Creating your own website is one of the components of a successful business in the modern world. You can talk about your ideas, promote your services, or earn money by selling goods in just a few steps. If you think it’s too complicated, don’t worry! Today, we’re going to take a closer look at how to create a website from scratch even without any previous experience.
If you encounter any difficulties in the process, you can always find support from experienced web specialists like Seo Smart. Let’s start our journey into the world of web development!
Your idea and purpose of the site
Before you start the technical part of website development, you should clearly define what your goal is and for whom you want to create this site:
- Do you want to blog, write useful articles?
- Do you dream of developing your own business or shop
- Do you want to share your creativity by designing a website as a portfolio?
- Are you presenting a community or educational project?
The goal is the determining factor, because it will determine the entire further process of developing your resource: from design and structure to the functions you envisage.
Second, think about your audience. Are they young entrepreneurs? Maybe creative people? Or perhaps middle-aged clients looking for specific services? A clear understanding of the target audience will allow you to ‘speak’ to your visitors in their language and create a website that will be most convenient and useful for them.
Website name and hosting: what is it and how to choose?
Now you have an idea and a goal. Now it’s time to move on to the technical part. The first step here is to choose a domain name and hosting.
A domain name is the address of your website on the Internet. For example, ‘mywebsite.com’. Its choice determines how easy it is for people to find and remember you. The ‘prefix’ after the dot is responsible for the hierarchical level of the domain. We will cover this topic separately, as it is important and related to SEO. At the moment, if you are a beginner, we recommend that you consult with the managers of the hosting service where you would like to purchase a domain in order to avoid problems with promotion in the future.
A good domain name should be short, easy to pronounce, and preferably reflect the essence and brand of your project. For example, if your business sells coffee, you should use something easy like ‘coffeeplanet.com.ua’ instead of the complex ‘amazing-coffee-drinks-store-online.com’.
After choosing a domain, you need hosting, i.e. a place where all the files of your website (pictures, texts, documents, etc.) will be physically stored. Let’s imagine that a domain is the address of your house, and hosting is the house you live in. Among the most popular hosting services in the world are Bluehost, SiteGround, and Hostinger. In Ukraine, there are also several reliable solutions – hosting Ukraine, Hostiq. When choosing, pay attention to the following things:
- Reliability and speed of the server.
- Technical support that is available in case of any questions.
- Easy to set up for beginners.
How to choose a platform for building a website?
Now that you have a domain and hosting, it’s time to think about how you’re going to build your website. If you are not a programmer and don’t want to spend a lot of time learning coding, there are special tools and platforms that make website creation accessible to everyone.
The most popular option among beginners is Wix and Squarespace. These are online website builders with a very clear drag-and-drop interface. They are suitable for creating simple websites with a modern design.
If you need an online store, consider Shopify. This is a paid service, but it is suitable for those who focus on online sales.
If you plan to expand in the future, we advise you to consider standalone options such as WordPress (for OpenCart online stores). This content management system allows you to create a website of almost any format – from a blog to a full-fledged online store. Thanks to thousands of ready-made templates and plugins, you can customise your site to suit your needs. As for OpenCart, it is worth noting that it is much more complex and an unprepared user may not be able to cope with its use on their own.
How to design a website – choosing a design
A website is, first and foremost, a visual representation of you or your brand. The goal of design is to make your website attractive, but at the same time convenient and understandable for the user.
You can start by choosing a template (if you are using WordPress or an online builder). When choosing a template, pay attention to the following:
- Is it easy to spot important elements (menus, buttons, contacts).
- How the colours and fonts look – they should be harmonious.
- Speed of work – the template should not be overloaded, as it can slow down your website.
Besides, don’t forget about the mobile version. The vast majority of people nowadays use smartphones to browse the web, so your website must be displayed correctly on all devices.
Filling the site with content
When the basic structure of the site is ready, it’s time to fill it with content. This is the most creative stage of work! Think about what you want to tell about yourself or your business.
The texts should be written clearly, simply and in a structured way. Don’t try to insert too complicated terms or scientific definitions if your audience is ordinary users. Always think about the value you provide to people.
Use only high-quality and attractive photos. If you sell products, be sure to include several shots from different angles and a description of the product. Don’t use generated content where you are expected to use real photos (this is especially true for online shopping categories and YMYL (Your money – your Life) services – sites that relate in some way to the user’s health or financial investments). Due to low-quality content, you can lose the trust not only of the client but also of the search engine as a whole.
Do not forget about SEO – search engine optimisation. In order for your website to be found on Google, consider the keywords that users may enter. Headlines, meta descriptions, page loading speed, etc. all affect your place in the search results.
What to do after the website launch?
The site is ready, but this is only the beginning. Your main challenge is to make it popular and useful to your audience. You can do this by:
- creating new content (blog, news, useful articles);
- active presence on social media with a link to your website;
- launching advertising (Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram).
And of course, never stop. Your website should develop in parallel with your business or idea. If you feel that the technical nuances or promotion seem too complicated, don’t hesitate to contact experts in this field.
Creating a website is a challenge, but one that is accessible to everyone. The main thing is to start! You will succeed. 😊