How to Make a Website in 9 Steps (A Beginner’s Guide 2024)

Step 1: Identify the purpose of your website

You can’t straightaway create a website. You need to have a clear plan and goal for your website. You should know who your target audience is and what you want to achieve with your website. This approach helps you build a website that not only looks attractive, but also performs well.

By identifying the purpose of your website, you can easily create different types of websites for a variety of purposes. You can create –

1. E-commerce website to sell physical or digital products and services
2. Education website for a school, college or university
3. A social media website like Facebook, etc.
4. A website for your portfolio
5. A video streaming website like YouTube, etc.

It’s no fact that the website you create can be multifunctional so it becomes even more essential to sort out your website goals before going ahead. Let’s say if you are creating a website for your gym, then your website can serve multiple purposes – it can showcase your gym locations, membership plans, etc., as well as allow you to share fitness tips, exercises, etc. with your users.

So you need to be more specific and then make decisions about how to make your website.

Step 2: Choose a website builder or CMS

There are various ways through which you can create a website. You can go with a popular and affordable solution like a no-code website builder. If you have a knack for coding you can straightaway start building the website from scratch or choose a feasible content management system for your needs.

To be honest, programming is not everyone’s cup of tea, and to match up with the pace of this rapidly changing technological era, a website builder can be a good option for anyone looking to make a website.

But many may have a question – what exactly a website builder is? In simple terms, a website builder is a platform that allows users to set up, design, personalize, publish and manage a website without any coding.

What’s interesting about website builder platforms is that everything is quick and easy, while you also get assistance every time you hit a wall building your website. Plus, fixing the bugs, resolving security issues, making latest technological updates, and everything else is all taken care of by these website builders, ensuring you are free from all the complexities.

With AI now in the game, many website builders are now providing AI web design and development, allowing you to work faster and smarter than ever.

Although you will find several good website builders in the industry, you need to do your due diligence before finalizing the one that best fits your needs and budget. Here are some key factors that you need to keep in mind while selecting the website builder to create your website.

1. Ease of Use

   The website builder you choose must be easy-to-use. So, search for the one having an intuitive interface that allows you to easily create, edit, and manage your website without requiring advanced technical skills.

2. Templates and Customization Options

   Make sure that the website builder you pick should have a variety of quality website templates that align with your preferences and industry needs. You must also look out for the level of customization like ability to modify layouts, colors, fonts, etc.

3. Mobile Responsiveness

   A website needs to be mobile responsive if you want to reach a larger audience group since everyone out there is on mobile. So, select the website builder that automatically optimizes your site for mobile devices or provides tools to ensure responsive design.

4. SEO Features

   One of the key features that you need to look into while selecting a website builder is SEO tools. You need to ensure that the website builder you choose has SEO features like customizable meta tags, SEO-friendly URLs, etc. as it can help improve your site’s visibility in search engine results.

5. Scalability and Growth Potential

   It is essential you consider your future needs and growth aspirations. So, select the website builder that has scalability features such as the ability to add more pages, integrate e-commerce functionality, etc. and can easily fulfill your evolving requirements.

6. Security

   Security is of utmost importance for any website. Therefore, the website builder you pick for the purpose of creating your website must provide security features like SSL certificates, regular backups, etc. in order to keep your website free from cyber attacks and data breaches.

7. AI Capabilities

   AI has become the need of the hour. So, having an AI website builder at your assistance can simplify your task of creating the website. For instance, Appy Pie’s AI website builder can help you create an amazing website in a few minutes, thereby saving your time and effort involved in building it from scratch.

8. Technical Support and Resources

   You need to assess the level of customer support provided by the website builder, including availability, response time, and support channels. You also need to look for resources such as tutorials, documentations, etc. that can help you easily understand the platform.

Explore Appy Pie Website Builder

Step 3: Create your website

Now is the time to actually bring your idea to life. So far, you have identified the purpose of your website and have sorted out your decision on going with a website builder or CMS.

If you are inclined towards using a content management system, then going with WordPress can be a good option. However, if you are up for going with a website builder, then Appy Pie website builder can prove to be your perfect partner.

Here is how to make a website using Appy Pie website builder.

1. Describe the type of website you want

   It’s really easy to get started with Appy Pie AI website builder. All you need to do is give the prompt, meaning describe the type of website you want in a sentence or two and let the AI handle the rest.

2. Create an account with Appy Pie website maker

   The next step to build a website involves creating an account with Appy Pie. Once you have logged in, you can see the process of AI website development, and get to see the basic look of your website.

3. Customize the website as per your needs

   Once the AI has finished creating a basic version of your website, you can then go ahead and customize the website with your personal branding and content.

Benefits of Creating a Website the No-Code Way using Appy Pie Website Builder

Appy Pie AI website builder allows users with no-coding skills to create a website in just a few minutes. Listed here are some benefits of using Appy Pie website maker for building your website.

1. Lightweight and fast websites

   The websites created on Appy Pie’s website builder are light-weighted and fast, meaning your website can easily be accessed even when the internet connectivity is low.

2. Offline Capabilities

   One of the amazing benefits of using Appy Pie website builder for creating a website is that your website will have the capability to provide content to the users even in the offline mode.

3. Security

   All the websites created using Appy Pie website maker are served through HTTPS, meaning they are well-protected from DDoS attacks, cyber threats and data breaches.

4. Hundreds of Features

   Appy Pie website creator provides hundreds of features which you can add to your website and make it stand out of the competition.

5. Real-Time Updates

   What makes Appy Pie website maker better than the rest is its real-time update feature that allows you to make changes to your website in real-time from anywhere, at any point in time.

Create a Website with AI

Step 4: Test your website

You have done a great job creating your website, but hold down your horses before hitting the publish button. You need to thoroughly test your website before making it live for users. Here is the checklist that you can follow to ensure your website works well and can be easily accessed by the users.

• Make sure that the content present on your website is free from any grammatical errors and has consistent formatting
• Before going live, ensure that each and every link present on your website is functional
• Ensure your website is responsive and works well across different browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc. and devices like mobile phones, desktops and tablets
• Make sure that your website has all the appropriate security features like SSL certificate, data encryption, etc.
• Broken links can be frustrating so check beforehand that there are no broken links across your website

Throughout the testing phase, you need to document each and every issue you face as well as track the progress of fixes.

In other words, testing a website is not just about fixing some bugs but it is a systematic approach to ensure your website is well-versed and ready to go live.

Edit and Test your Website

Step 5: Select a domain

Selecting a domain for your website is one of the crucial tasks. A domain is like your home address on the internet. It’s a unique name that identifies a website, like “google.com” or “facebook.com”.

Choosing a domain is not an easy task. However, it doesn’t need to be complex either. Here are the few things that you need to keep in mind.

1. Keep it simple
2. Reflect your brand
3. Avoid numbers and hyphens
4. Consider keywords
5. Choose the right domain extension
6. Think about the future
7. Be memorable

Along with the domain, you also need to select the extension. Though, .com is everyone’s choice but you can also go for other domain extensions like –

1. .net
2. .org
3. .us
4. .co
5. .in
6. .uk
7. .io
8. .ai
9. .tv
10. .info

You can buy a domain from any popular platform like GoDaddy, BigRock, etc., but if you are looking to get hold of it for free, Appy Pie has the solution.

When you create a website using Appy Pie website maker, you can get a free domain, as well as a free app, free business email powered by Google Workspace, and free hosting.

Buy a Domain

Publish your Website

Step 7: Promote your website

Creating and publishing a website is the root of a tree and promoting it are the branches. Now that you’ve created a website, how do you let others know that you’ve created a website?

Even if you have enough reach to your audience, how would you inform them about your upcoming offers or deals?

This is where marketing and promotion come into play! As marketing is a vast field, how you choose to promote a website completely depends upon individual and website requirements.

To help you out, here are the few ways that you can adopt to promote your website.

1. SEO – Search engine optimization is a great way to promote any website. In SEO, a website is properly optimized so that it ranks higher on the search engine results like Google, Bing, etc. The primary goal of SEO is to increase organic traffic of the website. The key elements of SEO include keyword research, on-page optimization, off-page optimization, etc.
2. Social Media Marketing – Social media marketing is basically using social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. to promote your brand. This form of marketing is basically aimed at building a brand, increasing sales and driving traffic to the website through the social media networks.
3. Content Marketing – In content marketing, the main focus is on creating and distributing valuable and reliable content in order to attract and retain a defined audience. The key components of content marketing include content development, lead generation, brand building, etc.
4. Email Marketing – A digital marketing technique fit for all businesses, email marketing involves building long-term relationships with customers or clients. Via email marketing, you can directly stay in touch with the customers and promote your products and services, while building brand awareness.
5. Online Advertising – Online advertising can be a real deal if you want to quickly gain users for your website. By running ads on Google, Facebook and other platforms, you can instantly grab the attention of the users and drive them to their websites.

Make your Website and Start Promoting it now!

Step 8: Maintain Your website

Hurray, you have created the website and started promoting it. But, it is not the end. Creating a website is not a one-time process, you need to constantly keep an eye on the performance of your website, if you are really looking to achieve success in this competitive technological era.

Here are the best practices that can help you maintain your website and keep it in top shape in the long run.

1. Regularly Update Content: Keep your website fresh by updating content regularly. This could include adding new blog posts, updating product listings, or refreshing information about your services.
2. Backup Your Website: Regularly backup your website to ensure that you have a copy of all your files and data. This can help you quickly restore your site in case of any issues or data loss.
3. Monitor Website Performance: Keep an eye on your website’s performance metrics such as loading speed, uptime, and user experience. Address any issues promptly to ensure a smooth browsing experience for your visitors.
4. Engage with Your Audience: Interact with your website visitors through comments, social media, or email newsletters. Engaging with your audience can help you build a loyal following and gather valuable feedback.
5. Stay Updated on Web Trends: Keep yourself informed about the latest web design trends, technology updates, and best practices. This will help you keep your website current and competitive.

Step 9: Earn money from your website

The true purpose of any business owner is to earn money and create as many sources of income as possible. Monetizing your website is a rich source to generate revenue. While monetizing a website sounds complicated, it’s a clear road to exciting opportunities. Here’s a list of a few effective website monetization strategies that will help clear your basics on how to monetize your website.

1. Sponsored Content

   Sponsoring content in the form of videos, graphics, blog posts, articles, etc has become a recent trend among leading website owners to earn thousands of dollars. You may collaborate with big brands and showcase their services or products on your website by charging them. Sponsored content attracts new audiences, enhances brand trust, and generates valuable backlinks, skyrocketing your website’s authority.

2. Affiliate Marketing

   Affiliate marketing enables you to leverage your loyal audience and their trust in your recommendations. Instead of simply directing them to other websites, imagine acting as a trusted curator, handpicking products and services that align with your values and your audience’s needs. Add relevant affiliate links into your engaging content, like a natural bridge connecting your readers to exciting discoveries. Each click on those links translates into revenue, rewarding both you and your dedicated target audience.

3. Selling Ad Space

   Selling ad space can be a powerful way to monetize your website and turn your pageviews into real income. While a high volume of traffic is certainly beneficial, even smaller audience websites can tap into this potential. Popular platforms like Google AdSense offer an easy and reliable way to get started by integrating ads with your content without compromising your existing user experience.

4. Selling Your Own Products

   Entering the business world opens you up to a completely new set of ideas and novel ways to execute them. When you’ve successfully built a strong community of users who actively engage with your website, you can leverage that traffic to sell your products and services. Doing so, will not only expand your reach but also generate revenue.

5. Organizing Online Training Sessions

   Online courses or training sessions are usually the primary choice of anyone who wants to learn a new skill or gain knowledge about any subject. You can utilize your website’s traffic to host online courses or live training sessions on your website and charge users for it. This is a win-win situation for both students and the instructors.

6. Building an Email List

   While your inbox may be filled with cold sales pitches, some emails still catch your attention and make you open them. Though the email marketing strategy is old, it never disappoints. Especially, if you have curated a list of the right email addresses and sent the right message to them at the right time. Email marketing flourishes when you nurture a curated list, a community of individuals who trust you to deliver value, not just sales pitches. And that value comes in different forms such as intriguing content, exclusive perks, and personalized experiences.

Concluding Note

Creating a website is not as much of a rocket science anymore as it was earlier. Appy Pie Website makes it possible for you to create your own website in minutes without any coding. The great part about the platform is that you can add as many features as you want to your business website.

However, it is just the beginning. You need to continuously update your website to the changing trends and your users’ needs to truly make it great and stand out.

Begin your website-making journey with our no-code website maker which provides all the necessary tools for smooth functioning.