In today’s digitized business environment, having a web presence is undeniably crucial for any business. A website is a convenient and quick means for a business to grow its reach, build its brand, and stay competitive in the market.
Creating a website has become more accessible than ever due to numerous user-friendly website builders and hosting services designed for beginners. Regardless of your chosen option, this comprehensive guide ensures that anyone can effortlessly build a new website for their business, blog, or portfolio.
Want to know how to create a website?
This beginner guide will assist you in creating your own website with simple, step-by-step instructions.
Steps to Create a Website from Scratch
Step 1: Refine and Align Relevant Skills:
Before you start planning your new website, it is important to assess the relevant skills, especially those related to web development and coding. These skills are important for creating a website on your own, giving you more control over the technical aspects and making the development process smoother.
Key prerequisites for website development include coding in languages like JavaScript and HTML/CSS for design and usability factors. Troubleshooting and debugging skills are helpful to ensure your site runs well, stays up-to-date, and remains secure. Understanding search engine optimization (SEO) is also important for optimizing and marketing your site, making it easily discoverable and competitive on Google.
Front-end and back-end web development skills are beneficial. as they allow you to address client-facing usability matters and manage the technical structure of the site.
Step 2: Choose a Domain Name:
Your website cannot function properly without a name, also referred to as a Domain name.
When selecting a domain name, consider these rules:
- For a business website, your domain name should align with your company name.
- If creating a personal website or blog, using your full name as the domain is a recommended option.
- If possible, opt for the .com version.
Domain names often end with .com, .net, org, .co.uk, .ca, or .de, and more. If you want your domain to reach people worldwide, consider registering a .com one.
Step 3: Get a Web Hosting Account:
Web hosting is a service, much like website builders, that helps you register a domain name and create a website (we recommend Hostinger for beginners).
By choosing the right web hosting option, you can have more flexibility.
When you use a website builder like Wix or Squarespace, you are tied to one product. With web hosting, you can build website(s) using different free tools like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and more.
Choosing the best web host offers several key advantages for you and your website, especially if you want to make money from it.
Web hosting hosts your website files so that your site is always available online 24/7 for visitors.
Step 4: Set Up Your Website:
Now, set up a website.
You can also do this by using WordPress.
WordPress is the most widely used free website builder, empowering over 40% of all websites on the internet. It is user-friendly and does not require a huge learning curve.
As you already have a domain name and web hosting, you can install WordPress for free using Hostinger or any other web hosting provider that offers one-click installations for free website builders.
Step 5: Customize Your Website:
Templates or themes are pre-made designs that you can apply to your website and customize with your own content. Selecting the right one depends on a few essential factors.
When choosing a template or theme:
- Select one that suits your website type, like for an online store.
- Matches your personal or brand’s style.
- Fits your budget (many are free).
- Adjusts to different devices (mobile-responsive templates).
Install Plugins:
Plugins, also referred to as apps, enhance the functionality of your website. Whether you are using a website builder or a combination of hosting and WordPress, plugins come in all shapes and sizes. Some are free, some are paid, and some are regularly updated, or some may be potentially abandoned.
Yoast SEO: Guides you in creating search-optimized content.
Elementor: A great website builder for WordPress.
Tidio Live Chat: Adds a live chat messenger to support visitors.
PayPal: This helps you to secure online sales if supported by your website builder.
Social Media Feeds: Add your Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook feed to increase engagement on your website.
Step 6: Build Relevant Pages:
You need to add important pages and content to your website to make it more accessible and interesting.
Some important pages are:
- Homepage
- About Us
- Contact Page – where you can include your social links (Facebook page, Twitter, etc.)
- Services/Products
- Blog
- Gallery
- Testimonials/Reviews
Take a moment to think about which pages are really important for your website. Start with those crucial pages. Make sure these important pages are shown at the header and footer of your site, so visitors can easily access them from any part of the site.
Step 7: Optimize your Site:
Using an effective SEO strategy can increase your website’s visibility on Google and other search engines. Optimize your website’s SEO by utilizing tools like Google Analytics, adjusting permalinks, and adding relevant keywords.
Step 8: Keep Your Website Up-to-Date:
Continuously update your website even after it is built and has gained followers. Over time, users may lose interest or become impatient with outdated content and poorly managed site elements like broken links or dysfunctional multimedia. It is important to keep your site active, and it extends beyond just posting and blogging.
When you use an all-in-one website builder, much of your website’s maintenance is done automatically. Plug-ins and the site editor receive regular updates, and automatic backups are included, too.
Here are some steps for maintaining and managing your website:
- Establish Pages: When adding content, consider using both pages and posts. Pages are static and contain consistent content, such as “category,” “about,” and “contact.”
- Create Blog Posts: If your builder includes a blog feature, schedule posts using a content calendar to publish regularly.
- Include Categories: Organize your content with categories for better reader navigation and search engine optimization.
- Add a Contact Form: Provide visitors with an easy way to contact you directly through your website.
- Post Privacy and Terms of Service (TOS) Pages: Small businesses should have privacy policies and terms of service pages, especially if using cookies for tracking visitors.
- Add Lead Generation Popups: For small businesses or online stores, use pop-ups to collect email addresses for newsletters or promotions.
- Include Social Media Share Buttons: Enhance online “word-of-mouth” marketing by adding share buttons to blog posts.
- Add Images: Increase reader interest and SEO by inserting relevant images with descriptive alt text.
- Submit to Directories: List your site on Google My Business, Bing Place, and other relevant directories to increase visibility.
- Automate Backups: Use an automated backup service to protect your website data and ensure security against threats.
- Utilize Widgets: Customize your website’s look by adding widgets to sidebars and footers. WordPress offers various widgets for social media, e-commerce, and more.
Conclusion:
Building a website from the beginning isn’t too hard, as you have now seen. Although it might seem a bit long, with the right tool, you can create a website and share it with your audience in just a few moments. Transform your online presence with website creation by Hashlogics.