You’ll be familiar with the local restaurant website that doesn’t include their address or phone number on their website, or the basement salon with endless stock photos of airy treatment rooms and no price list. There’s also the plumber’s site that only works on desktop (not much use when you are holding a bucket under a leak with one hand while frantically scrolling through your phone on the other) and the local shop that’s so concerned with telling you their origin story that they forget to mention what products they sell.
However, when you are getting a business, side hustle or non-profit group set up, there’s often no choice but to take the DIY option. The secret is that often what makes a website terrible isn’t the design; it’s the lack of usability. I can’t visit your restaurant if you don’t tell me the address, no matter how delicious your menu is. So spending time figuring out how to make your website work well for users will give you much more wiggle room for some slightly dodgy design choices.
Building your own website might sound daunting, but with a bit of planning, it’s doable, even without a background in design or coding. Whether you’re setting up a personal portfolio, local business site, or online store, the steps below will help you get it right from the start.
Step Away from the Computer
Before you touch a website builder or write any content, think about your wider business goals. What do you want your website to achieve?
- More sales?
- More leads?
- Better brand awareness?
This also applies for non-profit or community websites. A website should never have a goal of “people visiting the website”. Do you want people to donate to a fundraising appeal, sign your petition, or volunteer with you?
A good website should support your wider objectives, not just look pretty. Having a clear goal in mind that links to something in the real world will make sure you build a site that actually works for you.
Know Your Customers
Who are your target audience and what do they want? Consider:
- Their age range
- How tech-savvy they are
- Whether they browse mostly on mobile or desktop
- What state of mind they might be in when they visit you
If you are offering something that people might want in an “emergency”, or when they are feeling stressed or upset, you’ll need to make your design really easy to use. For example, someone who has just knocked a tooth out and needs to see a dentist ASAP doesn’t want to scroll through 4 pages to find out whether you do out-of-hours appointments, so they’ll appreciate a big “Click Here for Urgent Advice” banner at the top of the page.
Also, check out your direct competitors. What features do their websites offer? Sure, you could add a fancy “virtual hairstyle studio” to make you stand out from the other local salons but realistically, your customers probably just want to know your prices and how to book an appointment, so focus on that.
Plan Your Pages
Next, get your pens and pencils out, a big stack of paper, and ideally some sticky notes. Sketch out a basic site structure. Think about the essential pages and what needs to go on each one.
Almost every website needs:
- Home
- About
- Contact
Other pages might include:
- Services or Products
- FAQs
- Booking or Appointments
- Testimonials or Reviews
Write bullet points for what each page should include. Don’t overthink this. You can always add more later.
Once you’ve determined which pages you need, sketch them out on paper. Think about:
- What images you’ll need (portraits, products, behind the scenes, etc.)
- How much text is needed
- What kind of layout makes sense (grid, columns, one-page scroll?)
- What colours and fonts match your brand
Also decide what kind of vibe you’re going for — fun and friendly, calm and elegant, bold and edgy, or something else?
Think Like A Customer
We’ve done art, so now it’s time for some drama. Try and imagine what your customers are thinking, maybe even go full method if you have to. Now you’re in that mindset, what will people type into Google to find you?
Use plain, clear language – it’ll allow people to visit your website with ease.
For example, instead of “peripatetic coiffurist specialising in bespoke chromatic trichological maintenance,” go with “mobile hair stylist and colourist.” People might be impressed by your command of the English language, but you won’t book many appointments that way.
Brainstorm 10–20 obvious search terms or phrases your customers might use. This will guide the language you use on your site and help people actually find it. If you are offering a very specific product or service that has associated jargon, you can use this, but only if your customers would. As a web developer, I often talk about PHP, CSS or HTML5 with other web developers, but realistically, none of my clients are searching those terms. If you have any doubts, try searching for that word. Do you find your competitors’ sites, or do you find scientific journals and obscure message boards? Ditch anything that is unlikely to be used by a customer, even if you use that phrase to describe your own products or services.
Create Your Content
Now turn your bullet points, search terms and ideas into real content.
- Write a clear, high-level intro for each page. Try to sum up the content of that page in 2-3 sentences.
- Follow up with detailed information further down the page. This is where you can get into the nitty gritty.
- Include calls to action like “Book Now,” “Call Us,” or “Get a Quote”. Keep your original goal in mind.
- Take high-quality photos that show off your business.
- If you aren’t confident writing or taking photos, consider hiring a copywriter or photographer to help you.
Good content is more important than fancy design. Say what people need to hear and show them what they need to see.
Build The Site
Ok, now you can finally get on the computer, as it’s time to actually build your site. It might seem like a lot of work to get here, but because you’ve done the prep, this part will be much easier.
Even if the design isn’t perfect, if the content is good and people can easily do what they need (like book an appointment or contact you), your site will work. Don’t stress about being flashy, just be clear and helpful. When I’m designing a site for a client, I’ll consider every pixel and spend a long time adjusting the layout to be perfect. However, if I go on to a small business’ website as a customer, it has to be pretty awful before I’ll even notice. I’m not going to be hugely bothered that some of the images are slightly misaligned on mobile, as I’m too busy reading your menu or finding out when you are open next.
Choosing the Right Platform
Choosing the right platform for your site is the quickest way to get the basic infrastructure and functionality in place. Here are some quick tips for choosing the platform that suits you:
- eCommerce store: Go with Shopify, it’s powerful, simple, and made for selling.
- Informational or service-based site: Try WordPress for flexibility or Squarespace for ease of use and sleek design.
Final Thoughts
DIY-ing your own website might seem like a lot of effort, but the work you do upfront thinking about goals, customers, and content is what will make your site much more effective than most homemade efforts. Unless you have a natural flair for design, don’t worry too much about trying to make it look fancy, just focus on using clear and simple language to guide your visitors towards the specific action you identified at the start. Make it easy for users to find what they need, and you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve.
However, if you’ve read this whole post and are feeling overwhelmed instead of fired up, don’t worry. We can guide you through the planning process, research keywords and set up the site for you. We can even help with writing content and finding images, so you can focus on what you do best. Book a free call or send us a message to find out how we can help you get your business online.
