How to design a website: The ultimate guide

The first step to designing a website is to determine its scope and goal. Websites are a great way to advertise your business and to get the word out about its services. It is important to ensure that the content on the site is tailored to your target customers. 

Although designing and hosting a website involves multiple moving parts, there are many tools and resources that can be used to simplify this process. Certain website builders may offer to take care of these aspects all at once, depending on the tier you choose. The level of involvement and time required to design your website will depend on your goals and the complexity of the site.

1. Determine your website’s goals

Whether you have already established your business or you are looking to start one, it is important that your website embodies its goals and conveys its mission to website viewers. 

Getting aligned on the website’s goals allows you to design it specifically to meet those expectations. For instance, if you run an e-commerce business, the website should be tailored to customers who are viewing your products and buying them from your website. The website should be built with a seamless checkout process. 

Knowing the goal of your website will also allow you to determine what resources you need to build out the necessary features. A common method of building websites is to use a website builder.

2. Select a website builder

Website builders can be a convenient way to build out a website without having to worry about keeping track of all the parts involved. These services may offer bundles that include a domain, hosting and SSL certificates, depending on the plan you choose. This can be very useful, especially if you have limited experience with websites. 

Strikingly

Strikingly is a no-code website builder that offers many of the features needed to build and maintain a successful website. These include:

• Domain services.
• Blogs.
• Analytics.
• Contact forms.
• Built-in SEO and security. 
• Built out e-commerce stores.

Pricing ranges from $0 per month to $59 per month. You can also decide to pay for its service annually or every five years. Strikingly also offers 24/7 customer support and free templates that are a great place to start for a basic, hassle-free website development experience. 

WordPress.com

WordPress.com offers plans ranging from $0 per month to $70 per month. The free plan offers free themes, pre-installed SSL and 1 GB of storage space. This plan is best for a simple website. 

The Entrepreneur plan includes a free domain for a year, along with:

• Unlimited products. 
• Product add-ons.
• Loyalty programs.
• Dynamic product upsells.
• The ability to offer discounts.
• The ability to sell in over 60 countries.
• Inventory management. 
• Marketing automation. 
• A streamlined checkout.
• Integrations with shipping carriers.
• A 0% commission fee.

ClickFunnels

ClickFunnels is known for its sales funnels, which help convert online visitors into paying customers. Its plans start at $147 per month and go up to $497 per month. The basic plan includes:

• A website and domain.
• Twenty funnels.
• One website.
• One domain.
• 10,000 contacts.
• Unlimited pages.

The Funnel Hacker plan includes:

• Three websites. 
• Unlimited funnels. 
• Nine domains. 
• Unlimited pages and products. 
• Analytics. 
• Unlimited courses. 
• 200,000 contacts.

ClickFunnels offers a 14-day free trial, which you can cancel at any time. ClickFunnels is ideal for entrepreneurs who are looking to get traffic to their site so they can sell a product.

3. Choose a domain name

Choosing and registering the right domain plays a significant role in your online identity and is imperative to driving traffic to your website. Having a domain name that is relevant to your business will lead to more traffic to your website, as it will show up as a top choice if your potential client searches the keywords in your domain. 

The top-level domain (TLD) is the rightmost extension of your domain name, like .com or .org. For the part of the domain that is left of the TLD, choose something that is easy to spell, pronounce and remember. With the amount of websites that exist on the internet, attaining a desired domain has become more challenging. 

Try to choose a domain that considers the long-term goals and direction of your business to ensure the domain remains relevant and so that customers and clients can always find you.

4. Select themes and templates

Visual hierarchy is a crucial aspect of user-friendly website design. It involves arranging and prioritizing elements on a web page in a way that guides the user’s attention and helps them understand the content more easily. Some key principles of visual hierarchy include size and scale, contrasting colors, typography, whitespace, consistency and positioning of images. 

Before choosing a theme or template, have a clear understanding of your brand identity and target audience. Be consistent and strategic with your company branding on your website and when selecting the theme. Your website is the digital face of your business, so the design should align with your brand’s colors, tone and overall aesthetics. 

5. Plan your site structure

Website structure refers to the hierarchy, order and organization of the pages on your website and the way that the pages are interconnected. The general style of navigation between pages, the layout of your menus and the content all fall under this umbrella.

There are four types of website architectures:

• Hierarchical structure: Websites with a lot of information, like news sites or blogs, must organize their pages in a clear hierarchy so their visitors can easily navigate through the large quantity of information to find what they are looking for. In this structure, the main homepage typically leads to subcategories and further subpages.
• Sequential structure: This structure is important for companies that wish to funnel their customers to a specific page or section of their website. This structure is most effective for businesses or campaigns that want to guide visitors through a specific sales funnel.
• Matrix model: This structure is best suited for e-commerce platforms and large websites. The information is structured but can be accessed anywhere at any time. For instance, the information could be organized in a grid-like structure, which provides users with multiple pathways to access content.
• Database model: This model is best for content-heavy websites where users prefer search-driven navigation. This model allows the user to logically navigate through the site with a focus on retrieving specific information based on keywords.

Your website’s structure will ultimately decide your intended user experience.

6. Create site content

Once you have determined the goal of your website, plan out content that will keep your visitors engaged. A great way to get started is to conduct some market research and look at how your competitors have designed the content on their websites.

The content on your website should be informative yet engaging. You want to tailor the content to your business and its offerings to achieve the goal of your website. It is important that your content conveys your message effectively. The content on your site must be credible and reliable. It is also important that it is engaging to your audience and will provide value to them. 

7. Design and customize pages

Designing and customizing pages for your website is a critical step in creating an appealing and functional online presence. Decide on a consistent layout for different types of pages, such as the homepage, the products or services page and the about page. Determine the placement of key elements such as navigation menus, headers and footers. 

Ensure that your website is responsive, adapting seamlessly to various screen sizes, which include desktops, tablets or smartphones. Using white space effectively can enhance readability and create a clean layout.

8. Optimize for search

Optimizing your website for search engines, also known as search engine optimization (SEO), is crucial for improving your online visibility and attracting organic traffic. 

Here are some steps to optimize your website for search:

• Keyword research: Use SEO tools or Google’s keyword planner to find keywords with a balance of search volume and competition. 
• On-page optimization: Incorporate keywords from your research naturally into your page titles, meta descriptions, headers and body content.
• Quality content: Create high-quality, valuable content that meets the needs of your target audience.
• URL structure: Use SEO-friendly URLs that are descriptive and include relevant keywords. Avoid using generic or random characters in your URLs.
• Image optimizations: Optimize images by using descriptive file names and adding alt text. Compress images to reduce file sizes without compromising quality.

9. Optimize for mobile

In today’s digital landscape, it is crucial to optimize your website for mobile devices, as a significant portion of internet users access content through their smartphones or tablets. To do this, you should:

• Implement a responsive web design that adapts to various screen sizes and devices. Test your website on different devices to ensure consistent, user-friendly experiences. 
• Simplify navigation for mobile users by using mobile-friendly menus, such as a hamburger menu. 
• Ensure that buttons and links are appropriately sized for touch interactions.
• Optimize your website for fast loading times by compressing images, leveraging browser caching and minimizing unnecessary scripts.
• Avoid intrusive pop-ups that can negatively impact the mobile user experience.

10. Launch your site

Before launching your site, conduct thorough testing of your website on different browsers and devices. 

• Check for any broken links or missing images.
• Verify that your website is fully responsive and provides a seamless experience across various devices. 
• Double-check your on-page SEO elements, including meta titles, meta descriptions and keyword usage. 
• Review all written content for accuracy, clarity and consistency. Implement security measures, including SSL certificates, for a secure connection.

11. Monitor your site

Post-launch, monitor your website’s search rankings and performance. You can set up monitoring tools to track website performance and the ways in which your visitors interact with your site. 

Encourage users to provide feedback on their experience with the new website. Use this feedback to make further improvements. Be prepared to address any issues promptly and provide support to users. 

Implement a plan for continuous improvement based on user feedback, analytics and changing business needs. Regularly update plugins and themes to ensure the longevity of your website.

Other considerations when designing a website

When designing a website, it is important to prioritize a seamless and intuitive user experience. Visitors should be able to navigate and find information on your site easily.

Clearly define the primary actions you want users to take by strategically placing call-to-action (CTAs) throughout the site. A CTA is an instruction given to the user which encourages them to take some sort of action. Examples include buttons such as “Call us now,” “Check it out” or “Subscribe.” This motivates your visitors to engage more with your website and business.

Hiring a web designer

An experienced web designer will be able to understand your business goals by asking the right questions and proposing effective design solutions according to market research.

When working with a web designer, you should be able to clearly articulate your website goals and requirements. Clear and concise communication will allow the designer to understand how to create a website that reflects your vision. Understand the designer’s collaboration process and communicate how you would like them to involve you in the decision and revision process. 

Consulting with a professional service or a design studio specializing in website design and development can help you understand the best approach for your particular situation and help you achieve your larger business goals. A professionally designed website gives your business credibility and helps you reach your goals.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How much does it cost to design a website?

The cost of building a website will vary depending on several factors, such as registering a domain name, signing up with a hosting company, designing the website, obtaining a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate and integrating any other services or features as plug-ins. Certain hosting sites offer free extensions, which can cut costs in other areas involved in creating a website.

Can I make a website for free?

You can create a website for free but cannot publish it without paying for a hosting service. However, website hosting costs between $3 and $30 per month on average. 

There are website builders through which you can make a website for free, but they often have certain limitations that affect the ability to publish the website and maintain it for a long period of time.

Limitations include:

• Uncustomizable domain names.
• Limited templates.
• Lack of animations, depending on the service chosen.

Do I need to know code to make a website?

No, you do not need to know how to code to make a website. There are plenty of no-code website builders available for those who do not know how to code. 

“Website builders offer drag-and-drop interfaces and templates, making website creation accessible even for beginners. However, knowing some code can give you more control and flexibility,” said Prasanna Gopinath, M.S., computer science.

Although these builders could be more expensive than sites that you can code yourself, they tend to be worth the investment.

What is the easiest way to create a website?

The easiest way to create a website depends on your technical skills, budget and the level of complexity of the website you are looking to build. 

Some ways to create a website include:

• Using website builders, such as Wix, Weebly, Squarespace or Shopify.
• Using content management systems, such as WordPress.
• Hiring a freelance website developer or design agency with expertise in website development. 

“Creating a website might seem like a task, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are resources that can assist you in building a website for free, such as Wix, Weebly and WordPress. You don’t necessarily need coding skills to create a website, although acquiring some knowledge of HTML and CSS could come in handy,” said Grace White, web designer and lead front end developer at Lilo Web Design.

Should I hire someone to create my website or do it myself?

Whether to hire someone to create your website or do it yourself depends on various factors, including your skills, time availability, budget and the complexity of the website you envision. Hiring a professional web designer or developer ensures a high-quality, polished result.

Professionals have experience in creating visually appealing and functional websites. If your website requires complex features, functionalities or specific design elements, a professional can implement them effectively.

Reasons to do it yourself include cost-effectiveness, the learning experience, the control you get over the design and the flexibility to make immediate changes without waiting for the professional. Overall, this decision will come down to your specific needs, preferences and resources.