Before you design your website, there are a few things you’ll need to have ready. Generally, you’ll need the website builder itself, a domain registrar and a web hosting platform (if you’ve chosen a website builder that doesn’t include hosting in its package). You’ll also need an SSL certificate to secure the site, a point-of-sale (POS) system for payments and a search engine optimization (SEO) tool to ensure that people find you.

Here what you need to design, build and maintain a website:

• Web hosting: Your website content requires physical space, and that is what web hosting platforms do—they store your texts, images and databases so that you can access them on the web.

• Domain name: Your domain name is the address visitors see in their browser bar when they search for you. To avoid confusion, incorporate your name; and if it’s not available, choose something close to it. You can register your domain name with a domain registrar. Some hosting service providers also serve as domain registrars, so find out before purchasing.

• SSL certificate: For your business’s security and reputation, and the safety of user information, obtain a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate from an SSL certificate service provider.

• Web builder: Sign up on a website builder to create your website without coding experience. There are templates with features you can customize to design your choice website.

• Search engine optimization tool: From the start, use an SEO tool to create an SEO strategy so that your content follows basic SEO practices and techniques and starts achieving your desired results.

• POS: If you’re offering services or selling products that require processing and accepting payments, you’ll need to incorporate a POS service into your website.