, including features, benefits and pricing. Blog: The blog section hosts a collection of articles or posts related to your industry, providing valuable insights, tips, news or engaging content to your audience. Contact Us: This page offers various ways for visitors to get in touch with you, including a contact form, phone number, email and possibly your physical address. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): This page addresses common queries and concerns visitors may have about your products, services or company policies. When building your sitemap, follow the “one page, one task” rule, which says that every page on your website should have one, single purpose. For example, if you design a landing page that sells a particular product, its goal would be to motivate visitors to buy it. If you have more than one goal in mind, it’s a sign that you’re better off creating a distinct page for each one. 04. Design your site Your next task is to create designs for individual web pages on your website. You can follow two approaches when creating web layouts: you can start from a plain canvas and build a website from scratch or choose a created design from a collection of templates and adjust it to your needs. We’ll take the latter route, which is a better bet for those without a web design background. Waste no time and create your site from start to finish with Wix's website builder . Select a website builder Choosing a website builder is one of the most pivotal decisions you’ll make, as it sets the foundation for the entire web design process. Here are a few things you should look for when researching website builders: User-friendliness: Look for a builder with an intuitive interface that allows you to seamlessly shape your website without a steep learning curve. Wix, for example, makes designing a website a breeze by offering a drag-and-drop builder , hundreds of customizable templates and 24/7 customer support. Performance: Your chosen builder should deliver optimal speed and smooth navigation, enhancing user experience. Make sure your site builder has the infrastructure and plan in place to ensure strong website performance so that you don't find yourself in a bind later down the road.” AI tools: Consider platforms that integrate AI capabilities for streamlined design and content creation. The best AI website builder includes things like AI text generation and image generation, as well as personalized recommendations to help you improve your site. Accessibility: Website accessibility is essential for assuring that everyone can use your site, regardless of their disabilities. Opt for a builder like Wix that simplifies the process of creating an inclusive digital environment. SEO: Search Engine Optimization is vital for visibility. Select a builder that facilitates easy integration of SEO practices. For example, Wix has a range of SEO features , including an SEO assistant and a Semrush integration. Security: Website security is non-negotiable. Ensure your chosen builder implements robust security measures to safeguard your site and user data. Integration capabilities: It’s important that the builder you choose offers a range of integration capabilities so that you can customize your site however you want. You might need eCommerce functions, ad management tools, coding features and social media management tools. Check out your builder's app market and make sure that it supports the platforms you need or will need in the future. Learn more: Wix vs. Squarespace or Wix vs. GoDaddy Choose a template The template you pick will decide how your website looks and what people think of your brand. Therefore, it’s important to choose one that aligns with your brand identity. If you're a creative agency, a template with bold visuals might capture your essence, while a clean and minimalist template could suit a professional consulting firm. It’s also helpful to look for a template that has everything or most of everything you need. Ideally, it’ll have pages for each of those you listed in your site map. Look for one with intuitive navigation. Once you’ve chosen a template, customize it with imagery, fonts and colors that match your brand. When you use one of Wix’s website templates (of which there are more than 800), you can make changes to the colors and fonts in the Site Theme section and the design will automatically update to match those changes. Define functionality Website functionality encompasses everything that a user can do on your website, including the tasks they can perform, the information they can access and the interactions they can engage in. Functionality can range from relatively simple operations, like filling out a contact form, to very complex things, like participating in a forum. Decide on your business objectives and articulate specific functional elements that you want to have on your website. At this step, you don't need to be precise on how UI elements should look; the more important thing is clearly defining the core functionality. By focusing on this foundational aspect, you set the stage for a website that not only caters to your business needs but also delivers a seamless and engaging user experience. Learn more: What makes a good website 05. Establish a content strategy Content is the reason why people visit your website. The better your content is, the more likely people are to enjoy their time and stick around. So, creating a content strategy—or a plan for creating, organizing, distributing and managing your content—is essential prior to launching your site. This plan will keep your content consistent and will streamline your process to ensure a steady flow of valuable information that keeps your audience coming back for more. Galleries, blog posts, videos, podcasts, landing pages—the list of content types goes on and on. To decide which will be most advantageous to your purposes, determine whether you’re aiming to inform, entertain, educate or sell. Then, build a content calendar that can help your post consistently and prevent last-minute rush jobs. Finalizing the content strategy before launching your new website is pivotal. Doing so ensures that all generated content adheres to the strategy, maintaining coherence and purpose throughout your website. 06. Optimize your pages for SEO before you launch SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of optimizing content to achieve better ranking for your website in search engines. Optimizing your pages for SEO before launching your website sets the stage for better search visibility and a smoother user experience once your website is live. Start by conducting keyword research to identify the terms that your target audience is likely to search for. Integrate these keywords naturally into your content, headings and meta descriptions. Craft compelling and concise meta titles and descriptions for each page. Make sure they're clear, relevant and enticing to potential visitors. Ensure your images have descriptive alt text—not only does this improve accessibility, but it also tells search engines what the images are about. Also, pay attention to your website's structure. Well-organized and intuitive navigation helps both users and search engines easily navigate your site. Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content—it's like creating signposts that’ll help readers and search engines get a sense of what your site is about and getting a general sense of the topic you’re discussing. Lastly, don't forget about mobile responsiveness. With mobile users on the rise, search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites. So, ensure your site looks and functions seamlessly across various devices. Learn more about the Wix SEO Dashboard or check out Wix’s SEO Learning Hub for more expert tips. 07. Test your site Before launching your website, it's essential to conduct several tests to ensure its functionality, usability and overall performance. Here are some crucial tests to consider: Usability: Usability testing is the process of inviting people to complete specific tasks on your website to determine how easy it is for users to interact with your website. Usability testing will help you identify areas in the user journey that aren’t working as well as they should. Functionality: One of the most frustrating things people experience when browsing the web is when interactive elements don’t function as they’re intended. Whether it’s a broken link or a form submission issue, that dysfunction can be enough to make visitors abandon your website. Functionality testing can be tedious because it involves clicking every navigational element on your site to ensure that it’s performing as intended, but there are automation tools that can help you speed up the process. Compatibility: People will visit your website from various systems and browsers, so testing your site on different browsers, devices and operating systems is a must. The minimum set of operating systems is Windows, Android and iOS. The most popular browsers you should test are Chrome (more than 60% of the market), Apple Safari (more than 20% of the market) and Microsoft Edge (more than 5% of the market). Performance: On average, people expect websites to load in two seconds or less . If yours doesn’t, they’ll leave. Therefore, you should do performance testing regularly. You can use free performance checkers like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or Wix's site speed dashboard . Mobile: In the past year, over 56% of internet users came from mobile rather than desktop. Therefore, ensuring that your website appears correctly and offers a comfortable user experience on smaller mobile screens is crucial. You can use tools like Google's mobile-friendly tester to identify parts of your design that need to be refined. First impressions: Recent studies show that people now spend an average of 54 seconds on a site . That means you have less than a minute to convince your visitors to stay. First impression testing can help you determine whether your site is making a big enough of a splash to hold visitors’ attention. Before you launch the site, invite people to check it out and share their honest feedback. 08. Set up analytics Now, it's time to set up analytics tools that can help you track the metrics you decided on in your pre-launch plan. Install your analytics tool of choice to your site builder. Or, if your builder already has built-in reports, get familiar with those reports and make sure that you're tracking everything you need to be tracking. 09. Launch and promote your site Now that you've meticulously crafted your website, it's time for the exciting moment: sharing your creation to the world. But remember, the process of launching a website doesn’t stop when you hit “Publish.” That’s when the hard work of promoting your site begins. Here are the basics of doing so: Social media: Creating a strong online presence is all about communicating with your audience and building a strong relationship with them. The best way to achieve this is to create online communities on the social media channels that your audience is most present on. Consistency in messaging and posting schedules is vital for fostering these connections. Email marketing: If you have an existing database of customers, you can create and send out branded email newsletters with valuable information to your users. You can use Wix's email marketing tool to create emails on the fly or to create automated email sequences. Advertising: Run ads on platforms like Google or Instagram that drive targeted traffic to your website or landing page. Consider setting up retargeting campaigns that help you re-engage people who've visited your site. Influencer marketing: This approach involves teaming up with social media influencers or bloggers to endorse your website. Influencers may promote your site in exchange for a commission. 10. Maintain your site Just like taking care of a well-tended garden, your website needs ongoing attention to thrive. Regular maintenance ensures that your site stays fresh, relevant and glitch-free, giving your visitors a top-notch experience. Here are a few common maintenance procedures website owners should follow: Regular backups: Schedule automated backups of your website's files so that technical issues don’t put your data at risk. Content review and updates: Regularly review and update your website's content to keep it current, accurate and relevant. This includes contact information, product descriptions, blog posts and other textual and visual elements. Regularly scan for broken links within your website and fix or remove them to improve user experience. Software updates: If you use a CMS, you need to keep it up to date to ensure optimal performance, security and compatibility. Many CMS have a built-in feature that allows you to update the system without any problems. Looking for more inspiration? Read how Roni Sagi , runner up on America's Got Talent made her website. What are some effective and creative ways to announce the launch of a website? There are many ways to launch a website into the world, once it's published. The effectiveness of each will depend on your type of site and target audience. Social media campaigns Teasers and countdowns : Build anticipation with teaser posts and countdowns. Live launch event : Host a live event on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube to unveil the website. Influencer partnerships : Collaborate with influencers relevant to your niche to spread the word. Email marketing Exclusive previews : Send out sneak peeks or early access to your email subscribers. Launch announcement : Craft a compelling email with visuals and a clear call-to-action to visit the site. Press release Media coverage : Distribute a press release to relevant media outlets and industry publications. You can pay to guarantee coverage. Interviews : Offer interviews to journalists and bloggers to discuss the website and its benefits. Interactive elements and community engagement Contests and giveaways : Organize contests or giveaways to engage your audience and encourage them to visit the site. Quizzes and polls : Create interactive content that directs users to your website for results or more information. Videos : Produce a launch video showcasing the website’s features and benefits. Forums and groups : Announce the launch in relevant online communities, forums, and social media groups. Webinars and workshops : Host webinars or workshops to demonstrate the website’s functionality and engage with potential users. Cross-promotions : Partner with other businesses or websites for cross-promotional opportunities. Affiliate programs : Set up an affiliate program to incentivize others to promote your website. Events and meetups : Announce the launch at industry events, meetups or conferences. How to launch a new website FAQ How do I introduce a new website? Announce your new website to your audience using your existing channels like social media, email newsletters or blog posts. Highlight its purpose, key features and how it benefits them. Share teasers before the launch to build excitement, and follow up with clear calls to action—like exploring features or signing up for exclusive content. To reach even more people, consider using paid ads or collaborating with others to bring more visitors to your site. How much does it cost to launch a website? The cost of launching a website can vary widely depending on the platform, features and design complexity. Basic websites can start at under $20 per month, but adding custom domains, premium features or eCommerce tools may raise the cost. Hiring a professional designer or developer for a custom site can increase expenses significantly. Plan your budget by considering both upfront costs, like domain registration, and ongoing costs, such as hosting and marketing. Can I launch my website for free? Yes, many website builders, including Wix, offer free plans that allow you to create and launch a basic site. However, free plans generally include platform-branded domain names and ads, which may not be ideal for professional use. To remove branding and access features like custom domains or analytics tools, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Free options are great for trying out a platform, but upgrading can offer long-term benefits for your brand.

Perhaps 80% of your content marketing sales come from 20% of your content, or one in five of your social media campaigns drastically outperformed the rest. This isn’t new, and there’s a name for the phenomenon: the Pareto Principle . The Pareto Principle states that for the majority of outcomes, roughly 80% of results derive from 20% of efforts. The term was coined by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in 1896 to describe an 80-20 split pattern occurring all around him. Specifically, he observed that 80% of wealth in Italy was owned by only 20% of the population, and merely 20% of his pea pods bore 80% of the peas. Thinking it to be a coincidence, he conducted surveys across other countries and was shocked to discover the same distribution. In 1930, Joseph Juran , the leading voice in operations management at the time, applied the Pareto Principle to demonstrate that 80% of product defects were caused by 20% of the problems in production methods. Moreover, 20% of factories caused 80% of total defects, and within those factories 80% of the issues stemmed from just 20% of the workstations. By pointing to what he called “the vital few and the useful many,” Juran used the 80-20 rule to isolate and address areas of inefficiency, and came to be known as the father of quality improvement. The Pareto Principle is surprisingly applicable to content marketing, too. It permeates business, web design , making a website , customer journeys and conversion rate optimization the same way it did for the plants in Pareto’s garden and the factories in the ‘30s. That’s all to say that the Pareto Principle can guide your content strategy. When small tweaks make large differences, the key is to identify those leverage points and forge a plan to put them to use. Learn more about how to create a website . How to use the Pareto Principle to improve your content KPIs Focus on what performs the best Optimize for website conversions Enrich your content and reach new audiences 01. Focus on what performs the best Aim to spend 80% of your content creation efforts on topics and formats you know work and 20% of your time experimenting. You’ll learn more about what works (and what doesn’t) without isolating your core audience. A general rule of thumb for social media is that 80% of your social media posts should be educational and only 20% should be self-promotional. In other words, four of every five posts should lead with insights, and only the fifth post should include content like coupons, sales, demos, team headshots and media coverage. This helps brands establish their thought leadership without being spammy. From there, determine which posts drive the top 20% of engagement you receive, and spend the majority of your marketing budget on those pieces specifically. This is where the Pareto Principle can maximize your return on investment in content marketing by allocating your funds to the posts that perform the best. 02. Optimize for website conversions Take a look at your web analytics , and you’ll likely find that roughly 20% of their pages attract 80% of their overall traffic. Optimize the way traffic flows through your website to increase conversions, facilitate better engagement and accelerate business growth as a whole. On homepages, one of the simplest ways to maximize conversions with minimal effort is to add a pop-up to your site. This is the essence of the Pareto Principle at work: 20% effort for 80% gain. Strong popup forms offer ‘quick-wins’ (such as a downloadable ebook or template) and seamless navigability so users know the total number of steps as well as what step they’re currently on. 03. Enrich your content and reach new audiences Take the same approach with your blog as you would your website and social media. Audit blog posts to identify the top 20% performing content. What do they have in common? You can do the same with your audience: who are the top 20% most engaged readers? Continue to create the type of content that performs well and that top fans want to see. If writing isn’t your speciality, you can work with a ghostwriter or freelance writers, but make sure you hit that sweet spot between business needs and reader expectations. On that note, blogs do little to move the needle for a business if no one reads them. If you’re putting in a ton of effort without seeing many results, you need to spend less time creating and more time promoting. Test out an 80% promoting, 20% creating split and see what happens. Looking to to start a blog ? Create a blog with the Wix blog maker.

LinkedIn is known for connecting professionals all over the world. But while many people associate it with finding new positions and advancing one’s career, LinkedIn also offers a valuable networking space for several types of businesses and brands. Professional freelancers, digital creatives, recently established companies and even performing artists can use LinkedIn marketing to promote their services to a different audience than is available on other social networks. The key is to take a smart marketing strategy in approaching it. Looking for a website builder with built-in marketing and business solutions? Create a website with Wix. What is LinkedIn marketing? LinkedIn marketing is a powerful social media tool that can help businesses of all sizes connect with potential customers, partners and employees. It works by leveraging the platform's vast business-oriented network of professionals to reach your target audience. When you create and share content on LinkedIn, it is seen not only by your connections but also by their network - known as “2nd connections”. This can help you increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers who have already shown interest in similar topics or thought leaders. In order to be successful with LinkedIn marketing, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your customers and what they are looking for. You will also need to create relevant content, engage with other people in your professional sphere and run ads that are targeted to the right people. 10 LinkedIn marketing strategies Here are 10 great tips to help you get more traction on LinkedIn, most of them free: Create a company page Highlight your business on your own profile Update frequently Use great visuals Start a group Participate in other groups Get employees and partners on board Write smart Interact Take LinkedIn seriously 01. Create a company page Unlike personal profiles, LinkedIn company pages are set up to better represent a brand or organization. Even if you run a small operation, using a company page and connecting it with your own profile is a good move. It allows you to post updates and add information that comes across much better from a brand name than from an individual.  Check out the  Wix company page  for inspiration or, if you’re ready, you can start your own company page  right here . 02. Highlight your business on your own profile Personal profiles are still a powerful tool on LinkedIn. They give you the opportunity to present yourself as the individual behind the brand and build a professional reputation. Make sure your profile details the activities of your business and links to all the important pages: your business website , other social accounts and so forth. Pro tip: You can use a link in bio tool like Hopp by Wix in order to direct users towards your business website, social media channels and other online assets all from one designated URL. 03. Update frequently Through your company page, you can post news and update your professional community on the recent developments of your company. It’s important to use this option frequently and strategically. Relevant updates that you should consider include recently completed projects, news coverage, creative tips, new features or products and anything that shows your business as an active and serious operation. Don't forget to invest in knowledge-sharing, notes Wix CMO Omer Shai. "[In the past, the attitude used to be like] ‘it's my secret, I don't want others to copy,'" he says. "Today, we know that it's much more difficult to copy what we’re doing…[and we’re all incentivized to] keep the content real and honest.” Learn more from Omer's 16 years of marketing mastery . 04. Use great visuals Every type of visual content that you upload to LinkedIn should be high quality – from the company logo to your own profile image. LinkedIn is not a very visual network, so it’s important that the little freedom you have with images is taken advantage of cleverly. For instance, when you post updates, you can actually edit the images that are shown with it to make sure that they truly capture your audience’s attention. 05. Start a group A great social feature on LinkedIn is the ability to start a group that revolves around a specific interest. If you can connect your business to a general topic that engages people, you can set up a group, stir a discussion and make sure members know about your business or latest project. 06. Participate in other groups Creating your own community is not enough in the social media world - you need to be active in existing communities and interact with other users. The idea here is not to spam groups with posts about your business activity, but rather to engage in an actual conversation that creates real ties with like minded professionals. This also helps you gather more LinkedIn followers . 07. Get employees and partners on board If you work in a team environment or cooperate often with other professionals, you can get a lot more attention by involving these people in your LinkedIn activities. If strangers see that your company page is followed by professionals with skills and experience, your credibility immediately becomes more solid. 08. Write smart Think of the content you post on LinkedIn just as you would treat your company website or blog. The texts you add to your company summary section, to news updates or to your own personal profile need to be targeted and optimized. Two important points here are using keywords that emphasize your specialty, and writing clever and brief content that shows you’re an expert in your field. 09. Interact Despite the more professional focus, LinkedIn is still a social network. To succeed here, you need to be a social player that engages with people. The good thing about LinkedIn is that it helps you interact with the right people by showing you circles of connectivity. Browse through profiles of your connections and see who they’re involved with. You might discover a valuable lead. 10. Take LinkedIn seriously Like any other marketing channel or type of marketing , LinkedIn marketing will work well for you if you take it seriously and put in the effort to understand how it can best work for you. Because it’s not a network “for the masses,” many people tend to use LinkedIn haphazardly. If you want to see real results, you should incorporate LinkedIn into your broader social media marketing strategy . Stay up to date on LinkedIn news, learn about the features and tools, and browse through company pages and personal profiles to see how others put LinkedIn to good use. Is it worth marketing on LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a valuable platform for businesses of all sizes to market their products and services. If you’re looking to reach a targeted audience of professionals, this is a great place to start. There are many reasons why it’s worth marketing on LinkedIn, including: Targeted audience: LinkedIn’s average user base consists of highly-educated and business-minded individuals. This makes it a great platform to reach your target audience, whether you are a B2B or B2C company. Precise targeting: The platform offers a variety of targeting options so you can reach your ideal user persona with your marketing messages. You can target by job title, industry, seniority level and company size. High-quality leads: LinkedIn users are actively looking for new opportunities, which means they are more likely to be interested in your products or services. Furthermore, it also provides a great platform for gaining new contacts through lead generation forms and sponsored content. Thought leadership positioning: By creating and sharing high-quality content on LinkedIn, you can position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. This can help you build credibility and trust with potential customers. Brand awareness: LinkedIn offers a powerful platform to increase brand awareness among your target audience. Through LinkedIn ads and shared content, your brand will be seen by a large number of potential customers who are not yet familiar with your offering. Learn more about creating a LinkedIn business page .

As a new small business owner , you’ll certainly be faced with a plethora of tasks. Whether you create a website , market to your customers or manage your accounting—the last task might be the most daunting of them all. It’s easy to imagine why when you think of all of the responsibilities that come with it. I’m here to show you there’s no need to fear. The following guide makes small business accounting easy to understand, regardless of your prior knowledge (or lack thereof). Below, I will walk through the basics of accounting, from opening up a bank account to keeping track of your earnings and expenses to staying organized and more. And even if you do decide to hire an accountant to manage all of this for you, it’s still crucial that you understand the basics yourself. Doing so will allow you to determine how your company can grow and prosper, starting today. What is small business accounting? But first, what is accounting? Accounting is one of the most important elements to running a successful business - on top of being a legal obligation. It can be defined as the process of tracking, measuring, and analyzing your financial information in order to understand the ins and outs of your business - from where your money is going to who has control over it, and other pertinent materials. How to do accounting for your small business Open up a business bank account Keep track of every transaction Create the proper financial statements Set up payroll services Understand taxes Evaluate your business’ success over time Consider hiring a professional Be organized and updated 01. Open up a business bank account After legally registering your business with an official name, this is the next important step. (And if you don't have a business name yet, it's time to set one in place. Consider using the Wix Business Name Generator to help you create yours.) LLCs, partnerships, and corporations are legally required to have a separate bank account for business. On the contrary, sole proprietors are not, but it’s definitely recommended. When you start a business , it’s a smart idea to separate your personal life from your business life. Doing so will allow you to easily keep track of your expenses and income, which will make filing taxes and your other records a clean and easy feat. Following this procedure also enables you to get a business credit card as well as put away money for your tax withholding (more on this below). Before you open a bank account, make sure to do some research about all of the different options. Compare fee structures, savings opportunities, and other factors specific to your type of business . Then finally, check with your most advantageous bank option which documents you’ll be required to present at your initial account opening appointment. This could be anything from your registration documents, to license, business name, and more. 02. Keep track of every transaction In order to keep track of your finances, having a daily record of your transactions is crucial. This is done through a process known as bookkeeping , which is recording your purchases, sales, receipts and payments on a day-to-day basis. While doing so, categorize each transaction into related buckets that are part of the overall income statement and balance sheet for the month. For American-based businesses, the time to record each transaction depends on which accounting method you use: cash or accrual. If you use the cash method , record revenues at the time cash is received and expenses when cash is paid. If you use the accrual method , record revenues when they are earned (even if the cash has yet to be received), and expenses concurrently. Another outcome of bookkeeping is being able to perform a monthly bank reconciliation. This is the process of making sure that everything you’ve recorded in your records as cash in a given month matches your bank statement, and that the total is the same. If not, you will need to adjust them accordingly. Many software solutions are available to help you speed up and partially automate the bookkeeping process, such as Intuit Quickbooks , Expensify , and Xero . Zoom in on your expenses: Out of all the transactions, expenses need specific attention. This is because the IRS requires that you keep a record of your receipts for anything over $75 - although it’s strongly recommended that you hold onto all of your receipts. Applications and websites like Shoeboxed and Wave allow you to organize all of this electronically. When organizing your expenses, place them into particular categories in order to receive the best benefit on tax write-offs and credits. These include meals, entertainment, travel, vehicle, and gifts. Another category is home office, as in if you use a portion of your home as an office, you’ll be able to benefit personally by saving money on utilities, bills and transportation. 03. Create the proper financial statements Bookkeeping will allow you to track your revenues and expenses daily, but it’s only a small part of the entire accounting process. Accounting also involves interpreting those numbers in order to receive investments, grow your business, and have better knowledge of how you’re spending your money. Brace yourself, because you’ll need to prepare financial statements. Financial statements include your balance sheet, income statement (also known as your profit and loss statement), and statement of cash flows: Balance sheet: A balance sheet includes your companies balances at a specific time for assets (ex. patents and machinery), liabilities (ex. loans), and equity (ex. stocks). As you’ll add to each of these components, it’s important that this statement always balances (hence, the name) according to the following equation: Assets - Liabilities = Equity Income statement : This is a summary of your income and losses recorded over a period of time (monthly, quarterly, or annually). It’s commonly presented in two categories: Profit (revenues and gains), and losses (expenses and losses). When you subtract your losses from your profit, you’ll end up with a net income /loss. From this statement, you’ll be able to easily calculate your gross margin, which will enable you to see how much you’re earning after your biggest expenses per product or service. In the equation below, cost of goods sold includes all the expenses directly related to getting your product or service ready for market: Gross Margin = (Total Earnings - Cost of Goods Sold) / Total Earnings Statement of cash flows : Many small businesses run out of cash because they do not properly track it. A cash flow statement enables you to have more control and knowledge over your cash coming in and out by showing how changes from the previous two financial statements affect your cash. In order to create one, you’ll need to split your cash into three buckets: Operating, investing, and financing. It will also need to factor in things such as sunk costs . 04. Set up payroll services If you plan on hiring employees and/or independent contractors (freelancers), you’ll need to establish a plan for paying them a salary, benefits, and withholding the proper taxes. And this is also the case for running a one-person show, as you’ll be the sole independent contractor. To do so, set up a schedule of when payroll will go out, how much you’re paying each person (including yourself), and make sure to file the correct paperwork. In the U.S., for example, most freelancers file form ‘1099s.’ 05. Understand taxes Taxes are financial charges that businesses and individuals must pay to the government to fund public expenditures. A breakdown of some of the most important small business taxes will help you understand this better: Income taxes: For most small businesses, you’ll claim taxes on your personal tax return. This is the case in the U.S. unless you file as a corporation. Corporations are the only business structures which are taxed separately from their owners. So, if you aren’t a corporation, it’s very important for legal reasons that you withhold taxes from your income in order to be able to pay them when required (typically on a quarterly basis). Sales tax : For each item or services you sell, it’s your responsibility to charge your customers the appropriate percent of sales tax based on your place of establishment. Then, you’ll need to keep track of those collections and submit them to the IRS in a timely manner. Import taxes : These are what you will pay if you’re selling goods purchased from other countries. Here’s a helpful tool to calculate import taxes . Overall, tax obligations are highly specific to your business and are a very complex process. To make sure that you’re doing it properly, you can begin by reading up on the many IRS tax topics for small businesses here. Afterwards, you may either file yourself or decide that it’s more beneficial for your time and current tax knowledge to hire a tax accountant to prepare your tax returns for you. 06. Evaluate your business’ success over time With the knowledge of these financial statements and processes relating to your company, you'll be able to have a much more fluid understanding of every component that goes into your business’ performance. While noticing patterns and spikes, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about where you’ll spend your money in the future. For example, if you manage your own online store, a small choice you might make is switching vendors to a less expensive one after seeing how much you’ve been overpaying. A bigger choice is to create financial projections, then base your investments and use of resources like retained earnings off of those goals. All in all, keeping a close eye on your business’ wallet will allow you to lead your organization more efficiently. 07. Consider hiring a professional By getting your feet wet here, you may also decide that you don’t want to go for a fully immersive swim. It could be that your business is growing and doing your own accounting isn’t the most efficient use of your time. Instead, you could hire someone else to do it for you, such as an accountant, bookkeeper, or CPA. A CPA is a certified public accountant who has passed rigorous exams to prove their knowledge of financial statements, taxes, and advisory services. Hiring a helping hand can do wonders for you, from saving you money and time doing taxes, to helping improve your chances of receiving funding and loans from investors and banks. It’s possible to hire someone part time, such as during tax season, or full time to work across all of your needs (chief financial officer, accountant and bookkeeper). Depending on your budget and the complexity of your business, costs and necessities of these will vary. 08. Be organized and updated Whether you decide to hire outside help or not, it’s important that you understand your part in this big responsibility. Even with a hired accountant, you’ll still need to organize your time and resources appropriately. Provide the proper receipts and go over your books regularly. Do so by setting aside an allocated amount of time to tend to this every week or month in order to make it a priority. Also, you’ll need to decide on how you’ll get paid by customers. Do you accept cash, credit cards, or something else? And will you require a payment deadline of two weeks or 30 days, etc.? Stick to an agreement and follow-up on invoices to ensure that payments will be received. Small business accounting software To make your life easier, Wix allows you to create both invoices and price quotes from your website's dashboard so that you can collect payments from your customers in just one click. Alternatively, you can create invoices using Wix’s free invoice generator . These tools will help you keep your finances organized and make it easier when it comes to tax reports and other accounting needs. On top of doing the work, stay updated on the constantly evolving financial trends and laws that will affect your business. You can check authorized, government websites like the IRS for this information. Overall, with these steps you’ll certainly be prepared to take ownership over your accounting needs. After all, you’ve already set up your own business, which means that you are both motivated and capable of doing so much more. Explore accounting website templates to get started. By Jennifer Kaplan Community Writer

Every great business starts with a plan. It’s your roadmap to success that helps turn ideas into action, secure funding and stay ahead of the competition. Writing one doesn’t have to be complicated—think of it as telling your business story in a way that excites investors and keeps you focused. A clear template makes it easier, guiding you through key sections like market research, financial projections and growth strategies. Pair it with a strong business website  to share your vision, attract clients and build trust. Ready to bring your business idea to life? Here’s how to break it down in seven simple steps. Ready to launch your business? Create a website today. What is a business plan? A business plan is used by small business owners and entrepreneurs when starting a new business venture. It’s a strategic document that outlines the goals, objectives and strategies of your new or expanding business, including the company's vision, target market, financial projections and operational plans. A business plan can attract potential partners, convince investors and banks to help you raise capital, and serve as a resource for future growth. Most importantly, you’ll be able to use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure, operate and manage your new venture, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, a partnership or something larger. Who needs a business plan? Every business owner needs a business plan. They’re an essential tool for any person or entity interested in starting a business . There are many benefits, including: Defining your business idea Clarifying the market and competitive landscape Outlining your marketing strategy Stating your value proposition Identifying/anticipating potential risks Seeking investments from banks and other sources Setting benchmarks, goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) A business plan also gives you a way to assess the viability of a business before investing too much time or money into it. While all business involves risk, taking the time to create a plan can help mitigate fallout and avoid potentially costly mistakes. When creating a business plan, it's important to establish your business goals up front and be prepared to spend time researching the market, performing a competitor analysis and understanding your target market . How to write a business plan in 7 steps In terms of types of business plans , there are two main formats to choose from: traditional and lean. Here we'll rundown the most traditional plan first, while touching on how to write a more lean business plan for a startup. A traditional business plan includes every detail and component that defines a business and contributes to its success. It's typically a sizable document of about 30 to 50 pages. Here are the steps to creating one. Executive summary Company description Market analysis Organization and management Service or product line Marketing and sales strategies Financial projections and funding requests 01. Executive summary Your executive summary should contain a high-level overview of everything included in the plan. It generally provides a short explanation of your business and its goals (e.g., your elevator pitch ). Many authors like to write this section last after fleshing out the sections below. 02. Company description A company description should include essential details like your business name, the names of your founders, your locations and your company’s mission statement . Briefly describe your core services (or products if you’re writing an eCommerce business plan ), but don't go into too much detail since you’ll elaborate on this in the service/product section. Wix offers some helpful mission statement examples if you get stuck. It’s also a good idea to create a vision statement . While your mission statement clarifies your company’s purpose, a vision statement outlines what you want your company to achieve over time. 03. Market analysis One of the most extensive sections of the business plan, this section requires that you conduct market research and write your conclusions. Include findings for the following: industry background, a SWOT analysis , barriers/obstacles, target market and your business differentiators. 04. Organization and management This is where you outline how your business is structured and who's in charge, including founders, executive team members, board members, employees and key stakeholders. To this end, it can be helpful to create a visual layout (e.g., org chart) to illustrate your company structure. 05. Service or product line Create a detailed list of your current and future products and services. If you’re still working on your idea, create a concept statement to describe your idea or product. You should also include a proof of concept (POC), which demonstrates the feasibility of your idea. Wherever applicable, include diagrams, product images and other visual components to illustrate the product life cycle. 06. Marketing and sales strategies Detail how your business idea translates into selling and delivering your offerings to potential customers. You can start by outlining your brand identity, which includes the colors and fonts you plan to use, your marketing and advertising strategy, and details about planned consumer touchpoints (like your website, mobile app or physical storefront). 07. Financial projections and funding requests Include financial statements, such as a balance sheet, profit-and-loss statement (P&L), cash flow statement and break-even analysis. It's not uncommon for a business plan to include multiple pages of financial projections and information. You’ll also want to mention how much funding you seek and what you plan to do with it. If you’ve already secured funding, provide details about your investments. Lean startup business plan format A lean startup business plan—also referred to as a “lean canvas”—is presented as a problem/solution framework that provides a high-level description of your business idea. A lean plan is a single-page document that provides a basic overview of the most essential aspects of your business. It’s a good way to dip a toe into business planning since it doesn't require the same level of detail as a traditional plan. This includes: Problem: What problem does your product or service solve, or what need does it fulfill? Solution: How do you intend to solve it? Unique value proposition (UVP): Why should people use your product or service versus someone else’s? Unfair advantage: What do you have that other companies don’t? Customers: Who are your ideal customers? Channels: How will those customers find you? Key metrics: How do you define success? How will you track and measure it? Revenue streams: How will your business make money? Cost structure: What will you spend money on (fixed and variable costs)? Sample business plan for a small business Want to see what a business plan should look like? We've put together this sample plan, for a beauty business to show you. Executive summary Our beauty studio, aims to establish a luxury beauty salon in a prime location, offering a range of premium beauty services and products to cater to upscale clientele. With a focus on exceptional customer service, professional expertise and a relaxing atmosphere, ABC Beauty Studio seeks to become a top destination for people seeking high-quality treatments and personalized care. Company description Our beauty studio will be a full-service salon offering a variety of beauty services, including skincare treatments, hair styling, makeup services and nail care. Our team of experienced beauty professionals will provide customized solutions to meet each client's unique needs and preferences. The salon will feature a modern and elegant design to create a luxurious and tranquil environment for clients to relax and rejuvenate. Market analysis The beauty industry is a thriving market with a growing demand for quality beauty services and products. The target market for our beauty studio includes affluent individuals who value premium beauty experiences and are willing to invest in high-end treatments. The salon's strategic location in a busy shopping district with high foot traffic and visibility will help attract a steady flow of clientele. Organization and management ABC Beauty Studio will be led by a team of seasoned beauty professionals with expertise in various areas of the industry, including skincare, haircare, makeup, and business management. The management team will focus on delivering exceptional service, fostering a positive work culture, and implementing effective operational strategies to ensure the salon's success. Service or product line Our service line will include facial treatments, haircuts and styling, bridal makeup, manicures and pedicures, waxing services and retail products from top beauty brands. We will also offer personalized beauty consultations to help clients create customized beauty routines and achieve their desired look. Marketing and sales strategies Our beauty studio will implement a multi-faceted marketing approach, including social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, local advertising and promotional events to build brand awareness and attract new clients. We'll also focus on building customer loyalty through loyalty programs, referral incentives, and exclusive promotions. Financial projections and funding requests Initial funding of $200,000 is sought to cover start-up costs, including leasehold improvements, equipment purchases, inventory, marketing expenses, and working capital. Financial projections indicate a steady revenue growth over the first three years, with a focus on achieving profitability by the end of year 2. Sales are forecasted to increase through the expansion of services, repeat business, and targeted marketing initiatives. Continued funding may be required for future growth and expansion plans, including additional locations and service offerings. Download Wix’s free business plan template Creating a successful business plan is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve put together a simple, customizable, and free-to-download business plan template that takes the guesswork out of getting started. Use it to create a new business plan or to refresh an existing one. What are the main benefits of writing a business plan? Writing a business plan offers a range of benefits that can significantly impact the success and sustainability of a business. Here are the main advantages of creating a well-thought-out one: Clarity and focus: A business plan helps clarify your company's mission, vision, goals, and strategies, providing a clear roadmap for your business's direction and focus. This can be what takes your business idea from just an idea, to an actual business so it's important. Strategic planning : It enables the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), allowing for informed decision-making, effective resource allocation and proactive risk management. When running a business, the more prepared you are for any eventuality, the more successful you're likely to be long term — a business plan helps you plot the potential risks or downturns. Goal setting: Writing a business plan helps set measurable objectives, timelines, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and evaluate the business's performance against targets. Communication and alignment: A business plan serves as a communication tool to share the company's vision, objectives, and strategies with stakeholders, employees, investors and partners, ensuring alignment and shared understanding. Attracting funding and investment : Investors, lenders and potential partners often require a detailed business plan to assess the viability, potential return on investment, and growth prospects of the business. Continuous improvement: Regularly reviewing and updating the business plan facilitates ongoing evaluation, adjustment and improvement of strategies, operations, and goals to adapt to changing market conditions and drive long-term success. Tips for filling out your business plan The hardest part of a journey is always the first step, or so the saying goes. Filling out your business plan can be daunting, using a template helps and we would always recommend doing that. Remember also, these are best practices—they’re not rules. Do what works for you. The main thing to remember is that these tips can help you move more easily through the planning process, so that you can advance onto the next (exciting) step, which is launching your business. Consider your goals What's the purpose of your business? Are you looking to expand, launch a new product line or fund a specific project? Identifying your goals helps you prioritize important information in your business plan. Fill out what you can You may already have a vague—or specific—idea of what you want your business to achieve. Go through each section of the template and fill out what you can. We suggest leaving the executive summary blank for now, since it'll be the last thing you write. At the same time be realistic, even though this document is meant to serve as a marketing tool for potential investors, don't exaggerate any numbers or make any false promises. Dig into the research Nothing's more motivating than getting some intel about your competitors and your market. If you're truly stuck, a little research can help motivate you and provide valuable insight about what direction to take your business. For example, if you plan to start a landscaping business, learn about the specific pricing offered in your area so that you can differentiate your services and potentially offer better options. Get help from others Bouncing your ideas off a friend, mentor or advisor is a great way to get feedback and discover approaches or products to incorporate into your plan. Your network can also give you valuable insight about the industry or even about potential customers. Plus, it's nice to be able to talk through the challenges with someone who understands you and your vision. Revise and review your business plan Once complete, step back from your plan and let it "cook." In a day or two, review your plan and make sure that everything is current. Have other people review it too, since having another set of eyes can help identify areas that may be lacking detail or need further explanation. Once you’ve completed your business plan template, it can become a meaningful resource for developing your mission statement, writing business proposals and planning how to move forward with the marketing, distribution and growth of your products and services. After launch, you can also analyze your value chain to identify key factors that create value for your customers and maximum profitability for you. This can help you develop a more effective business plan that considers the entire value chain, from research and development to sales and customer support. Pro tip:   If you're opening an online store, your free eCommerce hosting  on Wix  is automatically set up when you publish your site—no installation needed—and supports successful online stores of every size. Business plan template FAQ What is the easiest way to write a business plan? The easiest way to write a business plan is to utilize a template. Templates provide a structured format and guide you through each section, simplifying the process of creating a comprehensive plan. How long should a business plan be? A business plan should cover the essentials but stay concise to keep readers interested. For small businesses and startups, 10-15 pages usually do the trick, while more complex ventures might need 20-30 pages. Is there a template for how to write a business plan? Yes. Use Wix’s free business plan template and simply fill in the blanks to customize it to your unique needs. Wix’s business plan template includes seven essential sections, such as an executive summary, market analysis, financial projects and more. What are the 7 essential parts of a business plan? Executive summary Company description Market analysis Organization and management Service or product line Marketing and sales Financial projections and funding requests Who can help me write a business plan? Get help with your business plan from small business consultants, professional writers or groups like the SBA and SCORE mentors. Business coaches and accountants can also guide you, especially with financial planning. Prefer a DIY approach? Templates and AI tools make it easier to cover all the key sections.

The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain →   Your domain name might start out as a web address—however, for any recognizable or growing brand, it’s so much more. It’s what many customers notice first when they visit your site, and often plays a big role in helping people identify your brand. When your domain name starts feeling like the face of your brand, it might be time to apply for a federal trademark. Here’s everything you should know before you begin the application process. Ready to buy a website domain ? Do it with Wix.  What is a trademark? A trademark is a unique identifier  that distinguishes your business from others. For instance, a trademark can be your brand or domain name, slogan, logo or a combination of these elements that customers associate with your products or services. Regardless of what you trademark, the purpose is the same: to protect your brand from infringement, discourage imitation and minimize confusion among your customers. When you start using a unique identifier to conduct business, you automatically gain some trademark rights—known as common law rights. However, these rights are limited to your geographic area, whereas a trademark registered through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) applies nationwide.  Why should you trademark a domain name? Federal trademarks registered through the USPTO offer several advantages, including the following.  Protection against brand infringement You reserve your web address  when you purchase it through an accredited domain name registrar like Wix, but trademark law takes this further by preventing the use of similar-sounding names or variations that could mislead the public. This protection is especially crucial online, where small changes like hyphens or misspellings can divert traffic from your website.  For example, if you register a trademark for your brand and domain name “KidCrafts.com,” a competitor wouldn’t be able to sell similar products on a domain that mimics yours—like “KidKrafts.com”—since it would likely confuse visitors looking for your brand. Under common law rights, you’d typically need to prove that your brand is strongly recognized in the market if you want to claim the domain name—something that may leave you and your business much more open to legal disputes. Need help picking a domain name? Use a domain name generator  to find something perfect for your business that is available. Already have an idea? Check the availability with a  domain name search  tool. Exclusive rights to your chosen name A trademark gives you the right to use your domain name across all mediums where it appears to the public (online or offline), such as:  Product packaging  Marketing materials Social media Business cards Physical locations Still, keep in mind that being a trademark owner doesn’t give you exclusive rights to a name or phrase—it means you can use it only in connection with the goods or services you offer.  Stronger legal recourse A federal trademark registration automatically expands your legal options  if someone infringes on your brand, including the following: The ability to pursue legal action in federal court Support from U.S. customs officials to block counterfeit imports Clear evidence of your rights nationwide An official registration typically makes it easier (and less expensive) to resolve disputes than relying on common rights alone. Plus, having a registered trademark allows you to use the “®” symbol next to your name, often preventing problems before they start.  Increased market value for your business Partners, investors and buyers may look at your online business more favorably if it has a trademark. It signals that you’ve taken steps to protect your domain’s long-term value and have exclusive rights to use the name in your market, which only becomes more valuable as your brand grows.  Should you decide to expand your business or eventually sell it, a registered trademark often shows that you’ve built something worth protecting (and investing in). When should you trademark your domain name? Not every domain name qualifies for a federal trademark—and not every website necessarily needs one. However, trademarking your domain name usually makes sense if it’s distinctive and susceptible to infringement, provided the name meets the USPTO’s criteria. Here are various events that might signal it’s time to register a trademark for your domain name.  When you first create your LLC Many websites trademark their brand names after they launch a limited liability company (LLC) or other formal business structure. At this stage, you’re committing to your company’s development and brand identity, which makes this an ideal time to secure trademark protection.  For instance, let’s say you just set up an online store  to sell handmade mugs and accessories. You already have a unique domain name that resonates with customers, and now you’re ready to build your presence online and in local markets. Trademarking the name ensures that as your business grows, no one else can use it to sell similar products.  Even if you’re not actively selling anything yet, you can file an “intent to use” application to reserve your trademark rights early. Once you receive your Notice of Allowance from the USPTO, you’ll have six months to either begin using the trademark in commerce or file for a six-month extension. Applicants are allowed to file up to five of these six-month extensions (for a total of 36 months) before they need to submit a new intent to use. In basic terms, this means you have up to three years to use your trademark in commerce or risk losing its protections. Related reading: Domain definition and how much does a domain name cost ? When you start your marketing efforts Once you start investing in marketing and awareness campaigns, your brand becomes more visible to the public—and potentially more vulnerable to copycats. Competitors might try to steal your customers by using similar names, slogans or branding tactics.  A trademark helps prevent this situation, since you secure the rights to the name (or other branding elements you specify) before you make major investments. That way, your marketing strategies  can strengthen your business instead of making it a target for imitators.  When you enter new markets While common law trademark rights may provide some level of protection within your local area, they don’t automatically extend to other states or regions.  As your business grows, you might encounter competitors with similar names already operating in your new market. Even worse, you may find out you can’t use your unregistered brand name because someone else has already claimed trademark rights there.  As a result, if you think there’s a chance you’ll expand in the future, you may benefit from applying for a registered trademark sooner to have nationwide protection when the time comes. When your brand recognition takes off The more your brand resonates with customers, the more valuable your domain name becomes as a business asset. In turn, successful domain names generally attract imitators looking to profit from your growing recognition.  Filing for trademark protection during significant growth phases helps protect your brand’s future—especially if you’ve become an overnight success and need to move quickly to protect your new market presence.  Related reading: Follow up on the most popular domains  or check out the most expensive domains . When you launch a new product or service If you start selling a new product or service, your domain name doesn’t just represent your business, but also your specific offering in the marketplace. As consumers begin to associate your new offering with your domain, you want to ensure that no one undermines your position as the source. This is especially true for established brands that decide to create a new website. Since your customers are likely already loyal to your business, having an un-trademarked domain name similar to other existing domains may confuse your customer base. Since a trademark gives you exclusive rights to the name, you can prevent competitors from using similar branding that makes knock-off products look like yours. When you begin licensing While licensing your brand opens up new revenue streams, it also creates complex intellectual property challenges. Without trademark protection, you’ll have limited legal authority to control how others use your domain name and brand assets.  If you have a trademark before entering licensing discussions, however, you automatically have a stronger position to negotiate terms without as much risk of infringement. This is because you can demonstrate that you alone have the rights to the product or service in question, whereas an unregistered trademark might be easier to challenge.  When you face imitators or infringement You should ideally have a trademark in place before someone else uses your domain name or intellectual property, but if these issues arise, it’s important to act right away. Keep in mind that even a pending trademark application may help establish your rights and prove how long you’ve been using the trademarked name or asset—proof that’s essential if a dispute ends up in court. It additionally signals to imitators that you’re serious about protecting your brand, which may deter further infringement while your application processes.  Read more: How to choose a domain name and How to register a domain name How to trademark your domain name in 5 steps If you decide to trademark your domain name, you can complete the application through the USPTO, work with an attorney or use a trademark registration service  like LegalZoom. Here’s how to get started:  Check if your domain name is eligible Conduct a trademark search Prepare and file your trademark application Wait for approval and next steps Monitor and maintain your trademark 01. Check if your domain name is eligible Typically, commercial domain names qualify for trademark protection if they serve as brand identifiers, not just web addresses. While trademarking the domain name that represents your brand (e.g., “Amazon.com”) is a good first step, it’s generally best to trademark whatever identifier(s) customers associate with your products or services too. With Nike, for example, trademarks protect not only the name itself, but also the iconic swoosh logo, slogans like “Just Do It” and other commonly-recognized identifiers. In another instance, if your brand name is “Susie’s Vivid Green Vases,” but you use an abbreviation for the web address, you might consider trademarking the full name since that’s a more accurate representation of your brand. However, if your domain is both a business name and an identical web address, then it usually shouldn't make a difference. Additionally, your trademark application must meet the USPTO’s criteria to receive approval. Here are some general requirements to keep in mind:  Source identifier: The trademark must clearly connect your goods or services to your business. Distinctiveness: Generic terms (e.g., “online shoe store”) can’t be trademarked, whereas unique marks (e.g., “Xerox”) typically receive stronger protection. This is different for seemingly basic terms, like “Apple,” that are not generic to the industry they represent; because “Apple” doesn’t relate to computers or software, it’s seen as a distinct name for the purpose of trademarks. Commercial use: You must actively use the trademark in commerce (either for products or services) or have a genuine intent to use it.  If you plan on applying for a trademark yourself, you can refer to the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure  (TMEP) for a full list of requirements or check WHOIS . 02. Conduct a trademark search If your chosen name conflicts with trademarks already registered with the USPTO, your application will most likely get rejected. As a result, it’s strongly recommended to search for pending and existing trademarks before submitting your application.  The USPTO’s Trademark Search System  lets you check for similar names that might block your application. In addition to their official guide (click on “Help”), you can try out the following strategies to guide your search:  Look for different spellings, plurals and similar-sounding names. Say the results out loud, since similar pronunciations (e.g., “excel” vs. “X-cell”) can constitute infringement. Check design marks if your domain includes graphic elements (only applies for businesses who want to trademark multiple brand assets beyond a domain name, such as Apple’s signature apple icon). While TEAS is free to use, you’ll need to spend some time reviewing the parameters and business classifications to conduct an effective search. Then, it’s a good idea to perform a comprehensive trademark search  for state trademark registrations and other identifiers that may be protected under common law. 03. Prepare and file your trademark application In addition to the trademark search, LegalZoom can handle your entire trademark application with the USPTO. You’ll also get matched with a trademark attorney who will guide you through the process, and there’s no charge for a new application if your first one gets rejected.  If you decide to file your application by yourself, here’s an overview of what you’ll need to prepare:  Drawing format:  Choose between standard character (text only) or special form (includes design elements). Classification:  Select appropriate categories pertaining to your trademark from the USPTO’s Trademark ID Manual . Filing basis:  Specify either “use in commerce” or “intent to use” (unless you’re filing a foreign application). Application type:  Pick TEAS Plus ($250 per class, uses pre-approved descriptions) or TEAS Standard ($350 per class, allows custom descriptions). You’ll also need to gather evidence of how you’re using your domain as a trademark, such as screenshots showing it on your website, products or marketing materials. 04. Wait for approval and next steps After filing, expect to wait several months for the USPTO to review your application. You can check current processing timelines  on the USPTO website to get a better estimate for your application.  If the examining attorney finds any issues with your application, they might issue a notice via an “office action.” This outlines specific problems that you’ll need to address, and you have a limited time frame to respond and correct these issues.  Once your application clears review (or after successfully addressing any office actions), the USPTO will publish your trademark in the “ Official Gazette .” Then, other parties have 30 days to contest your trademark. If no one opposes your trademark (or you successfully defend against their oppositions), the USPTO will officially register your trademark.  At this point, you can start using the ® symbol with your trademarked domain name. However, if you filed based on intent to use, you’ll need to submit a Statement of Use and prove that you’ve started using the trademark in commerce to make it official.  05. Monitor and maintain your trademark A registered trademark can last indefinitely as long as you maintain and continue using it in commerce. This means filing all required maintenance documents, paying fees on time and actively monitoring for trademark infringement.  While you can track potential infringement yourself, LegalZoom’s trademark monitoring can automatically notify you of possible conflicts. That way, you can focus less on always staying alert and more on building your brand image for years to come.  Trademark a domain name FAQ Do trademarks work internationally? Trademarks registered with the USPTO only work within the U.S. However, you can typically extend protection to other countries through the Madrid Protocol , which allows you to file a single application for international trademark registration in several countries.  What can happen if you don’t have a trademark? Sometimes, nothing at all. However, without a registration, you’ll need to prove your rights if someone contests your domain name ownership or brand, which can be costly and time-consuming. You might also have limited options if someone starts using a similar name in different U.S. states (whether as a physical business or an internet corporation). How much does it cost to trademark a domain name? The cost of trademarking your domain name depends on your filing method. TEAS Plus costs $250 per class of goods or services, while TEAS Standard costs $350 per class. If your domain name represents multiple types, you’ll need to pay for each class. What is the difference between a trademark and a copyright? Trademarks protect brand identifiers like names or slogans that distinguish your business. Copyrights  protect creative and original works like writing, music and artwork. From another perspective, your domain name would need trademark protection, while your website’s content would fall under copyright law. What are top-level domains? Top-level  domain extensions  are one of the highest levels in the web’s hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS) . The most popular example of a TLD is .com , which is intended for commercial entities in the United States (hence .com). Other popular TLDs include .info , .org , . co , .net , .edu, .biz  .gov, .tv and country-specific extensions such as .mx , .ch,   .de , .be , .nl . or . co.uk . Can trademarking a domain name affect my business email? Yes, trademarking your domain name plays a crucial role in how to create a business email that reflects your brand identity. It ensures that the emails you generate (e.g., contact@yourdomain.com) are part of a legally protected and trustworthy brand. This safeguard prevents others from using a domain similar to yours, which helps maintain consistency and enhances credibility. By protecting your domain, you can confidently explore professional email name ideas to reinforce your brand in all communications.

Go to a McDonald’s in Montreal, and you’ll see poutine on the menu. Go to one in India, and you can order Chicken Maharaja, a beef-free version of the Big Mac. Similarly, Starbucks sells green tea frappuccinos in China and dulce de leche lattes in Argentina. These are classic examples of glocal marketing, a marketing strategy used by international brands to adapt their marketing for the local cultures they do business with. The internet takes glocal marketing to another level. Today, companies can reach customers all over the world, without building physical locations in the vein of Mcdonald’s and Starbucks. We’re no longer limited to our surroundings. Here at Wix, we operate in 190 countries, so it’s critical for us to maintain brand cohesion across these vastly different cultures, while also speaking their languages. For instance, in German, Wix means something rather… raunchy… check out how we leaned into the cultural context to successfully make waves in the Deutsche market. You don't have to be McDonald's to implement glocal marketing. Now is a great time for businesses to increase their global reach, too. Keep reading to learn how to translate your company's success to other parts of the world. Learn more: Small business marketing , Affiliate marketing But first, what does glocal mean in marketing? Let’s take a step back and define glocal marketing. Glocal marketing and localized marketing ( localization ) can be used interchangeably to mean essentially the same thing: modifying campaigns according to the cultural needs of specific global audiences. The term “localized marketing” is more commonly used, but as more and more businesses are starting to think globally, the term “glocal marketing” has become increasingly popular as a type of marketing and term. Be careful not to confuse “localized” marketing with “local” marketing, which is a marketing strategy based on a given radius of the physical location(s) of a business. Local marketing is isn’t based in cultural contexts, merely vicinity. Is a glocal marketing plan right for you? Glocal marketing isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a reminder to companies that do business internationally that it takes in-depth understanding and a thoughtfully realized localization strategy to ensure your brand resonates with global audiences. Agencies and freelancers can tap into the potential for global growth with the following uniquely “glocal”—rather than just global—marketing best practices. How to get started with glocal marketing? Invest in local research and data Remember glocalization isn't just about language Gain glocal visibility with international SEO Structure your team for quality assurance 01. Invest in local research and data Use data to inform every step of your glocal marketing process The more research you invest in upfront to drive insights, the more impactful your marketing will be. Which countries should you target? In your SEO tool, analyze which countries drive the most traffic to your site already, and look at the language report in Google Analytics, or Wix Analytics , to determine the languages most popularly spoken by your users. Once you’ve settled on a new country or set of countries, consider partnering with a localization company for an audit of each market. Initial research should include buyer behavior reports, market size and technology assessments. Not only do you need to know the local language and currency, but you’ll need to understand customer behaviors and expectations, cultural norms and nuances, and technology and marketing trends. 02. Remember glocalization isn’t just about language Perhaps one of the biggest setbacks to global businesses is the mistaken belief that localization is simply a matter of translating content. Glocal marketing isn’t just about language; it’s about culture, and each culture contains its own set of established norms and preferences. For example, when translating videos, different cultures have their own preferred modes of media formatting—subtitles versus dubbing versus voiceover, as the localization experts at Nimdzi point out. As you adapt to the needs of local audiences, you’ll need to make sure your branding translates, both literally and figuratively. More obvious adaptations include updates to imagery and translation of your positioning of text, but with customer experience more emphasized than ever, you may need to evolve your offerings and your processes to suit the needs of your global audiences. To do so hire employees from the countries you’re targeting, as these nuances would prove very difficult for an outsider to identify. As you glocalize your customer's experience for different markets, consider modifying the following, depending on the needs of your local audiences: Tone of voice and other nuances in your messaging Technology and project management software preferences Social media platforms and strategies Online checkout experience Billing processes Customer service experience The takeaway: Be willing to be flexible, but make sure your brand doesn’t get lost in translation. Empower your local marketing and delivery teams to act independently but within the context of your brand architecture and core values. Don’t bend your brand so much that it loses its identity. While you adapt to the needs of your local audiences, your customer experience should still reflect who you are as a company. 03. Gain glocal visibility with international SEO International SEO is a set of best practices for improving your search visibility in other countries or among people who speak different languages. By optimizing your content for international SEO with certain signals on your site, you can ensure users around the world see your content. Three steps for implementing international SEO: Determine what international content you’ll provide: Will you provide an alternate site experience translated for the user’s language, or will you send them to a specific URL based on the user’s country of choice? Wix Multillingual bakes the full power of advanced translation directly into your website.. Set up an SEO-friendly URL structure: Your URL structure helps Google determine which website pages to show users in different countries, a very important part of glocalizing your content. You can either set up a whole website for each country you’re targeting or add a subdirectory structure on your existing site. Here’s a guide for optimizing your SEO settings for multilingual sites . Implementing other geotargeting signals: Optimize your content for other international user preferences, such as devices and other popular global search engines such as Baidu in China. You can also set up a converter on your site to display prices in the viewer's local currency. Addresses and phone numbers for local offices, if you have them, can also help with rankings. 04. Structure your team for quality assurance In order to ensure quality glocal marketing practices, it’s important to have the right team in place, whether you’re using internal or external resources or a combination of both. This will humanize your glocal marketing content. Global businesses have a growing number of robust localization technologies to choose from these days, which are useful for translating content. For example, neural machine translation (NMT) uses an artificial neural network to translate up to tens of thousands of words in minutes, and automated speech recognition software can produce a same-language text script of audio and video files rapidly. But remember, machines have their limitations. A human touch is necessary to ensure your brand’s messaging, positioning and customer experience meet the needs of local markets. In particular, hire a fluent language specialist to conduct quality control on all translated content to ensure your brand and longtail keywords don’t get lost in translation, which can be detrimental to your international SEO rankings and reader trust. Human QA personnel will ensure: Tone and style are on-brand and speak to local cultural preferences Your translated content doesn’t leave out relevant SEO keywords tailored to your target market The challenges of glocal marketing Glocal marketing is a powerful strategy, but it comes with unique challenges. The biggest hurdle? Striking the right balance between maintaining global brand consistency and adapting to local markets. Brands need to ensure their messaging, design and identity are instantly recognizable worldwide, while still tailoring elements to connect with local audiences.  McDonald’s is a great example—they keep their core branding intact but introduce local menu items like the McArabia in the Middle East. For many brands, finding this balance takes careful planning to avoid weakening their global image or missing the mark with local customers. Cultural differences add another layer of complexity. What works in one region might not translate well—or could even offend—in another. Avoiding these missteps requires cultural sensitivity and thorough research. Glocal marketing also demands significant investment. Success often depends on hiring local experts to guide campaigns, which adds time and operational costs.

As a small business owner, you might find it challenging to build deeper relationships with customers. This feeling is fairly common among entrepreneurs, and it becomes even more pervasive as your business grows. Once you create a website and develop your marketing strategy, you’ll find that an increasing number of people are interested in your products or services. Suddenly, you’re hit with such a wide range of customers that you can no longer keep track of them with a simple spreadsheet or email list, much less recognize their names. This is where CRM systems come into play. Specifically designed to help you manage and get to know your customers, these digital tools help you attract and retain clients while supporting your company’s growth. In this article, you’ll learn what a CRM is, what its benefits are, and which kind of CRM tool is best for your business. What is CRM software and how does it work? CRM stands for customer relationship management. Traditionally, this refers to an approach to managing relationships with customers that uses data analysis about customer preferences and behavior to provide deeper information about buyers and leads. However, as this approach has become more widespread, the acronym CRM has come to refer not just to the method, but also to the digital tools and software used to carry it out. A CRM is a critical small business marketing asset. It stores data about current and potential customers, analyzes past customer interactions, and facilitates communication between clients and company representatives. Using this digital tool is important for many reasons. For one, information about customers tends to be all over the place - scattered across social media platforms, buried in the inbox of a customer service rep, stored as a mental note by a marketing professional - the list goes on and on. When that information isn’t consolidated, it’s challenging to obtain a clear understanding of your customers and develop a marketing strategy that accurately reflects their needs. CRMs solve this problem by pulling data from various marketing assets - including a company’s website, social media platforms, and email marketing system - and putting it in a single place. They also help companies make use of this data by providing features such as chat tools, marketing automation and contact management. In doing so, CRMs make it easier for businesses to track their leads and prospects as they move through the marketing funnel, from the first touchpoint to the sale. Why do you need a CRM system? Customer relationship management is one of the most important marketing trends today. Whether you’ve just launched your own business or have been in the industry for a while, you’ll know it’s time to adopt a CRM if: You have difficulty visualizing the relationship between the customer analytics data on your various platforms. You find it tedious to navigate between different platforms and spreadsheets to get a big-picture view of your customers. Your marketing and sales teams aren’t aligned in their targeting strategy and get slowed down by redundant tasks. You have a hard time retaining customers, or too many leads fail to convert. While you may start out managing your clients with a simple spreadsheet or email marketing tool, it becomes challenging to keep this data organized and cohesive as you acquire new customers. By creating a systematic record of customer data that’s easy to work with using integrated digital tools, a CRM system helps brands resonate more strongly with their target market. What are the benefits of using a CRM system? You can think of a CRM system as an all-in-one customer management solution that helps you generate leads while engaging your existing customer base. The benefits of implementing a CRM include: Improved analytics The massive amounts of data that businesses accumulate about their potential and existing customers is simply too large for the human mind to process alone. CRM data analytics tools not only consolidate this information, but also sort it to make it more readable and digestible for employees. Deeper understanding of customers A customer relationship management system aggregates the information about your leads and customers, storing information from separate sources in one place. This helps you create a targeted marketing strategy that addresses your customers’ pain points and aligns with their desires. Improved customer service By consolidating and sorting data, CRM systems also enhance your interactions with customers, improving the online reputation of your business. When engaging with sales and service representatives, clients won’t need to repeat their story over and over again because employees will already be up-to-date about their status and purchasing history. As a result, you’ll be able to address any customer concerns right away, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Increased sales In addition to organizing customer data, a CRM system syncs that information with digital tools such as email, chat and social media. As a result, marketing and sales teams will be better aligned and will be able to target customers’ needs depending on where they are in the sales pipeline. CRM tools boost conversions by streamlining the sales process to guide customers toward a purchase. Increased customer retention While customer acquisition is vital to company success, customer retention may be more so. In fact, studies have shown that increasing customer retention by 5% can lead to an increase in profits of between 25-95% . By improving customer communication and enabling service teams to more quickly and effectively address their needs, CRMs can help companies build a loyal customer base. Streamlined workflow Customer relationship management tools improve the efficiency of business operations by automating tasks like shopping cart abandonment emails and confirmation messages. This reduces repetitive work and frees up time for sales and marketing teams to focus on more strategic tasks. Better internal communication CRM systems facilitate collaboration between team members, reducing time-wasters like miscommunication and redundant tasks. In doing so, they improve time management, enhance productivity and allow for more frictionless project management. What are the types of CRM systems? Now that you know about the benefits of using a CRM, you’re probably curious to know which kind is best for your business. CRM tools can roughly be sorted into three main types: operational, analytical and collaborative. While each of them accomplishes similar tasks, they have their own unique features and advantages: Operational CRM An operational CRM uses marketing automation , sales automation and service automation to streamline business processes. Its primary purpose is to accomplish tasks that might otherwise take up large amounts of time. These include compiling important marketing analytics data, sending automated messages and keeping a record of sales and other customer behavior. Ascend by Wix is an effective solution for small businesses that incorporates these features into your website. The platform includes email marketing tools , live chat, marketing automation and more. Because Wix marketing tools can be integrated with your professional site (see Wix marketing integrations ), it’s helpful for managing clients, drawing in web traffic, and growing your customer base. Analytical CRM Analytical CRM systems prioritize data collection and analysis. They’re useful tools for analyzing data like customer preferences, contact information and more. Notably, they allow businesses to perform a complex analysis of multiple data sets - combining factors like customer location, and website behavior - in order to better identify buying patterns and trends. With a large database and data mining capabilities, this type of CRM is particularly useful for analysts who need a close-up view of customer characteristics and behavior. Collaborative CRM Like other types of customer relationship management systems, collaborative CRMs help companies gather and sort customer data for the purpose of improved customer management. Their structure, though, is specifically designed to improve synchronization between various teams. This type of CRM software shares customer information freely throughout the organization, increasing workplace transparency and productivity. It also helps teams identify which communication channels best suit the preferences of particular customer types, whether it’s email, live chat or social media marketing . Who is a CRM for? A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is designed to benefit a wide range of individuals and businesses across various industries. Here's a breakdown of who a CRM is for: Sales teams: Sales professionals are one of the primary beneficiaries of CRM systems. CRMs help sales teams manage leads, track interactions with prospects and customers, automate tasks and analyze sales performance. The centralized data allows sales reps to make informed decisions and improve their overall efficiency. Marketing teams: Marketing teams use CRMs to manage and analyze customer data, segment audiences and execute targeted marketing campaigns. By integrating CRM data, marketers can better understand customer behavior, personalize campaigns and optimize their strategies for lead generation and customer retention. Customer support: CRM systems provide customer support and service teams with a centralized platform to manage customer inquiries, track service requests and monitor customer interactions. This helps in providing more personalized and efficient customer service. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): SMBs benefit from CRMs by streamlining their customer management processes. CRMs enable smaller businesses to organize customer data, automate routine tasks and improve communication with customers, leading to enhanced efficiency and customer satisfaction. Enterprise-level businesses: Larger enterprises use CRMs to manage vast amounts of customer data and streamline complex business processes. Enterprise-level CRMs often offer advanced features, scalability and customization options to meet the diverse needs of large organizations. Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs: Individuals running their own businesses, freelancers or solopreneurs can leverage CRMs to organize client information, track interactions and manage tasks more effectively. This helps in maintaining a professional and organized approach to customer relationships. Real estate professionals: Real estate agents use CRMs to manage client relationships, track property details and monitor the progress of deals. CRMs in this industry often include features specific to managing property listings, client preferences and transaction details. eCommerce businesses: eCommerce businesses utilize CRMs to track customer purchases, preferences and interactions. This information is valuable for targeted marketing, personalized recommendations and improving the overall customer shopping experience. Healthcare providers: In the healthcare industry, CRMs assist in managing patient relationships, appointments and communication. CRMs tailored for healthcare often include features for appointment scheduling, patient records and follow-up communications. Nonprofit organizations: Nonprofits use CRMs to manage donor relationships, track fundraising efforts and maintain communication with supporters. CRMs help nonprofit organizations streamline their operations and better understand their donor base.

It’s been over a month since we launched WixMobile (alpha) and we’re already back at the drawing board preparing the beta release. WixMobile beta will be launched in a matter of weeks and will include two main new features based on user feedback. These are: 1. change background and 2. change color – two features that will allow you to create your own unique mobile website designs! Meanwhile, while the new version is in development, we decided to add ten additional templates to the WixMobile collection. This is mainly because many of you asked for conservative visual templates that will easily match existing website designs. Well, your wish has been granted! Learn more about the importance of mobile-first design . Learn more about how to turn your website into an app . Explore other templates: Construction website templates Interior design website templates Lawyer website templates