How to create a website: A beginner friendly guide
Creating a website may seem like a complex task, especially for beginners, but with the right guidance, anyone can build their online presence. In this beginner-friendly guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of how to build a website from scratch. We will cover domain registration, web hosting, content creation, and basic design principles. So let’s get started!
PermalinkSection 1: Domain Registration
To get started with your website, you need a domain name. A domain name is, just like your physical home address, the unique address where visitors can find your site. Follow these simple steps to register a domain name:
Research and Choose a Domain Name: The first and foremost thing to do is to conduct proper research so you can come up with a good domain name. It is advisable to choose a domain name that describes your website's purpose and is easy to remember. For instance, if your site is about food (which is a very broad term though), a name like yourfoodarena will be great. Use domain search tools (my favourite is Namecheap) to check for availability.
Choose a Registrar: Now once you have come up with a suitable name for your website, you have the luxury of choosing which company to register your domain with. Some factors to consider before choosing a registrar are customer support, payment options, and other terms. Some popular suggestions are GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Google Domains.
Check Availability and Register: Once you’ve confirmed that your chosen domain name is available, and have made up your mind on which registrar to go with, it is time to proceed with the registration process. This is basically where you will fill in the necessary details and make payment with the payment option suitable to you.
PermalinkSection 2: Web Hosting
Think of web hosting as the service that will store your website files and make them accessible online. In other words, your file manager, but this time online. Let's explore the steps to choose and set up a web hosting provider:
Compare Hosting Providers: It is a good practice to research and compare hosting service providers based on factors such as reliability, customer support, pricing, and features. Consider options like shared hosting for beginners or dedicated hosting for advanced requirements.
Select a Hosting Plan: Choose the hosting plan that meets your site needs. Some factors to consider are storage space, bandwidth, and scalability. You can start with a small plan and upgrade later as your audience increases or as your business grows.
Sign Up and Configure: It’s time to sign up for a hosting plan with the hosting service provider of your choice. Once signed up, you will be directed on how to configure your domain with their servers, which may involve updating your domain’s DNS settings.
PermalinkSection 3: Content Creation
Now that we have set up your domain and have a hosting service to store your files, it’s time to start creating some amazing content for your website. The steps included are:
Choose a Content Management System (CMS): You’ll want to select a user-friendly CMS like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla. These platforms provide amazing features and powerful tools for creating and managing content on your website.
Install and Set Up Your CMS: Follow the installation instructions provided by your chosen CMS. Configure essential settings such as the website’s title, description, preferred theme, and so on.
Create Pages and Posts: Add some pages to your website such as a Home page, an About page, a Contact page, and any other relevant page that suits your brand. Use the CMS editor to format text, add images, and embed media.
Organize and Customize: Organize the content of your website into menus, sidebars, and categories for easy navigation. Customize the appearance of your website by selecting themes, colours, and fonts that align with your brand. The better organized and customized your website is, the easier and more comfortable your audience will find it.
PermalinkSection 4: Basic Design Principles
As odd as it may sound, design plays an important role in attracting and engaging visitors to your website. Let’s explore some basic design principles to make your website visually appealing and user-friendly:
Keep it Simple and Intuitive: Use a clean and organized layout, ensuring easy navigation with a logical menu structure and clear links.
Choose Appropriate Colors and Fonts: Again, select colors that complement your brand. Use fonts that are legible and easy to read across different devices.
Optimize for Responsiveness: Design your website to be responsive, meaning it can adapt to different screen sizes. It is a good practice to test your website on different devices for compatibility.
Use High-Quality Images: Do not use blurry or pirated images on your website. Use high-quality images that are visually appealing and relevant. Good sources of such images are Canva, Pinterest or Pexel.
Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to create a website from scratch. Remember, building a website is a continuous process as you will keep adding features and modifying your website as it grows. Explore more advanced features such as e-commerce integration, search engine optimization, or building forums as your skills progress. Now, go ahead and unleash your creativity as you build your online presence.