Remember that online business idea that you had for years, but never built-up the courage to try and do it? Well, what if we told you that you can build a perfectly functioning website in as little as 8 steps? Here’s how:
1. Define your purpose
Having a clear understanding of what your target audience and goals are is the start to a successful website. Think about what you are trying to achieve? Who are you trying to reach? What products / services / resources are you offering? If you know exactly what you want, you can take your website in the right direction from the get-go.
2. Choose a website builder
There are lots of great web builders to choose from, but it primarily depends on how much control you want to have. Some builders offer drag-and-drop interfaces with pre-built templates, which are super beginner-friendly, while others require more coding knowledge but allow for more customisation and advanced features. Pick one that suits your unique needs.
3. Register your domain
Your domain is essentially your website’s address on the internet. It should be a memorable name that is relevant to your brand. Ideally, it should also be short and easy to spell. The most difficult part in this step is making sure that your chosen domain name does not already exist. You can do so using the handy IONOS domain checker tool, which will provide you with available options as well as alternative suggestions.
4. Select a hosting plan
Web hosting is the server space needed for your website to live on the internet. Most web builders already offer integrated hosting services, however, if yours doesn’t, you will have to find a third-party hosting provider.
5. Design your website
Now that you have the foundations set up, start designing the actual website. It’s always a good idea to get inspiration from similar sites and sketch out a design idea. You will want to think about things like your overall website theme and colour palette. Many website builders will have templates available, so all you have to do is customise them to your liking.
6. Add pages and content
Every website has certain pages that are essential. These typically include your home page, contact us, about us, privacy policy, and cookie policy. It’s a good idea to start with these and add the necessary copy there, before you move on to other service-specific pages or blog articles.
7. Optimise for SEO
For your site to be organically visible online, search engine optimisation is crucial. Learn all about the different SEO techniques and optimise your content for the best performance.
8. Test and launch
Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to fully test your website and all features within it before launching it. If you are selling any products, make sure the check-out functionality properly. Also test the contact forms, to see if you are actually receiving customer emails. You could also show it to your friends and family to get their feedback too.
Final word
Yes, there will be more to managing a website than just these 8 steps. However, they will get you to a point where you have a functioning site ready for the world to see, and any other features or improvements can be added on as you go!
