The importance of having a website can’t be stated enough. Any business that wishes to establish a foothold, let alone dominate the market, needs a website that clearly communicates the value of its brand and what it sells.
But can someone who doesn’t have any command in coding or programming figure out how to make a website for a business they’re running?
Absolutely.
But how exactly would a non-technical entrepreneur come up with a website that not only hits the mark visually but also delivers in user experience?
Let this beginner-friendly guide on how to build a website help you make that happen.
| How To Make a Website for a Business | |
|---|---|
| 1. Define Your Objectives | 12. Prepare Your Web Content |
| 2. Assemble Your Team | 13. Identify Your Main Web Pages |
| 3. Analyze Your Brand | 14. Wireframe Your Site per Page |
| 4. Set Your Budget | 15. Design Your Main Web Pages |
| 5. Research Your Market | 16. Add Content to Your Pages |
| 6. Review Your Branding | 17. Optimize Your Website for Search |
| 7. Claim Your Domain Name | 18. Add the Right Plugins |
| 8. Select Your Web Hosting Provider | 19. Make Your Website Responsive |
| 9. Decide Your Web Dev Path | 20. Look Into Your Site Speed |
| 10. Pick Your Website Builder or CMS | 21. Check for Consistency |
| 11. Plan Your Website Features | 22. Review and Launch Your Website |
How To Build a Website (Step-by-Step)
About 67% of shoppers visit a new brand’s website or app before completing a purchase. What’s more, 80% of them take the time to stack up the prices against those of similar brands or products.
Having a website can position you at an advantage so that when potential customers weigh your brand against others, yours comes out on top.
So, let’s guide you through each step of building a website.
1. Define Your Objectives
First things first, when you’re thinking about launching a website, you’ve got to start with the end in mind. You need to have a clear goal or purpose for your website — it will shape everything from the design to the content of your website.
Now, your website can serve a multitude of purposes depending on what you’re aiming to achieve.
Common purposes of having a website are:
• Drive sales with an online store selling goods directly to customers.
• Generate leads with a contact form on a website.
• Share information through a blog or portfolio website.
• Build an online presence and market a business through a website.
For example, suppose you run a small cafe in town looking to get more both online orders and foot traffic to your store. Your website should highlight what makes your place special – think tempting photos of your coffee and pastries, along with practical business information like your location and hours. This illustration shows how your goal influences your website’s design and content.
You can pursue multiple purposes at the same time, but you should have one main goal. An online store’s primary purpose is to drive sales, whereas a news site is to share information, but both can have other goals.
2. Assemble Your Team
Building a website isn’t a one-person show, especially if you’re aiming for something that truly resonates with your audience and meets your business objectives. Having a team, whether big or small, brings together diverse skills and perspectives that are crucial for tackling the various aspects of website creation.
And if you’re flying solo or running a small operation, identifying these roles can help you seek the right kind of help when needed.
Key players you might want on your team:
• Project managers to organize deadlines and keep everyone aligned
• Content writers with experience in search engine optimization (SEO) so your content appeals to users and search engines
• Web designers with specialization in user interface and user experience (UI/UX) to engage visitors
• Web developer to build your custom site, especially if you’re building from scratch
• SEO specialists working with your content writers to oversee your SEO efforts
• Digital marketing strategist to provide a clear roadmap for promoting your new site
Having a team with clear roles – or knowing which roles you need support in – can dramatically streamline the website creation process.
3. Analyze Your Brand
Your website is essentially the virtual face of your business. It’s crucial that it accurately represents your brand’s identity, values and what sets you apart from the competition. Conducting a brand audit allows you to align your website’s messaging, design and overall experience with your brand’s essence.
Insights you want to bring to light:
• Brand voice and personality: You want to ensure your website communicates a tone that reflects your brand’s personality, whether that’s professional or laid-back.
• Unique selling points (USPs): USPs are what set your business apart. They help you write compelling website copy to tell visitors why they should choose you over others.
• Target audience: Understanding who your ideal customers are dictates how you design your website and craft your content, prioritizing resonance over trends.
During this process, you also want to take stock of any existing content or materials that could be repurposed or refreshed for your website.
4. Set Your Budget
Without a budget, expenses can balloon, leading to potential financial strain and a speed bump in your web project. On the other hand, a well-planned budget helps prioritize your needs and ensures you’re making smart investments in your website.
So, what sort of costs might you be looking at?
Here are website creation expenses to be prepared for:
• Domain name (your website’s address)
• Web hosting (storage for your website’s files)
• Security certificates (indicate that your website is for safe browsing)
• Design and development (building your website’s look and function)
• Content creation (text, images and videos for your website)
• Maintenance (fixing bugs, updating software or adding features)
• Marketing (promoting your website to attract visitors)
Costs for domain names are relatively lower than other aspects mentioned, but they can elevate if the domain you’re interested in is already owned. When it comes to hosting, you can look into shared hosting plans, which are more affordable.
For those with tighter budgets, focus on what’s truly essential for your website at launch. You can always add bells and whistles later when your budget allows.
Overall, you want to treat your web creation expenses as an investment. By setting a sensible budget, you’re ensuring your web project not only stays manageable but also primed to return real value.
5. Research Your Market
Market research isn’t just about knowing your potential customers (though that’s a huge part of it); it’s also about getting a good look at your competitors. This is where you roll up your sleeves, grab your digital binoculars and start observing what others in your field are doing online.
Why bother peeking at the competition? For starters, it’s a goldmine of inspiration.
Seeing how others present their brand, engage with their audience and structure their websites can spark ideas for your own. It’s not about copying; far from it. It’s about understanding what’s out there and thinking about how you can do it differently or better.
Questions you can ask:
• What website builders are my competitors using?
• Do my competitors have a blog?
• What are the key messages being communicated by my competitors?
But there’s more to it than just picking up design and content ideas. Your deep dive into the market can reveal gaps – areas that your competitors are overlooking or needs that aren’t being fully met. These insights are invaluable because they can further guide you to position your website in a way that fills those gaps.
6. Review Your Branding
You’re likely brimming with ideas after digging into market research. But hold on a second before you start bringing those ideas to life and revisit your brand. It’s crucial to make sure your ideas mesh well with your brand’s identity.
If you’ve got a brand book, now’s the time to crack it open. If not, consider putting one together. Such a guide is your brand’s DNA on paper; it ensures that every piece of content you create, especially your website, feels authentic to your brand.
Here’s a quick rundown of what should be included in your brand book:
• Logo guidelines: Usage rules, size and placement.
• Color palette: Specific brand colors with codes.
• Typography: Approved fonts and usage styles.
• Imagery guidelines: Style of photos and illustrations.
• Tone of voice: Communication style and examples.
• Core values: Key messages and brand ethos.
By using your brand book as a filter, you can quickly see which new ideas fit your brand and which don’t. It’s not about curbing creativity but about directing it so that everything you do reinforces, rather than dilutes, your brand identity.
For example, maybe a competitor’s casual tone catches your eye, but if your brand is all about professionalism, mimicking that tone could confuse your audience.
So, take a moment to align your exciting new ideas with your brand’s core. With this, you ensure your website not only captures attention but does so in a way that’s true to who you are as a business.
7. Claim Your Domain Name
Now that you’ve revisited your branding with fresh eyes and are feeling more aligned with your brand identity, it’s the perfect moment to take a big step forward and secure your domain name. Essentially, your domain name is your online address — it’s how customers will find you online.
Your domain name can influence how visible you are in search results and shape user perception.
So, to guide you, here are tips for brainstorming your domain name:
• Keep it easy to spell; the last thing you want is for potential visitors to get lost trying to find you.
• Be brand-consistent in a way that your domain name should echo your brand’s name or core service to reinforce your identity.
• Avoid hyphens and numbers unless they’re a crucial part of your brand. They can complicate things and are best left out.
If you’re already running a business, sticking to your actual business name for your domain is usually the best route. It maintains consistency across your online and offline presence. Again, you want to make it easier for existing customers to find you and reinforce your brand identity for new ones.
8. Select Your Website Hosting Provider
Think of website hosting as renting a space on the internet where your website lives. It’s where all your website’s files, data and other content are stored, making them accessible to anyone who types in your domain name. So, without a fitting hosting provider, your site could end up inaccessible.
| What To Look For in a Website Hosting Provider | |
|---|---|
| Reliability | You want your site to be accessible 24/7, with at least 99.9% uptime. |
| Bandwidth and Storage | Aim for at least 50% extra resources than your current website needs. |
| Speed | A slow-loading website will cause users to leave your site. |
| Customer Support | If you run into issues, you want responsive customer support. |
| Scalability | As your business grows over time, so will your website and its features. |
| Security | Robust security measures are requisite for online threats lurking. |
| Pricing | Weigh pricing plans from providers without skimping on quality. |
| Renewal | Know the terms to avoid unexpected costs or service interruptions. |
| Refund Option | A safety net is needed if the service doesn’t meet your expectations. |
| Ease of Use | The hosting panel should be intuitive, and you should have resources. |
Promos and discounts are also something you want to keep an eye on. While not essential, having extra savings is always a good idea in business.
Most website builders or those who use a content management system (CMS) typically have built-in web hosting services in their plans.
But for those who will code their own websites, you need to put in the work to look into web hosting providers and carefully weigh your options. Ultimately, you want to align with your website needs and business goals.
9. Decide Your Web Dev Path
You have a few paths you can take: building from the ground up, using a website builder or leveraging a content management system (CMS). Every choice comes with its own set of advantages and demands different resources from you, such as levels of expertise.
Let’s break your options down:
| A. Use a Website Builder | |
|---|---|
| Going with a website builder is the easiest, quickest and cheapest option. Website builders have ready-to-use templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop, no-code interface. You can get your site off the ground almost relatively effortlessly. However, it’s worth noting that for businesses with complex requirements like highly specific functionalities, website builders might fall short, as their ease of use can sometimes mean sacrificing a bit of customizability and depth. |
| B. Use a CMS | |
|---|---|
| CMS like WordPress offers a middle ground between the simplicity of website builders and the complexity of building from the ground up. While they likewise provide user-friendly templates and plugins, they also allow for extensive customization through coding if desired. CMS is particularly effective for managing large volumes of content, making it a go-to for content-heavy sites. Just be aware that using a CMS to build your website means more time and effort on your part. |
| C. Build From the Ground Up | |
|---|---|
| Only ideal for those with solid coding chops or those who have a team of developers at their disposal. While it offers the most flexibility, it also demands not only a hefty investment of time but also a strong grasp of programming languages. For the back-end development alone, you need to have expertise in languages like .NET, Java, PHP, Ruby and Python. For front-end development, use either React, Angular or VueJS. |
Apart from your website goals and resources, you should factor in the level of control you want over your site’s design and functionalities as you decide.
In this guide, we’ll only focus on the first two options (A and B) — either using a website builder or CMS.
10. Pick Your Website Builder or CMS
Let’s recap the two options before naming a few examples.
Using website builders means you can design, build and launch your site all from one platform without needing to write a single line of code. Again, many website builders come equipped with intuitive drag-and-drop editors, making web design accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. They also often include hosting services.
| Website Builders Examples | |
|---|---|
| Squarespace: With its solid templates library, Shopify offers packages that include website creation tools, hosting and even marketing features. Plus, its customer support is reliable if you need help with anything. | |
| Wix: Wix is packed with business tools suitable for websites, whether a personal blog or a complex online business hub. It includes built-in support for eCommerce, marketing, scheduling, branding and more. | |
| Shopify: Shopify enables businesses to launch, operate and expand their online storefront. You can handle sales, market to potential customers and process payments online and in physical locations. | |
| Weebly: Weebly is another beginner-friendly option. It integrates with popular tools you might already use for things like email marketing or scheduling. You can also launch a basic online store solution with Weebly. |
Using CMS, on the other hand, is embracing the freedom to tailor every corner of your website exactly how you envision it, from intricate design customizations to adding complex functionalities. While it’s true that this path puts the responsibility of updates, security and backups on your shoulders, the payoff is immense, especially for larger websites or those with ambitions to scale.
| CMS Examples | |
|---|---|
| WordPress: WordPress also incorporates drag-and-drop page capability along with ready-made themes. The feature allows even those with minimal technical skills to craft professional-looking websites on a powerful CMS platform. | |
| Drupal: Although WordPress may have the upper hand in terms of providing ease of use like a website builder, Drupal distinguishes itself as a leading CMS contender. Drupal is ideal for projects with complex content and security requirements. | |
| Umbraco: Umbraco prides itself on being a highly flexible and user-friendly CMS based on Microsoft’s .NET framework. It offers a clean and intuitive back-end panel, which simplifies content management and site customization. | |
| Optimizely: Optimizely is known for its A/B testing and experimentation features, allowing businesses to test and optimize user experiences in real time. It’s a powerful tool for marketers and businesses focused on conversion rate optimization. |
As such, each platform has its strengths, from eCommerce capabilities to stunning design templates, so choose one that aligns with your needs, skill level and long-term goals for your website.
11. Plan Your Website Features
The functionalities you incorporate can significantly enhance your visitors’ experience and help you achieve your business goals. If you’re aiming to launch a website as an online shop, selecting the right features makes it easy for your customers to navigate, find what they need and make purchases or inquiries.
| Key Website Features To Consider | |
|---|---|
| Contact forms: These are essential for gathering inquiries, feedback or even leads from your website visitors. A well-designed contact form can be the starting point of a fruitful customer relationship. | |
| eCommerce capabilities: If you’re selling products or services, integrating eCommerce functionality is a must. This includes product pages, shopping carts and secure checkout processes. | |
| Search functionality: UmbracoFor websites with a lot of content or products, a search bar gives users a better browsing experience. It allows visitors to quickly find what they’re exactly looking for. | |
| Navigation bar: A navigation menu usually appears as a horizontal or vertical strip on all the main pages of your website, helping users move from one page to another effortlessly. | |
| Call-to-action (CTA) buttons: CTAs direct users towards a desired action, be it making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or contacting you. CTAs should be visually striking and use compelling language. | |
| Responsive design: With the rise of mobile browsing, ensuring your site looks and works great on all devices is key. Responsiveness is fundamental to optimizing for conversions. | |
| Blog section: A blog can be a powerful tool for sharing valuable content, attracting visitors and improving SEO. It’s also a great way to establish your authority in your respective market. | |
| Social media integration: Make it easy for visitors to connect with you on social media and share your content. Having social buttons can expand your reach and strengthen your online presence. | |
| Analytics tools: Integrating tools like Google Analytics can provide you with valuable insights into your website’s performance and visitor behavior, helping you make informed decisions. |
Keep in mind that each website feature should serve a purpose, whether it’s to capture attention, inform, engage, convert or provide support to your visitors.
12. Prepare Your Web Content
Your web content steers the wheel on how you engage, inform and convert your audience. Here’s how to strategically tackle your content plan:
| Keyword Research | |
|---|---|
| Start with keyword research to ensure your content aligns with what your audience is searching for online. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find relevant keywords that match your products, services and the interests of your target audience. Doing keyword research is making sure you’re visible in search results where it counts. |
| Content Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Develop a content strategy that outlines what type of content you’ll create, who it’s for and how it will drive toward your business goals. Your strategy should cater to various stages of the customer journey, from awareness to decision-making. Incorporate a mix of informative blog posts, compelling product descriptions, engaging videos and eye-catching images. Having a mix of content types keeps your audience interested and moving through the funnel. |
| Existing Content | |
|---|---|
| Remember when we talked about taking stock of your existing content? Now’s the time to plan how to incorporate that into your new website. Assess what content can be repurposed or updated to fit your current strategy. This not only saves time and resources but also ensures consistency in your brand messaging. |
| Multimedia Content Needs | |
|---|---|
| Determine the specific images or videos you need. Each serves a purpose, from educating your audience to showcasing your products. Decide whether you’ll use stock photos or create custom graphics and videos. While stock photos are convenient and cost-effective, high-quality, custom visuals have a better impact. |
Whether you’re in need of images, videos or graphics, ensure each piece of content is high-quality and reflects your brand’s voice and values. If you lack the expertise or resources in-house, consider hiring or outsourcing professionals.
13. Identify Your Main Web Pages
Every website has its core pages, those you absolutely must have from the get-go, and then there are those you can add later as your site grows.
| Must-Have Pages | |
|---|---|
| Homepage | This is your front door, the first impression visitors have of your business. It should clearly state who you are and what you offer and guide visitors to explore more. |
| Offerings Page | Showcase what products you’re selling or the services you provide, with detailed descriptions and benefits. |
| About Us Page | Share your story, mission and the people behind the brand to humanize your business. |
| Contact Page | Ensure it’s easy for customers to reach out with contact forms, email, phone numbers and social media links. |
| Great-To-Have Pages | |
|---|---|
| FAQs Page | Address common customer inquiries upfront to save time and help visitors make informed decisions. |
| Testimonials or Reviews Page | A dedicated space on your website to showcase customer feedback to enhance credibility and trust. |
| Blog Page | Share valuable content, drive traffic and improve SEO while connecting with your audience. |
| Common Pages | |
|---|---|
| Privacy Policy Page | Essential for legal reasons if your business is collecting customer data. |
| Terms and Conditions Page | Sets the rules for using your site and provides legal protection for your business. |
| Pages You Can Add After | |
|---|---|
| Portfolio or Gallery Page | For visually oriented businesses, you can showcase your work and projects. |
| Events Page | Inform your audience about upcoming events or webinars you’re hosting. |
| Resource Center or Help Section | Offer guides, videos and how-tos as your content and services expand. |
The lists can change depending on your businesses.
14. Wireframe Your Site per Page
Picture a wireframe as the skeleton of your website: a bare-bones visual guide that represents the layout of your website’s pages. It’s akin to an architect’s blueprint for a building, outlining where each element, like text, images or buttons, will live on your pages.
Wireframing allows you and your team to align on the site’s structure before diving into design and development. It’s a crucial step for visualizing the user experience (UX) and making strategic decisions about your site’s navigation and content placement.
Wireframing tools you can explore:
• Sketch: Perfect for high-fidelity wireframes, offering a plethora of features and plugins to streamline your design process.
• Balsamiq: Great for beginners, Balsamiq mimics sketching on a notepad or whiteboard but with the convenience of digital tools, making it easier to share and iterate on ideas.
• Adobe XD: A versatile tool that supports wireframing, prototyping and collaboration, allowing you and your team to work seamlessly together.
• Figma: Known for its collaborative features, Figma lets multiple users work on the same wireframe simultaneously, making it ideal for team projects.
A word for those who want to skip this process:
Diving straight into design or development might feel like a shortcut, but bypassing wireframing can result in missed usability problems or layout mistakes. Fixing such issues down the line can be costly and slow you down. Wireframing is your chance to experiment, iterate and refine your ideas, identifying potential problems early and getting your team aligned.
For smaller sites or tight timelines, a basic wireframe or even a sketch can do the job. Remember to prioritize your main pages.
15. Design Your Main Web Pages
Focus first on the homepage, products or services page, contact us page and about us page. These pages are foundational because they directly communicate your value proposition, showcase what you offer and provide a clear path for engagement.
| Homepage | |
|---|---|
| A compelling homepage marries clear content and strategic design. It’s about presenting your core messages, offerings and brand identity in a way that’s not only visually engaging but also straightforward and accessible for your audience. Typically, your homepage is the initial page users land on when arriving from search engine results. |
Example of a homepage – MasterClass
| Product or Service Page | |
|---|---|
| This page needs to detail what you’re offering, how it benefits the user and why it’s better than what the competition offers. High-quality images or videos can showcase your products or services in action, helping potential customers visualize them. Bullet points or short paragraphs that highlight key features and benefits make the information easily digestible. Including customer testimonials or reviews on this page can also boost credibility and trust. |
Example of a products page – Peet’s Coffee
Thrive’s video production service page
| Contact Us Page | |
|---|---|
| Your goal here is to make reaching out as easy as possible. Include multiple contact options like an email address, a contact form and, if applicable, your phone number and physical address. A Google Maps embed can help people find your physical location more easily. Also, reassure visitors by mentioning how quickly they can expect a response. |
Example of a Contact Us page – Survicate
| About Us Page | |
|---|---|
| Share your brand’s story, values and the team that makes it all happen, highlighting what sets you apart. Including team photos or behind-the-scenes content can make your brand feel more relatable. Some users feel more compelled to engage with a brand after reading its story. So, it can be beneficial to add a clear CTA on this page, too. |
Example of an About Us page – Glen Keane Productions
Designing your main web pages with care and strategic thought sets the tone for the entire user experience on your site.
So, for those using a website builder, there’s no need to shy away from using professionally designed templates; only make sure they are responsive and customizable. Reinventing the wheel is not always the wisest move.
16. Add Content to Your Pages
Your website content is your first “hello” to potential customers. Your content is also a key player in getting your site discovered online through SEO. Here’s when you strategically add all the content you prepared and produced earlier.
Examples of content to add:
Text or copy: Start with compelling, clear and concise text. Every word on your site should have a purpose, whether it’s to inform, engage or convert visitors. Make sure your text reflects your brand’s voice, whether that’s professional, casual or somewhere in between. And always, always proofread.
Multimedia: Images, videos, infographics and audio can all play a role in telling your brand story and engaging visitors. Use high-quality visuals that reflect your brand and appeal to your target audience.
CTAs: Every page should have a goal, and your content should guide visitors towards that goal. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase or getting in touch, your CTAs should be clear, compelling and easy to find.
Social proof: Testimonials, reviews and case studies add credibility and trust to your brand. Don’t be shy about showcasing what others have said about your products or services.
Blogs or articles: If you have a blog or resources section, make sure it’s updated regularly with relevant, valuable content. This not only helps with SEO but positions you as an authority in your field.
Ultimately, each piece of content should catch the eye, communicate your value and invite users to engage and convert.
17. Optimize Your Website for Search
SEO is all about making sure that when someone is looking for services or products you offer, your site pops up on the search results page.
SEO can be broken down into three main categories:
On-page SEO is all about the content on your site. It means optimizing your text, images and videos so search engines can understand what your site is about. Crafting keyword-rich meta titles and descriptions (snippets that show up in search results) for each page makes a big difference.
Content hierarchy in on-page SEO also helps search engines understand the priority of your content. In practice, this involves using headings (Heading 1 or H1 for your main title, followed by H2, H3 and so on for subheadings) to structure your content in a way that’s easy for both humans and search engines to digest.
Off-page SEO focuses on building your site’s reputation through links from other sites. It’s like getting a vote of confidence from the internet. The more reputable sites link back to you, the more search engines trust your site.
Technical SEO is where we ensure your site’s structure is search engine friendly. This means having a fast-loading site, a logical architecture and making sure it’s mobile-responsive. Remember, search engines prefer sites that provide a great user experience.
The good news is that many website builders, like Squarespace, come with built-in SEO tools. These platforms can guide you through the basics of on-page SEO, like inserting keywords in key places and setting up your meta titles and descriptions.
Looking into the SEO capabilities of your website builder is a great starting point for making sure your site is search engine-ready from the get-go.
18. Add the Right Plugins
Think of your website as a smartphone. Out of the box, it does a lot, but to truly make it yours, you add apps. Plugins are like those apps for your website, bringing in extra functionality that your site doesn’t have straight out of the gate.
Plugins extend your site’s capabilities without the need for custom coding. Whether you’re looking to enhance SEO, speed up your site, add contact forms or create an online store, there’s likely a plugin that can help.
Here are a few examples of plugins that can supercharge your website:
• SEO plugins, like Yoast SEO, help optimize your content to rank higher in search engine results.
• Security plugins, such as Wordfence Security, protect your site from hacking and malware.
• eCommerce plugins, like WooCommerce, turn your site into a fully functional online store.
• Page builder plugins, including Elementor, allow you to create custom page layouts with a drag-and-drop interface.
Most website builders and CMS platforms, including WordPress, have a library of plugins, both free and paid. You can easily add new features as your business grows and your needs change without needing to overhaul your website.
While it’s tempting to load up on plugins, quality over quantity is key. Too many plugins can slow down your site, so choose wisely and only install those that truly add value to your website and your visitor’s experience.
19. Make Your Website Responsive
Imagine a website that magically adjusts its layout, images and content to look amazing on any device, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone. That’s what a responsive website does. It responds to the screen size of the device it’s viewed on, providing an optimal browsing experience for everyone.
If your site looks great on a desktop but turns into a jumbled mess on a phone, you’re going to lose out on a lot of potential business. Plus, search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly sites in their rankings.
Using a template: Most modern website builders and themes are designed to be responsive out of the box. Be sure to choose a template that’s mobile-friendly, and you’ll be most of the way there. Then, always test the template on multiple devices to ensure it looks and functions as expected.
Coding manually: If you’re customizing beyond a template, you’ll need to look into media queries in CSS. These allow your website to detect the viewer’s screen size and adjust the layout accordingly. Key areas to focus on include flexible grid layouts, scalable images and adjustable text sizes.
To this, some implement a mobile-first approach, designing for the smallest screen first and then adding more complex features and content for larger screens.
20. Look Into Your Site Speed
Visitors have little patience for slow-loading pages, and search engines like Google prioritize speedy sites in their rankings. Essentially, a quick-loading site can keep visitors happy and reduce bounce rates.
How do you keep tabs on your website’s speed? Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix are your best friends here. They not only measure your site’s loading times but also provide valuable insights and recommendations on how to make your site faster.
Here are tips for optimizing your site speed:
• Optimize your images: High-resolution images can slow your site down. Tools like TinyPNG can reduce file sizes without compromising quality.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs distribute your site’s files across global servers, reducing the distance data needs to travel to reach your visitors.
• Streamline your web fonts: While custom fonts are great for branding, they can slow things down. Stick to the essentials and limit the number of font styles and weights.
• Minimize HTTP requests: Each piece of your site (images, stylesheets, scripts) requires a separate HTTP request to load. Combine files where possible, and use CSS instead of images whenever feasible.
• Enable browser caching: This allows visitors’ browsers to store copies of your site’s files, speeding up load times for repeat visitors.
If you’re piecing together your website from the ground up or using CMS platforms, these optimization strategies are definitely for you. But if you’re using a website builder, a lot of the heavy lifting might already be done for you.
Take Shopify, for instance – it automatically optimizes and delivers all files in the theme’s assets directory and images uploaded via the admin panel from its own CDN. So, a good chunk of your site’s content will be served efficiently from cdn.shopify.com. For other files or elements, you can manually add assets.
Remember, in the race for visitors’ attention, speed is your ally. So, regularly checking and optimizing your site’s speed ensures a smoother ride for your users.
21. Check for Consistency
Just like you want your store or office to present a cohesive brand image, your website should do the same. Consistency here is key; it not only makes your site more professional and trustworthy but also reinforces your brand identity with every click.
Here are some practical tips to keep everything in harmony:
• Stick to your brand colors: Choose a palette that reflects your brand and use it throughout your site. This doesn’t mean every page should look the same, but there should be a cohesive theme that ties them all together.
• Consistent fonts: Select a set of fonts that match your brand’s style and stick to them across all web pages. Consistency in fonts contributes significantly to the overall feel of your site.
• Uniform logo placement: Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand identity. Place it consistently, preferably at the top left of each page, since that’s where eyes tend to look first. This helps with brand recognition and gives your site a polished look.
• Maintain a steady voice: The tone and style of your written content should be uniform across your website. Whether it’s professional, friendly or quirky, keeping a consistent voice helps in establishing a connection with your audience.
A consistent look and feel across your website elevates the user experience.
22. Review and Launch Your Website
There are more crucial checks to ensure your website is primed and ready for the world to see.
| Last Checks Before Launching | |
|---|---|
| Proofread everything: Typos and grammatical errors can slip through the cracks. A fresh pair of eyes can do wonders, so have someone else do a review. | |
| Functionality test: Dive into every link, button, form and feature on your site to ensure they’re all working perfectly. Nothing should malfunction and lead to a dead end. | |
| Mobile responsiveness: Double-check your website’s appearance and usability on a range of smartphones and tablets. | |
| Loading speed: Remember, a slow site can turn visitors away before they’ve even seen what you have to offer. Use the tools mentioned earlier to make sure your site is as speedy as it should be. | |
| SEO basics: Ensure every page is equipped with meta titles and descriptions and that your strategic keywords are in place. | |
| Privacy policy and legal compliance: Make sure you’re on the right side of the law, especially regarding user data collection. This might mean adding a privacy policy or other legal disclaimers, depending on where you and your audience are. |
Now, your website is live! Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back, but know the work doesn’t stop there. There will be continuous housekeeping to make sure your website performs well over time.
| After Launching Your Website | |
|---|---|
| Monitor performance: Keep tabs on how your site is performing with tools like Google Analytics. Monitoring helps you understand your visitors and improve overall user experience. | |
| Regular maintenance: Make sure all links function properly, update your software to safeguard against security risks and consistently back up your website to avoid losing data. | |
| Mobile responsiveness: Double-check your website’s appearance and usability on a range of smartphones and tablets. | |
| Content updates: Keep your content fresh and your site in tune with the latest SEO practices. Regular content updates are key to staying relevant and engaging for your audience. | |
| Promote your website: Don’t be shy about sharing your website far and wide. Post on social media, send an email campaign and use your other channels to draw in your audience. | |
| Gather feedback: Besides looking into analytics, you can invite users to share their thoughts on your site. Quick website surveys can contribute a lot to your fine-tuning efforts. |
Let’s Help You Build a Website From Scratch
“Websites can give you leads and sales around the clock,” said Amit Rana, Thrive’s senior development manager.
“With Thrive, you can have a professionally designed website and explore cost-effective marketing like SEO.”
Take a look at our services:
• Web design
• Custom web design
• WordPress web design
• Web hosting
Talk to our team – build a website from scratch.
How To Create Your Own Website Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions on how to build a website to further guide you through the process.
| How To Create Your Own Website FAQs | |
| Q. | Do I Need To Know How To Code To Build a Website? |
| A. | Not necessarily. As discussed above, many website builders offer drag-and-drop interfaces that require no coding knowledge. However, a basic understanding of HTML and CSS can give you more control over your site’s design and functionality. Platforms like WordPress also have vast libraries of themes and plugins that minimize the need for coding. |
| Q. | Should I Build My Own Website, or Is It Better To Bring In a Professional? |
| A. | It depends on your resources and the complexity of the website. If you’re creating a basic site, you can build a website from scratch with a website builder. For more complex sites, or if you need custom features, hiring a professional might be a better option. |
| Q. | How Can I Make Money From My Website? |
| A. | Sell ad space. That’s just one way as there are several ways to monetize your website, including affiliate marketing and offering gated premium content. The best approach depends on your website’s niche and audience. |
| Q. | Is Website Maintenance Important? |
| A. | Yes, definitely. Regularly update your site’s content, ensure all links are working and keep your software up to date to protect against security threats. Regularly backing up your website is also crucial to prevent data loss. |
For more questions on how to create your own website, ask our web development team.
