Business founders and marketing experts have consolidated their practical advice into an 11-step framework for new companies aiming to establish a credible online presence. The guidance, drawn from interviews with multiple entrepreneurs, focuses on foundational actions for the first few months of operation, applicable to ecommerce, consultancies, and creator projects worldwide.

The process begins with extreme clarity. Founders must define their business in a single sentence that explains what they do, who they help, and which problems they solve. This statement forms the baseline for all subsequent communication, according to Andy Crestodina, co-founder and CMO at Orbit Media. He emphasized that a website’s primary job is to communicate its purpose clearly to visitors.

Audience Focus and Website Structure

The second step involves focusing on a single, specific audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Jimmy Newson, founder and CEO of Moving Forward Small Businesses, stated that audience alignment is the most important factor for strategic partnerships. A narrow focus makes messaging clearer and the site easier to build.

Following this, a homepage must be created that explains the business’s value within five seconds. Sarah Noel Block, founder of Tiny Marketing, noted that people need to understand a business to trust it. The homepage requires a clear tagline, content showing differentiation, and a straightforward call to action.

Subsequent steps involve creating niche-specific pages for core services to improve navigation and search visibility. Founders are advised to show the human element behind the business to build trust, a key differentiator for small companies. This includes using real photos, sharing the company’s mission, and telling the founder’s story in an authentic voice.

Technical Foundations and Content Strategy

Step six addresses technical setup. A new site requires reliable hosting, strong security, regular updates and backups, and basic analytics from the start. These foundations ensure site reliability and free the business owner to focus on growth.

For content, the advice is to prioritize quality over quantity. Experts recommend publishing a few high-impact assets, such as comprehensive guides or detailed case studies, rather than numerous thin blog posts. Andy Crestodina advised against starting with thin content and instead publishing detailed, research-based material.

Community and External Visibility

Building an online presence extends beyond a company’s own website. Step eight involves joining conversations in niche communities where the target audience gathers, both on large platforms like LinkedIn and in smaller, private groups. Jimmy Newson described community as the new currency for business growth.

Step nine recommends contributing to external sources like podcasts, industry blogs, or newsletters to borrow attention from established platforms. Sarah Noel Block attributed her website’s strong search ranking and client acquisition largely to podcast guest appearances, which generated valuable backlinks.

Measuring Early Progress

In the initial stages, founders are advised to measure success by effort and consistency rather than external metrics like traffic. Internal benchmarks should include content published, collaborations initiated, and real conversations held with customers or partners. Andy Crestodina noted that it is normal not to see large results early on, and consistent activity is what builds the foundation.

The final step emphasizes building community through direct, one-on-one conversations to understand audience needs and gather feedback. Jimmy Newson suggested that talking directly to a handful of people provides more insight than broadcasting to thousands.

Looking ahead, the consensus among the founders is that building a substantial online presence requires sustained effort over time. The process is incremental, with visibility and authority accruing through consistent application of these foundational steps, clear communication, and genuine community engagement.

Source: Compiled from founder interviews and expert analysis