{"id":360,"date":"2021-05-29T19:03:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-29T19:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webcf.waybackmachine.org\/web\/20211007104653\/https:\/\/blogrolling.com\/?page_id=360"},"modified":"2021-05-31T15:42:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T15:42:02","slug":"how-to-make-a-website-in-2021-step-by-step","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/webcf.waybackmachine.org\/web\/20211007104653\/https:\/\/blogrolling.com\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Make A Website from Scratch In 2021 (Step-By-Step)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\"how<\/picture>
Our beginners guide to building a website from scratch<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to be Mark Zuckerburg to make a website in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, with the sheer number of website building tools available today, you don\u2019t even need to know a single line of code to create a functional and professional-looking website or blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All you need is a free weekend and the right resources at your disposal, including a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make a website<\/strong> like the one you\u2019re reading. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need a quick answer? Take our interactive quiz:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the Best Website Builder Software?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before even thinking about designing your website, you need to know what software or platform you\u2019re going to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most articles will push you towards a single solution regardless of your actual requirements. This will usually be WordPress<\/strong> because it\u2019s the most widely used, powering around 40% of the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the truth is, everyone needs different things from a website, and there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution to every use case, including yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s look at your options and narrow them down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Website Builders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Website Builder is a software platform that allows you to build a website through a visual interface<\/strong>, usually in a drag-and-drop fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They typically take a template-based approach, meaning you select from a large library of pre-designed layouts, then proceed to change everything from the colors, typography, images, and text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When To Use A Website Builder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Website Builders are ideal for creating simple, static websites<\/strong>, like a local business or service-based website, or those with a set number of pages \u2014 sometimes referred to as a 5-page website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These usually include a home page, about page, pricing page, gallery page, and contact page. You may also include the standard legal pages, such as your terms and conditions and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only other exception is if you plan to add a blogging element to your website at some point, in which case you should consider going with a Content Management System instead (see next section).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top Website Builders<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll be looking at the best Website Builder platforms, and comparing their key strengths and weaknesses side-by-side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, these are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Wix<\/li>
  2. Squarespace<\/li>
  3. Weebly (Square)<\/li>
  4. Webflow<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
    4.5<\/strong> \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

    <\/strong>    <\/a>Visit website<\/a>
    <\/div><\/td>
    Pros:<\/strong>
    \u2013 A large number of templates
    \u2013 High design flexibility (freehand editor)
    \u2013 App Market for tons more widgets
    \u2013 Ad-driven free plan<\/div><\/td>
    Cons:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Templates can\u2019t be changed later
    \u2013 Freehand design can be harder to get right<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
    4.5<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

    <\/a>Visit website<\/a>
    <\/div><\/td>
    Pros:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Very easy to use
    \u2013 Beautiful template designs
    \u2013 Addons for blogging and e-commerce
    \u2013 Mobile app to build on the go
    \u2013 Live chat support<\/div><\/td>
    Cons:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Could benefit from more templates
    \u2013 Somewhat rigid design editor<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
    4.0<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

    <\/a>Visit website<\/a>
    <\/div><\/td>
    Pros:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Very easy to use
    \u2013 Good variety of website templates
    \u2013 App Center for extra features
    \u2013 Mobile app to build on the go<\/div><\/td>
    Cons:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Sometimes limited in design flexibility
    \u2013 Blogging tools feel underdeveloped
    \u2013 Limited support on cheaper plans<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

    \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
    4.5<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

    <\/a>Visit website<\/a>
    <\/div><\/td>
    Pros:<\/strong>
    \u2013 A very high level of design flexibility
    \u2013 A good variety of free templates
    \u2013 Supports dynamic content (advanced)
    \u2013 Forever free plan<\/div><\/td>
    Cons:<\/strong>
    \u2013 Not beginner-friendly
    \u2013 Some website templates cost extra
    \u2013 No native support for multilingual sites<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What\u2019s The Best Website Builder?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Overall, Squarespace<\/strong> is the better choice for quickly and easily building a great looking 5-page website, especially for beginners with minimal design and technical experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re ready to start building your website with Squarespace, click here<\/a> to jump down to our step-by-step guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Content Management Systems (CMS)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    A Content Management System<\/strong>, or CMS, is a platform designed to simplify the creation and management of a content-driven website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While some Website Builders have CMS capabilities, a true CMS gives you full control over larger libraries of content, allowing you to display and organize hundreds or even thousands of pages or posts across your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Traditionally, Content Management Systems offer very little in the way of design flexibility, though there have been some major developments in this area in recent years, especially with regards to WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When To Use A Content Management System<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Content Management Systems can be used to build simple, static websites (and often are), but they generally aren\u2019t as intuitive as Website Builders for this purpose alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Instead, a CMS should be considered when you\u2019re looking to publish and manage lots of content on your website. This particularly the case for bloggers, be it for a personal or commercial blog<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you only plan to publish a small number of articles on an infrequent basis, you could get away with using the publishing features inside a Website Builder, but we would still recommend a CMS in this case \u2014 just for future-proofing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Top Content Management Systems<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ll be looking at the best CMS platforms, and comparing their key strengths and weaknesses side-by-side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Specifically, these are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. WordPress<\/li>
    2. Drupal<\/li>
    3. Joomla<\/li>
    4. Ghost<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
      4.5<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

      <\/strong>      <\/a>Visit website<\/a><\/div><\/td>
      Pros:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Highly customizable
      \u2013 Huge library of plugins and themes
      \u2013 Very well documented<\/div><\/td>
      Cons:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Not the most intuitive CMS
      \u2013 Sometimes requires many plugins to make it work<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

      \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
      4.0<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

      <\/a>Visit website<\/a><\/div><\/td>
      Pros:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Very easy to customize
      \u2013 Can easily handle lots of data (think web applications)
      \u2013 Strong focus on security<\/div><\/td>
      Cons:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Not intended for beginners
      \u2013 Often confusing documentation<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

      \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
      3.5<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605

      <\/a>Visit website<\/a>
      <\/div><\/td>
      Pros:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Advanced user management
      \u2013 Good support for different content types
      \u2013 Flexible application of themes across a single website<\/div><\/td>
      Cons:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Steep learning curve
      \u2013 Fewer templates and modules (plugins)<\/div><\/td><\/tr>

      \"\"<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/a>
      4.5<\/strong>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605

      <\/a>Visit website<\/a><\/div><\/td>
      Pros:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Simple, beginner-friendly interface
      \u2013 Lightweight and fast framework (built on modern tech)
      \u2013 Built-in membership solution<\/div><\/td>
      Cons:<\/strong>
      \u2013 Relatively small selection of themes and plugins
      \u2013 No support for e-commerce sites
      \u2013 No native support for blog comments<\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      What\u2019s The Best CMS?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Overall, despite the learning curve to WordPress, the upsides still give it the edge over other CMS platforms, particularly if you\u2019re building a more blog-centric website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If you\u2019re ready to start building your website with WordPress<\/strong>, click here<\/a><\/a> to jump down to our step-by-step guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      3. Landing Page Builders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Landing Page Builders are very similar to Website Builders, and some have even become full Website Builders later on in their development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      They share a similar visual interface and drag-and-drop approach, and also both rely on templates to achieve professional-looking page designs with no coding or design experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The key difference with Landing Page Builders, however, is their focus on conversions<\/em>, meaning they\u2019re often used for marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When To Use A Landing Page Builder<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      A Landing Page Builder is ideal when creating a single page of content with a single conversion goal, otherwise known as a landing page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are so many use cases for landing pages, but I\u2019ll touch on the main ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n