Starting a website. It seems easy when you see the ads, right? “Create your website in 10 minutes!”, they say. But in reality, creating a website is a little more complex than dragging and dropping a few blocks of text.
The good news? It’s not rocket science – and with the right guidance, you can not only create your website but also understand the process behind it.
Whether you want to bring a hobby to life, create a portfolio to boost your career, open an online store, or, who knows, finally write that blog you’ve been planning for years, I’ll guide you step by step.
But without technical fuss or confusing terms – we’re here to teach you the basics of how starting a website. Let’s go!
1. First, know why you’re starting a website
It seems obvious, but many people start a website without knowing exactly why. And that can be dangerous.
Without a clear objective, you can end up wasting time and money creating something that doesn’t serve either you or the people who will visit it. So, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with my website?
- Is it to attract customers to my business?
- Is it to share a personal hobby or passion?
- Is it to build a community?
- Or perhaps to sell products or services?
Answering this question will help shape everything from the design to the content.
Another point: Who is your audience? Think about who you want to attract. This will set the tone of the site, the look and feel, and even the word choices you use.
For example, a site for gamers will have a completely different feel than a site for lawyers. Knowing your audience is like having a map – you know where you’re going.
2. Choose the perfect name for your website
Now that you know why you’re starting your website, it’s time to choose a name. Your website name is like the title of a book: it should capture the essence of what you do and be easy to remember.
A clear name always works better than something complicated. “Simplerecipe.com” is much more intuitive than “Joseculinarydiary.net.”
If possible, choose something that people will search for. If you have a gardening website, for example, “gardeningtips.com” is more strategic than an abstract name.
There’s no point in falling in love with a name that’s already owned by someone else. Use tools like Namecheap or GoDaddy to check if the domain is available.
And remember: the domain doesn’t have to be perfect at first. If you can’t find the .com of your dreams, a .net or .online can work as you grow.
3. Hosting
If your website name is your address, your hosting is the home where it all happens. Without hosting, your website doesn’t exist in the online world. But it doesn’t have to be complicated – I’ll explain it in simple terms.
There are different types of hosting, and each one serves a purpose:
- Shared hosting: This is like living in an apartment with several other people. It’s cheaper, but you share resources with other websites. Good for starting out.
- VPS (Virtual Private Server): Think of it as renting your own house – you still share the land, but you have your own dedicated space. Ideal for websites that already have a fair amount of traffic.
- Dedicated hosting: Here, you own the entire building. Total control and performance, but the cost is high.
- Cloud hosting: Flexible and scalable, perfect for those who may experience peaks in traffic, such as a store that’s having a sale.
Start small. A good shared hosting or an affordable VPS is more than enough for new websites. As your website grows, you can migrate to something more robust.
4. Choose the right platform: Not everyone needs to code
When people think of building a website, they think of complicated code. But honestly? Most of the time, you don’t need to know how to code.
Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace make building a website accessible, even for beginners. What’s the difference between them?
WordPress (self-hosted version) is the most popular choice. It gives you full control, but can be a bit more complex for beginners. It’s ideal for those who want flexibility.
Wix is simple, fast, and great for those who want something visually appealing without a lot of effort. But customization is more limited.
Squarespace, on the other hand, focuses on elegant design, perfect for photographers, artists, and brands that prioritize visuals.
If you don’t have the time or patience to learn, use whatever feels most intuitive to you. The important thing is to get your idea off the ground.
5. Plan your design when starting your website
Imagine walking into a cluttered store where you can’t find anything. Your website design works the same way. It’s not just about looking pretty – it’s about working well.
Simplicity is everything. Avoid too much information and confusing visual elements. Create clear menus and make important information easy to access.
These days, your website needs to work well on both desktop and mobile devices. So, make sure your website is, above all, responsive. Also, choose a color scheme and fonts and stick to them throughout your site.
If you’re not a designer, that’s okay! Tools like Canva help you create visual elements, and the ready-made templates from design platforms are a great place to start.
6. Write content that speaks to the reader
Be honest: have you ever visited a website where the text sounded like a robot talking? That doesn’t engage anyone. Your content needs to be human, real, and, above all, useful.
But how do you create quality content?
- Speak directly to the reader: Use a conversational tone. Think of it as if you were explaining something to a friend.
- Solve problems: Each page should answer a question or solve a problem for the visitor.
- Update regularly: A website that is idle is like a store with the lights off. So, publish new content frequently.
Be objective, but don’t be afraid to show a little personality. Your website should reflect who you are – this creates a connection with your audience.
7. Invest in SEO when starting a website
There’s no point in having the most beautiful website in the world if no one can find it. That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes in.
Use relevant keywords and find out what your audience is searching for so you can include those words in your content.
Optimize titles and descriptions. Each page should have an attractive title and a description that convinces the reader to click.
Remember: large images slow down the site. Use tools like TinyPNG to optimize. It is also important to link your pages to each other and cite reliable sources.
Over time, SEO is what brings visitors without having to pay for ads. It takes time, but it is worth it.
8. Security and reliability are priorities
Online security is a must. Especially if you deal with customer information or payments. For example, having a website with an SSL certificate is now a must. It creates that secure “https” connection.
Your website also needs a strong password. No “123456” or “password123”. Use password managers if necessary.
Another thing: make regular backups, because sometimes things go wrong. And when they do, a backup saves your work.
9. Go live and promote!
Once everything is ready, it is time to launch your website. But a new website does not attract visitors on its own. Invest in promotion:
- Create profiles on social networks and share your content.
- Use email marketing to engage your visitors.
- If you can, invest in paid ads on Google or social networks.
Bottom line
Creating a website is the beginning of a process, not the end. It will evolve along with you and your needs. And it doesn’t have to be perfect at first. The important thing is to get started.
Test, learn, adjust, and, above all, have fun in the process. After all, this is your space in the digital universe. Use it well!
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! Now you know exactly how to get started. What are you waiting for? The digital world awaits you.
