Guide to Creating a Website

Key Takeaways

Here are the main takeaways about creating a website:

Buying a domain name is the first step to creating your own website. This gives your site a unique online address.
Building the website itself involves designing the layout, adding content, and creating the underlying structure. Many website builders and platforms make this process simple and straightforward with no coding involved.
Hosting your website ensures it’s available online for the world to see.
Most domain and website providers offer hosting as part of a convenient all-in-one package.

The entire process of securing a domain, building your site, and hosting it online is surprisingly easy these days. With the right tools and services, you can quickly get your idea online and start sharing it with the world!

How complicated is building a website?

Building a website can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. If coding is your jam and you want full control over every aspect of your site’s look and function, you might enjoy building intricate code for a truly unique website. This will take an investment of time and energy, but you reap the benefit of a truly one-of-a-kind business website.

On the other hand, you may find that a bit daunting and prefer an easier path using premade templates from a website builder. Many providers offer drag-and-drop functionality that will allow you to build a website with little to no coding knowledge and limited technical skills — although some platforms have a steeper learning curve than others, especially as you add elements and customize. However, if your time, tech skills and money are limited, a website builder can be a saving grace.

How do I start building a website?

As you start planning your website, you want to be crystal clear on its purpose. Will your website only provide written content or need to handle secure product sales and online payments? Being clear on the website’s goal will inform all the decisions that follow, from choosing a domain name to selecting a website builder and hosting provider.

Determine your website’s purpose

As a small-business owner, you spend a lot of time clarifying your business goals and value proposition. You want to make sure your business’s value is clear to potential customers who visit your website. Whatever your niche, your website should have a clear focus and highlight your value proposition.

There are many types of websites, but don’t feel tied to one type. You can always combine elements of different website types to fit your business’s unique needs.

Portfolio sites are great for creatives. Artists, photographers and writers often choose portfolio-style websites for ease in showcasing their work. Portfolio sites allow potential clients to see your best work and contact you for services.
E-commerce sites are used for selling products online. They provide a way for product-based businesses to display, describe and safely sell products. Online boutiques can use e-commerce sites to display their products to potential customers at all times of the day. E-commerce plug-ins provide safety for transactions and streamline taxes, shipping and order-related tasks.
Blog sites tend to focus on written content with minimal photos or visuals. From sharing your travel stories to marketing your business, a blog is an ideal way to connect with your audience through words. Many bloggers make additional income through affiliate marketing or promoting products to their audience.
Landing pages or lead generation pages are used to connect with potential customers or leads. A lead usually shares their email address or contact information to obtain a sample, start a free trial or sign up for a newsletter subscription.
Other types of websites include forums (like Tripadvisor and Reddit), event sites (like Eventbrite) and media sites (like cnn.com).

Choose your domain name

What’s in a name? Everything! Your domain name is an essential part of your branding. Be sure to keep it simple, memorable and relevant to your business. Here are a few tips to remember when crafting your domain name.

Domain name Do’s

Take your time crafting a domain name
Choose a clear and easy spelling
Make it relevant to your business
Check for available social media handles
Register your domain with an accredited registrar

Domain name Dont’s

Rush your selection
Spend thousands buying a domain
Use odd spellings or abbreviations
Choose long names over 14 characters
Include numbers, hyphens or special characters

If your desired domain isn’t available, you may be tempted to try new domain extensions like .co, .cloud, .io, etc. Most internet traffic, however, is generated by traditional .com and .org sites.

On average, the basic cost to register a domain is between $10 and $20 per year. Domain names are typically paid for on an annual basis. You may be able to prepay your domain registration for up to 10 years. ICANN, which governs domain names, doesn’t allow domain names to be acquired forever.

Many website builders offer domain name registration services which makes the process easy. Top-rated providers typically include at least a year of a free domain name in most plans.

Choose your website builder

BlueHost, Wix & IONOS and are popular options for website building, although there are many to choose from. Website builders provide easy-to-use templates to help you make a business website from scratch. With so many features available, you have to narrow down which ones are relevant for your business needs. Keep the purpose of your website in mind, whether it’s lead generation/marketing, product sales, service scheduling or something else.

Factors to consider:

Content type. Will your website heavily feature videos or graphics or focus mainly on text? Will it include multiple contact forms or a reservation system? Make sure the platform you choose fully supports the type of content you will be producing.
Ease of use. Some website builders are easier to use and require less technical knowledge than others. Do your research to ensure you select a provider that fits your level of skill and available time.
Growth options. As your business grows, your website will need to grow as well. Keep these needs in mind and look for software that is scalable. Can you add e-commerce functionality later? Does the software offer advanced plans with additional features? Can it handle higher traffic?
Storage limits. Storage space determines how much content can be stored on your server. Rich media types such as audio and video requires more space, so your needs will be based on the type and amount of content you provide. Host IT Smart estimates that a blog-focused site should be able to start with 5 to 10 gigabytes (GB) of storage, while an e-commerce site should consider 25+GB.
Search engine optimization (SEO). Improving your site’s visibility in search engines can be complex, so look for platforms that offer built-in or add-on SEO features such as keyword support and mobile site optimization.
Analytics. Related to SEO, website analytics (tracking traffic sources and website visitor behavior) are a great tool for evaluating — and improving — the performance of your content, layout and overall website. Many platforms offer analytics, including integration with Google Analytics.

Weigh pricing against features and ease of use to come up with the best option for you.

How much does it cost to build a website?

The price range for building a small-business website varies, depending on the needed functionality. Several website builders allow you to make a small business website for free. With a Google or Gmail account, there is no cost to build, host and maintain a basic business website through Google Sites.

Also at no cost, software like Wix & BlueHost offer plans to create a basic business website. However, your domain name will not be customized and will have the host’s extension as part of the name. You’ll also have less customization control over the layout and features of your website, and minimal data storage.

For a fee, these and other website builders allow you to upgrade features and customize your domain name. Many of the most popular tools fall in the range of $1.99 to $40 per month, but with added features can reach a few hundred dollars a month.

What is web hosting?

Web hosting services provide the tools you need to launch and maintain a website. Basic hosting services provide server space where your website data is stored, domain name registration to give your site a unique address, and tools for installing website software, such as WordPress, Drupal Joomla or other popular website platforms

Most web hosting services also offer user-friendly website builder tools that let you quickly launch a professional website on your choice of hosting packages.

What to look for when comparing hosting services?

Web hosting is made up of many moving parts, but here are the key features that most personal and small business websites need to run smoothly. Be sure to familiarize yourself with these terms and consider these factors as you compare web hosting services.

Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transferred to and from your website monthly.
Storage: The amount of space allotted to store your website’s files.
Email hosting: Whether or not the hosting plan includes email hosting and how many email accounts are provided.
Cost: Compare the pricing plans of different web hosts to find the one that offers the best value for the hosting services you need.
Scalability: You want a web host that can accommodate growth and allow you to upgrade your hosting plan as needed. Also, consider the cost of providers’ higher-tier plans to make sure it’s affordable if you need to upgrade adown the line.
Support: Look for a web host with excellent customer support, preferably available 24/7 via several contact methods, such as chat, phone and email.
Automated backups: Look for a web host that regularly backs up your website data to ensure it can be easily restored in case of data loss.
Security: You want a web hosting service with robust security measures, such as malware scanning.
Control panel options: The control panel is where you manage your website and hosting settings. Look for a user-friendly control panel that allows you to make changes easily.
SSL certificate: An SSL certificate is essential for securing your website and encrypting data sent between users and your site. Look for a web host that includes SSL certificates for free or at an affordable cost.
Security: You want a web hosting service with robust security measures, such as malware scanning and regular backups.
Uptime: This refers to the amount of time your website will be available to visitors. Choose a web host with a high uptime percentage (99.9% is considered good).

How to select the best hosting provider?

It’s important to balance both value and functionality in a web hosting provider. The perfect match provides the features and support you need for the best price. In comparing services, pay close attention to what matters to you now, and what you might need in the future. Here’s how to get started.

Understand your needs: Think about the purpose of your website, the amount of traffic you expect, and your budget.
Do your research: Read user reviews and visit web hosting forums to see what others say about different providers.
Test their support: Reach out to their customer support and see how long it takes for them to respond and how helpful they are.
Check their uptime guarantee: Look for a web host with a strong uptime guarantee to ensure your website is always available.
Consider flexibility: Choose a web host that allows you to upgrade or downgrade your hosting plan as needed. This is handy if your website has seasonal traffic spikes, such as for holiday shopping or special events marketing.
Look for freebies: Some web hosts offer free perks like domain names, SSL certificates and built-in website builders, which can save you money in the long term.

Key Takeaways

How complicated is building a website?