Six easy steps to create a professional website

Creating a professional-looking website on your own can seem daunting, but it is achievable with the right tools and knowledge. A professional-looking website can help to establish your brand and increase your online presence. In this post, we will go through the steps you need to take to create a professional-looking website on your own.

Step 1: Choose a Platform

The first step to creating a professional-looking website is to choose a platform. Several options are available, such as WordPress, Drupal, our DIY SiteBuilder, Wix, and Squarespace. Each platform has its own pros and cons, so it's essential to choose one that best suits your needs. WordPress is the most popular platform, and it's free to use. It's also highly customizable, which makes it an excellent choice for those who want to create a unique website. The DIY Sitebuilder we offer (as well as Wix and Squarespace, for that matter) are also great options; they are user-friendly and provide a wide range of templates that make it easy to create a professional-looking website.

Step 2: Choose a Domain Name and Hosting

Once you've chosen a platform, the next step is to choose a domain name and hosting. A domain name is the address of your website, and it's what people will type into their browser to access your site. Hosting is where your website will be stored so that it's accessible to the public. There are many companies that offer domain name registration and hosting services, so it's important to choose one that is reputable and offers good customer service. We would, of course, recommend you take a look at our shared hosting offers at https://infinyhost.com/wordpress-hosting and https://infinyhost.com/shared-hosting.

Step 3: Choose a Template

The next step is to choose a template. A template is a pre-designed website layout that you can use as a starting point for your own website. Most platforms offer a wide range of templates to choose from, so it's essential to choose one that best suits your needs. Make sure to choose a visually appealing template, easy to navigate, and responsive, which means it will look good on any device: mobile, desktop, or tablet.

Step 4: Customize Your Website

Once you've chosen a template, the next step is to customize your website. This is where you can add your own content, such as text, images, and videos. It's important to keep your content organized and easy to read, as well as optimized for search engines. This means using keywords in your content, as well as adding meta descriptions and alt tags to your images.

Step 5: Add Functionality

The next step is to add functionality to your website. This includes adding contact forms, social media buttons, and other features that will help to make your website more interactive. There are many plugins and add-ons available that you can use to add functionality to your website.

Step 6: Test and Launch

The final step is to test and launch your website. This means testing all of the links, forms, and other functionality to make sure that everything is working correctly. Once you're satisfied that your website is working as it should, you can launch it and make it live for the world to see.

Conclusion:

Creating a professional-looking website on your own may seem daunting, but with the right tools and knowledge, it is definitely achievable. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can create a website that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engines. Remember to choose a platform that best suits your needs, choose a domain name and hosting, choose a template, customize your website, add functionality, test, and launch. 

With a little patience and effort, you can create a website that will help to establish your brand and increase your online presence.