Designing a website can seem like a daunting task, especially if you have no prior experience or coding skills. But don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it sounds. In fact, with the right tools and guidance, you can create a stunning and functional website in no time.
In this article, we’ll show you how to design a website from scratch, using a free web builder called Webfity. Webfity is a powerful and easy-to-use platform that lets you create a website without writing a single line of code. You can choose from hundreds of templates, customize them with your own content and style, and add features like blogs, online stores, contact forms, and more.
Whether you want to create a website for your business, portfolio, blog, or personal project, Webfity can help you achieve your goals. Follow these steps to get started.
How to design a website
Set your goal
Before you start designing your website, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it. What is the purpose of your website? Who is your target audience? What do you want them to do on your website?
Having a clear goal will help you focus on the most important aspects of your website design and avoid unnecessary distractions. It will also help you measure your success and improve your website over time.
Some common goals for websites are:
- To showcase your work or portfolio
- To sell products or services online
- To generate leads or subscribers
- To share information or content
- To build an online community
Write down your goal and keep it in mind throughout the design process.
Choose your website builder
The next step is choosing the tool to help you create your website. There are many options available, but we recommend using Webfity. Webfity is a free web builder that offers everything you need to design a professional and beautiful website.
With Webfity, you can:
- Create a website for free with unlimited pages and storage
- Choose from hundreds of templates for any industry or niche
- Customize your website with drag-and-drop elements and widgets
- Add features like blogs, online stores, contact forms, and more
- Get a free domain name and hosting
- Optimize your website for SEO and mobile devices
- Connect your website to social media and analytics tools
- Get support from Webfity’s friendly and helpful team
To use Webfity, all you need is an email address and a password. You can sign up for free at webfity.com.
Define your layout
Once you’ve chosen Webfity as your website builder, you can start defining the layout of your website. The layout is the structure and arrangement of your website’s pages and elements. It determines how your content will be displayed and organized on your website.
A good layout should:
- Be consistent and coherent across all pages
- Be easy to navigate and understand for visitors
- Highlight the most important information and actions
- Reflect your brand identity and style
You can use Webfity’s templates as a starting point to define your layout. Webfity offers hundreds of templates for different industries and purposes, such as business, portfolio, blog, e-commerce, education, health, travel, and more. You can browse the templates by category or keyword and preview them before choosing one.
Once you’ve selected a template, you can customize it to suit your needs. You can change the template's colors, fonts, images, icons, backgrounds, and other elements. You can also add or remove pages and sections as you wish.
To customize your template, simply use Webfity’s drag-and-drop editor. You can drag any element from the sidebar and drop it anywhere on the page. You can also resize, move, delete, duplicate, or edit any element on the page. You can see the changes in real-time as you edit.
Claim your domain name
A domain name is the address of your website on the internet. It’s what people type in their browsers to access your website. For example, webfity.com is the domain name of Webfity’s website.
Having a domain name is important for several reasons:
- It makes your website look more professional and credible
- It helps people remember and find your website easily
- It reflects your brand name and identity
- It improves your SEO ranking and visibility
With Webfity, you can get a free domain name for your website. You can choose from several extensions such as .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .online, .site, .store, .tech, .website, and more.
To claim your domain name with Webfity:
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Settings” in the top right corner of the dashboard.
- Click on “Domain” in the left sidebar.
- Enter the domain name you want in the search box and click on “Search”.
- If the domain name is available, click on “Get it now” to claim it.
- If the domain name is not available or already taken by someone else,
- Try another extension or variation of the name
- Or buy a premium domain name from Webfity’s partners
Once you’ve claimed your domain name with Webfity,
- It will be automatically connected to your website
- You will get free SSL security for your website
- You will be able to renew it for free every year as long as you use Webfity
Gather your content
Content is the heart of any website. It’s what attracts visitors to your website and keeps them engaged. Content includes text, images, videos, audio, and other types of media that convey information or messages to your audience.
To gather your content for your website,
- Make a list of all the pages and sections that you need on your website.
- For each page or section,
- Write down the main topic or purpose of it
- Write down the main points or messages that you want to communicate
- Write down any keywords or phrases that are relevant to it
- For each point or message,
- Write down the supporting details or examples that back it up
- Write down any calls-to-action that prompt visitors to take action
- For each detail or example,
- Find or create an image, video, audio, or other media that illustrates it
- Write down any captions or descriptions that explain it
As you gather your content,
- Keep it clear, concise, and relevant to your goal
- Use simple, conversational, and engaging language
- Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, lists, quotes, etc. to organize it
- Use images, videos, audio, etc. to enhance it
- Use keywords, phrases, links, etc. to optimize it for SEO
Add the right pages
Pages are the building blocks of any website. They are where you display and organize your content for visitors to see.
The number and type of pages that you need on your website depend on:
- Your goal
- Your audience
- Your industry
- Your content
However,
there are some common pages that most websites should have,
such as:
- Home page: The first page that visitors see when they land on your website. It should:
- Capture their attention with an eye-catching headline, image, video, etc.
- Introduce who you are, what you do, why you do it, etc.
- Highlight the main benefits or value propositions of your website
- Include clear calls-to-action that guide visitors to other pages or actions
- Include social proof such as testimonials, reviews, awards, etc.
- Include contact information such as email, phone number, address, etc.
- About page: The page that tells visitors more about yourself or your organization. It should:
- Explain what makes you unique or different from others in your field
- Share some background information such as history, mission, vision, values, etc.
- Showcase some achievements or successes such as awards, recognition, clients, projects, etc.
- Introduce some team members or partners if applicable
- Include some personal touches such as hobbies, interests, stories, etc.
- Include contact information such as email, phone number, address, etc.
- Services page: The page that describes what products or services you offer to customers or clients. It should:
- List all the products or services that you offer with brief descriptions
- Highlight the features or benefits of each product or service with details or examples
- Include pricing information if applicable with options or packages
- Include testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers or clients if possible
- Include clear calls-to-action that prompt visitors to buy or book now
- Include contact information such as email,
if needed
- Portfolio page: The page that showcases some examples of your work or projects.
It should:
- Display some samples of your work or projects with images,
- Include captions or descriptions that explain what each work or project is about,
what challenges were faced
- Include links or buttons that direct visitors to the live websites or projects if possible
- Include testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers or clients if possible
- Include contact information such as email, phone number, address, etc. if needed
- Blog page: The page that publishes regular content such as articles, news, tips, stories, etc. It should:
- Display the latest posts with titles, images, excerpts, dates, authors, categories, tags, etc.
- Include a search box or a filter option that allows visitors to find posts by keyword, category, tag, date, etc.
- Include a sidebar or a footer that displays some widgets such as popular posts, recent comments, social media icons, newsletter sign-up form, etc.
- Include a comment section that allows visitors to leave feedback or questions on each post
- Include a share button that allows visitors to share the post on social media platforms
- Contact page: The page that allows visitors to get in touch with you or your organization. It should:
- Include a contact form that allows visitors to send you a message with their name, email address, subject, and message
- Include contact information such as email address, phone number, address, map location, etc.
- Include social media icons that link to your profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.
- Include a FAQ section that answers some common questions that visitors may have
These are some of the essential pages that you should have on your website. Depending on your goal and content, you may also need some additional pages such as:
- Online store page: The page that allows visitors to browse and buy your products online
- Booking page: The page that allows visitors to book your services online
- Events page: The page that displays your upcoming events and allows visitors to register or buy tickets online
- Gallery page: The page that showcases your photos or videos in a grid or slideshow format
- Testimonials page: The page that displays more testimonials or reviews from your customers or clients
- Resources page: The page that provides some useful resources such as guides, ebooks, podcasts, webinars, etc.
- Terms and conditions page: The page that outlines the rules and regulations of using your website
- Privacy policy page: The page that explains how you collect and use the personal information of your visitors
To add the right pages to your website with Webfity:
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Pages” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “Add Page” in the top right corner of the screen.
- Choose a page type from the list or click on “Blank Page” to create a custom page.
- Enter a name for your page and click on “Create”.
- Customize your page with content and elements using Webfity’s drag-and-drop editor.
- Repeat steps 3 to 6 for each page that you want to add to your website.
Design your website elements
Elements are the components that make up your website’s pages. They include text boxes, images, buttons, menus, sliders, forms, and more.
To design your website elements with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Pages” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Select the page that you want to edit from the list.
- Click on any element on the page to edit it or drag a new element from the sidebar and drop it anywhere on the page.
- Use the toolbar at the top of the screen to customize the element’s properties such as size, position, color, font, style, etc.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each element that you want to design on your website.
As you design your website elements,
- Keep them consistent and coherent across all pages
- Keep them simple and clear for visitors
- Keep them aligned and balanced on the page
- Keep them responsive and adaptable to different screen sizes
Pick the professional tools you need
Tools are the features or functions that enhance your website’s performance and functionality. They include blogs, online stores, contact forms, social media integration, analytics, and more.
To pick the professional tools you need for your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Browse through the categories or search for the tool that you want to add to your website.
- Click on “Add” next to the tool that you want to add.
- Follow the instructions on how to set up and use the tool on your website.
Some of the professional tools that Webfity offers are:
- Blog: A feature that allows you to create and publish regular content such as articles, news, tips, stories, etc.
on your website.
To add a blog to your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “Blog” under “Content Management”.
- Click on “Add” next to “Blog”.
- Choose a layout for your blog from the list or click on “Customize Layout” to create your own layout.
- Click on “Create Blog”.
- To add a new post to your blog,
- Click on “New Post” in the top right corner of the screen.
- Enter a title for your post and write your content using Webfity’s editor.
- Add images,
or other media if needed.
- Choose a category and tags for your post if needed.
- Click on “Publish” when you’re done.
- To edit or delete an existing post,
- Click on “Posts” in the left sidebar of the screen.
- Select the post that you want to edit or delete from the list.
- Click on “Edit” or “Delete” at the bottom of the screen.
- To manage your blog settings,
- Click on “Settings” in the left sidebar of the screen.
- Adjust your blog settings such as title,
- Click on “Save Changes” when you’re done.
- Online store: A feature that allows you to sell products or services online through your website.
To add an online store to your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “Online Store” under “E-commerce”.
- Click on “Add” next to “Online Store”.
- Choose a layout for your online store from the list or click on “Customize Layout” to create your own layout.
- Click on “Create Store”.
- To add a new product or service to your online store,
To add social media integration to your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “Social Media” under “Marketing”.
- Click on “Add” next to the social media platform that you want to connect to your website.
- Follow the instructions on how to link your account and authorize Webfity to access it.
- Choose how you want to display the social media icon or widget on your website.
- Repeat steps 4 to 6 for each social media platform that you want to connect to your website.
Some of the benefits of social media integration are:
- It increases your website’s exposure and reach
- It boosts your website’s traffic and engagement
- It builds trust and credibility with your audience
- It enhances your website’s SEO and ranking
- Analytics: A feature that allows you to track and measure your website’s performance and results.
To add analytics to your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “Analytics” under “Statistics”.
- Click on “Add” next to “Google Analytics”.
- Enter your Google Analytics tracking ID and click on “Save”.
- To view your website’s analytics data,
- Go to google.com/analytics and log in to your account.
- Select your website from the list and click on “Reports”.
- Browse through the different reports and metrics that show you how your website is doing.
Some of the analytics data that you can see are:
- How many visitors and sessions your website has
- How long visitors stay on your website and how many pages they view
- Where visitors come from and what devices they use
- What keywords or phrases visitors use to find your website
- What pages or sections visitors visit the most or the least
- What actions or goals visitors complete on your website
These are some of the professional tools that Webfity offers for your website. Depending on your goal and content, you may also need some additional tools such as:
- Newsletter: A feature that allows you to collect email addresses from visitors and send them newsletters or updates
- Online chat: A feature that allows you to chat with visitors in real-time and answer their questions or concerns
- Booking system: A feature that allows you to manage your appointments or reservations online
- Event calendar: A feature that allows you to display your upcoming events and allow visitors to register or buy tickets online
- Photo gallery: A feature that allows you to showcase your photos or videos in a grid or slideshow format
- Video player: A feature that allows you to embed videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or other sources on your website
- Audio player: A feature that allows you to embed audio files from SoundCloud, Spotify, or other sources on your website
Make it accessible to everyone
Accessibility is the practice of making your website easy and comfortable for everyone to use, regardless of their abilities, disabilities, preferences, or devices.
Making your website accessible is important for several reasons:
- It improves your website’s usability and user experience
- It increases your website’s audience and reach
- It enhances your website’s SEO and ranking
- It complies with web standards and regulations
To make your website accessible with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Settings” in the top right corner of the dashboard.
- Click on “Accessibility” in the left sidebar of the screen.
- Enable or disable the accessibility features that you want to add or remove from your website.
- Click on “Save Changes” when you’re done.
Some of the accessibility features that Webfity offers are:
- Keyboard navigation: A feature that allows visitors to navigate through your website using only their keyboard
- Screen reader support: A feature that allows visitors who use screen readers or other assistive technologies to hear what’s on your website
- Text size adjustment: A feature that allows visitors to increase or decrease the text size on your website according to their preference
- Color contrast adjustment: A feature that allows visitors to change the color contrast on your website according to their preference
- Language selection: A feature that allows visitors to choose their preferred language from a list of available languages on your website
Optimize for mobile
Mobile optimization is the practice of making your website look good and work well on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
website for mobile with Webfity,
- Keep it simple and clear for mobile users
- Keep it responsive and adaptable to different screen sizes and orientations
- Keep it fast and lightweight for mobile devices
- Keep it consistent and coherent with the desktop version
Strengthen your SEO
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It’s the practice of improving your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
Strengthening your SEO is important for several reasons:
- It increases your website’s exposure and reach to potential visitors
- It boosts your website’s traffic and conversions from organic search results
- It builds trust and credibility with your audience and search engines
- It helps you achieve your goal and measure your success
To strengthen your SEO with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on “SEO” under “Marketing”.
- Follow the instructions on how to optimize your website for SEO using Webfity’s tools and tips.
Some of the SEO tools and tips that Webfity offers are:
- SEO Wizard: A tool that guides you through the basic steps of optimizing your website for SEO, such as choosing a domain name, adding a title and description, setting up keywords and phrases, etc.
- SEO Dashboard: A tool that shows you an overview of your website’s SEO performance and progress, such as traffic, ranking, keywords, etc.
- SEO Audit: A tool that analyzes your website’s SEO health and provides you with a detailed report and recommendations on how to fix any issues or errors.
- SEO Settings: A tool that allows you to adjust your website’s SEO settings such as meta tags, robots.txt, sitemap.xml, etc.
- SEO Content: A tool that helps you create and optimize your website’s content for SEO using keywords, phrases, links, etc.
As you strengthen your SEO with Webfity,
- Use relevant and specific keywords and phrases that match your goal and audience
- Use descriptive and catchy titles and descriptions that summarize your content and entice visitors to click
- Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, lists, quotes, etc. to organize your content and make it easy to scan
- Use images, videos, audio, etc. to enhance your content and make it more engaging
- Use links to connect your pages and provide more information or resources
- Use social media to promote your content and drive more traffic to your website
Engage with visitors
Engaging with visitors is the practice of interacting with them and building a relationship with them through your website.
Engaging with visitors is important for several reasons:
- It improves your website’s usability and user experience
- It increases your website’s loyalty and retention
- It enhances your website’s reputation and word-of-mouth
- It helps you achieve your goal and measure your success
To engage with visitors with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Tools” in the left sidebar of the dashboard.
- Browse through the categories or search for the tool that you want to add to your website to engage with visitors.
- Click on “Add” next to the tool that you want to add.
- Follow the instructions on how to set up and use the tool on your website.
Some of the tools that Webfity offers to engage with visitors are:
- Online chat: A tool that allows you to chat with visitors in real-time and answer their questions or concerns
- Newsletter: A tool that allows you to collect email addresses from visitors and send them newsletters or updates
- Contact form: A tool that allows visitors to send you a message through your website
- Comment section: A tool that allows visitors to leave feedback or questions on each page or post
- Share button: A tool that allows visitors to share your content on social media platforms
- Rating system: A tool that allows visitors to rate or review your products or services on your website
- Polls or surveys: A tool that allows you to ask visitors questions or opinions on various topics or issues
Ask for feedback
Feedback is the information or opinions that you receive from others about your website.
Asking for feedback is important for several reasons:
- It helps you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your website
- It helps you improve your website’s design and functionality
- It helps you meet your visitors’ needs and expectations
- It helps you achieve your goal and measure your success
To ask for feedback for your website,
- Identify the people who can provide you with feedback, such as your customers, clients, partners, friends, family, etc.
- Choose the method or channel that you will use to ask for feedback, such as email, phone, online chat, comment section, rating system, polls or surveys, etc.
- Prepare the questions or topics that you will ask for feedback, such as the overall impression, the design, the content, the features, the usability, the performance, etc.
- Send or share your request for feedback with the people that you have identified and ask them to respond within a certain time frame.
- Collect and analyze the feedback that you receive and look for patterns, trends, insights, suggestions, etc.
- Thank or reward the people who have provided you with feedback and let them know how you will use it to improve your website.
As you ask for feedback for your website,
- Be specific and clear about what you want to know and why
- Be open and receptive to any feedback that you receive, whether positive or negative
- Be respectful and courteous to the people who provide you with feedback
- Be proactive and follow up on any feedback that you receive and implement any changes or improvements that are needed
Publish and update
Publishing is the process of making your website live and accessible on the internet.
Updating is the process of making changes or improvements to your website after it is published.
Publishing and updating your website are important for several reasons:
- They allow you to launch your website and share it with the world
- They allow you to keep your website fresh and relevant
- They allow you to fix any issues or errors that may occur
- They allow you to optimize your website for SEO and performance
To publish and update your website with Webfity,
- Go to webfity.com and log in to your account.
- Click on “Publish” in the top right corner of the dashboard.
- Review your website’s settings and preview before publishing.
- Click on “Publish” again to confirm and make your website live.
- To update your website after publishing,
- Make any changes or improvements that you want to your website using Webfity’s tools and features.
- Click on “Publish” again to save and apply your changes.
As you publish and update your website with Webfity,
- Check your website’s functionality and appearance on different browsers and devices
- Test your website’s speed and performance using Webfity’s tools or other online tools
- Monitor your website’s traffic and results using Webfity’s analytics or other online tools
- Keep track of your website’s feedback and reviews from visitors or customers
Congratulations! You have successfully designed a website with Webfity. Now you can enjoy the benefits of having a professional and beautiful website that helps you achieve your goal.
If you have any questions or need any help with Webfity,
please visit webfity.com/support or contact us at webfity.com/contact.
We’re always happy to help.
Thank you for choosing Webfity as your website builder.