Website guide
How to make a website for my business: an honest guide for Colombia
The three routes to building your business website, what nobody tells you about the free options, and what you need so your site brings in customers, not just visits.
To make a website for your business you can use a free builder, a WordPress or Shopify template, or a custom-built site. Choose based on your time and goals, and make sure it has your own domain, a WhatsApp button, a phone-first design and fast loading.
To make a website for your business you have three routes: a free builder you put together yourself, a WordPress or Shopify template, or a custom site built by a professional team. The best route depends on your time, what you sell and how seriously you want the site to bring you customers. In this guide we tell you, straight up, the good and the bad of each one.
Bogotá has a huge number of businesses competing for people's attention. According to the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá), between January and November 30, 2025, 81,372 companies were created in the Bogotá Region, 6% more than in the same period of 2024. That means new competitors show up every month, and having a clear, fast, easy-to-find website is no longer a luxury: it's part of how people decide who to call.
This guide is written for entrepreneurs, small businesses and neighborhood shops that want to do things right, without the hype. We won't promise you miracles; we'll explain how this works so you can make a good decision.
First step
Before you start: what you want your site to do
Lots of people start by asking about colors, templates or photos. That's normal, but the right order is different: first decide what needs to happen when someone lands on your site. A business website has a specific job, and it's almost always one of these:
Get you found
When someone searches Google for what you offer, your business shows up as a serious option.
Show what's great
Explain in seconds why your product or service is worth it, and build trust.
Convert
Get the visitor to message you on WhatsApp, call you, fill out a form or buy.
Write down three things: what you sell, who you sell it to and what action you want the visitor to take. With that clear, every decision after becomes easier, from the route you choose to the copy in each section.
Example
A bakery in Cedritos wants to take custom cake orders. Its site doesn't need twenty sections: it needs photos of its cakes, how to order, how far in advance, delivery zones and a big WhatsApp button. That's what converts.
Options
The 3 routes to building your business website
There's no perfect route for everyone. There's a right route for where you are now. Here's how they compare, honestly:
| Route | The good | The not so good | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free builder (do it yourself) | Start today, no coding. Drag blocks and publish. | Visible platform branding, long address, limited features, a design similar to thousands of other sites and a lot of your time. | Startups testing an idea or on a very tight budget. |
| WordPress or Shopify template | More features, thousands of plugins, possible online store, your own domain. | Updates and security need upkeep; too many plugins can slow the site; the template doesn't know your business. | Businesses with some technical experience or someone to support them. |
| Custom site | Designed for your customer and your offer, fast, built from day one for search optimization and conversion. | Takes more planning time and a larger investment than a free plan. | Businesses that want to grow seriously and would rather spend their time serving customers. |
Route 1: free builder
It's the fastest way to get something online. You sign up, pick a template, change the text and publish. It works for validating an idea or having a digital business card. The trouble starts when the business grows: switching platforms later can be a hassle, and what you built often can't be moved anywhere else.
Route 2: WordPress or Shopify template
WordPress is very popular for service sites and blogs; Shopify is built for selling products online. Both give you lots of flexibility. That said, someone has to keep up with updates, backups and making sure the site doesn't get bloated. If you plan to sell online, check out our online store design page to understand what a working store needs.
Route 3: custom site
Here a team studies your business, your customers and what people search for on Google, and builds the site around that. You notice it in the speed, the copy and how easy it is to contact you. It's the route we work in our web design service in Bogotá.
No fine print
A free website: what it really costs
Lots of people search for how to make a business website for free, and that makes sense: when you're starting out, every peso counts. But it's worth knowing what free comes with before you commit:
- Domain: on free plans your address usually looks like yourbusiness.platform.com. To get yourbusiness.co or yourbusiness.com.co you almost always have to pay for the domain and a plan.
- Hosting: it's the space where your site lives. Free plans include it, but with limits on speed, storage or features.
- Platform branding: many free plans show ads or the platform's logo on your site. To a customer, that can look less professional.
- Your time: learning the tool, writing copy, taking photos and tweaking every detail can take you many nights. That time has value too.
- What you can't see: speed, structure for Google, security and properly configured forms. Free rarely solves all of it for you.
Free isn't bad. It's a tool to get started. Just make sure that when your business grows, your site can grow with you, so you don't have to start from scratch.
Your address online
Choosing your domain: .co, .com.co or .com
The domain is your site's name, what people type into the browser. Choosing it well saves you headaches. These are the most common options for a business in Colombia:
.co
It's Colombia's country domain. It's short, easy to remember and widely used by startups. Heads up: some people type .com out of habit, so say it clearly in your advertising.
.com.co
Also Colombian, and it makes clear your business operates in Colombia. A good option for local businesses, although it's a bit longer to type.
.com
The best known in the world. If you plan to sell outside Colombia or your name is available as a .com, it's a strong option.
Tips for choosing the name
- Keep it short, easy to say over the phone and without odd hyphens.
- Make it look like your business name, not a long phrase.
- If you can, register the other versions too, to protect yourself.
- Register it in your business's name or your own, never a third party's. The domain is yours and you should have access to it.
The essentials
What every business website needs
A pretty site that doesn't bring in customers is an expense. These are the elements that, in our experience, make the difference for business websites in Colombia.
An always-visible WhatsApp button
According to a Telefónica Movistar study presented at Andicom (2022), 8 out of 10 Colombians use WhatsApp to communicate. If your customer already lives on WhatsApp, your site should take them there with one tap.
Phone-first design
Most Colombians browse on their phones, on the TransMilenio, in line or on their lunch break. Design for the small screen first and the computer second.
Speed
If the site is slow to load, people leave. Lightweight images, few plugins and good hosting make the difference, especially on mobile data.
A clear offer up top
In the first few seconds the visitor should understand what you do, who it's for and how to contact you. No generic slogans.
Map and address
If you serve customers at a shop or location, show the address, hours and a map. It helps the customer, and it helps Google understand where you are.
Real reviews
Reviews from real customers build trust. Show the ones from your Google Business Profile; never make up testimonials.
Data-treatment policy
Law 1581 of 2012 (habeas data) governs personal data in Colombia. If your site collects names, phone numbers or emails, you need a data-treatment policy and the person's consent.
Easy ways to get in touch
A short form, the WhatsApp button and, where it applies, a call button. The fewer steps, the better. An AI agent can send the first reply while you serve customers.
One more data point worth keeping in mind: a Social Media User Trends Report cited by Portafolio (May 2025) found that 92% of people aged 16 to 45 in Colombia use WhatsApp daily and 80% use it to contact businesses. That's why we insist so much that your site and your WhatsApp work together.
Investment
How much does a website cost in Colombia?
It's the question we get asked most, and the honest answer is: it depends. That's not dodging the question; two sites can look the same on the outside and be very different underneath. This is what drives the price of a website in Colombia:
| Factor | Why it changes the cost |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | A single-section site isn't the same as one with services, locations, a blog and FAQs. |
| Online store | Catalog, payment gateway, inventory and shipping add work and testing. |
| Integrations | WhatsApp, appointment booking, a CRM, electronic invoicing or a chatbot need extra setup. |
| Content | Writing copy that sells and that Google understands, and producing photos, is professional work. |
| Search optimization (SEO) | Researching what people search for and structuring the site around it, from the start, changes long-term results. |
Why cheap can end up expensive
A very cheap site might be a generic template, slow, with no structure for Google and no clear way to get in touch. It looks fine in a screenshot, but it doesn't bring customers. Then it has to be rebuilt, and in the end you paid twice. It also happens that the domain ends up in someone else's name, or that you don't have the passwords to your own site. Always ask who owns the domain, who has the logins and exactly what the quote includes.
To see the detail of what we include, take a look at our websites for companies and small businesses in Bogotá and ask for a free quote.
Want to know what your site needs?
Tell us about your business and we'll explain, with no obligation, which route fits and what it would include.
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Launch checklist
Before you tell everyone you have a website, check these. It takes an afternoon and saves you some embarrassment:
Check it on your phone
Open the site on your phone and on someone else's. Everything should be readable without zooming, and buttons should be easy to tap.
Test the WhatsApp button
Tap it and confirm it opens a chat with the right number and, ideally, a ready-made opening message.
Submit the form
Fill out the contact form as if you were a customer and make sure the message actually reaches you.
Check the speed
Open the site on mobile data, not just the office wifi. If it's slow, check the size of your images.
Proofread copy and details
Address, hours, business name and services should match on your site, your social media and your Google profile.
Publish the data policy
Keep your data-treatment policy visible and a consent notice next to the form, as Law 1581 of 2012 requires.
Connect measurement tools
Set up Google Search Console and an analytics tool so you know how many people arrive and what they do.
Save your logins
Keep the logins to your domain, hosting and site somewhere safe. They're yours.
Get found
How to get found after launch
Publishing the site is just the beginning. A site nobody finds is like a beautiful shop on a street nobody walks down. These are the next steps:
Google Business Profile
It's the listing that shows up on Google and Google Maps. Create it, verify it and connect it to your site. We explain how on our Google Business Profile page.
Search optimization
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the work of getting your site to show up when people search for what you offer. It takes time and consistency. Learn about our Bogotá SEO service.
Useful content
Answering your customers' questions on your site, like we do in this guide, helps Google and artificial intelligence tools understand you better.
How we handle the custom route
At Bogotá SEO we build custom sites designed for three things: getting you found, showing what's great about your business and converting into a WhatsApp chat, a call or a form. Behind the work is Eye To Ad Media, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, working with businesses all over the world and building websites, SEO and marketing systems since 2012. Stephany, who grew up in Bogotá, leads the client relationship in Colombia and customer service in Spanish.
To make a great site within reach, we also offer a subscribe-to-own program: a monthly subscription with the option to buy the site later. We explain the details in your quote.
We don't promise miracles; we promise serious work, honesty and the best tools. To learn more, visit our Bogotá SEO agency, see our Bogotá web design service or reach us from our contact page.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a website for my business if I'm not a tech person?
You have three paths: a free builder where you drag and drop blocks, a WordPress or Shopify template that someone helps you set up, or a custom site built by a professional team. If you don't have the time or desire to learn, the third route is usually the most stress-free, because you focus on your business and the team handles the rest.
Can I make a website for my business for free?
Yes, there are builders with free plans, but they almost always show the platform's branding, use a long address instead of your own domain and limit features. Your time also has a cost. Free works for testing an idea; for a business that wants to look serious, you usually need at least your own domain and a paid plan.
How much does a website cost in Colombia?
It depends on how many pages you need, whether it includes an online store, which integrations it has, such as WhatsApp, booking or payments, who writes the copy and whether it includes search optimization work. That's why two quotes can be very different. The best move is to ask for a free quote that explains what each part includes.
Which domain is best for a business in Colombia, .co, .com.co or .com?
The .co is Colombia's country domain, and it's short and easy to remember. The .com.co is also Colombian and makes it clear you operate here. The .com is the best known worldwide. Many businesses register the one that suits them best and, if they can, protect the other versions of their name.
What should a small business website include?
At minimum: a clear offer at the top, a visible WhatsApp button, a phone-first design, fast loading, an address with a map if you serve customers at a location, real customer reviews and a data-treatment policy under Colombia's Law 1581 of 2012 if you collect personal information.
How long does it take a new website to show up on Google?
There's no fixed date. Google can take days or weeks to find and show a new page, and climbing the results for competitive searches takes more time and steady work. A verified Google Business Profile and a well-structured site help a lot, but no serious team can guarantee you a position.
Is it better to build the website myself or hire someone?
If you have a small budget, free time and enjoy learning, doing it yourself is a valid way to start. If your time is worth more serving customers, or you need a store, integrations and search optimization, hiring a team usually pays off better in the medium term. The key is choosing with your eyes open about what each route really costs.
Ready for Bogotá to find your business?
Tell us what you sell and to whom. Stephany will help you see where to start, free and with no obligation.
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