In today’s data-driven, digital-first business landscape, it has arguably never been

more important for a business to have a web presence. A website is a quick and easy
way for a business to expand its reach, develop its brand and keep pace with
competitors.
For new businesses, building a website can seem daunting, and those lacking firsthand
experience may feel lost. Luckily, with the right preparation, it’s possible to build a
straightforward business website yourself.
In this article, we will outline how to build a website from scratch. Prior to reading, it
is important to note that, while this guide is collectively intended for beginners, it will
explore some processes that may require intermediate to advanced coding and web
development skills.

How to Create a Website from Scratch in 10 Steps

Building a website from scratch, while intensive, is a great way to ensure your site is
reflective of your company’s goals. In fact, doing so allows you to incorporate your
unique vision from the site’s earliest stages, tailoring aspects like aesthetics,
navigation and overall usability accordingly.
The following are ten crucial steps to building a site from scratch.

1. Hone and Align Relevant Skills

Prior to conceptualizing your new website, it is important to first audit your relevant
prerequisite skills — namely, those rooted in web development and coding. Such
skills can be instrumental in DIY site creation, as they can help you handle crucial
technical phases autonomously which may allow for a smoother development process
and easier creative control.
Helpful website development prerequisites may include coding in languages like
JavaScript and HTML/CSS (for various design and usability factors), troubleshooting
and debugging (to ensure your site is consistently efficient, up-to-date and free of
crucial security flaws) and search engine optimization (or SEO — to effectively
optimize and market your site so it is discoverable and competitive within Google’s
search algorithm).
Front and back end web development skills are also very helpful, as they allow you to
understand and effectively manage both client-facing usability matters and underlying
site architecture at a comprehensive, technical level. To get started in web
development, consider our guide on how to become a web developer.
Hypertext Markup Language(HTML) – A standardized system for tagging text files
to achieve font, color, graphic, and hyperlink effects on World Wide Web pages.

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)- is a computer language for laying out and structuring web
pages.
Javascript – An object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to
create interactive effects within wb browsers.
References:
HTML Tutorial (w3schools.com)

2. Establish a Goal
With key skills aligned, your next step is to establish a broad goal for your new
website. Ask yourself: What is this site’s intended long-term purpose? Is it to sell
products? To express and expand your brand’s identity? What type of user experience
do you hope to provide? What user metrics will you be tracking through the site?
Once you have answered all relevant questions, you should have an easier time
blueprinting the site’s interface, aesthetics, potential pages and other aspects directly
rooted in your goals. For instance, if you plan to use the site to build brand awareness
and facilitate digital transactions, you might scheme a home page offering easy access
to both featured online products and company updates as well as identity-based
information (such as a comprehensive “About Us” section). Regardless of your vision,
be sure to make your goals as clear and detailed as possible.

3. Choose a Hosting Provider

Choosing a hosting provider is a relatively easy, but crucial part of website creation.
Many leading hosting platforms (such as Bluehost and HostGator) have expedited this
process, often providing complimentary domain registration, discounted website
building tools and other perks for first-time registrations.
As in the previous step, this decision should be rooted in your needs and goals for the
site — especially those related to site structure and usability. For example, if the site
is intended to showcase image galleries and multimedia, you will likely want to pick a
platform allowing space for larger files and adequate speed. Using such criteria, you’ll
be able to narrow your options down to a few promising providers and determine
which will be the most cost-effective, reliable and in tune with your company’s
aspirations.

4. Choose a Domain Name

Selecting a website domain name may be quick and simple in theory, but as GoDaddy
notes, the choice is comparable to that of a company name. It can require quite a bit of
thought and consideration, as your domain name will play a large part in your online
identity. From an SEO perspective, an effective domain name can make your site
more discoverable within keyword searches and it can also make your site easier to
promote via digital marketing campaigns.
With all of this in mind, take time to brainstorm a few domain options, conducting
keyword research and other market analysis to pinpoint a name that is short, impactful
and indicative of the service or product you are providing. Your domain should be
memorable and catchy while reflecting your target audience or location (for instance,
you may consider including your location directly in the domain name).

5. Choose a Site Template or Layout

Your website’s layout will be pivotal in facilitating your intended user experience,
and it should be selected with meticulous planning and prior research. You might start
by choosing a website builder with an array of applicable site templates, whittling
your options down to those featuring styles and structures reflecting your vision. Such
considerations may include whether you need e-commerce elements, appointment
scheduling or other functionality intrinsic to your business. Assuming the theme is
customizable to your liking, use it as a shell for bigger developmental ideas such as
specific plugins and widgets, color schemes and page order and hierarchy.

6. Build Relevant Pages

Most effective websites feature numerous pages or sections — typically, a home page
and several supporting pages representing different aspects of the company. As your
site’s primary building blocks, these pages should be structured and ordered in a
manner consistent with your intended user journey, and they should be both accessible
and easy to navigate. If you are using a website builder, it will likely feature the
option to add, remove and customize pages within your broad site theme. Use this
functionality to create pages that collectively embody your site’s intended purpose
and message.
For example, consider NASA’s official website, which consists of a multifaceted
home page and is supported by easily accessible, logically themed sections dedicated
to current missions and initiatives, company history and various downloads and
related social media outlets. Such a model benefits NASA’s users by giving them all
relevant information quickly and effectively. Regardless of your company’s identity
or niche, it is crucial to follow a similar approach in designing your site — just focus
on a sensical division of pages and avoid inundating users with too much information
in a single space.
7. Establish a Payment System (If Applicable)
If your site is intended to provide online shopping, equip it with an appropriate
storefront layout featuring your company’s products or services. Smooth digital
transactions are usually viewed as a make-or-break feature for retail-oriented sites, so
be sure to design your storefront accordingly. For starters, most successful digital
storefronts support a variety of payment methods, from credit and debit to connected
services like Google Pay and PayPal.
Additionally, your payment system should be predicated upon quick, seamless and
secure payments that instill a sense of fluidity and trust. This functionality can benefit
your site’s bounce rate and ensure more products or services are being considered for
purchase. You may also make use of features like sticky header navigation, a type of
header that remains static as users scroll, giving them constant access to searching and
purchasing options. A positive, convenient user experience can contribute greatly to
customer loyalty and trust, and the most effective digital storefronts are a microcosm
of this notion.

8. Test and Fine-Tune Your Site

Now that the key pieces of your site are in place, you will want to dedicate a fair
amount of time to testing and fine-tuning your final product. Since usability remains
one of the greatest indicators of site success in 2021, your main considerations should
be your site’s user interface (UI) and conveyed user experience (UX). These elements
can be assessed via usability testing and technical auditing of the site’s front and back
ends. To test usability, observe users navigating your site and take note of
communicated weaknesses, confusion and other deficiencies observed along the way.
Ask detailed questions to get equally in-depth feedback, which can lead to stronger
solutions and a better overall user experience. As for technical auditing, take stock of
site performance metrics (such as page speed and multimedia playback), various SEO
factors (like content optimization, organic keyword mentions and functional
backlinks) and matters related to the site’s underlying code.

9. Promote Your Site

After your site is live, it is time to get it in front of your intended audience. Luckily,
there are numerous effective ways to digitally market a website. Social media
accounts are a fantastic tool for building site awareness. Many of these outlets allow
users to directly link site URLs, syndicate site content and seamlessly guide followers
to different site pages. Many site templates feature opportunities to directly embed
social links, which can benefit all linked entities from an SEO standpoint, as organic
linking can positively impact ranking authority.
Other options include Google’s advertising and business features, which can help site
owners market their properties via targeted ads and, if applicable, get related brick-
and-mortar locations listed on Google Maps (with their corresponding website links).
Webmasters may also make creative use of site multimedia to broaden their website’s
reach into other social markets. For instance, a site-based video could be syndicated to
social media with a link to the original content.
For more information on quick, cost-effective options for website marketing, consider
this Ahrefs list of free ways to promote your website.

10. Keep Your Site Up To Date

Even after your site is built and has established a following, be sure to keep it updated.
As your site builds tenure online, your users may eventually become impatient or
disengaged with stale, outdated content and poorly managed site usability factors
(broken links, dysfunctional multimedia, etc.). Therefore, it is key to keep your site
active, and this goes beyond posting and blogging alone.

References:
https://bootcamp.berkeley.edu/blog/how-to-create-website-from-scratch-guide