How to Build a Website from Scratch with No Experience

Why is it important to have a website for your business?

In the online age, a website is one of the most powerful tools for marketing your business. A user-friendly website that is visually appealing can easily explain who you are and what products and services you offer while leaving a lasting positive impression on visitors. Let's take a closer look at the benefits a website can offer to your business.

Cultivate an online presence and brand identity

Easily accessible and available 24/7, a website allows customers to find you through an online search in just a few clicks. A permanent online address will allow you to gain repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals. A custom email address linked to your domain can also enhance credibility with your customer base.

A domain and recognizable business website of your own can also help you communicate your brand's vision, core values, and founding story—in addition to showcasing your products and services. When considering domain registrations, it's important to check domain name availability early to secure the perfect domain for your brand.

Establish trust and credibility

Prospective clients will want to verify your legitimacy before buying your product or choosing to work with you. A custom domain is your chance to highlight the endorsements you've received and promote your authority in your field. You can set yourself apart from your competition with a professional-looking website, reviews from customers and experts, and even a blog page where you can share content and share your expertise. Professional emails based on your domain help strengthen your business reputation even more.

Generate organic traffic

A well-optimized business website will rank highly on search engine result pages. When consumers are typing in relevant keywords related to your products or services, your business will be recommended, increasing your website traffic and allowing you to grow your customer base. That's why it’s always a good idea to create a website with Google Analytics and SEO tools with search engine optimization in mind. Using Google Search Console can also help you track how your website appears in search results.

Provide information and customer service

On your website, you can answer frequently asked questions—such as business location, hours of operation, and how to make returns, for example—and provide a contact page on your business website for prospective and existing customers. Including a simple contact form makes it easier for users to get in touch and find the right contact info quickly.

This is an easy way to streamline the buying process and improve customer satisfaction. Chatbots, surveys, and contact forms can also help improve your website's user experience. Advanced features like AI chatbots can further enhance support services.

Generate leads and close sales

Most importantly, a website can generate leads and help you guide customers through the purchasing journey with interactivity and web design. A good website will attract people who are interested in your business and convert them into paying customers.

An online store on your business website can complement an in-person location and create a new channel for sales. Offering flexible payment methods online can also boost conversions.

How to make a website from scratch

Now that you understand how websites can improve your business, it's important to note that you don't need to be a web developer or designer to create an appealing, professional website. It doesn't need to break the bank, either.

In fact, there are many site-building tools on the market—including powerful web creation platforms like Wix—that will allow you to design and publish a website with little-to-no experience. Choosing a website builder with a user-friendly interface makes the content creation process much smoother. Here’s how to get started.

Plan out your website

The first step is to plan out your website. Establishing a few goals is a good starting point, whether you're considering an e-commerce store or an informative personal or business website.

First, think about your target audience. Understanding why people are drawn to your business can help you decide what content to include on your website. Consider reviewing your business data and interviewing customers to learn what resonates with folks and what would drive them to visit your new online home. Creating audience personas based on competitor audiences can also refine your content decisions.

Analyzing the websites of your competitors—or even just other websites you find appealing—is also an integral step in planning your website. Take note of what they do well—or what they could improve—then apply that to your own domain. Find ways to differentiate your brand.

Finally, lay out your ideas and the rough structure of your website. This can look like a chart or a map that details the navigation flow of your site visitors. Think about each page title and the features you wish to include. Effective content organization here helps improve your site's SEO and user experience.

Choose a website builder

To build a site from scratch, you'll want a website builder that takes care of all the technical aspects so you can focus on design and content. Here are some factors to consider:

• Is the website builder easy to use?
• How does it price its services?
• Does it offer themes and templates?
• Does it have a stock image library?
• How flexible is it in terms of web design?
• What features does it offer? (e.g., e-commerce, blogging, image galleries)
• Does it provide customer support?
• Are its websites optimized for mobile devices?
• Does it provide web hosting services?

A web creation platform like Wix, for instance, offers intuitive tools to help you launch a professional website in minutes so you can build your business presence online. Many website builders offer built-in marketing tools and key integrations like social media marketing or email marketing sends.

Pick a domain name

After choosing a website builder that suits your needs, it’s time to pick a domain name. A domain name is your business' address on the internet, so you want one that is short, simple, and relevant to your business and brand. Choosing a professional domain ensures a better first impression and stronger SEO signals.

Customize your website

With the logistics out of the way, you can begin building and customizing your website. The site-building platform you choose will determine the features available to you, but in many cases, you'll start by selecting a template and overall color scheme and then adjust it to fit the needs of your business. Some other web design elements to keep in mind include:

• Static pages
• Background
• Colors
• White space
• Contrast
• Fonts
• Text size
• Images
• Social media integration
• Search Bar

Adding a photo gallery or portfolio section can also enhance your visual storytelling and engage your audience more deeply.

Add your content

Once you've settled on your website's structure and look, you're ready to start adding content. Whether you're planning to create product pages for your online store or SEO-optimized blog posts, your content is crucial to its success.

It tells search engines, and in turn, your target audience, who you are as a business—and it can even position you as an authority in your industry. With high-quality content, you can build customer relationships, convert sales, and cultivate brand loyalty. This is an ongoing process, so take your time to curate the right content.

The content creation journey involves making strategic content decisions, ensuring content for accuracy, and optimizing for different content types like blogs, FAQs, or case studies. A well-defined content strategy ensures your content creation process stays focused and supports content marketing goals. Regular content review is also essential to maintain a high-quality website that continues to perform well on search engines.

Test your website

Test your website for functionality, usability, compatibility, and performance. Make sure each page has working links, images, and forms. Review your website settings, navigation, and general appearance. Is it visually appealing and easy for users to understand?

Take a look at your website on mobile devices and different browsers, too. If the site doesn't load as expected—or you find something that needs to be optimized or adjusted—this is your opportunity to make the necessary changes.

Having analytics tools like Google Analytics installed from the beginning will help you track user behavior, detect traffic spikes, and optimize based on real data.

Launch your website

Finally, you are at the end of your website-building journey. Launch your website, collect analytics data, and iterate on your design and content to continue growing your business.

Using marketing tools like built-in SEO tools, email campaigns, and social media marketing will help drive initial traffic from various traffic sources.

Don't forget to base your future campaigns with email marketing to nurture your leads and retain your broader audience over time.

Build a professional website—no coding experience necessary

When you're ready to build a website, you need a platform that allows you to easily create, design, and publish a website for your needs, whether you’re opening an e-commerce store or starting a blog.

A web creation platform like Wix can help you establish your online business presence with intuitive tools that allow you to launch a professional website in minutes, regardless of your industry. And since it's easy to connect a Wix website to Mailchimp, you'll have everything you need to elevate your marketing with personalized, automated email campaigns that turn site visitors into customers.

Additionally, access to advanced SEO tools and built-in marketing features help your site grow faster. Monitoring your traffic sources through integrations like Google Search Console ensures you catch any potential issues early before they cause a bad experience for users.