Last updated on November 10th, 2023 at 02:46 pm
Congratulations on wanting to create your own website. And by the fact that you are here, it means you aren’t just looking for just another site on the web. You are looking for a perfect website that can bring you readers and sales.
It is rare to find people like you who are constantly looking for the best ways to build a website.
And in this article, I want to reveal a checklist you will use to create your own website.
Table of Contents
Why checklists (create your own website)?
Well, first I love checklists.
They make complex situations manageable by breaking the huge tasks into small pieces you can easily complete.
The thing is:
Checklists have this way of nicely laying out everything you need. Think of it as a roadmap. Without a roadmap, your chances of getting to your destination are slim.
I know how it feels when creating your own website, especially if you have never done this before. You feel completely lost and have no idea where to start.
This ends today.
One more thing:
When creating a website, there are some things you think you need and then there are things you actually need.
Here, I will reveal what you actually need and what you don’t need. Such that, you’d spend less time spinning your wheels because that never gets you anywhere.
Checklist – what you need to create your own website in 2020
Let me make this clear right off the bat.
If you are looking to create a website where you don’t accept any form of online payments, don’t need any sort of online booking, or a membership site, then this checklist is for you.
#1 – Get a domain name
A domain name is the address people will be using to access your website. As such, it is often the first thing you need to create your own website.
Because without it, you don’t have a website.
How do you get a domain name in South Africa?
Well, there are two ways you can get a domain name
One, purchasing it. And no, it doesn’t cost thousands of rand. See the prices of domain names here.
Two, get a free domain name when you order a web hosting package. That’s right, every hosting plan on Truehost.africa gets free .co.za domain name.
Also, you will need to pick the best website name, use this article to guide you on how to do that exactly.
For example;
This website about motivational quotes has a name like bookdirection.com.
#2 – acquire web hosting
Web hosting like a home to your website. It is where your website files will be stored.
Web hosting comprises servers, special computers tasked with storing website data and making retrieval easy for anyone requesting it using your domain name.
And that is why a domain name is vital: it links your website with the hosting servers.
Now, running a server is a tedious job that needs a lot of resources and manpower. Luckily, you don’t have to do it from your home. There are web hosting providers in South Africa that can do that on your behalf and at a small fee.
All you have to do is choose a web hosting package that suits your needs.
With that in mind, here is an article showing you some of the cheapest web hosting packages in South Africa.
#3 – get a business email address
If you are serious about building a sustainable online business, you will need a professional email address.
Tell me something:
Which of the following emails would you reply really fast?
“[email protected]” or
The first one looks like it belongs to a spammer out here to disturb your peace. I know that sounds judgemental, but that is how people think. I sure do too.
If you want to create your own website, earn trust, and build credibility, start with a business email address.
How?
Simple.
Either get a G Suite in South Africa or use your own domain name.
#4 – decide on website building software
You will need software to create your own website.
Lucky for you, there are several popular web builders you can choose from:
- WordPress
- Wix
- Weebly
Also, if you don’t want to hire a web developer, we have a free website builder in South Africa.
It will help you create a professional site even if you don’t know how to code.
#5 – choose a website template
A website template is a ready-made website design you can easily use to create your own website in South Africa.
If you are using our site builder, you will have access to hundreds of premade-website templates.
This way, you save thousands of rand you would have otherwise spent on hiring a web developer.
Here is a guide on how to use a website builder.
#6 – get high-quality images
There is a magic way to build a beautiful website without a designer, can you guess?
It is using unique and high-quality images.
That’s right.
High-quality images will make your new website look 100X better.
And if you are not a professional photographer like, you will need an alternative option to source the images.
Here are some places you can check:
- Pexels
- Unsplash
- 500px
- GettyImages.com
- Pixabay
#7 – Get Google Analytics account
To be able to grow your website to thousands of visitors, you first need to understand how they interact with your website.
You need to know things:
- Number of visitors
- Top pages and posts
- How long the readers stay on your site
These and other data come from Google Analytics.
With such data on your hands, you can easily plan and adjust when need be.
For example:
If you find that a certain post on your website receives a lot of attention, you can replicate the post to come up with more like it.
What to do next
Here is what you should do now:
Get a web hosting package (comes with free domain name) and start building your website now.
