If you’re a small business owner looking for the best websites to help you start or manage your business, check out our list of the top 11 sites.
Starting a business isn’t easy, which is why it’s important to educate yourself before diving into the world of entrepreneurship. And it appears that more and more of us are making the plunge from the 9-5 to going into business for ourselves.
According to Google’s Year in Search 2021, last year, more people searched for “how to start a business” than “how to find a job.” During the Covid-19 pandemic, business applications in the U.S. surged. While new business formation numbers appear to be leveling off recently, numbers overall remain consistently higher than in the years before, according to Census Bureau data.
Small business owners need to execute a variety of tasks, from project management to accounting. Whether you’re unsure of where to begin, are looking for information to help you scale and grow, or want access to online tools to help you more efficiently manage your business, there are plenty of resources out there for businesses of all kinds. But not all of them are created equal. We’ve broken them down by category, so you can get right to what you need.
Online tools will be your new best friend
One of the most popular types of websites for small business owners are for tools. These are things such as accounting software, website building, etc. These websites are useful at filling the practical aspects of starting and running a business. While many require a paid subscription in order to access full features, there are often free options that let you try the product before you buy, or offer basic functionality. Many of these tools have information centers that describe not only how to use the product, but also how to tackle certain areas of business ownership.
The internet can be your biggest teacher
Another common type of website for small business owners is the informational website, usually best thought of as an educational resource. These websites are vast repositories of information about nearly any aspect of starting and running a small business. That said, they frequently center around one particular topic, although generalist websites are also common. A lot of these websites are 100% free, making them appealing to those working with a limited budget. Because of this, however, they can sometimes be difficult to navigate. The same goes for websites with a deep well of content – it can be easy to get distracted or become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. Take things one step at a time, and stay focused on whatever it is you’re working on in order to be successful.
Invest in building your community
Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely road, especially if you’re going down the solopreneur path. Having access to a community of other small business owners can provide you with the opportunity to discuss challenges and successes with those who get it. It also provides business connections that you might not otherwise have. This type of community can be a source of support, inspiration, and practical business connections that is invaluable for small business owners.
With the above information in mind, if you’re one of those people who has a business idea they want to run with, and are looking for the best websites to glean insights from to start your business, check out our list below.
- Free templates and guides take you through all aspects of starting and running a business
- Tips from business planning expert Tim Berry
- Access to pitch deck examples for various industries
- Price: Free
- Integration for e-commerce and appointment scheduling
- Access to Experts who can help at any stage of development
- Free custom domain with unlimited bandwidth
- Personal plan: $19 per month
- Business plan: $33 per month
- Commerce plan: $36 per month
- Advanced Commerce plan: $65 per month
If you want to get the word out about your new business, you’re going to need a snappy website. A website builder site like Squarespace makes it easy to get started with a DIY solution, or, you can hire one of their experts who’ll handle the nitty gritty for you. When you create a website with Squarespace, you get free unlimited hosting, security, and 24/7 support, along with access to their extensive library of resources to help you be successful. If you’re building your site yourself, check out our roundups of the best Squarespace templates overall and for mobile sites.
- Knowledge bank via HubSpot blogs and Academy
- Plenty of free tools to help organize your data
- Connect your favorite apps to HubSpot
- Free plan: Free
- Starter plan: $45 per month
- Professional plan: $800 per month
- Enterprise plan: $3,200 per month
If you aren’t familiar with a CRM, or customer relationship management tool, you’ll soon become very familiar after you decide to start a business. A CRM like HubSpot offers a sales, marketing, and service hub all in one spot so you can keep track of important customer information and interactions. There are both free and paid versions of the software available, both of which include access to award-winning customer support. You can also learn more about the tool and business in general on the HubSpot blogs and Academy.
