I know that a bespoke website is an investment and that for businesses in the early stages, it’s not always possible to make that investment, even if it’s something you want further down the line.
So in the meantime you you might consider building it yourself and using a template. With the right preparation, the right tools and a clear strategy it is possible to launch your own website. It might not be the same as working with an experienced designer but a well-executed DIY website is a thousand times better than no website at all.
This guide walks you through what you need to know before you start.
Start with strategy, not design
The biggest mistake people make when building their own website is opening a design tool before they’ve done any strategy work.
Before you touch a single template or choose a colour palette, you need to be clear on one thing: who is this website for? (and the answer isn’t you, it’s your target audience).
So who is your ideal client? What do they care about? What are they looking for when they search for someone like you? What will make them choose you over another business?
When you know the answer it makes every decision easier to make. You can then write your copy to speak directly to the right person, your layout guides them towards the right action and your services will be presented in a way that makes sense to them, not just to you.
If you skip this step then you’re likely to build a website that feels busy, confusing or generic. And a website that tries to speak to everyone usually ends up speaking to no one.
Prepare everything before you start to build
This is the step that most people skip, and it’s the reason so many DIY websites take months to finish. Before you open any design tool, make sure you have the following ready:
Your branding: Your logo, fonts, colours, photos. If your branding isn’t in a good place then sort this before you start on your website. Your website will only ever be as strong as the brand behind it.
Your copy. (the words on your website) This is the part that most people underestimate. Good copy takes time and it needs to speak to your target audience, explain what you do clearly, and give people a reason to get in touch. Write it before you design! Your design can then be created to fit your copy. And if you’re not sure where to start then take a look at my guide to writing your own copy.
Your photography. Professional photography is one of the highest-impact investments you can make in your business. Not only will be it make a huge difference to your website but you can also use it for your social media, any PR, newsletters, blogs and more!
Your research. Look at websites you admire and think about how you want yours to feel. The more informed you are going in, the better your decisions will be.
Keep it simple
One of the most common mistakes on DIY websites is trying to say too much. More is not more when it comes to web design.
You don’t need to include everything you know. Visitors decide very quickly whether a website is for them but if they’re overwhelmed by information, they are likely to leave your website.
A website that performs well is clear, focused and easy to follow. Every page should have one job. The best websites often say less than you’d expect.
Ask yourself: does this section help my ideal client make a decision? If the answer is no, cut it.
Make your layout clear and logical
Your visitors should never have to think about where to go next. The structure of your website should feel obvious, intuitive and easy to follow from the moment someone lands on it.
A clear layout means a simple navigation with no more than five or six menu items. It means a homepage that immediately communicates what you do and who you do it for. It means a clear call to action on every page so people always know what their next step is.
Think about the natural journey a potential client takes. They land on your homepage, they want to understand what you offer, they want to know if they can trust you, and they want to know how to get in touch. Your layout should walk them through that journey without friction.
Give every service its own page
This is one of the most important things you can do for both your users and your SEO.
If you offer multiple services, each one deserves its own dedicated page. This matters for two reasons. First, it gives potential clients the space to fully understand each service before making a decision. A page dedicated to one service can go into detail about what’s included, who it’s for, what the process looks like and what the investment is. If you try to put all of this information for every service on the same page then you will end up with a page that is too long. Remember that the majority of people view websites on mobile so a long page means people just keep scrolling and then get bored or can’t easily find what they are looking for.
Second, individual service pages are far more powerful for SEO. Google can’t rank a single page for ten different search terms. But ten separate pages, each targeting a specific service, give you ten separate opportunities to appear in search results.
Ready to launch your own professional website?
If you’re a small business owner ready to get online without the custom design budget, my collection of professionally designed DIY Showit website templates is built for exactly that.
Each template is strategically designed, fully customisable and comes with step-by-step video guides to walk you through every part of the process. Whether you’re a beauty therapist, a wedding professional, a photographer or a creative service business, there’s a design built with your business in mind.
