If you set out to build your own website, you have probably already read more than one article on how to do it. While you were walking through the slums of knowledge, your hair was already standing on end from that large amount of information, incomprehensible terms, and schemes. With every word, the thought sounded more and more often in my head about whether it would be better to turn to specialists? Do not panic! The question “how to make a website” is a headache for people planning to create a website for the first time. Chaotic knowledge only reinforces the confidence that creating a site with your own hands is a long and complicated business. However, anyone can make a small budget site with their own hands – the main thing is finding clear instructions and having patience. So let’s figure it out together in this challenging but exciting task!
Step 1: Select Site Creation Method
The most frequently asked question that people can’t find an answer to is “how to start a website?” Two essential things are required to run a website: a domain and hosting. A domain is a unique web address that will host your site. The domain name consists of the site name and the domain zone – .com, .net, .ua, .org, .info, etc. Each domain has a unique name. It can be purchased from dedicated providers, as a service on a website builder, or you can use a free name offered by the website builder (more on that later). Hosting is a service that places your website on the web. This is reminiscent of renting a room, where instead of square meters, the tenant receives gigabytes on a remote server to store all published information. A hosting plan can be ordered from a special provider or directly from a website builder. Some companies provide hosting services with content management systems (CMS) installed. With this feature, users can quickly install sites on platforms like WordPress.
Creating Sites on WordPress and CMS
CMS is unique software, the so-called engine. Once installed, it looks like a mixture of a GUI and a text editor. From here, the user controls the site. You can create multi-page sites and blogs on free CMS such as WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. What do you need to create a website on CMS? Very often, CMS offers rather limited features for novice users. Many settings and plugins require additional knowledge in programming. This is a pretty good option for building a website for free if you have the time and opportunity to learn the functionality. In WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, you can create good, multi-page sites and blogs only if you have the necessary programming knowledge and web design. Also, you should bear in mind that hosting is needed to create any website. Therefore, when creating a website on your own, take care of a reliable hosting provider. To create such a site, you need a domain and hosting, which we mentioned earlier. We advise you to register a name and find a reliable provider before you start working with the CMS. Stages of creating a site on WordPress
Choose and set up a domain, hosting, and connect to WordPress. Find out what type of website you need – a simple landing page, a business card site, a portfolio, a blog, an online store. With that in mind, choose a design and theme. Customize the site in the admin menu: add menus and new pages, widgets, plugins, content, etc.
Other CMS work on the same principle with some differences in the settings. However, we recommend paying attention to another way to create a site.
Creating Sites on Designers
The website builder is an online service with its own CMS, ready-made templates, connected hosting, and built-in tools for tracking analytics, marketing campaigns, and SEO. The difference between regular CMS and builders is that the main parameters are already configured. With the help of the constructor, you can create any site – from a one-page landing page to an online store with thousands of products. Before we move on to other steps, learn the pros and cons of constructors. Pros:
Easy to use. Stylish modern template design for different niches. The ability to create a website without knowledge of programming or web design. The whole process takes a minimum of time. The platform is independent of third-party developers. Loyal pricing policy, including free plans. Regular updates and feature enhancements. Online support 24/7.
Cons:
Limited features in free plans. Possibility to edit the site code partially. Brand advertising in free plans. Difficulties with transferring the site to another hosting.
Because builders offer more benefits, and this is the easiest way to set up a website, all subsequent steps in building a website will be linked to them.
Register on the Website Constructor
Choose a constructor you trust. It can be Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Weebly, Zyro, or Duda. Next, you need to register in the site builder system. This can usually be done using your Google or Facebook accounts. H2 Step 3: Choose a Template for the Future Site A website template is a ready-made solution for your future most successful website. Constructors provide unique and stylish templates explicitly designed for a specific niche. You can find website designs for photographers, teachers, freelancers, studios, beauty salons, agencies, etc. All templates will be divided into categories for easy search. However, you can choose an option from another class and edit it to suit your needs. Some constructors allow you to create your design from scratch using ready-made blocks.
Step 4: Add Content and Edit the Template
This is usually very simple, although it all depends on the editor’s interface. For example, Wix, Weebly, and Duda offer a convenient and intuitive toolbar and a drag-and-drop function. You can add new blocks to any template or remove unnecessary ones and edit them separately. Also, there are guides on these platforms that describe how to change the shapes, colors, and background. Remember that all template content is just samples of texts and photos that you can use. However, as website and mobile app developers from JatApp points out, it is essential to replace samples with unique content. This will improve brand image and SEO rankings.
Step 5: Create New Pages
Step 6: Set up SEO
SEO settings are essential for search engines to show or hide your site from users. Add a meta description and title, and write page and image tags. Each seemingly insignificant addition increases the site’s chances of rising in overall ranking. Basic settings are available in all builders. Additional settings may vary depending on the builder. Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Weebly, Zyro, or Duda provide the ability to test all settings for free.
Step 7: Add CTAs and Contacts
CTA is site navigation that pushes the user to the next step. These can be buttons, contact forms, or offers with links to specific pages. If these items are missing, you risk losing potential customers. The user will not understand what to do with all this information. Arrange your contacts so that each user can find them. 44% of users leave the site if they cannot find contact information. Make sure the search doesn’t look like a quest.
Step 8: Set up Analytic
Tracking the effectiveness of the site is one of the main tasks. Analytics helps you understand who your visitors are, how often they come, and how they behave. This information helps improve the site. All of the builders we mentioned above offer Google Analytics, Hotjar, and Google Tag Manager in just one click. These tools are enough to track the performance of the site effectively.
Step 9: Publish Your Website
Open a new website for public access. Important! Not all builder templates are optimized for smartphones and tablets. Therefore, before opening the site for people, check how it looks on different devices. When everything is ready and tested, publish your site and celebrate the platform’s launch!
Conclusion
Building a website can seem daunting if you haven’t dealt with coding or programming before. However, you will learn how to make your own website with these nine steps. Follow this guide diligently, and soon you will see the fruits of your labor. If you want to dive deeper into the topic, we recommend visiting BizMarquee and CIG, which share interesting facts and examples of successful websites.
