Beginner’s Guide: 9 Steps to Build Your First Website From Scratch

Are you looking forward to building a website from scratch, and yet you don't exactly know how? Well, you've come to the right place!

It doesn't matter if you wanted to start a blog or create a website for your business. Setting up a site is much easier than you think. 

In this post, we'll walk you through the nine steps on how to build your first website from scratch:

Register a domain

Before you purchase a domain, you first have to know what a domain is.

Just like your real-life address, your site must have an address online, as well. It should look something like this: www.yourwebsite.com.

Also, before you register, you need to think about all the possibilities your brand represents, as well as what you do. If you want to create a personal website promoting yourself, then you should create a site under your name. 

You also have to be creative with your domain name. Whenever you try to get one, make it respectable in all kinds of industries. It should also be related to who you are, and what you do.

Choose a web host provider

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of web hosting providers out there. That's why choosing the right web hosting provider that will suit your needs can be a difficult decision. 

Here are some popular web hosting provider options:

• BlueHost
• Hostinger 
• SiteGround
• HostGator
• GoDaddy
• InMotion
• FastComet
• Wix

Just keep in mind that whatever web host you choose, you'll find a lot of guides online on how to build a website from scratch using their platform.

Select a website-building approach

There are three primary ways you can build a website. If you're a beginner, one of the easiest ways to launch a site is to use a website builder. You can check out what other people say about your preferred website builder by typing in something like “Wix review” on Google.

If you're a bit tech-savvy, then you can utilize a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla.

Related: Drupal – Is it a CMS for Everyone?

Meanwhile, if you're an expert in coding, then it's possible to utilize HTML or PHP as you build your site from the ground up.

Just keep in mind that every approach will have its unique sets of advantages, as well as challenges. If making a decision seems tough, you can check this article to help you select the best website builders.

Look for some inspiration

The next thing that you need to do is to look for some inspiration.

Inspiration comes from all kinds of things and places. You can browse through platforms like Pinterest to look for your next brilliant idea. 

From there, you can start gathering certain elements that you think will work best for your brand. And then try to apply it on your website.

Prepare valuable and engaging content

Now that your site is in shape, the next thing that you need to do is to come up with valuable and engaging content.

It's also ideal that you gather all the copies and texts that you plan on using before you start building your site. This may involve your site's tagline for the header, enticing call-to-action, web page content, product descriptions, and more. 

It also helps that you update these content regularly to keep Google happy and your readers on their toes. Ideally, showcase your best and most up-to-date work.

The rule here is simple: Always choose quality over quantity.

Develop a sitemap

Your sitemap serves as a blueprint of your website's architecture. It should include all the pages that you're planning to create, as well as how they're interconnected with one another.

Google loves it if there is a healthy ration of inbound and outbound links, as well as internal links. Doing so can have a positive impact on your search engine optimization efforts. 

Pick the best fonts for your site

If there's something that you shouldn't overlook in the process of creating your site, that should be your fonts. 

Typography does have a lot to say, evoking more than just words.

If you're not experienced in site design, understanding typeface can be a bit of a challenge, especially in picking one that will fit your brand the best. 

Think about hierarchy

Your site should be organized as much as possible. Ideally, you want to place your most eye-catching content above the fold ? the visible part of your website that doesn’t require scrolling or clicking. 

Also, you have to accept the fact that most readers will just skim through your content. Internet users’ attention spans continuously decreases, so most users will likely pay attention to only two places on your site: Above the fold and below the fold. 

All of your most important information should be put there. In the middle, you can place your less crucial content, like videos and images. 

Optimize your website for search engines

SEO or search engine optimization is the process where you optimize your site's pages so that it can rank higher on search results. 

The more visible your website is on the search results, the more likely you can drive traffic to your site. And you can turn these traffic into paying and loyal customers. 

There are a few ways that you can improve your search rankings. First, you must pick the right domain name, put alt text to your images, as well as create keyword-rich titles and descriptions for your pages.  When you’re all set, you can continue optimizing your website for local search. Local search engine optimisation is essential for your business to become more visible on the internet and makes sure you don’t miss out on your potential customers with its targeted approach.

Over to You

Nowadays, it is imperative for every business to have an online presence. Hence, you’ll need to have a website.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend a hefty amount and hire a web developer in order to have a site. That’s because there are website builders that let you DIY your site.

Hopefully, you can use the points that we've made in this article as a guide so that you can build a beautiful and functional site for your business. Good luck!

Featured image by Bernd ? Dittrich on Unsplash