No matter what type of website you want to create, it should represent you or your business in the best possible light. This can be challenging, and it's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed when building a website from scratch or using a website builder.

Fortunately, this guide will show you how to build a website from scratch without losing your sanity. Keep reading for expert tips on getting started, or check out our website launch checklist for additional steps to get your site publish-ready.

How to Make a Website from Scratch

  1. Decide What Type of Website You Want to Make Every website starts with a clear goal and target audience. Identify your niche and purpose to build a site that not only looks good but performs well. Your site layout and content should align with your intended impact. For example, a portfolio website will differ from an online store, with the former showcasing your work and including a prominent "Contact Me" form, while the latter will feature product pages, payment pages, and potentially print-on-demand integrations.

    Consider these types of websites and elements:

    • Blog
    • eCommerce
    • Photo gallery
    • Social media links
    • Online store
    • Chat feature
    • Members area
    • Privacy Policy
    • Event website (including a wedding website)
    • Nonprofit website

    Some sites may serve multiple purposes, so be clear about your primary goal. For example, Cleverchefs' catering company uses its site to share its brand story and attract bookings, focusing on educating prospects about what sets them apart.

    Expert Tip from Nick Collins, Founder of Cleverchefs: "When I ask my clients why they chose us over our competitors, they usually say it's because of our website. I think they can really feel our passion through the way we connect with them and stand out as a creative catering company.

  2. Choose Your Website Builder

  3. Pick Your Template

  4. Customize Your Template to Your Brand

  5. Build Your Site Structure

  6. Add Your Pages

  7. Fill Your Pages with Engaging Content

  8. Pick and Purchase a Domain Name

  9. Preview and Publish

  10. Promote Your Website

  11. Establish Healthy Site Maintenance Habits


02. Choose Your Website Builder

A website builder is a popular and affordable solution that enables you to set up, design, personalize, publish, and manage a website without having to use code. The best platforms help you launch your site quickly and without fuss, offering 24/7 support and built-in features that make scaling easier.

Expert Tip from Esin D. Habif, Product Marketing Lead (Outbound) at Wix.com: "What often gets forgotten when talking about choosing a website builder is the capabilities of the infrastructure that’s promised to you—the reliability of the hosting, the level of security to protect your visitor’s data, and of course your site's speed. Even if infrastructure is not the first thought that comes to mind when making a website, if it’s not robust enough, it can cause large headaches for website owners when trying to scale a website later on."

With the right website builder, you won’t have to deal with the minutiae that other DIY site owners may face (e.g., installing security features by hand, fixing bugs on your own, etc.). Low-code/no-code software takes care of web development for you, so you don't need to know how to code to customize your site. Modern-day website builders also include AI-powered capabilities, allowing you to work faster and smarter than ever.

Learn more: Website Builder vs. CMS

While there are several solid players in the website-building industry, do your due diligence before investing in the right software. Making the wrong choice could leave you with serious regrets down the road. Sign up for Wix today.

Key Factors to Consider:

  • Customizability: A good website builder should offer the customization you need to design your website according to your unique brand and vision. Look for builders that offer a range of layout options and the flexibility to tweak design and functionality to your liking. Wix, for instance, offers hundreds of designer-made templates and an AI-powered site creation tool that can be easily modified for your brand.
  • Back-Office Tools/Business Capabilities: Beyond just website design, a website builder should provide the back-office tools you need. This might include features like eCommerce functionality, inventory management, appointment scheduling, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Create a list of must-haves and tasks that need automating as you evaluate your options.
  • AI Capabilities: AI tools can simplify the process of creating and maintaining your website. For example, Wix’s AI site builder can help you produce a fully functional website in minutes. It makes sophisticated decisions regarding your web design, site copy, and user experience, while setting you up with the right business apps.
  • Third-Party Integrations: Seek website builders that integrate with your favorite tools and channels or that offer sufficient alternatives. Explore options in marketplaces like Wix’s App Market.
  • Security: Website security is paramount to protect your site and user data. Look for features like SSL certificates, regular backups, and security monitoring.
  • Speed: Website loading speed impacts user experience and SEO rankings. Choose a builder known for fast-loading websites with capabilities like content delivery networks (CDNs), streamlined code, and image compression.
  • Reliability: A reliable builder should provide consistent uptime and minimal downtime. Read reviews and check uptime statistics to ensure your website will be accessible around the clock.
  • Hosting: Many builders offer web hosting as part of their packages. Evaluate the hosting infrastructure, including server locations, scalability, and performance, to ensure it aligns with your needs.
  • Support: Check that customer care is accessible in your time zone and that you can resolve issues before they snowball. Look for builders that offer various support channels, including a knowledge base and self-help resources. For example, Wix has 24/7 support and a robust library of how-to articles, YouTube videos, and communities.

Expert Tip from Esin D. Habif, Product Marketing Lead (Outbound) at Wix.com: "As a creator or entrepreneur, you're often wearing multiple hats. You're designing the website, you're optimizing for SEO. This means you need a website builder that makes it easy and very learnable for you to do all of those things on the same platform and still deliver as if working with experts in those fields."

03. Pick Your Template

The visual layout of your website is its most important element. Take your time exploring options before settling on the visual imagery and design. Check out this database of professional website templates to see which one fits your vision best. Whether you’re looking for portfolio templates, model portfolio examples, or templates for an online store, there are dozens of customizable options to choose from.

As you plan your site, note what competitor sites look like and check out visual platforms like Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration. These examples will provide insight into what fonts, colors, and web design styles your audience gravitates towards. However, avoid copying what’s already been done. Rather, gain an understanding of the visual language you want to pursue and check that it resonates with your intended audience.

Expert Tip from Anna Suntsov, Blog and Social Team Lead at Wix.com: "The most important thing before building a website is good research. Know what you want to do and collect strong inspirations that will contribute to your design."

Alternatively, build your website with AI. If choosing and customizing a template feels daunting or you simply don’t have the time, Wix’s AI website builder can simplify your work even further. Just answer a few questions about your goals, and Wix will create a custom-made, fully functioning site for you in minutes.

The AI site builder combines decades of experience in web design with the best tech that AI has to offer. The result: a builder that creates a site appealing to your customers and equips you with all the web pages and widgets you need to run your business.

04. Customize Your Template to Your Brand

Your website is the face of your personal or business brand and often the first touchpoint people have with you. To ensure it’s uniquely yours, establish clear branding guidelines to keep you anchored. These guidelines should shape your site design and include details like the tone of your microcopy, logo placement, and button colors.

Start with a Simple Idea Map:

  • In the center, write down the type of site you plan to make.
  • Think about the words and phrases that describe the vibe you’re going for.
  • Write each phrase in separate circles stemming from your initial idea.
  • Use this map to break down your brand into individual components, making larger tasks more manageable.

Reflect on this map as you design your logo and choose imagery for your site. A well-designed website is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and aligned with your brand identity. Taking the time to get this right can pay dividends in the long run.

Steps to Personalize Your Site:

Craft a Website Color Theme:

  • Your color palette should align with your brand identity. Color psychology is crucial, as colors can evoke specific emotions and behaviors.
    • Blue: Common in tech and corporate branding for its association with stability and reliability. However, it can also reflect sadness.
    • Orange: Often paired with feelings of freshness and vitality. The impact of a color depends on the shade and its pairing with other colors.

Consider these points when choosing your website color scheme to ensure it conveys the right emotions and behaviors aligned with your brand.

Additional Customization Tips:

  • Fonts: Choose fonts that complement your brand and ensure readability.
  • Imagery: Use high-quality images that resonate with your brand message.
  • Layout: Ensure your site layout is intuitive and user-friendly.
  • Microcopy: Pay attention to the small bits of text (e.g., buttons, error messages) to maintain a consistent tone.

By following these steps, you’ll create a website that not only looks great but also effectively represents your brand.


Getting Started:

  • Consider your website goals and the vibe you want to create. Think about the emotions you want to convey, especially if you’re starting a business.
  • Align your web design with your overall branding to foster a strong connection with your audience. The stronger the connection, the more time visitors will spend on your site, positively impacting conversion rates, interest, and engagement.

Remember, choosing your color theme doesn’t mean you’re stuck with that palette forever. Try out different options and see what speaks to you. For example, with Wix, you can adjust your site’s colors at any point by clicking on the Site Design icon on the left side of your editing screen. From there, you can choose your base colors, accent colors, text colors, and more.


Pick the Right Web Fonts

Just like colors, typography plays a key role in evoking feelings. When choosing the best fonts for your website, consider the following:

  1. Match Your Branding: Your font choice should align with your overall brand personality. Browse different typefaces to find one that reflects your unique character, whether it’s youthful and contemporary or more traditional.

  2. Font Types: Understand the three primary types of fonts:

    • Serif: Fonts with small lines (serifs) attached to the ends of each letter, giving a classic and formal look.
    • Sans Serif: Block-like typography without serifs, offering a clean and modern appearance.
    • Script: Elegant fonts with each letter connecting fluidly, resembling handwriting.

  3. Readability: Ensure your chosen font is readable on both desktop and mobile devices. Keep in mind Google safe fonts for optimal performance across various browsers and devices.

  4. Consistency: Maintain font consistency throughout your website. On Wix, you can easily manage this by going to the Site Design icon on your side panel and using the Text Theme tab to ensure uniformity across all content.

For more details on choosing the best fonts for your site, check out our article on the best fonts for websites.



Add Other Branding Elements

When it comes to creating a professional site that wows, the magic is often in the details. As you strengthen your site's branding, don't overlook these elements:

Logo: Place your logo prominently in your header and across your site where needed. Wix's logo maker simplifies the design process, allowing you to create a logo that represents your brand and matches your site's aesthetic perfectly.

Favicon: A favicon is a small icon that appears in the browser tab to the left of your URL when someone visits your site. Adding a favicon to your Wix website is a simple process that adds another layer of professionalism to your user experience. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Go to your site editor.
  2. Click on “Settings” in the top left of your screen.
  3. Scroll down to “Favicon.”
  4. Upload, adjust, and save your favicon image.
  5. Publish your site, and your brand-new favicon will be live.

These small branding elements contribute significantly to the overall impression of your website, enhancing its professional look and feel.


Build Your Site Structure

Creating a visually appealing site is only part of the equation; it also needs to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Before launching your site, ensure that visitors can easily find the pages they need. Here are some key components to consider:

Create Your Sitemap

A sitemap acts as the blueprint of your site's architecture, detailing all the pages and content you plan to create. This helps web crawlers like Google discover and understand your pages more efficiently. Typically, a sitemap needs updating whenever you add or move pages, but platforms like Wix automatically manage this for you.

Optimize Your Navigation Menu

The navigation menu directs human visitors to the right pages on your site, usually displayed as a horizontal or vertical bar with links to different pages. Ideally, users should be able to navigate your site in three clicks or less.

Your main menu should include only the most important or popular pages, with an easy way for visitors to return to the homepage, such as a clickable logo. For inspiration, check out how your favorite sites design their navigation menus. You might want to use a mega menu, which is more visual and allows users to hover over main menu categories to see subcategories.

For simpler websites with fewer pages, an anchor menu at the top of the page linking to specific sections or pages can suffice. Ensure your mobile menu is also optimized for clarity on smaller screens.

To set up a menu in the Wix editor:

  1. Go to the side panel on the left of the editor.
  2. Click the “+” at the top to add an element.
  3. Select "Menu & Anchor" from the dropdown and choose your style.

Don’t Ignore Your Footer

While the navigation menu is crucial, the footer provides additional links and information. Use the footer to reinforce important content or display links not covered by the main menu, such as contact information and social media profiles. In the Wix editor, you can easily add widgets and adjust the footer size by dragging the border.

Expert Tip

Adi Huri, Product Manager at WOW for Wix.com, emphasizes the importance of the menu as the map of your website. By adding the right pages in the right order, your menu can be the heart of your website’s success.

Add Useful Pages

After mapping out your site structure, it’s time to create the pages. Here’s a step-by-step guide for building engaging pages in the Wix editor:

  1. Open Page Manager: Click the "Pages & Menu" icon in the left side panel.
  2. Add a Page: Click the blue "+ Add Page" button and choose a template.
  3. Name Your Page: Edit the highlighted page name in the side panel.
  4. Customize: Add content, adjust the layout, and refine the design.
  5. Manage Pages: Rearrange pages by dragging them in the side panel or use the ellipsis icon for options like duplicating, deleting, renaming, and hiding.
  6. Subpages: Enhance navigation by adding subpages to main pages.
  7. Save and Publish: Regularly save your work and publish changes when ready.

Essential Pages to Include:

  • Inviting Homepage: The face of your website, presenting crucial elements to help visitors understand who you are and what you do.
  • Shop or Gallery: A central place for visitors to browse products or services, with well-written descriptions and high-quality images.
  • Personable About Page: Your online business card, highlighting who you are, your values, and key information about your team and business.
  • Easy-to-Find Contact Section: A dedicated page for contact details, also included in the footer.
  • Engaging Blog: Regular, fresh content to establish expertise and boost SEO.
  • Interactive Membership Area: For monetization and user engagement, offering premium content or online services.
  • Online Courses: Monetize your expertise with paid courses tailored to your audience’s needs.
  • Informative FAQ Page: Answers to common questions to save time and frustration.
  • Online Booking System: Allow customers to schedule and pay for appointments or classes directly on your site.
  • Testimonials Page: Showcase positive, unbiased reviews from satisfied customers.

Expert Tip

Allison Lee, Editor-in-Chief at Wix.com, highlights the long-term advantages of blogs as traffic drivers and customer connection points.

Fill Your Pages with Engaging Content

To keep visitors engaged, diversify and optimize how you present information. Utilize various content types like text, photography, videos, and animations. Organize your content hierarchically, placing the most important elements above the fold.

Consider Your Content Hierarchy

Ensure your site is organized for easy navigation. Highlight key information with larger fonts or contrasting colors. Use media features like videos, images, and infographics to make written content more digestible.

Expert Tip

Amanda Weiner, CRO Expert at Wix.com, emphasizes that site hierarchy impacts visitor conversion rates. Clearly present your offerings through content, visuals, and buttons to showcase your value immediately.

Consider SEO

SEO is crucial for improving your site’s visibility on search engines. Start with a strong infrastructure, optimize content, meta titles, and descriptions, and regularly create valuable content. Wix’s SEO tools, like the SEO Assistant and keyword research tools, can help optimize your reach.

Expert Tip

Mordy Oberstein, Head of SEO Branding at Wix.com, stresses the importance of integrating SEO into the website creation process for long-term growth.

Consider the Mobile Experience

A significant number of visitors will access your site via smartphones. Ensure a smooth, intuitive mobile experience with a platform that offers a mobile editor and prioritizes performance and site speed.

Find and Purchase a Domain Name

Choosing a memorable and unique domain name is crucial. Your domain acts as your site’s address on the web. Platforms like Wix offer free domain names with premium plans, enhancing your site’s credibility.

Preview and Publish

Before going live, thoroughly check your site’s functionality, content, and SEO. Use features like Wix’s “Site Preview” mode to view your site as a user, and get feedback from others to ensure a smooth user experience.

Promote Your Website

Once live, promote your site through social media, email marketing, and blogging. Use Wix’s SEO tools, email marketing tools, and advertising options to drive traffic and engagement.

Expert Tip

Lilach Goldis, Social Media Marketing Manager at Wix.com, advises focusing on the social media platforms most active for your audience and converting content types to maximize impact.

Establish Healthy Site Maintenance Habits

Regularly update your content, monitor website traffic, secure your site, and back up your data to maintain peak performance.

By following these guidelines, you can build a well-structured, engaging, and successful website.