Introduction
Creating your first website may seem a bit daunting at first. There are so many technical jargon tools and decisions to make that it's simple to get bogged down before you even start. But here's the good news: it's never been simpler to build a professional-looking website—even if you have no coding experience.
In this tutorial we're going to take you through step by step to create your first website. We'll discuss all the way from selecting your domain name to putting your site online for the world to browse. From selecting a blog displaying your portfolio to creating a business this step-by-step guide will take you there.
Let's get started.
1. Define Your Website's Purpose
Even before you consider design and hosting spend a minute thinking about why you're putting up a website.
- Are you building a personal blog?
- Opening an online shop?
- Marketing your freelance services?
- Creating an online portfolio?
Having a sense of purpose for your website will enable you to make better decisions down the road—such as which platform to build with what type of design best suits and what functionality you'll require.
Tip: Jot down a brief mission statement for your website. It'll keep you on track when you begin making choices.
2. Select a Domain Name
Your domain name is the address of your website on the web (such as www.yourwebsite.com). It's how others will locate you so select a good one.
Here's how to select a great domain name:
- Keep it brief and simple. Easy to spell easy to recall.
- Steer clear of numbers and hyphens. They complicate your domain further to explain.
- Use keywords wherever possible. If you are a photographer like johnsmithphotography.com does the trick.
- Choose the right domain extension.com is the most widespread and trusted but there are others like.net.org.co and some newer ones such as.tech or.store.
Once you have some options see if they are available through a domain registrar such as GoDaddy Namecheap or Google Domains.
Pro Tip: Try to register your domain as soon as you find a good one. Good domains get snapped up fast!
3. Choose a Website Building Platform
Next you'll need to decide how you're going to build your site.
Here are the three most popular choices for beginners:
a. Website Builders (Easiest Option)
Tools like Wix Squarespace and Weebly allow you to build a website using easy drag-and-drop tools. No coding required.
Pros:
- Super beginner-friendly
- All-in-one (design security hosting)
- Rapid setup
Cons:
- Less customization
- Monthly charges
b. Content Management Systems (CMS) – Similar to WordPress
WordPress.org is behind more than 40% of all sites. It's free open and infinitely customizable.
Pros:
- Total control over your website
- Thousands of free plugins and themes
- Scalable as your website expands
Cons:
- Mild learning curve
- Need to host your own
c. Custom Coding (Advanced)
If you already have an understanding of HTML CSS and JavaScript then you can create a website from scratch. However for a beginner this is not often the case.
4. Get Website Hosting
If you're creating a website using a site builder such as Wix or Squarespace then hosting comes with it. But if you're using WordPress or coding your website then you'll need to purchase hosting separately.
What is Hosting?
Hosting is where your website files reside. It's renting internet space.
Common hosting sites:
- Bluehost (perfect for WordPress newbies)
- SiteGround (great support and speed
- HostGator (cheap plans)
What to look for:
- 99.9% uptime (you want your site up all the time)
- Decent customer support
- Straightforward WordPress installation (if using WordPress)
- Cheap price
Tip: most hosting plans come with a free domain name for the first year which will save you some cash.
5. Plan Your Website Structure
Plan out your website's structure before you begin building pages. It's like making a roadmap.
Standard website pages are:
- Home – Greets visitors and directs them to other pages.
- About – Tells your story or your company's history.
- Services/Products – Explains what you sell.
- Portfolio/Work – Displays your best work.
- Blog – Publishes articles or updates.
- Contact – Gives visitors means to contact you.
Draw a rough outline or sitemap. It'll make site-building easy peasy.
6. Design Your Site
Now we get to the fun part: designing your site!
a. Select a Template or Theme
Most website creators and WordPress themes have hundreds of templates you can work with. Choose one that aligns with your brand's aesthetic.
Pro Tip: Opt for a clean minimalist design over something flash. Great design is all about clarity not mess.
b. Customize Your Site
- Add your logo
- Select your brand colors
- Choose fonts that are legible
- Update images and text to suit your content
- Install navigation menus
c. Make it Mobile-Friendly
More than half of web traffic is from mobile phones. Ensure that your site is beautiful on smartphones and tablets.
Most modern themes are responsive but always preview your website on various devices.
7. Include Must-Have Pages and Content
Now begin adding content to your pages.
Home Page Tips:
- Hooky headline stating what you are offering
- Call-to-action (CTA) such as "Contact Me" or "Shop Now"
Tips for About Page:
- Tell your story genuinely
- Include a self-photo (human beings relate with faces)
Services/Products Page Tips:
- Clearly state what you are providing
- Emphasize benefits over features
Tips for Contact Page:
- Insert email form
- Add location (where applicable)
- Add social media links
Tips for Blog Page (optional):
- Offer helpful articles
- Establish authority and SEO worth
8. Add Must-Have Features
Depending on the purpose of your site you may wish to include additional features:
- Contact Forms (WPForms Forminator)
- SEO Tools (Yoast SEO for WordPress)
- Analytics (Google Analytics)
- Email Signup Forms (Mailchimp ConvertKit)
- Social Media Integration
Most website builders have apps or plugins available to easily add these features.
9. Optimize for SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) makes your site rank higher in Google search results. It's important if you want people to actually find your site!
Simple SEO tips:
- Use relevant keywords organically in your text
- Add alt text with descriptions to every image
- Make every page have its own unique meta titles and descriptions
- Organize your content with headings (H1 H2 H3)
- Get your site to load quickly (resize images utilize caching plugins)
Tip: Small changes will add up over time.
10. Test Your Website
Before you go live test everything rigorously:
- Check links to ensure they're functioning
- Test forms to ensure emails are being sent correctly
- Proofread your material
- Preview your website on various browsers (Chrome Safari Firefox) and devices
Get a friend to have a look too—they may catch something you didn't!
11. Publish Your Website
When you're satisfied with everything it's time to make it live!
Most website builders have a large "Publish" button. If you're on WordPress your website is live the moment you install it on your domain.
Breathe in deeply and press that button. Congratulations—you now have a website!
12. Get Your Website Noticed
Your site is now live and you must inform the world about it.
How to get your website noticed:
- Share it on your social media accounts
- Include it in your email signature
- Participate in online communities for your niche
- Begin blogging and posting useful articles
- Run paid advertisements if you have a budget (Google Ads Facebook Ads)
13. Update Your Site
A website isn't a "set it and forget it" type of deal. You'll want to refresh it:
- Regularly update content
- Repair broken links
- Replace images and design periodically
- Publish new blog posts if you blog
- Update themes and plugins (particularly on WordPress)
Regular updates establish trust with visitors—and search engines prefer live sites.
Final Thoughts
Creating your first website may look like an enormous undertaking but when you do it step-by-step it's totally doable.
Here's a brief summary of the process:
- Define your purpose
- Choose a domain name
- Select a platform
- Sign up for hosting (if necessary)
- Create your plan
- Design and personalize
- Add core content
- Install useful features
- Optimize for SEO
- Test and deploy
- Promote and keep fresh
Remember you don't need everything to be right the first time. Sites are living breathing creatures—you can always fine-tune get better and expand down the road.
The most critical thing is to simply begin.
You've got this!