How To Build A Website For Your Business

So, you’ve decided to start your own business, and you know you need a way for new customers to find you online. That means you’ll need a website.

The only problem? You’re not a computer programmer, and the idea of building a website feels overwhelming. Fear not! You don’t need to know how to code to create a great website for your business.

In today’s digital age, there are plenty of no-code website builders that make it easy to get your website up and running. This guide will walk you through the process, step by step, in plain English.

Step 1: Define Your Website’s Purpose and Goals

Before jumping into design and content, take a step back and figure out what you want your website to achieve. Having a clear purpose will guide your design choices and help you create the right content.

Ask yourself:

What is the main goal of my website?
Who is my target audience?
What do I want my website to do for my business?

For example, are you looking to create an online information hub for tourists to learn about your services and book holidays? Or do you want to sell products online to complement your physical store?

Once you know your goals, it’s much easier to make smart decisions at every stage of the process.

Step 2: Choose the Right Website Platform (CMS)

A Content Management System (CMS) is the tool you’ll use to create and manage your website. You don’t need technical skills to use a CMS — it’s designed to be user-friendly.

Popular CMS options include:

WordPress (recommended for most business websites because it’s flexible, customisable, and well-supported)
Wix (easy to use, good for beginners)
Squarespace (great design templates and all-in-one hosting)
Shopify (ideal if you’re setting up an online store)

Do a little research and choose the platform that best fits your goals.

Step 3: Plan Your Website’s Layout and Structure

Good planning leads to a better website. Start by listing the pages your site will need. Most business websites include pages like:

Home
About Us
Services or Products
Contact
Blog (optional)

Once you know your pages, think about how they’ll be organised. Your website’s navigation should be clear and simple so visitors can easily find what they’re looking for.

You should also create basic wireframes — simple sketches of how each page will be laid out. Think of this like planning the layout of a newspaper or brochure.

This is also the time to work on your branding. Consider:

Colour schemes
Fonts
Consistent imagery
The overall tone of your content

Your website should feel cohesive and aligned with your brand identity.

Step 4: Register a Domain Name and Get Hosting

Your website needs two things to go live:

Domain name (e.g., www.yourbusiness.com)
Web hosting (the server space where your website lives)

Many companies offer both domain registration and hosting, which can make things easier. But you can also buy them separately if you prefer.

Choose a domain name that’s easy to remember and reflects your business name or key offering.

Step 5: Start Building Your Website

With your plan in place, you’re ready to build. Stick to the layouts you created and follow your branding guidelines to keep everything consistent.

This is also when you’ll create your website’s content. This includes:

Text for your pages (services, about us, etc.)
Images (photos of your business, products, team)
Videos (optional but helpful)

Keep your content clear, helpful, and focused on your audience’s needs.

Step 6: Optimise Your Website for SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) helps your website show up when people search for businesses like yours on Google.

Basic SEO tips include:

Using relevant keywords in your page titles and headings
Writing clear page descriptions (meta descriptions)
Making sure your site loads quickly (compress images, use caching plugins if using WordPress)
Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly (works well on phones and tablets)
Using HTTPS to make your site secure (most web hosts offer this for free)
Writing for humans first, not search engines (if it’s obvious your choices are made purely to try gaming Google search, your page will most likely go down in rankings, not up)

A well-optimised website is easier for Google to understand and rank, which can help potential customers find you.

An additional note on SEO

It’s worth noting that SEO optimisation can sometimes be a long term game plan, and there’s a tonne on in depth subject matter on SEO alone, so the advice we give you here is the absolute basic.

If you do want to read into SEO in depth, you can check out the Google SEO Starter Guide.
Alternatively we do offer SEO services for businesses if you’d prefer to leave that to the professionals.

Step 7: Launch Your Website and Monitor Performance

Once your website is ready, it’s time to launch! But that’s not the end of the journey — it’s just the beginning.

Set up Google Analytics to track how visitors use your site. You’ll be able to see which pages are most popular, how visitors found you, and whether they’re sticking around or leaving quickly.

Don’t overreact to a single day’s data. Review at least two weeks of data to spot useful trends. Then, make small improvements based on what you learn.

Great websites aren’t “set and forget.” Regularly review your site’s performance and update content to keep it fresh and relevant.