Getting a website online can be a daunting task. But with the right steps, it’s easier than you think. You don’t need to be an expert in web design Be with several years of experience to create a great looking website. It also doesn’t have to cost a fortune!
I’ve been creating websites for over ten years and evaluating web hosts and website builders for almost as long.
There are two options to create a website. The first option is to use a website builder. This is a platform that makes it easier for any person to build a website, even if they have no experience or technical background.
The second option is to use WordPress. It can be a bit more work, but it’s still relatively easy if you’re technically inclined. In this case you get higher flexibility.
In this guide I will look at both options. So read on and find out what the right choice is for you.
Option 1: Use a website builder
With a website builder kit, it is very easy to create a website. These online tools don’t require any programming or technical skills and they are primarily aimed at beginners. Web developers use them but not rarely!
With a website builder you can create a website that looks great in a few hours or in rare cases even minutes. Most website builders are quite cheap and sometimes offer interfaces in German. Many provide free packages or trial versions. So you don’t have to provide credit card details to get started with it.
Website building kits offer pre-built templates or templates. They set the style, layout and color scheme of your website. You only need to choose a template and then you can add your own content or images.
Different building kits offer different methods to create and modify the website. I prefer drag and drop editors because you have more control over the layout. You can position the elements where you want them to be. You can also add new elements and just drag and drop them where you want them to go.
Some building kits provide various apps that you can use. It’s an easy option to add more features to your website. You can offer a newsletter, a booking system, a live chat or whatever you want to have. Usually this does not cost anything extra.
There are many website building kits on the market and some are of course much better than others. My personal favorite is Wix, because there are several hundred templates and you get a lot of flexibility. There are also many free (and paid) apps available. Read our guide about Best website builders through to see more great options.
Using a website builder: Step-by-step guide
1. Decide what kind of website you want to create
With a website builder you can create all kinds of websites. There are almost no limits to your creativity. Maybe you want to create a personal website, blog, online portfolio or resume. You can create a website for your business or an online store and sell your products and services.
Of course, your website doesn’t have to have a single purpose either. For example, you can create a website for your business that also has a portfolio of your work and offers an online store. With the right website builder you have endless possibilities.
2. Choose the right website builder that meets your needs
Some website building kits are specialized in certain aspects of website design. That’s why you need to get to know the kit and make sure that it meets all your requirements. For example, with most building kits you can use an online store like Shopify, specifically designed for e-commerce, on your website. On the other hand, the general purpose features such as blogging are relatively limited.
The most flexible website builder is Wix, because anything is possible with it! There are excellent e-commerce features, lots of apps, and the drag-and-drop editor gives complete control over the look of the site. It is our top recommendation. I will use this provider in this tutorial to demonstrate how to build a website step by step. With most other website building kits it works similarly.
One of the best features of Wix is that it’s available in German. you can easily create your website because the complete interface is available in German.
Our recommendations for a website builder
If you are not sure which kit to choose? Here are a few recommendations for different purposes.
- If you are creating a website for small and medium sized businesses, then Wix is my first recommendation,because it is very flexible and offers many functions. There is a very good free package that will allow you to create a fully functional website (even if there are some limitations).
- If you are looking for the easiest option to create a website quickly, then SITE123 is very beginner friendly.
- If you are a creative person, i.e. a photographer, designer or writer, then Squarespace the top choice. There are high-quality templates that you can use to demonstrate your work.
- If you don’t have any technical experience and want a little bit of everything, then Weebly a solid and universal solutionwith great e-commerce features. It is suitable for both a blog and an online store.
- Do you want to bring your online store to a higher level?, You can’t go wrong with Shopify.This user-friendly platform offers several hundred apps and lots of tools to increase your sales.
3. Choose a package
Most website builders offer a free package or at least a free trial version. If you are just starting with your website or have a small budget, then the free package is the best solution. Free packages give you the chance to try a website builder without having to invest first. If you decide against it, you will not lose money in any case.
The disadvantage of free packages is that they have many limitations. If you use your website for business purposes, then you really need an individual domain name (yourcompany.en) that customers can easily remember. But with free packages you can only use one subdomain (for example, username.wixsite.com/yourcompany). With a free package, advertising for the respective construction kit will also be displayed on your website. This can look unprofessional.
Free packages usually also limit the amount of traffic you have available to you. Maybe you can’t install apps or don’t have access to the e-commerce features. If you are serious about your website, then you have to take a paid package.
When choosing your package, it is very helpful if you are clear about what kind of website you want to build. Then you can choose the package based on your requirements and budget. For example:
- If you want to sell online, then use a special package for e-commerce (or at least a package that supports e-commerce). Wix offers general packages and some for businesses / e-commerce. But you can accept payments if you choose a business / e-commerce package.
- If you want to have a lot of videos on your website, then you need a package with a lot of storage and bandwidth.
It’s a good idea to take the cheapest package, but one that offers all the features you need at the moment. you can always opt for a more expensive package later on.
4. Get started: select a template or a template
Choosing a template is the first step in creating a website. All website builders use templates (some call them themes, but they mean the same thing) to design your website. Templates are designed by professionals to look good on all kinds of devices. This will get your website online in a relatively short time.
The template sets the style and general layout of your website (but you can customize it later). You are provided with a framework that allows you to add your own content.
Most website builders offer archives of templates, which you can even browse before registering. The templates are managed in categories. You can see this in the screenshot of the template gallery of Wix. You may choose a suitable template, but in the categories you will find templates designed specifically for certain types of websites. include photography, business, music and portfolios.
5. Customize your template
You do not need Making adjustments after you have chosen a website template. However, you can customize a website and make it your own. This sets them apart from others that use the same template. Maybe you want to Change the colors and fonts of your template to match your corporate branding.
Customization is really easy to do. Different website builders offer slightly different editors (and therefore the process for making changes varies a bit). I demonstrate here how this works with Wix. But it is similar with other website building kits.
Change fonts
You change the fonts on your website at Wix by simply clicking on the desired text and then on the button Edit text click. You can edit each text field separately or use the option Save Theme Apply the changes to the whole website.
With Wix, you have the option to use different fonts for different types of text. For example, you can choose a font for Heading 5 and another one for heading 6 use. These are the subheadings in my template below. You can also define different fonts for different paragraph types if you want to.
Some website builders allow you to change the fonts on the whole website and not only for single subheadings. However, I generally advise to use a consistent style throughout the website.
Change colors
With Wix, you can change the colors of your fonts very easily through the settings. This is as easy as changing the colors or other elements. In the image below you can see how easy it is to change the background color with the color picker.
Wix predefines color palettes that harmonize with each other. You can also change the color palette by selecting the "Change colors on the website" option. You are also allowed to choose your own colors to match your brand.
Move elements around the pages
With drag-and-drop editors like Wix provides, it’s easy to move elements from one place to another. Of course, this also applies to other drag-and-drop editors. With various editors you can also find buttons to move sections up and down on the website.
A great feature on Wix is the zoom and reorient function. This will allow you to view the entire site and place areas as desired on the site. The following screenshot shows how easy you can move content with this tool.
6. Add your own content
Adding your own content is easy. You just need to replace the "placeholders" for text and images in the website template with your own content. It’s easy by all means, but if you have a lot of content, it might take a while!
If you don’t have your own images, most website builders offer a kind of image archive that you can access. You will be able to use free images on your website immediately.
How to add text
With just a few clicks you can add text areas to your web pages. With Wix you use Add in the toolbar on the left and then Text from the dropdown menu.
If you want to configure your text areas all at once, then go back and add your content. You can use the free Lorem Ipsum Generator use it to create a placeholder until your own text is ready.
How to add an image
Equivalent to adding text, adding images is relatively easy as well. With Wix you open the menu item Add and then select Image (directly under Text). After that you can choose an image source. You may upload your own images, use free images and illustrations from Wix or search the Unsplash database for images. You can also add stock images from Shutterstock (for a fee). After that you place the image in the desired position.
With the tool Add image you can also add a logo to your website. Throughout this article, I have a few more pieces of advice for logos.
If you use the free images from Wix or Unsplash, then they may already be optimized. This means that they have been compressed and are now smaller. Your website will not be slowed down. If you use your own images, you might want to reduce the size before uploading them. With a free tool like Image Compressor this is done quickly.
How to add a page to the website
The templates of website construction kits contain various prefabricated pages such as Home, About us and Contact. If you want to add more pages, such as a Services-page, you click on the button Site Menu in the top left corner of the toolbar and then click Add page at the end of the dropdown menu.
If you add a new page to your website, it will automatically appear in the navigation menu.
7. Add Apps
Not all website builders offer apps, but at Wix there are several hundred from which you can choose. Many of these are free and even the paid apps usually offer a free version. With the apps you can add additional features to a website relatively easy and it only takes a few minutes. For example, features like online bookings, live chat, newsletters, social media integration and so on are conceivable.
Adding an app to your website on Wix is very easy. Just click on the button in the toolbar App Market (directly under Add) and the app market of Wix will open in a new window. You can search for a specific app here, browse the categories and find new ideas. You may also let Wix give you suggestions for your website type.
If you have found the app you want, just click on the button + Add and confirm in the next screen that you want to use the app on your website.
Once the app is installed, it will be available on your website immediately. In this example I used the app Contact Collection added, with which e-mail subscriptions are possible. In less than 30 seconds I had a registration form for a newsletter on my site!
8. Choose a domain name
Before you publish your website, you need to choose a domain name. If you use a free package, you don’t have much choice at this point because you have to use a subdomain (for example yourusername.wixsites.com/yourwebsitename). If you sign up for an annual subscription, most building kits offer a free domain name, at least for the first year.
You can register your domain name directly in the website builder and it will be automatically configured for you. This means you just have to take the best domain name for your website. When choosing a domain name, you need to take into account many considerations. Therefore, you should not rush at this point! One of the biggest problems is certainly whether the domain name you want is available at all.
We have put together a useful guide on how to choose your domain name. There you will find many tips and tricks – definitely take a look at it!
9. Preview and publication of the website
Once you have added all the content and chosen a domain name, you need to put your website online. With most website builders, you just need to click a button (or two) at this point.
Before you build your website Publish, you should consider the option of Preview use. Make sure everything looks the way you want it to. Of course you can make changes anytime if you want to. Previewing allows you to see your website the same way your visitors do. The editor is not distracting.
With most construction kits you can also view the mobile version of your website. This way you make sure it looks good on any device.
Once you click Publish your website is live and you can promote it!
Website Builder Comparison Table
| Website Builder | Free package | drag&&drop Drop | Apps / Integrations | Templates / Templates | Initial price | |
| Wix | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 900+ | $ 0 | Read test>> |
| SITE123 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | 180+ | $ 0 | Read test>> |
| Squarespace | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | 60+ | $ 12.00 | Read test>> |
| Jimdo | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | 100+ | $ 0 | Read test>> |
| GoDaddy |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 100+ | $ 6.99 | Read test>> |
| Zyro | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | 100+ | $ 2.90 | Test read>> |
| Square Online |
✔ | ✘ | ✔ | 1 | $ 0 | Read test>> |
| Shopify | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | 70+ | $ 29.00 | Read test>> |
| BigCommerce | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | 140+ | $ 29.95 | Read test>> |
Website Builder FAQ
Which website builder is the most user-friendly one? There are several website builders that are user-friendly. This includes Weebly and SITE123. However Wix my first choice as the most user-friendly website builder, because it is not only user-friendly, but also offers more features than all the others. Will my website show up on Google and other search engines? Yes, your website will appear in search engines. All website builders provide features so that the so-called ranking in the search engine is better. With this the website should be found better. In some cases you can only add your own meta titles and descriptions. But this way search engines and visitors know what your website is about. Other website builders offer more advanced SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools. Wix provides you with SEO Wiz for example. This is a collection of tools that gives personalized SEO recommendations and provides step-by-step instructions on how to get your website more noticed. Will my website look good on mobile devices? The simple answer to this question is "Yes". Most mobile website builders either provide templates that are responsive for mobile devices. This means that the website will automatically adapt to the screen size of mobile devices. Perhaps they also offer an editor specifically for mobile viewing. If you want to check if your website is responsive for mobile devices, you can do that for free Responsive Checker Tool Use. Do I need a dedicated e-commerce construction kit? It really depends on how many products you want to sell. Primarily wants to blog or write posts and still sell some products, then a regular website builder with e-commerce features is the better option. This is because e-commerce kits are primarily focused on sales, and blogging tools tend to be not so good. Wix offers the best of both worlds. There are great tools to create content and strong options for e-commerce. However, if you want to sell a lot of products through your own online store, then I would definitely advise you to go with a dedicated e-commerce kit such as Shopify Advise. E-commerce kits offer more powerful management tools. With some you can even sell via Instagram and Facebook. Can I hire someone to design my website? Of course, this is definitely possible! If you don’t have time to build your own website and would rather hire a professional to do it for you, you can use hire a web designer at Fiverr for as little as $5. This is the best marketplace to find cheap freelancers.
Option 2: Use WordPress
Website building kits are by far the easiest option to get a website online. But they may be a little more expensive than WordPress with a web hosting package. If you’re looking for a cheap option and don’t mind a slightly more technical design process, WordPress is a great option. This will definitely give you a lot of flexibility.
You need to know that there are two versions of WordPress: WordPress.com is a simplified version and a self-hosted WordPress. In this section, I talk about the self-hosted WordPress.
WordPress isn’t as user-friendly as a website builder, but it’s still easy enough to get started with. There are a great many free templates or templates as well as a great many plugins available. So the possibilities are almost endless to individualize your website. You don’t need to know how to write code and you don’t need a lot of experience to create a great website with WordPress.
By the way, the backend of WordPress is available in German. This means you can create your website very easily.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Choose a hosting package
WordPress in itself is 100% free. But if you want to get your website online, you need a webhosting package (unlike website builders where hosting is included in the plan). For advice from the experts, check out our short list of who is best web hosts.
There are very many web hosting options on the market. Below you will find some that are rated as good by our experts.
Our top recommendations in terms of web hosting for WordPress websites
- InterServer– There are cheap monthly subscriptions and a price guarantee. That’s why InterServer is a great solution if you are building a business. Because the servers are located in the USA, it is an attractive option for people whose target audience.
- Hosting– This is one of the cheapest hosting providers on the market. Hostinger is ideal if you have a small budget. Loading speeds are excellent (we’ve tested this extensively). Also, there is a convenient 1-click install for WordPress at shared hosting package. If you use managed WordPress hosting, you will benefit from enhanced security and servers that are optimized for WordPress.
- A2 Hosting– There is shared hosting or managed WordPress hosting. A2 Hosting is a "green" hosting company that works to reduce its carbon footprint. There are excellent speeds and in terms of security, the company is also recommended. It offers its own development HackScan to detect threats early and remove them. It is included for free.
- SiteGround– SiteGround is a cheap hosting solution for your WordPress website with some special features for WordPress. These are, for example, plugins that speed up the loading times of the pages. SiteGround also offers excellent security.
- WP Engine– Because it only offers WordPress hosting, WP Engine is run by WordPress experts. Performance is excellent, SSL is automated and there are great features such as staging environments. You can therefore make changes to your website without them having any live effect.
If you are looking for the best host for your WordPress website, you should pay special attention to some features:
- SSL certificate. An SSL certificate makes your website secure. This will give you a small lock in the address bar of the web browser. With most web hosting companies one is included for free. Once the site is online, you can use the SSL Checker tool to check that the SSL certificate is working appropriately on your site.
- WordPress optimization. The best web hosts for WordPress offer servers that are optimized specifically for WordPress to improve performance. For this reason your web pages will load faster.
- Security features. Some web hosts charge extra money for important security features. So you should find ones that include important features such as malware protection, firewalls and automatic backups.
2. Choose a domain name
The process for choosing a domain is actually equivalent to that of a website builder. Some web hosts offer free domain names with annual subscriptions. But this is not the case with all of them. If you decide to go with a hoster that doesn’t offer a free domain name, one from a third-party provider might be cheaper. Inquire about it and see where you can get the domain name for the cheapest price. At some domain marketplaces you can get a domain name for as little as $1.
3. Install WordPress with 1-click install wizard
Some hosting packages offer pre-installed WordPress. If this is not the case with your subscription, it is not a reason to worry. You can use your hoster’s 1-click installation wizard in this case.
Technically, these tools are not just a click away. But with just a few clicks, you have all the scripts and databases configured to make WordPress work on your site. In the end, you only need to provide a username and password to log in to WordPress once the installation is complete.
Different hosts may have different 1-click installation wizards. The bottom line, however, is that they are all the same and very user-friendly beyond that.
4. Access WordPress through the hosting dashboard
Exactly how you access WordPress will depend on your web host. In most cases but in the hosting dashboard you’ll find a section for managing the WordPress website.
I demonstrate this with SiteGround. In the screenshot below, you can see that there is a button that allows me to automatically log in to the dashboard of my WordPress website. With other web hosts you may need to provide username and password of your WordPress instance.
If you start WordPress for the first time, the dashboard might be overwhelming. But the navigation is really simple. Below you will find a screen shot with all the important elements marked accordingly.
WordPress uses some expressions that are different from website builders. To make things easier for you, here’s a quick overview of the different sections in the WordPress dashboard:
| WordPress element | What it does | Equivalent with a website builder |
| Posts | View, edit and add posts to your website (see below for more information about posts and pages). | Blog |
| Media | Viewing images, editing and uploading new ones. This also applies to other media (such as videos). | Gallery |
| Pages | View pages, edit them, and add new ones to the site. | Pages |
| Theme installation | View existing themes, search for free themes in the WordPress archive and add themes from third parties. | Templates |
| Customizer | Change the colors, fonts, layouts and so on of your website (it depends on the theme). There is a live preview of how the changes will affect you. | Design |
| Theme settings | Not all themes have this section, but the premium themes usually offer more settings that are not available in the Customizer view. | Not available |
| Plugins | View existing plugin and enable or disable them. Search for and install plugins in the WordPress archive. Upload third party plugins. | Apps |
| Settings | Set basic settings like titles and subtitles. This also applies to the time zone and permalinks (the URL structure of pages and posts). | Settings |
5. Choose a theme
Themes at WordPress are very similar to the templates at the website construction kits. The biggest difference between themes and templates is that themes on WordPress control more than just the general layout or style. Themes can include plugins (or "necessary plugins") to enable additional features such as portfolio pages.
The WordPress theme installed by default is relatively simple. That’s why you might want to install another one. With the WordPress Theme Installer, this is a very simple endeavor. You can search the WordPress theme archive and install several thousand free themes very quickly. Installation of multiple themes is possible. The Customizer lets you see how your site looks before you activate it.
Apart from the free themes available in the WordPress archive, you can buy premium themes from third parties. For this there are special marketplaces like TemplateMonster and ThemeForest.
6. Add plugins
Plugins are very similar to website builder apps – they extend your website with additional features that are not included in WordPress itself. For example, you can install a plugin to create a contact form (one option is NinjaForms) or create an online store with WooCommerce. There are plugins for all sorts of things – from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to creating an online portfolio.
There is a search box so you can find the plugins you want faster. You can also see there if it is compatible with your WordPress version or not, what features it offers and what users think about it.
For the installation of a plugin is only one click necessary. However, they only work if you have also "activated" them via the corresponding button.
7. Write the first post
One of the most common questions I get asked about WordPress is the difference between pages and posts. Essentially, pages are static content. This is content on your website that doesn’t change or doesn’t change very often. This means for example an "about us" page. Posts are more dynamic. They appear on the "blog" or the "category" page of your website. The main difference between pages and posts is how WordPress displays them on your website.
The editor for posts and pages is identical. Therefore, the process is the same, how to create pages and posts. Check out the screen shot below. Clicking on "Posts" in the dashboard brings up a list of existing posts (some themes also install "demo" content) and a Create button at the top.
Click on the button Create, you will get to the editor. The default editor of WordPress was very simple until now. But the one with WordPress 5.0 introduced Gutenberg version provides much more features. It uses "blocks" to create posts and pages. In addition, there are layouts (columns), sections and containers. With free plugins you can add even more blocks to the Gutenberg editor.
The block types that are available in the standard Gutenberg editor:
- Paragraph
- Headline
- Quote
- Image
- List
- Post image
- Gallery
- Slideshow
- Table
- Buttons
You select a block by clicking on the "+" icon on the side of each paragraph. Or you can type "/" on a blank space labeled "write or / type to select a block".
8. Publish your website
Unlike some website builders (such as Wix) WordPress does not have a special Publish-button for the entire website. Once you create a website with WordPress, it is live on the internet. However, there are three different places where you can go in WordPress Publish-Find buttons.
- In the customizer, you’ll find a button at the top that allows you to save the changes and put them online.
- In the top right corner of each new post you create. As long as you do not Publish your post is only a draft and therefore not visible. If you make changes later, you have to click Update to make your changes visible online.
- In the top right corner of each new page you create. Just like posts, content is just a draft until you publish it. If you edit the corresponding page, you have to click Refresh first, or your customizations will not be saved.
Consider spending $5 on a web developer – save time and frustration
Do you have little time or do not want to bother with problems that can occur when creating a website with WordPress, then hire a professional to build (and maybe maintain) the site for you. This may be the better option.
Hiring a developer sounds expensive at first, but thanks to Fiverr, you really don’t have to spend a fortune at this point. I just did a quick search on Fiverr for creating a website with WordPress, and found lots of professional website designers who will create your website for only $5!
One of the best features on Fiverr is that you can view sample work from a designer. So you get a feeling whether the person is suitable for designing your website. Furthermore Fiverr protects you comprehensively. Freelancers get paid only when you are satisfied with the work.
WordPress FAQ
Is WordPress free of charge? Basically yes. The platform itself is 100% free, but you have to pay for hosting and a domain name (click here to get a list with the best web hosts). If you want a premium theme or a third-party plugin, you have to pay for it as well. Can I create a website myself with WordPress? Yes, you can create a website with WordPress without having to hire a developer. However, if building a website is new territory for you, you may find Wix easier, faster and more user-friendly. WordPress is more complex and you can do more wrong if you change your site settings or install plugins that conflict with each other. Hiring developers for your WordPress website is cheaper than it sounds! You you will surely find developers on Fiverr that fit your budget. What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org? The main difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is the type of hosting. At WordPress.com, you don’t have to pay extra for hosting. But if you want to use plugins or upload themes from third parties (marketplaces), you have to use the most expensive packages (business or e-commerce). WordPress.org you host yourself, so you pay for the hosting separately. With this version you have complete control and all freedom. The bottom line is that it can be cheaper than WordPress.be com. Which is better, Wix or WordPress? There are advantages and disadvantages with both Wix and WordPress. Wix is more beginner friendly, but it can be more expensive than buying a hosting package and building your website with WordPress. WordPress offers more flexibility and the possibilities are almost limitless. With the help of plugins you can add all kinds of features to your website. But it is not that easy to learn the system. Furthermore, more can go wrong. For example, incompatible plugins could cause your website to stop working. In addition, WordPress has more security vulnerabilities. Do I need a special hosting package for WordPress or will a simple hosting package suffice? You need No need for a special hosting package for WordPress, because WordPress works with any hosting package that offers a one-click installation wizard. However, there are definitely advantages to taking a dedicated hosting package for WordPress. Special hosting packages for WordPress can be managed or unmanaged. With unmanaged packages, your hosting is basically the same as traditional hosting, but your website will be on servers optimized for WordPress. You may also get access to some plugins for optimizations. Managed WordPress hosting is an all-inclusive package. Your hoster takes care of things like updates, security updates (depends on the hoster) and backups. So you can concentrate on creating your website. Click here to get a list of the best hosting providers for managed WordPress.
Take your website to the next level
Now that you’ve created your website, you want it to be found and attract attention. My experience is that you are never done building a website. You are somehow always busy updating it, changing it or improving it. Now of course you also want your website to attract visitors. You can do various things, Attract visitors and give them a better experience.
Design a logo
You don’t need a logo to design a website, but with one logo will make your website look more professional. It can help with branding.
Your logo says a lot about you, that’s why it’s important that it’s good and professional. There are design trends to consider. For example, have you thought about the color scheme and how it can affect the target audience?? You can find more information on this topic in the current logo statistics from the Fortune 500 list.
There are two options for getting a logo. Both are cheap. My colleagues even tested all major logo design services to find a new logo for Website Planet. Read our comprehensive comparison of the best online logo design services. There you will find more information about this experiment and of course we will also tell you the winner.
1. create it yourself with an online logo generator
The DIY method may sound like the cheapest way to get a logo. However, this is not necessarily the case. Most online logo generators allow you to try them for free. But if you want to use and download your logo, you have to pay. There are a few free logo generators on the market, but they are very basic and I don’t recommend using them. You should also check which logo generators can display a logo in German.
My favorite DIY logo generator is Wix Logo Maker. The tool uses an AI (artificial intelligence) to create many logo ideas based on your personal preferences. If you see a design you like, you can customize it extensively, including fonts and color scheme. You can even download the logo for free in a low resolution and check how it looks on your website and social media before you buy it.
2. Hire a designer
Hiring a logo designer might sound expensive – but it’s not but with Fiverr you can get a professional logo for as little as $5. Most designers on Fiverr demonstrate examples of the logos they have already designed. It is easier for you to find someone who suits your taste. We have tested the logo designers at Fiverr ourselves and the quality of the finished logos really impressed us.
But you need not only a logo, but also a so called favicon. This is a small image that you usually see in the browser tab next to your website name and in your bookmarks. With our nifty favicon generator tool.
Optimize your website
Even if you create a fantastic website, it won’t show up on the first page of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) without optimization. Optimizing your website includes SEO (Search Engine Optimization), traffic analysis and you need to understand what your target audience is looking for.
For SEO, there are a few tools to make optimization easier. One of the best tools on the market is SEMrush (more information can be found in our Guide about SEMrush). However, if SEMrush is beyond your budget, there are other options. We have some of the best SEO tools tested and help you find the right one.
It seems to be a big challenge to write the right content for your website. But if you use analytics tools and find out more about your target audience (where they live, age, gender, etc.), you can better plan your content. Read our Guide about Google Analytics and learn how to get the most out of analytics tools. You can also use tools such as Answer the Public to find out what people are searching for. You can find more information in our Guide about Answer the Public.
Expand your audience with email marketing
Email marketing is one of the best options to expand your target audience. There are plenty of tools to help you with your marketing strategy.
With email marketing you can quickly grow your business. It has a so-called CTR (click-through rate) of up to 100x more than via social media, such as Twitter. Via email marketing you can offer discounts and coupons to your customers. You can also encourage them to share your business with others. Plus, you can offer them free material if they sign up to your mailing list.
To get the most out of email marketing, you need to think about the frequency of your emails. This also applies to automated emails and what should appear in an email newsletter. You can find more tips in our Collection on the most important email marketing statistics.
We have Best email marketing platforms tested and put to the test. You don’t have time to read through multiple tests? This is also a no-brainer. Here’s a quick overview of our favorite email marketing solutions.
- Constant Contact– There are several hundred email templates to choose from and a 30-day trial version. That’s why Constant Contact is our first choice for email marketing. This is great for creating automated emails and the service is really user-friendly. This means you can get started right away.
- Benchmark Email– supports multiple languages and therefore is a top option if your native language is not English. Benchmark Email also provides a free package. It’s great for beginners, but also offers advanced tools once you become more familiar with the platform and know how to use it.
- Sendinblue– offers both SMS marketing and email marketing. Sendinblue is an affordable and user-friendly solution. There is even a generous free package. You can create automated emails and add workflows. There is even an option to "send at the best possible time".
- Active Campaign– it is a more advanced platform, aimed more at marketing professionals. If you have a small or medium sized company, you may benefit from the features that Active Campaign has to offer.
- AWeber– offers a unique drag-and-drop campaign builder. AWeber provides everything you need for successful email marketing. It’s very user-friendly, but also offers more complex features. Includes split test functions and more than 850 integrations.
- GetResponse– More than just an email marketing platform. GetResponse is a multifunctional platform that provides marketing, CRM (customer relationship management), and webinar capabilities. There is a 30-day trial version.
Conclusion
Whew, that’s a lot of information to have compiled here. In conclusion, here are a few important points to remember for building your own website:
- Website building kits are a great starting point if you are a beginner. Wix Is one of the most flexible on the market. You can start with the basics and use more advanced apps later on.
- WordPress is often considered more difficult than traditional website builders. However, you also get a lot more freedom here. It’s also a cheaper way to get your website online. There are many cheap Website hosting-Packages.
- If you do not have time to create a website, you can use hire a developer at Fiverr for as little as $5. Who said web developers have to cost a fortune?
- Publishing the website is not the end of the process. You can optimize and promote the website. There are tools for SEO, analytics and marketing.
Anyone can create a website and it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or have a small budget. Have fun designing your website!
Ari is an experienced copywriter, editor and digital marketing consultant. He is creative and has 14 years of industry experience. It is especially important for him to always keep up with the latest trends and developments. He lives in the UK with his three beagles Zeke, Hope and Sandy who always keep him on his toes.