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Bring your inspiration to life with a Wix website →   When you decide to build a website , it’s easy to assume you need all the usual parts of a site  like a homepage, contact page and about page—but one page websites  offer a simpler alternative by putting everything visitors need on a single scroll. These sites are admired for their clean layout, smooth user experience and fast mobile performance, making them ideal for resumes, landing pages, online portfolios or even memorial websites . 94% of first impressions are based on design , so a polished one page site instantly captivates visitors. If you’re exploring how to create a website  that’s both effective and visually engaging, these one page website examples show how to combine style and functionality without overwhelming your visitors, proving that sometimes less really is more. Need inspiration for your website? With Wix, building a standout site is easier than ever. Choose from hundreds of customizable templates and use Wix’s easy drag-and-drop website builder  tools to make your vision come to life. Turn your ideas into reality and see just how simple it is to create a unique, professional website. TL;DR: best one page website examples We picked the best one-page website examples that blend beautiful design with clear storytelling and a smooth user flow—all in a single scroll. Each site makes it easy to follow the message from start to finish while keeping visitors engaged and inspired. What we looked at Why it matters Goal clarity One-page sites should share their purpose fast Navigation flow A smooth scroll keeps users moving naturally Visual layout Strong hierarchy keeps the design engaging Mobile design Most visitors scroll on their phones Brand personality Authentic visuals make each site memorable 17 best one page website examples Sonja van Duelmen Noah Demeuldre Sophie Bolotin V-Labs Zayne Heyes Catering Lauren Taylor Design David Milan Andrew and Amanda’s wedding Plumbing Gurus Riggs Art Zaidi Pro Sena Runa Hiro Kanagawa Mazzey Law Inward Travel Jameson Law Office Sydney and Larry 01. Sonja van Duelmen Sonja van Duelmen ’s website is a fantastic one page website example that uses bold visuals and a magazine-like layout to capture attention. This creative portfolio immediately draws you in with a full-screen hero image and a striking logo that sets a stylish tone. What makes this web design so effective is its grid-based navigation in the center of the page which guides you to different sections like art direction and brand design without ever leaving the page. It’s a great lesson in how to create an immersive experience that feels both artistic and organized giving you a powerful way to present your creative work. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:  Design Studio   website template 02. Noah Demeuldre Noah De Meuldre ’s art director portfolio is a powerful one page website example that puts cinematic visuals front and center. The design uses a full-screen slideshow to feature high-impact projects which immediately establishes a professional and creative feel. This site is a great reminder that you can make a huge statement with a minimalist layout. By organizing projects into a clean video gallery and a separate stills section Noah lets the work speak for itself making it easy for visitors to see his skills at a glance. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:  3D designer website template 03. Sophie Bolotin Sophie Bolotin ’s professional portfolio is a stylish and modern one page website that balances technical skill with artistic flair. The site immediately introduces her as a Software Engineer and Technical Artist with a bold hero section. What makes this design especially effective is the way it uses a dark theme with sharp fonts and a clean layout to present her skills portfolio and experience in a sleek, scannable format. This is a powerful way to build a personal brand and give recruiters or clients a complete view of your abilities in one cohesive page. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   UX Designer website template 04. V-Labs Tech company  V-Labs  created a clean and modern one page website to introduce its virtual meeting tools. The site uses a simple color scheme and plenty of white space to make its products the main attraction. What works so well here is the focus on clarity from the bold opening statement to the straightforward product cards with key metrics. A small email signup in the footer adds a touch of email marketing , helping the brand stay connected with visitors. It’s a great model for how a tech company can explain its mission and products in a way that feels approachable and professional. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Start from scratch website template 05. Zayne Heyes Catering Zayne Heyes Catering  serves up one of the best one page catering websites  by combining mouth-watering visuals with a straightforward layout. The site immediately introduces you to the chef and uses large high-quality images of his culinary creations to keep you scrolling for more. What’s great about this design is the integrated Instagram feed which adds fresh content and a dynamic feel to the page. You can also create professional videos with Wix Video  to showcase your dishes or behind-the-scenes kitchen moments, making the site even more engaging. It’s a perfect recipe for showing off your delicious work and making it easy for potential clients to get in touch. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Chef website template Learn more:  Multi page website vs single page website 06. Lauren Taylor Design Lauren Taylor Design  stands out as one of the best one page websites when it comes to telling a story that's both clear and engaging. You’re greeted with a beautiful hero image that sets a calm, timeless vibe right away. The numbered, minimalist navigation makes it easy to follow along as you check out Lauren's story, portfolio and process. If you want potential clients to get a full sense of your work and approach, this layout shows exactly how it’s done — a great one to explore for architecture portfolio examples  that blend elegance and clarity. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Interior designer website template 07. David Milan David Milan ’s website is a fantastic example of how a one page website can let creativity speak for itself. As an artist and designer, David uses his site as a dynamic portfolio, filling the entire page with vibrant, eye-catching examples of his work. The design is minimal and image-focused, with a single animated piece that immediately grabs your attention. This approach works well for a single page website because it immerses visitors in his art, creating a memorable, visual experience. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name : Illustrator website template 08. Andrew and Amanda’s wedding Take a look at  Andrew and Amanda 's wedding website—it’s a one page website that just radiates energy and personality. The bold color scheme, playful fonts and those fun graphics like starbursts and smiley faces really give it a retro, celebratory vibe. What stands out is how everything you need is right there, easy to find—“Our Story,” accommodations and gifts are all organized into their own colorful sections. If you’re curious how to use bold design and clear structure to make a site both memorable and helpful for guests, this is a great example to learn from. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Wedding invitation website template 09. Plumbing Gurus Plumbing Gurus  shows how an effective one page website can build trust and generate leads. The site gets straight to the point with a clear call to action and a phone number right at the top making it easy for customers to get help fast. As you scroll it uses simple icons to explain its services and features testimonials to build credibility. It’s a great example of how a service business can use a direct and clean design to communicate reliability and encourage clients to reach out — one of the best plumbing website examples  for small business owners looking to inspire confidence online. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Home improvement company website template 10. Riggs Art Riggs Art 's one page website is a perfect example of professionalism and clarity. Their design uses a soft color tone and elegant fonts that create an immediate sense of expertise. What really makes this site work is its logical flow which takes visitors from beautiful gallery images to sections explaining their process and introducing the team. It’s a smart way to build trust and show exactly how they turn spaces into experiences all on a single page. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:  Consultant landing page website template 11. Zaidi Pro Freelance web developer Hassan Zaidi shows how a one page website can stay clean, focused and easy to explore with his Zaidi Pro  site. The grid-inspired background and concise introduction immediately showcase Hassan’s top-rated expertise. The site does an awesome job using client testimonials and logos up front to build trust and show real results. If you’re searching for inspiration on building a simple, effective page that shows off your skills, this is a great one to explore for  freelance website examples . Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Webinar Landing Page website template 12. Sena Runa Paper artist  Sena Runa  has a vibrant one page website that perfectly blends her personal story with her professional work. The site opens with a colorful banner of her intricate paper quilling art which immediately draws you into her creative world. This is a great example of how a single page website can also function as a beautiful online store  with a clean product gallery that makes it easy for visitors to shop her creations. It’s an inspiring way to present your art, tell your story and sell your products all in a single elegant scroll. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name :  Art store website template 13. Hiro Kanagawa Actor and writer  Hiro Kanagawa ’s site is a masterclass in building a professional portfolio and one of the cleanest one page website examples you’ll find. The website uses a classic layout with a simple header and distinct sections for his acting and writing careers making it easy for visitors to navigate. It smartly includes downloadable CVs a demo reel and a news section all on a single page giving agents and fans everything they need in one spot. This is a great lesson in how to organize a lot of information in a way that feels structured and complete. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Acting resume website template 14. Mazzey Law Mazzey Law  is a boutique law firm with a polished and professional one page website that inspires confidence. It uses a strong hero image and bold typography to create a sense of authority while the simple layout makes legal services easy to understand. The design effectively uses a clean structure to present its vision attorney bio and contact information in a logical flow. This is a great example of how a traditional business can use a modern one page website to communicate trustworthiness and make it easy for clients to get in touch. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Law firm website template 15. Inward Travel Inward Travel  uses an energetic and visual one page website to promote its performance coaching and outdoor experiences. The site opens with a powerful full-screen video that immediately conveys a sense of adventure and movement. As you scroll, a grid of client logos builds credibility, followed by clear event cards and a personal story from the founder. This approach effectively uses a single page to build excitement and trust, making it simple for potential clients to engage with the brand's mission. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Retreat website template 16. Jameson Law Office Jameson Law Office 's website perfectly blends professional and approachable. The site greets visitors with a calming image and clear headings that define its practice areas in family law and dispute resolution. What makes this design so effective is its straightforward structure, presenting the attorney's experience, integrity and compassion in organized sections that are easy to follow. It’s a perfect example of how to build credibility and provide essential information in a single, well-organized page that feels both reassuring and direct. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Law firm (elegant) website template 17. Sydney and Larry Sydney and Larry ’s wedding website is a beautiful and practical example of the best one page websites. It welcomes guests with a warm full-screen photo of the happy couple setting a personal and celebratory tone from the start. What makes this design so useful is how it organizes all the essential information—like location details, an FAQ and registry link—in clearly defined sections as you scroll. It’s a wonderful reminder that a one page site can be both heartfelt and incredibly functional making it easy for guests to find everything they need for the big day. Love what you see? Create your own one page website using this same template. Template name:   Wedding invitation website template Looking for more than a one page website? Learn how to create websites with multiple pages, such as starting a blog with our blog maker, as just one example. When to use a one page website One-page websites offer a concise and focused presentation of information, making them ideal for various purposes. Here are some key scenarios where a one-page website can be effective: Landing pages for specific campaigns: One-page websites excel at capturing attention and driving conversions for targeted campaigns or promotions. With a clear call-to-action and a focused message, you can effectively guide visitors towards a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. “A lot of market research goes into a great landing page. If you don’t know exactly what this person is thinking, you can’t convince them. If I can’t convert wherever I’m convinced, then it’s such a loss." - Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead at Wix Showcasing a single product or service: If you want to highlight a specific product or service and provide all the necessary information in a concise manner, a one-page website is an excellent choice.  Introducing your business or brand: For a brief introduction to your business or brand, a one-page website can effectively convey your core message, values and offerings. You can include company information, your mission statement, a brief overview of services and contact details, all within one easy-to-navigate page. Creating microsites for events or projects: For specific events or projects, a one-page website can serve as a dedicated microsite. You can provide event details, registration information, speaker profiles and a photo gallery, all without overwhelming visitors with too much information. If you’re creating something for a creative or performance-based project, tools like Wix Music Portfolio  make it easy to showcase your work, share media and keep everything on a single, streamlined page. "Our art events are unique – and Wix has provided us with the tools to implement our vision just the way we wanted." - Charlotte & Clara Jeroma, Founders of Calla Concept Build ing a portfolio or showcase: Creative professionals, such as designers, photographers or artists, can use a one-page website to showcase your online portfolio or best work. With a carefully curated selection of projects and a clear presentation of your expertise, you can effectively attract potential clients or collaborators. "Portfolios are ideal for professionals, individuals or businesses who want to showcase their work in a visually engaging manner to attract clients or enhance their online presence." - Hani Safe, product lead (Showcase) at Wix Providing simple information or resources: If you need to provide basic information or resources without the complexity of a multi-page website, a one-page website can be sufficient. For example, you can create a website for a local park with information about amenities, hours of operation and contact details. In general, one-page websites are well-suited for situations where you want to: Capture attention and drive conversions for specific campaigns or promotions Highlight a single product or service and provide essential information Introduce your business or brand in a concise and focused manner Create dedicated microsites for events or projects Showcase your portfolio or best work as a creative professional Provide simple information or resources without a complex website structure How to create a one page website Choose a one page  website builder,  like Wix, which includes  free hosting , a  domain name  (with a paid plan) and enterprise-grade  web security Select a one page website template  that fits your style and purpose Design your one-page website using high-quality visuals and website content Test your site and make sure it looks and works perfectly on all devices Publish & promote by going live, sharing your site and driving traffic Get inspired by the best website examples Coaching website examples Bakery website examples Conference website examples Health and wellness websites Nonprofit website examples Wedding website examples Art portfolio website examples Best one page website examples FAQ Are one page websites best? One page websites are great for simple brands or landing pages but they might not be ideal for more complex businesses with lots of content. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific goals and the amount of information you need to convey. Figure that out first and then you'll know if a one page website is best for you. What are some other names for a one-page website? Single-page website Landing page (especially if it's designed to drive a specific action) Scrollytelling website (emphasizes scrolling through the content) Parallax website (uses parallax scrolling for visual effects) Microsite (a smaller, focused site) Do one-page websites rank? Yes, one-page websites can definitely rank. SEO principles still apply, so you'll need to optimize your content, structure and other elements for search engines. Just be mindful of keeping your content optimized for the intent you want to rank for.

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → As technology advances, it enables us to achieve more and more tasks without even realizing how complex they are. Website design by yourself is one of these. Thanks to the evolution of website builders , you can design a website and craft an impressive online presence of your own. Using professional web design features, you can generate revenue, nurture a community of fans and promote your brand online. So, what is web design (and what are the web design best practices ) and how do you get started? We’ve got the knowledge you need to put you on the right track. From choosing your website builder and domain name, to understanding how to design each element of your site from your design concept , this complete guide will walk you through designing and how to make a website . TL;DR: How to design a website Designing a website is about more than just making it look good—it’s about creating an experience that engages your audience and supports your business goals. This guide walks you through each step, from defining your site’s purpose and structure to choosing a design, adding content and optimizing for performance. You’ll also learn how to make your website functional, mobile-friendly and ready to scale as your business grows. What you need to design a website Item Why it matters A domain name Your domain is your website’s address online (e.g., example.com) and helps people easily find your business. Web hosting Hosting stores your website’s files and makes sure your site is always accessible to visitors. A website builder or CMS Tools like Wix give you everything you need to design and manage your site, from customizable templates to built-in features. Design assets High-quality images, videos and fonts make your website look professional and engaging. How to design a website Set your goal Choose a website builder Define your layout Create wireframes Claim your domain name Gather your content Add the right pages Design your website elements Pick the professional tools you need Make it accessible to everyone Optimize for mobile Strengthen your SEO Engage with visitors Ask for feedback Publish and update Monitor and adjust 01. Set your goal Before you design a website, be crystal-clear about what you want to achieve. With so many types of websites out there, you should start by deciding which kind will help you meet your goals and meet your target audience and market where they are: An online store or eCommerce website to sell your products An online portfolio to showcase your art A business website to manage and grow your business A resume website to grab the attention of potential employers A blog to share your knowledge with the world An event website for weddings, parties and company events A photography portfolio website to display and sell prints A fitness website to book new clients A restaurant website to help with online orders, delivery and payment As part of this step you'll want to make sure you do plenty of research into how your site should be structured and designed, both for the type of site it is and your brand. eCommerce sites are designed differently to blog websites, for example — and mainly because of the user experience (UX) and user intent (UI) and how they differ on each unique site. Look first to your competitors to see how they've designed their sites, maybe there are must have pages, content or layout you should have. Once you decide which type you need, it’s time to start the exciting part - designing your site. As you set off on this journey, keep your overarching purpose in mind and think about how the design will help achieve your objectives. Get started with a web design checklist. As you move forward with designing a website, you’ll find that your choice of elements to include will vary depending on what you want to accomplish. For example, if you want to sell your photos online, try displaying your work in a portfolio format and including an online store where you can sell prints. Or, if you’re creating a website with the goal of landing a job, a simple and professional resume website sans embellishment might suit your needs perfectly. Be inspired: Design thinking If you need help envisioning a design that meets your goal, browse through these Wix website examples for inspiration. You should also tap in web design trends and galleries for further inspiration. Consider also creating a mood board, just to brainstorm colors, styles and anything else relevant to the early stages of designing your website. Starting a design business? Use this design name generator to name it. 02. Choose your website builder Now that you’ve identified your goal, your next step is to choose the right website builder to accomplish it. A website builder (also known as a CMS) is a platform on which you can design, personalize and publish a website without any knowledge of coding. There are dozens of platforms available on the market. Not sure which one to use? Wix.com is an HTML website builder that was ranked # 1 out of the best website builders in the world, and for good reason. Learn more about the advantages of Wix: Wix vs Squarespace Here are a few Wix advantages: Diverse pricing models : Creating, publishing and hosting your website is totally free , for as long as you wish. If you want to upgrade your online presence with some tailored features, Premium packages are also available. They include everything you need to succeed online, from professional templates and web design features, to a custom domain name . Design customization: Whether you’re a seasoned web designer or are still learning how to design a website, you’ll find that Wix offers different creative routes for everyone. One option is the Wix Editor, whose drag-and-drop technology and WYSIWYG software gives you complete design freedom. Each element of your website’s design can be customized for the look you want, while plenty of tools and built-in features will heighten its professional presence. You don't need to know or understand markup languages ( HTML , CSS , Javascript ) to build a Wix website. Beginners might also enjoy using Wix’s AI website builder , a first-of-its-kind chat-based experience that taps into Wix's ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) to help you design a website in record time. Simply chat with AI about the vision for your site, and you’ll get a complete website that you can customize as you wish. Learn more about some of the best AI website builders and how to find the right balance between AI vs. human creativity . At the same time, experienced creators can look into Velo by Wix , which lets you dive into your site’s engine and interface to build sophisticated apps, APIs and databases . You get to own your website development. This way, you’re sure to have a one-of-kind result that suits your brand perfectly, and looks like no other website in the world. Also look at Wix Studio , an advanced web creation platform build for agencies, who need more from their web creation platform. Professional solutions: Because your website is the hub of your online life, Wix puts all of the professional solutions you need in one place. Tools like email marketing, invoices, bookings, social media accounts and more can be integrated into your website’s design for the best experience of managing your site and business. On top of this, you’ll also be able to optimize your site with Wix SEO to increase your chances of getting found on Google. "As a creator or entrepreneur, you're often wearing multiple hats. You're designing the website, you're optimizing for SEO. This means you need a website builder that makes it easy and very learnable for you to do all of those things, on the same platform and still deliver as if working with experts in those fields. Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead for outbound at Wix.com Unique design features: Wix’s design features are completely customizable, which means you can design your website exactly the way you want. From a suite of imagery and backgrounds to innovative features like transparent videos and scrolling effects, you’ll have plenty of options to start with, and you can always upload files of your own. Learn more about some of the best website builders for designers. Customer service: You’re not alone in your journey of learning how to design a website. If you need assistance, you’ll always have someone to talk to thanks to Wix’s 24/7 support team and social media pages. If you want to read up on web design tips , find web design tutorials , and get inspiration, you’ll find plenty of helpful material available online, too. To grow your knowledge in web design, online marketing, SEO and more— take a look at the Wix Blog (sincerely yours) and Help Center . Ready to design a website with the Wix Editor? Here’s how to get started: Go to Wix.com from your desktop or mobile. Enter your email address, pick a password—and voilà. You now have your account, from which you can create as many websites as you wish. Explore the vast collection of website templates, pick the one that’s most relevant for your needs, and start customizing it with the tools and features of your choice. If you’d rather build your website from scratch, you can start with a blank canvas and take it from there. Learn the ins and outs of building a website with the Wix Editor with this online course. 03. Define your layout Once you’re logged into your platform of choice, it’s time to conceptualize your website layout. If you want to start from scratch, you may want to plan map out your website’s design (and structure) on paper before you start to use the drag and drop website builder . However, another option is to use a template, which is a pre-designed layout created by a professional designer. Wix offers an extensive library of free website templates . You’ll find designs for every kind of website, whether you’re looking to create a business website, a blog or a personal website.Start by browsing through the hundreds of options until you find a layout that you love. Then, you can make it your own by fully customizing all its elements and removing, adding or changing details like text, images and color. Of these designs, you can pick between a multi-page template and a single-page one. If your website includes a hefty amount of content, you’ll probably opt for a multi-page site. However, with less content to display, you may want to look into one page website templates . This trendy option is a popular choice for landing pages, event websites and other short-form content sites. Pro tip: There’s no better way to get your web design juices flowing than by seeking creative inspiration. A good way to start is to look at website examples that got it right. Grab a pen and paper, and jot down ideas you like as you browse through some of the best website designs. There are plenty of social media platforms dedicated to design inspiration, such as Pinterest and Dribbble , so make sure to check those out too. You can also expand your design knowledge by exploring concepts such as the golden ratio and how it applies to effective website design, specifically the layout. "The most important thing before building a website is good research. Know what you want to do and collect good inspirations that will contribute to your design." - Anna Suntsov, blog and social design team lead at Wix.com 04. Create wireframes Wireframes are simple black-and-white sketches of your website that outline the basic structure of each page. Think of them as the blueprint for your site’s design, helping you map out where elements like text, images, buttons and menus will be placed. Creating wireframes gives you a clear vision of your layout and allows you to make adjustments before jumping into the actual design process. You can create wireframes using freehand sketches on paper or online drag-and-drop platforms. Start by sketching your homepage to decide what visitors will see first and how they’ll navigate through your site. Then, move on to other essential pages like your About, Blog or Contact sections, outlining how all the pieces will connect. Pro tip: Wireframes don’t need to be detailed or perfect. Keep them simple, focusing on functionality and layout rather than aesthetics. Once you're happy with the structure, you can move on to customize and fine-tune the design for a polished final look. 05. Claim your domain name To put it in simple terms, your domain name is your address on the internet. It’s what your visitors will see in the bar of their browser, right after the “www.” Registering your domain name is critical for online success. Websites with a customized domain are automatically perceived by internet users as more professional and trustworthy. When chosen wisely, a domain name also helps search engines (like Google and Bing) understand what your website is about. This is important because it helps bring in more traffic to your website. Now, how do you choose a domain name for your brand? To make it memorable, keep it: Short: The longer it is, the higher the chances of visitors misspelling it. Simple: Avoid symbols, special characters and numbers. Professional: Your domain name should incorporate your own name or your business name, to avoid confusion. Evocative: Hint about what you do into your domain name by incorporating words that are related to your business. You can find out if your dream domain name is available by using this domain registration tool . If your top choice is still up for grabs, don’t hesitate to acquire your piece of virtual property. If it’s not, don’t panic. Try out different variations of your original choice by playing around with the word order, or adding “the” at the start. Pro tip : Picking a domain name also means using the right domain extension. From .org to .com and .net , you can choose from 45 top-level domain extensions. It’s best practice to use one that suits your business type and geographic location. Choosing a domain also means selecting the right web hosting provider . With Wix, reliable and secure web hosting is standard with every site designed. 06. Gather your content Now that you’ve set the foundations for your digital design , it’s time to get practical and prepare the content that will be featured on your website. This includes all of your web content —images, text, logo, videos and more. Use your own material as much as possible to ensure you’re offering unique and branded content. If you’re not using original content, just make sure to acquire your resources legally. Wix comes with a wide selection of media features, including a library of over one million free photos from our partners at Unsplash, Vector illustrations and interactive videos that are exclusive to Wix. There’s also endless stock photo and image reservoirs you can check out. Or, Wix's AI image tool. Read also: 7 things you can do in 30 seconds using Wix’s AI image tools While having plenty of material on your website is great, remember to always put quality over quantity. In an era of decreasing attention spans, the best way to catch your visitors’ attention is to showcase only your best content. Finally, make sure your content is fully branded. Think of your website as an online persona—everything from the written content to the colors and fonts you use should reflect who you are or what your brand identity is. Pro tip: New to the marketing game, or feel like you could sharpen up your brand language? From creating a logo to defining your tone of voice, this guide explains everything you need to know about building a solid brand identity. 07. Add the right pages Every business is unique, and so is every website. Nevertheless, there are some traditional sections that your site visitors will expect to see. If you’re going for a multi-page website design, here are some must-have web pages: Homepage : You have one chance to make a good first impression, and your homepage is it. Since it’s likely to be the first thing visitors will see, aim for a homepage that’s clean, organized and eye-catching. It should clarify who you are and what you do and serve as a starting point for visitors to navigate through your site. Make sure it contains the most crucial information: your logo, the name of your business and a navigation menu inviting visitors to browse further. Once you’ve got these basics down, consider what sort of website background, imagery, written content and calls-to-action you can add here to engage with visitors. About Us page: Tell your story and share your values, methods and any other information that defines your brand with an About Us page. Welcome new visitors by using the first person (“I” or “We”), since it adds a friendly touch of friendliness and warmth. Also, don’t forget to include a picture of yourself or your team members, since clients always like to see the face behind a business. Contact page: When visitors want to reach out, they should be able to get hold of you easily. That’s where a contact page comes in. Make sure to include your phone number, postal address, business email address and social media accounts. You can also consider adding a live chat widget that gives visitors the chance to reach out and get an immediate response, or a contact form where they can write their message directly through your site. Extras (but highly recommended): Your product or service page : The product page (or service page, depending on your industry) is where your visitors discover what you have to offer, and if they’re convinced, take out their credit card and make a purchase. When you design a website with a product or service page in mind, here are some key recommendations: Add high quality product photography, write precise and engaging product or service descriptions, and be transparent about your conditions (such as shipping, return, or cancellation policies). A blog: Starting a blog with a blog creator boosts your reputation as an expert, helps you foster a loyal community, and is an effective way to drive traffic to your website. If you’re not a natural-born writer, don’t fret - you have much more to say than you think. You can write about your clients (success stories, case studies, interviews) or yourself (events you attend, new employees and more). But the most valuable blog ideas will come from your own expertise. Your readers will love to discover the tips, methods and hacks you use to solve the problems you meet and will definitely appreciate the added value. Testimonials: An honest testimonials page is a wonderfully effective addition to your website design. Studies show that 77% of satisfied customers will recommend your business or service to a friend after having a positive experience. If the purpose of your website is to bring in new customers, leverage the power of word-of-mouth and let your satisfied clients do the selling for you. You can also consider using social proof examples as part of this page as well. This can help lend credibility to both your site and business. Splash page: A splash page acts as a preview to your site, greeting visitors before they reach your homepage. This is a great way to engage with visitors using high quality visuals or interesting text, or to promote a special offer or event. FAQ page: An FAQ page is a dedicated page on your website that provides visitors with quick and simple answers to common questions in an organized and structured manner. It can save time by providing automated answers and provide a great experience for users. Privacy page: This may be necessary for legal compliance, so be sure to check in your own country. A privacy policy helps you establish yourself as a transparent brand, whom customers can trust. Also often using third-party services, such as web analytics platforms, or monetizing your website through ads, can mean you need a privacy policy page to work with these partners. Once you've decided which pages you need, your next priority should be to plan and structure them within your website. Establishing a hierarchy of pages is important for your site's navigation and to make sure people can move throughout the site with ease. This will also help you decided which pages and links to prioritize on your header and footer. 08. Design your website elements You’ve got your content ready, claimed your domain name and set up your website’s pages. It’s officially time to design the elements of your website. In this section, we’ll talk about all the details that will bring your website together and how to arrange them to form one cohesive design - whether that's inspired by minimalist, modernism, brutalism or something else completely. Ultimately, these decisions should be guided by your brand identity - the distinct appearance and voice you use to communicate your message to audiences. On top of this, keep usability in mind: your website should always facilitate easy navigation and strive to give visitors an engaging user experience. Here are some elements to work on when learning how to design a website: Website architecture : In order to provide the best website navigation experience for visitors, your pages need to be properly connected to one another. Make sure visitors can easily find the pages they need by adding a navigation menu and implementing internal links. Ultimately, follow the “two-click rule.” Your visitors shouldn’t have to click more than once to access any page of your site, wherever they are. "When it comes to making a website it's worth considering building a plan for all your website pages from the start of the process. This means creating a clear website plan that includes your planned and potential future pages. This allows you to then build a url structure for your site that is clean and consistent. This in turn can also mean you avoid having to make fixes to your url structure later, with redirects and manually having to update our change your internal linking." - Nitsan Eiges, team lead of technical SEO at Wix.com Menu: This central element of your design will display the different items featured on your website, ensuring that visitors can easily find and navigate from one page to another. Website menus range from the standard horizontal header menu, to the condensed hamburger menu. Whichever style you choose, it’s recommended to make it accessible on every page of your site and to keep the number of items to a minimum to avoid clustering the screen. Colors: Color psychology proves that different hues have different impacts on human behavior, which is what makes it such an important aspect of website design. The colors you choose may involve different emotions in your users and can impact your site's bounce rate . When choosing your website color scheme, a general rule is to limit yourself to three shades: one primary color (60% of the mix), one secondary color (30%) and one accent color (10%). Of course, if you’ve already solidified brand colors for yourself or your business, these should be included. Don't forget to think about your color palette and your use of the concepts of web colors and color space . Fonts: When you choose fonts for your website, pick typefaces that are legible (both on desktop and mobile) and consistent with your brand identity. While the world of web typography is vast, opt for a maximum of three fonts in order to avoid visual chaos and to ensure readability. Header and footer: Your website’s header and footer are found at the very top and bottom of your website, respectively. Both of these elements can be used in your website’s design to enhance usability and engagement. Both your header and footer contribute to the visual hierarchy of your site, which is important for users and search engines to understand what your site is about and who it's for. A website header is a great place to include features that you want visitors to discover immediately, such as your own logo or navigation menu. While a website footer won’t be seen right away, it can still be used to help your visitors in a number of ways. For example, it’s a great place for you to add your contact information, social media buttons, or an email sign up form. Motion: This refers to all of the non-static, multimedia elements of your website, which can be very handy when you’re trying to catch the eye of visitors. Motion can come in many shapes, sizes and locations across your website design: implementing hover effects to encourage interaction, using VideoBox to add stunning effects or even uploading a full video background. While website animations will definitely spruce up your site, use them in moderation. This guide explains all the dos and don’ts of adding animation to your website design. Scroll effects: As the name suggests, scroll effects appear when the visitors scroll up or down your site. Their sophistication has the potential to draw attention, but most importantly, they help create a smooth transition between the different layers of a website page. One such effect is parallax scrolling. This professional 3D effect can add a sense of depth to your page, resulting in a lively browsing experience. This, along with other scroll effects (such as reveal or zoom-in), can be achieved using the Wix Editor. Favicon: A favicon is a small icon that will be used in a website browser to “represent” your website. Take a second to look up at this tab in your browser, and you’ll see a tiny Wix logo in the left-hand corner—that’s a favicon. Despite its small size, a favicon is a great tool for helping users locate your website in those moments when one too many tabs are open. It will also contribute to your website’s branding by presenting your logo in an extra location, and its sharp appearance adds a measure of professionalism to your website design. Responsive design: Responsive design enables your visitors to have a seamless browsing experience, regardless of whether they are using a desktop computer, tablet or mobile device. With Wix Columns, your website automatically adjusts and stacks content vertically based on the screen size or device being used to view it. This ensures that your website maintains its functionality and visual appeal across various platforms. Whitespace: This is the area of your website that doesn’t include anything. Frightened by all this empty space? Don’t be. First of all, despite the name white space doesn't mean the absence of color, but rather negative space. Also, white space gives your visitors room to “breathe” between images or pieces of content, contributing to a much better user experience. It also supports Hick's law , that the more choices people are given, the harder it can be for them to make a decision. You want to avoid this on your site where the goal is to get users to interact and move around it. Visual hierarchy: Visual hierarchy is the strategic arrangement of elements on a webpage to guide users' attention to what matters most. By using techniques like larger fonts for headings, bold colors for call-to-action buttons and contrasting sections, you can create a clear and structured path for viewers. Spacing helps prevent clutter and maintains a balanced, inviting layout. A strong visual hierarchy enhances user experience while ensuring your key messages are noticeable and effectively communicated. Pro tip: What would artists like Leonardo da Vinci have to say about how to design a website? A lot, we imagine. Some of the same rules that governed art and design for centuries are also applicable to the internet. From balance to symmetry, discover how the principles of design can be applied to websites. Don't forget you can also test how your website looks with a mockup or website wireframe , that will help show you your design and structure before you press publish. Ready to put your website design skills to action? Start designing your site now. 09. Pick the professional tools you need The internet is becoming one of the most important marketplaces in the world. It’s estimated that in 2022, over 2.14 billion people worldwide will purchase goods and services online. For the creative and professionally minded alike, adding some of the following tools to your website can help facilitate efficient and secure transactions. It can also help ensure the scalability of your business through your website. To further help you design your site, Wix encompasses several bespoke solutions to help businesses across all sizes and industries interact with clients. Incorporating these features will elevate your website so that it not only looks good, but operates seamlessly and functions how you need it to: Scheduling software: If you run a service business, your website needs to be able to receive online reservations and payments, 24/7. Wix’s scheduling software does just that. It includes the most sophisticated options on the market, from letting clients book appointments online to the ability to manage your staff’s calendars. Online store: Want to sell your goods online and generate a continuous stream of revenue? An online store is the way to go. From tracking your orders to accepting payments online , to getting paid easily, you’ll be able to manage everything from one dedicated place. Social posts: Raise brand awareness and drive traffic to your site by creating eye-catching social media graphics and sharing your posts directly to Facebook and Instagram. Music: Wix Music is a cutting-edge platform for musicians who want to expand their audience while maintaining total creative freedom. It enables you to sell your music directly on your website and keep 100% of the profits. Simultaneously, it distributes your tunes to over 120 digital stores. Video Maker: Did you know videos can boost organic search traffic to your website by 157% ? With the Wix Video maker you can enhance your website design with customized videos in order to engage with your audience and improve traffic. These can be used to promote your products or services, share exciting updates and more. Wix app: The Wix app conveniently allows you to run your site from anywhere, whether this means live chatting with visitors, or designing your website on-the-go. You’ll even have a mobile space where your regular followers and clients can join. Expert tip: The Wix App Market includes a large selection of apps to boost your website’s business potential. From chat to payment, pop-ups and advertising on Google, there’s a tool for every aspect of your business. 10. Make it accessible to everyone These days, a truly great website design should be accessible to everyone. Web accessibility ensures that all people, regardless of their abilities, can comfortably experience and interact with your website. This includes people with vision impairment, temporary injuries, hearing loss and more. With over one billion people living with some form of disability, catering to everyone’s needs is crucial. It also shows that you and your business value inclusivity and diversity. There are a number of ways to improve user experience on your website for everyone. Make sure to build your website layout hierarchically, using clear headers to define the different levels of information. In addition, ensure that your site is fully operable with a keypad, write alt text for your images, use heading tags and more. "An accessible website benefits not only people with disabilities, but all people. Websites with good contrast for example are not only more welcoming and usable for people with low vision ,but also Improves the experience of a user using the smartphone while walking outside on a sunny day." - Nir Horesh, head of Wix SEO & accessibility 11. Optimize for mobile Smaller screens do not equal smaller impact. With an increase in smartphone and tablet usage, it’s crucial that you ensure a seamless browsing experience across all devices by optimizing your mobile website design. When creating a site with Wix, a mobile version of your site is automatically generated with the Mobile Editor. This means that you won’t have to worry about building a new structure from scratch. However, it’s still up to you to make sure you’re optimizing your content to fit this smaller piece of real estate. Firstly, on your mobile website design, try to keep only the most important elements on the page, removing whatever isn’t absolutely necessary. Secondly, optimize the space above the fold by placing the most vital bits of information there, such as your menu or name. This is what your visitors will see first on a mobile browser, so keep it engaging and informative. 12. Strengthen your SEO After you design a website, nothing is more satisfying than watching the number of visitors grow. One way to increase traffic to your website is to build a website design with SEO best practices. SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of optimizing your website’s content so that it ranks well in search results. SEO requires time, patience and persistence in order to get results, but you can start setting up your SEO as you design your website. Here are some SEO tips that you can apply to your content to improve your chances of ranking in the top results: Conduct keyword research : Keyword research will help you find the keywords that are most relevant for your site. Once you have them, pick one main keyword and a couple of secondary ones—but no more than that. Place your keywords in strategic locations across your site (SEO title and description, homepage, etc.), but don’t overdo it. Search engines penalize websites that “stuff” keywords unnaturally into their content. Include on-page SEO: This is about telling search engines what your pages include. On each page, your website builder will ask you to fill in the meta-data. This includes the URL, the SEO title (the blue link you see on Google’s results page) and the description. Although visitors may not notice these elements, they’re important when it comes to ranking. Add alt text: Alt text refers to the descriptions that you give to your pictures. These won’t be visible to your visitors, but they give a strong indication to Google as to what the media is about. Google may have a lot of knowledge, but it can’t “see” photos or GIFs (yet!). Alt text will help your visual content appear in Google results pages. Plus, writing SEO friendly alt text for your images is also an important practice in improving your website’s accessibility. Boost internal linking: This will ultimately make it easier for Google’s bots to navigate through and recognize your website. Adding links throughout your website design will also encourage visitors to discover more pages. Create a sitemap: This will make it easier for Google and other search engines to crawl your site and understand what it's about. This can be done automatically with a Wix premium plan. Subscribe to the Wix blog  for a weekly dose of fresh web design tips and trends. 13. Engage with visitors These days, visitors expect to engage with you on your site and beyond. Including some of the following features when you design a website will keep your audience connected and informed. Connecting with your followers across multiple channels is a powerful way to build relationships with them—and will ultimately bring more eyes to your site. Live chat: Adding a live chat widget to your site makes a big difference in your visitors’ ability to interact with you. Whether it’s to provide fast customer support or to help undecided visitors make their way to the cart, this small window at the bottom of your users’ screen is a friendly addition. Social media: Similar to your website, your social media channels are an important aspect of your online presence. As you design your website, add links to your social accounts to build your social following and provide another outlet for visitors to connect with you. These should be located somewhere visible, such as under the menu, on the right or left side of your page, or in the footer. Newsletter: Email marketing is a great way to maintain a connection with your audience. You can use email newsletters to update visitors about the latest sales on your online store, promote new blog articles, or celebrate your achievements with subscribers. Invite visitors to subscribe to your newsletter by placing a lightbox on your website. Forms: One powerful way to build long-lasting relationships with your customers is to ask for their feedback. Creating an online form for your website makes sure that visitors have a safe place to share their thoughts about your products, services, website or customer support. Pro tip: Learn how to engage your visitors effectively with techniques like website gamification . 14. Ask for feedback, test and edit At this point, you may know how to design a website successfully, but there’s still room for growth. Being impartial is especially difficult when it comes to your own creation, which is why designing a website involves asking for honest feedback from individuals you trust. Be receptive to their critique and remember that you may not always like what you hear. To ensure a flawless final result, ask a friend or colleague to double check the following elements: Is the text correct? Spelling mistakes can ruin the professional reputation that you’ve worked so hard to build. Are the pages easy to navigate? If it takes too long to find a strategic page of your site, it means that you may need to rethink your site architecture or improve the visibility of your menu. Is your web design optimized for mobile? Over 50% of internet users browse websites using a mobile device. You certainly don’t want to leave half of the world’s population frustrated. Are all the links working? Click on every link to make sure none of them return a 404 page (this indicates that the page doesn’t exist anymore). Check to make sure your call-to-actions (CTA's) are working with the correct links too. Are the SEO elements filled out correctly? From alt text to title tags, there are some items to verify so you can rank higher and grow your search engine visibility. Run manual, automated and user experience tests to ensure everything works as expected. UX testing helps identify design issues before launch, ensuring the website meets user needs. Usability testing with real users highlights pain points, while A/B testing compares design variations to determine what performs best. Heatmaps reveal how visitors interact with your site, guiding improvements. These insights allow you to fine-tune your design for a smoother and more engaging user experience. Test your website on different browsers and devices to make sure it works perfectly for everyone. Something that runs smoothly on one browser might not on another, and the same goes for desktops, tablets or smartphones. This step ensures a consistent experience for every visitor, no matter their setup. Fix any errors or usability issues before launch. Check for broken links, speed up page load times and smooth out navigation or design hiccups. A fully functional, user-friendly site helps you make a great first impression right from the start. 15. Publish and update Having a website is a necessity. But having a website that is up-to-date is what really makes the difference. A site that looks like it’s been lying dormant for too long is uninviting and unreliable. Make sure to be alert, stay in-the-know and update or redesign your website's content as often as you can. As you learn how to design a website that constantly grows and evolves, you’ll need to know how to update your site. There’s always room for improvement, and you want to make sure that you keep your website design fresh. Stay savvy by keeping up with web design trends and UX design trends —use that knowledge to update your site’s design overtime. Don’t forget to keep your content up-to-date, too. Make sure it’s always relevant and proves to visitors that you’re on top of the latest developments in your industry. 16. Monitor and adjust your website Once your website is live, consistently track its performance. This will help you gain insights into user behavior, page traffic and engagement metrics. Regularly check these analytics to understand what's working and what may need improvement. Pay attention to high bounce rates, exit pages and user flow to identify any areas where visitors might be having trouble. User feedback can also be invaluable—consider implementing surveys or feedback forms to glean insights directly from your audience. Track your website’s performance by monitoring traffic and user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. These tools help you understand key metrics such as visitor demographics, session length and page views. Connect your site to analytics to make smart, data-driven decisions effortlessly. Use these insights to improve your content and make necessary updates. For example, if you notice high bounce rates on certain pages, try simplifying navigation or enhancing the content to keep visitors engaged. Armed with this data, be prepared to make necessary adjustments to your content, design or functionality to enhance user experience and achieve your website goals. Remember, a website that evolves with user needs and technological advancements will remain relevant and successful. Pro tip:  You can regularly track the growth of your web traffic  and performance of your site by utilizing Wix’s marketing integrations and connecting your website to tracking tools, like Google Analytics  or Google Search Console . What you need to design a website To design a website, you'll need the following: A domain name: This is the address of your website on the internet, such as example.com. You can register a domain name through a domain registrar. Web hosting: This is the service that stores your website's files and makes them accessible to visitors. You can purchase web hosting from a web hosting provider. A website builder or content management system (CMS): This is a software tool that helps you to create and manage your website's content. Using Wix as a CMS for web design offers you a wide range of templates, ease of use and affordability. Design assets: This includes images, videos and fonts that you will use to design your website. You can find design assets for free or purchase them from stock photo websites and other online resources. What to keep in mind when you design a website When it comes to designing a website, it's worth keeping the following in mind: Who are you designing the website for? What are their needs and interests? What kind of information are they looking for? This is all part of setting your goals for your website. What do you want visitors to do on your website? Do you want them to learn about your company, buy your products or contact you? Learn more: Why is web design important? Decide what your brand values are and what kind of image you want to project when you are designing your website. What colors, fonts and images will represent your brand? This is what your audience will come to associate with you, so choose carefully. Deciding how your website will be structured involves answering important questions, from figuring out how many pages it will have to how visitors will navigate from one page to another. Your website should be mobile-friendly, meaning that it looks good and functions properly on all devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Make sure your website is accessible to people with disabilities, too. This means using high-contrast colors, large fonts and clear navigation. UX (user experience) is the overall experience of using a website. A good UX makes it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for and complete their desired tasks. On top of that, it's important that the design of your website be eye-catching and easy to use. Use colors, fonts and images that complement your brand and make the website easy to navigate. Make sure that your website is secure from hackers and malware. This means using secure passwords, encrypting sensitive data and keeping your software up to date. Pro tip:  Explore old-school types of layouts in nostalgic web design  and Y2K website design . When to design a website yourself or hire a web designer Whether you should design a website yourself or hire a web designer depends on a number of factors, including the following. Budget Hiring a web designer can be expensive, so it's important to consider your budget before making a decision. If you're on a tight budget, you may want to consider designing your own website using a website builder or CMS platform. Time commitment Designing a website can be a time-consuming process, especially if you're not familiar with web design. If you don't have the time to commit to designing your own website, then hiring a web designer may be the best option. Skills and experience If you have no experience with web design, then it may be difficult to create a website that is both visually appealing and functional. If you're not confident in your ability to design a website, hiring a web designer could be the best option. However, website builders like Wix offers easy-to-use templates for beginners, so it's not a necessity. How to design a website with AI When it comes to designing a website, AI can enhance various aspects of the design process, from user experience (UX) to visual design and even content creation. The simplest way to get started is by firing up a platform like Wix's AI maker. A solution like this can connect you with advanced AI tools that take care of the back-end and front-end development of your site, so you can focus on the vision for your brand and business. Meanwhile, AI will suggest the best layout and design for your site based on business goals. Platforms like Wix will go a step further and set you up with the right pages and business applications. For example, if you run a gym that hosts events and also sells its own apparel, Wix will automatically connect your site with its Bookings and Stores apps. This ensures that you not only have a professional-looking website, but also a fully functional workspace for managing all aspects of your business online. Sign up for Wix and test drive its AI website maker for free today. How to design a website FAQ How much does it cost to design a website? The cost of designing a website varies. You can start designing a website for free, with a website builder like Wix or choose from a premium plan. Using a designer or expert to design your website could cost from several hundred to thousands of dollars. Can I design a website by myself? Yes. With an easy to use website builder like Wix, you can create a website by yourself for your business or brand. Do businesses really need a website? In today's digital age, businesses need a website more than ever. A website is a great way to reach new customers, promote your products or services, and build your brand. If you don't have a website, you are missing out on a lot of potential opportunities. How do you design a website from scratch? Here are some tips for designing a website from scratch: Start with a clear plan: Before you start designing your website, it's important to have a clear plan of what you want your website to achieve. What do you want your website to do? Who is your target audience? What are your goals for your website? Do your research: Once you have a clear plan, it's important to do your research. This includes researching different website design trends, as well as researching your target audience. Choose the right tools: You can design a website for free using a website builder like Wix. If you want a more powerful website, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan. Start designing: Once you have chosen the right tools, you can start designing your website. This is where you will put all of your ideas together and create the look and feel of your website. Test and refine: Once you have designed your website, it's important to test it and make sure it works properly. You should also refine the design based on your feedback. What are the best platforms for designing a website without coding knowledge? Wix is a popular platform for users with no coding experience. They offer drag-and-drop interfaces, customizable templates and built-in features What are some common mistakes to avoid when designing a website? Common website design blunders include neglecting user experience, focusing solely on aesthetics over functionality, ignoring mobile friendly techniques, overusing visuals and animations, neglecting clear navigation and choosing a slow loading website. How to design a mobile friendly website? Wix's mobile editor, for example, allows you to preview and edit your site's mobile view. Ensure your content is easily readable and accessible on small screens. Use large buttons and clear navigation for easy interaction.

Turn your ideas into a website you love with Wix →  They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and that’s especially true in web design . What looks stunning to one person might seem “just okay” to someone else.  Still, there’s one thing most of us can agree on: We don’t want our sites to look cheap or boring. We want them to look clean. We want them to look professional. We want them to look on-brand, no matter where people click.   So, how do you achieve that high-end look? After 12 years in design (including my current role as art director for Wix Agency), I’ve picked up some helpful tricks. Rest assured that you don’t need to throw more money at your site or have a design degree to pull this off. There are some small, easy things that you can start fixing today.  As you prepare for high-traffic shopping moments like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, these strategies become even more valuable for keeping your store fast, reliable and ready to convert visitors into customers. But first, what are the common culprits of “low-end” design?   Before we dive into techniques, let’s take a quick look at some mistakes I often see. Here are a few signs your website might be coming across as amateur or incomplete: Poor typography choices : Too many fonts, styles and inconsistent font sizes can make your site hard to read and messy. Lack of visual hierarchy:  When all the content, text and titles are the same size and font, nothing stands out. Low-quality images : Pixelated, stretched or inconsistent photo styles can be harsh on the eyes. Confusing navigation: Disorganized or poorly labeled menu items can confuse visitors. Poor mobile experience: No matter how nice your website might look on desktop, if it shows up badly on mobile devices, then you risk losing tons of visitors (especially given that over 63% of website traffic  now comes from mobile devices).  No clear brand identity : If you lack a consistent voice, color scheme or overall vibe, people might question the legitimacy of your brand.  No clear CTA: People need to know where to go or what to do on your site—otherwise, they might just give up and bounce.  Read also: The conversion mistakes I see on almost every small business website 10 tricks for making your site look high-end  Now that we’ve covered what not  to do, let’s look at some ways you can start improving your site. Check alignment Set your site theme Add simple scrolling effects and animations Add hover boxes Clean up your top menu Sharpen your images Tweak the mobile version of your site Add customer service features Maintain FAQ sections Weave in testimonials 01. Check alignment  If you’re using the Wix Editor, turn on gridlines and structure your page with strips. Both of these techniques help to keep everything aligned and balanced. (Don’t forget to let each section breathe, too. White space isn’t wasted space; it’s a powerful tool for keeping things anchored and looking clean).  02. Set your site theme Choose two main fonts—one for your header text, another for body text. Stick to these, as well as three to five brand colors, and a few button styles. Take advantage of Theme Manager to lock in your styles, even if you started with one of the free website templates . This is where you can set brand styles and keep everything looking consistent.  Learn more: What is web design? 03. Add simple scrolling effects and animations A little goes a long way here. Try fade-ins or slide-ins as people scroll. Use simple effects to make your site feel modern without overdoing it.  04. Add hover boxes Choose from Wix’s pre-designed hover boxes to create a more interactive, engaging experience for visitors. These elements let you present additional content without cluttering your main layout—when a visitor hovers over a box, it animates or reveals more information. 05. Clean up your top menu Keep the top menu simple and intuitive (ideally stick to four to six main links). Also, make sure your menu is fixed and stays visible as people scroll so it’s easily accessible.  For longer one pagers, you can add anchor links to create smooth scrolling. Alternatively, if you’ve got a more elaborate site—like an eCommerce site—create a dropdown menu  or a mega menu that’s organized by category and includes some visual elements.   06. Sharpen your images Only use high-quality images on your site. You can explore the Wix Media Library to find better images if you’re lacking options. Or, take advantage of Wixel's AI-powered photo editor to refine existing images and/or ask AI to design new ones for you.  Read also: 7 things you can do in 30 seconds using Wix’s AI image tools 07. Tweak the mobile version of your site Your site might look great on desktop, but you’ll always want to check the mobile editor. Check for proper spacing, font sizes and layout. Chances are, you’ll want to adjust how your content appears on smaller screens. You can even hide some elements that work well on desktop but clutter the mobile experience.  08. Add customer service features Just like in a luxury store, a high-end online experience starts with excellent service. Add Wix Chat, AI Site Chat or WhatsApp to your site, so your customers can reach you as they’re clicking through your site. Remember, faster responses build trust. 09. Include an FAQ section Address common customer questions directly on your site. Create a dedicated FAQ page or add a collapsible FAQ section to any page so that important information is easily accessible. Consider using the Wix FAQ  app to easily manage a collapsible FAQ section.    10. Weave in testimonials   Strengthen the credibility of your brand and website by adding testimonials where appropriate. Use repeater sections offered in the Wix Editor, which can present testimonials in a polished, easy-to-read format. Related reading: The science of first impressions (and how to nail them on your site) Web design trends Wix website features How to avoid generic AI website content Sure, AI can design your whole website—but you give it soul

Ready to create your own website? Get started with Wix's website builder . When you're building a website  for your business, it’s natural to want to pull out all the stops. After all, you’re aiming to impress. But in the rush to create something unique, it's easy to fall into the common trap of trying too hard. I see it a lot, that desire to add just one more website feature  or a fourth font to give a website more character. More often than not, though, this strategy has the opposite effect: instead of producing a website that wows visitors, you end up with one that overwhelms them and makes them click away. The good news is that creating a striking and professional site is completely within your reach. It’s just that getting there is less about adding as many shiny new things as you can, and more about making thoughtful choices. Here’s my take on what you should consider when thinking about how to create a professional website  that doesn’t underdeliver or overstretch. Let’s start with the basics: Does your site actually work? Before you even think about colors, fonts and effects, let’s talk about function.  It's surprisingly easy to overlook the simple mechanics of your site when you’re excited about the visual details. But if a visitor clicks a button and nothing happens, you might have already lost their trust in your business. So get the basics right, first. Ask yourself, is the menu working properly? Are the CTAs doing what they’re supposed to? Do links to your social media or other external pages open correctly? Fixing these functional issues is a simple, yet important, first step to making sure visitors have a positive user experience. Content needs to breathe, too Think about walking into a room packed wall-to-wall with furniture. It feels cramped and chaotic, and you don’t know where to look first. A website can feel the same way.  When text, images and buttons are crammed together without adequate spacing, the entire page feels overstimulating. This visual noise makes it hard for visitors to focus on your content and absorb your message. White space is the empty area around design elements, and it's one of the most powerful tools in your design kit. So, make use of it. Give your content room to breathe so your site feels open and organized. This also helps to guide the user’s eye from one section to the next and encourages them to explore your site at their own pace. When reviewing your pages, ask yourself: Is there enough space between your paragraphs? Between images and text? Between different sections of your page? Increasing the padding and margins around your elements can instantly make your website feel more professional and inviting. Tame your typography Good typography can instantly make a website feel polished and professional, while messy typography can make it look amateurish. I recommend having a strict typography system. Go for two fonts at most: one for your headings and one for your body text. This creates consistency and a clear visual hierarchy, helping visitors easily scan your content.  The classic pairing of a bold, expressive font for headings and a clean, simple font for paragraphs is a go-to for a reason—it works. My hot take on fonts is that the serif and sans-serif font combination is overrated. I’ve used it as my go-to in the past, but it doesn’t always feel the most consistent or readable compared to other pairings. Sometimes, using two complementary sans-serif fonts (or two serif fonts) can create a more cohesive and readable experience. The key is consistency. It’s okay to tone down the professionalism A common misconception among SMBs is that their web content  needs to be formal. While it's important to build credibility, a website that’s all business and no personality can feel cold and generic. Remember, your business website  is a chance for people to connect with your brand. Of course, it will depend on your audience, but weaving personality into your copy can make your brand more relatable and memorable. After all, people do business with people they like, and your website is the perfect place to make that connection. Personally, I try to show a side of me you won’t find on my LinkedIn. I have a dry sense of humor, so I like to let that come through in my About section. Related: Most AI-generated website content is generic. Here's how to make sure yours isn't. Keep background colors subtle When it comes to color, your brand's personality should guide your choices. If a bold, bright color palette is true to your style, then go for it. However, for many businesses, a simple background is the most effective choice. Your website often showcases your work—your products, your portfolio, your services. A neutral background, like black or white, paired with a strong accent color, allows your work to speak for itself. The focus remains on what you’re offering, not on a distracting background. Think of your website's design as the frame for a painting. That frame should complement the art, not overpower it. By keeping the design clean and focused, you let the quality of your work take center stage. For website design inspiration , take a look at the site  for construction business In the Deets , which features a clean, professional layout that allows the company’s striking interior design work to take center stage. Find the sweet spot between simple and over-stimulating So, how do you create a website that’s clean and simple without being boring?  For me, an overly simplified website is one without interactions or animations. Those small touches can take a site from flat to memorable. They instantly make your work stand out and the site more engaging. You don't need wild, complex animations to make an impact. Simple effects can go far. Here are some to consider: Hover effects: For example, an image that subtly zooms in or a button that changes color when you hover over it. Parallax scrolling: An effect where the background moves at a different speed than the foreground, creating a sense of depth. Fade-in animations: Elements that gracefully appear as the user scrolls down the page. These small touches (which are easy to add in the Wix Editor, I might add) transform a site from a boring web page  into a memorable experience.  Sure enough, you can go the other way too: animation overkill. To hit that sweet spot, use animations purposefully—to guide attention or enhance flow. Read also: Sure, AI can design your whole website—but you give it soul Get honest feedback Creating a website isn’t a one-and-done task. It's okay to make mistakes and not have a perfect design right away. Reaching a point where your site hits all the right notes without trying too hard comes not only from the tactics I’ve outlined, but also from being open to honest feedback. So, reach out to your family, friends and colleagues for their perspective. You might be surprised by the insights you get from a quick outsider’s view. Finally, scope out the best tools like Wix’s drag-and-drop website builder  or AI design tools  to create a website that’s not only compelling but also works hard for your business. Related reading: Website launch checklist Best AI website builders What makes a good website?

Ready to create your own website? Get started with Wix's website builder . Today, small business owners are turning to AI to craft website content—and the numbers show it’s not just a trend. A 2025 survey from Thryv  found that AI adoption among small businesses jumped from 39% in 2024 to 55% in 2025. Of those, more than half (55%) say content generation is their primary use case. But from what I see out in the wild, many SMBs are barely scratching the surface. This is because they type in a few quick prompts and get bland, generic content that reads like it was generated from a quick prompt. This isn’t a knock on SMB owners—learning how to prompt AI effectively is just one part of a crash course in AI education we’re all getting on the fly.  I may have written a few more prompts than the average person, so let me start with this. The real trick to getting AI to deliver great results is simple: give it context. Lots of it. Related:   Small business website statistics What a prompt with context looks like Let me give you an example. Say you give AI the following prompt:  “Help me write around 100 words of content for a landing page announcing a Fall sale.”  And let’s assume that it has no other context or access to previous chats you may have had with it.  AI would go ahead and confidently write the content with some room for you to fill in the blanks. It’ll probably lead with “Fall into savings!” or something lame like that. It will mention that for a limited time, your customers can save big on Fall finds.  It will be bland and generic. Here’s what I actually got with one of the most popular AI tools (emojis included): 🍁 Fall into Savings! 🍁 [Author’s note: See? I told you] Autumn is here, and so are our biggest deals of the season! For a limited time, enjoy exclusive discounts on your favorite products—from cozy essentials to must-have seasonal picks. Whether you’re refreshing your wardrobe, upgrading your home or finding the perfect gift, now’s the time to save. Don’t wait—these Fall specials won’t last long! Shop today and embrace the season in style while enjoying unbeatable prices. Shop the Fall sale now and make this autumn your most stylish, comfortable and budget-friendly yet! That’s almost 90 words about a Fall sale that doesn’t say a whole lot. But you can’t expect AI  to give you much when you didn’t tell it a whole lot, either. And it’s making an assumption that you sell clothes or home goods, which may or may not be true. Now, imagine you give AI this prompt:  “Help me write content of around 100 words for a landing page about a Fall sale. I own a costume shop. The sale dates are October 2-9. The sale is for every item in the store, with the steepest discounts of up to 40% off on Halloween decorations.  We will also be offering free face-painting during this time, which will hopefully bring in more families, who make up the majority of my business. The location of my store is [address]. I want to avoid cliche language. Add a reference about how even vampires would risk going out in the sun for this sale.” Here’s what the same AI tool gave me: Step into the spirit of the season at [Your Store Name]! From October 2–9, every item in our store is on sale, with Halloween decorations reaching up to 40% off—so good, even vampires might risk stepping into the sun.  Families are especially welcome: we’re offering free face-painting to make your visit extra fun. Explore our wide range of costumes, props, and décor to create a hauntingly memorable Halloween.  Whether you’re trick-or-treating or hosting the ultimate spooky party, this is the perfect time to stock up. Visit us at [address] and grab your favorites before they vanish! See the difference? The more information you give it, the more personalized—and less generic—your output will be. Learn more:   How much does a website cost ? How I built a Wix website for my mom How to choose a website builder The formula I like to use: RACE To help you create content with AI when building a website , let’s look at a handy prompting framework you can use. The one I share when I’m giving “Intro to AI” sessions is the RACE framework , as written by Trust Insights. It stands for Role, Action, Context, Execute. If I’m being honest, I didn’t actually follow it in the example I gave above about the costume store, so let’s expand on that example. First, tell AI what role you want it to take on. Using the example from earlier, you might say, “You are a copywriter with a specialty in creating high-converting landing pages.” Then, state the action : “I would like you to help me write content for a landing page based on the following information.” Next, give the AI context,  like how I provided extra detail earlier about the product discounts, face-painting and even a quip about vampires. Then, just to remind it what it’s supposed to do, add another line about executing  the task.  “Please let me know if you have any questions that would help you in this task. If not, please write the landing page content now.” (Do you have to say “please?” No. But my mom taught me to be polite.) Now, take a look at what AI gave me:  🍂 Fall into Savings at [Your Store Name]! 🍂 From October 2–9, every item in our store is on sale, with Halloween decorations up to 40% off—even vampires would risk the sun to snag these deals!  Bring the whole family and enjoy free face-painting while you shop. From spooky décor to show-stopping costumes, there’s something for every ghoul and goblin.  Don’t miss this chance to transform your Halloween and your home without breaking the bank. Swing by [address] and make this Fall unforgettable. Well, it still says “Fall into Savings,” which I’d want to fix, but that’s why you always need a human in the loop. Speaking of which… How I make sure my content sounds human Using the RACE framework will get you much better results from AI, but it’s still important to review all AI-generated content. And even if you’re not an editor, there’s one thing you should definitely do to ensure a human touch. Read the content out loud to yourself and see how it sounds.  In my experience, whether the text is generated by AI or another person, this is the best way to identify phrasing that needs to be reworked. But be warned: AI will often put together a string of words that sound nice in sequence but don’t actually mean much if you think about them for more than two seconds.  So, read it out loud. Then either make fixes yourself or let AI know about a specific sentence or word you don’t like and ask for changes. Here’s how I would have edited the email above. I’ve marked my changes in red. The Fall Super-Sale is Coming From October 2–9, every item in [Your Store Name] is going on sale, with Halloween decorations up to 40% off—even vampires would risk the sun to snag these deals!  Bring the whole family and let the kids enjoy free face-painting while you shop. From spooky décor to show-stopping costumes, there’s something for every ghoul and goblin.  Don’t miss this chance to transform your Halloween and your home without breaking the bank. Swing by [address] and make this Halloween unforgettable. Of course, it’s up to you as to how much you want to use AI for your business website  content. Personally, I don’t like it too much for writing headlines because I’m very  picky about headlines. To me, AI is best used for anything that is highly specific (product descriptions, for example) because specificity acts as a compass for AI. The narrower and clearer the task, the more precise, useful and aligned the output tends to be. Read also: Sure, AI can design your whole website—but you give it soul Discover seven things you can do in 30 seconds with Wix's AI image tools . Bring yourself to the AI party There’s a final ingredient to ensuring your AI-generated web content  isn’t bland and generic, or, as they like to call it these days, “AI slop.” That ingredient is you. Your personality, your expertise, and your ideas. AI has amazing capabilities, but to get amazing results, you have to bring yourself to the party, too. When you combine what makes you unique with the generative powers of AI, that’s when the good stuff really starts happening. Building a website from scratch  and need help creating compelling content? Check out what Wix’s powerful built-in AI tools  can do for your business.

To say that the world of photo editing is different these days would be an understatement. In recent years, AI has opened the floodgates to a ton of innovative tools—ones that allow someone with zero graphic design experience to create images like a pro.  As head of Wix Media, I’ve had a front-row seat in the AI revolution. Though my team’s journey into AI began years before AI became cool, you could say that the Wix Photo Studio has undergone a major transformation. As you learn how to build a website with the Studio today, you’ll find that a few clicks can produce amazing results.  To prove it, here are seven things you can do in 30 seconds with Wix’s AI image tools.  Want to see Wix’s AI tools up close? Create a website  with Wix our test drive our free AI website builder .  01. Whip up a brand new image If you’re creating a website  or a new blog and need complementary images (just as examples), Wix’s AI image creator can help you take what’s in your head and turn it into reality.  Simply describe what you want. For example, let’s say I’m a fashion blogger looking for a photo of someone flaunting cool, stylish streetwear. Instead of scrolling through stock photos or begging strangers to let me take photos of them, I could go into the image creator and request a new photo. The image creator will ask if I’m interested in a photo, illustration or other artistic style. Let’s say I pick “photo” and request: “A beautiful man standing on a sidewalk”  In just a few seconds, the image creator will whip up that beautiful man. I can either take the first photo it creates or ask it to try again.  02. Erase an unwanted object So, you created an image, but there’s something in the background you don’t like? No problem.  The object eraser has you covered. Using the same example as before, I could remove anything from the background by simply highlighting it and clicking “erase.”  The object eraser doesn’t just work on newly created images. You could upload an existing image and use the eraser to clean it up.  (Imagine: The next time you need a professional headshot or profile pic, you no longer need to scroll endlessly through your camera roll for a usable selfie. Use the eraser to unapologetically edit out your friends or kids from a photo. Or, replace the entire background with a new, clean backdrop.)   03. “Photoshop” any part of your image The AI image editor lets you add and replace anything on an image. In our current example, this guy’s top is a bit too formal. I want the image to scream streetwear, so I highlight his suit and ask the AI editor to replace it with a hoodie.  Just like that, we’re able to go from office wear to streetwear.  They say that every parent has a favorite child. I’m not afraid to admit that the AI image editor is one of my favorites. It’s smart, ambitious and always eager to help; with the editor, you can change the whole background of an image or change a small detail that affects the whole vibe. Best of all, you can tweak your image as much as you’d like. Just ask the editor to give you another option, and keep redoing this action until you end up with a result you like.    04. Extend your image to fit any page Every web designer  knows the challenge of resizing an image to fit the dimensions of a page. This process can be tedious and compromise the quality or proportions of an image—but with the AI extend tool, it can be done easily. Read also: What is web design?   Do you want to use the image we just created on your homepage? If the size is off, you can use the AI extend tool to safely stretch it out.   Input your target dimensions, select any of the predefined ratios or manually stretch the image, then click “Extend Image.” The AI will handle the rest.  Putting it all together When you put all these steps together, you go from an image of a formally dressed office worker on a busy sidewalk to a cool kid posing in an empty street.  While I just walked you through a sequence of steps that could be applied to one image, the truth is that all of these tools can be used apart from one another. You don’t need AI to do everything for you; in fact, I encourage you to take certain steps into your own hands. As with everything AI-powered these days, the best tools are used in tandem with your expertise and creativity. Wix’s AI image tools are no different. They’re there to assist you, not to cut corners.  Other cool hacks I promised you eight cool tricks, so before you leave, here are four more neat features to check out.  05. Auto enhance   Available under the “Adjust” tab of the Wix Photo Studio, the auto-enhance tool lets you optimize the colors and sharpness of an image in a single action. This can help you make an image instantly more appealing and professional. 06. Auto cut out   No need to use any scissors to remove the background of your image. Simply go to the cut out tool and press “auto cut out.” The AI will automatically clear your background, then give you the option to replace it with another colored, patterned or image-based background.  07. Upscale  Our upscale tool will take any low-resolution image and upscale its resolution in a single click so that it’s website-ready. This tool can be found under the “Crop & Extend” tab. 08. Regenerate Still not satisfied with your image? With the "Regenerate" tool (found in the photo studio), you can have AI analyze your photo and suggest a prompt that you can use to reproduce it. Related reading: How to design a website with AI How to avoid generic AI website content Sure, AI can design your whole website—but you give it soul

Turn your ideas into a website you love with Wix →   A professional website can simultaneously operate as a marketing tool, a store platform, a display of talent, a communication channel, and an engine for branding. Essentially, it opens up the entire world to you and your business, giving you a unique platform to accomplish nearly anything. In this post, we will provide a step-by-step guide explaining how to make a Wix website and walk you through the technicalities and details of building your own professional site, which may differ from building a personal site. We will also focus on branding and marketing essentials to guarantee your site is as effective as it is beautiful. Or get started by understanding more about creating a website with AI from these best AI website builders . How to create a professional website Strategize your brand Master the web design Prioritize website usability Optimize for search engines Professionalize your site Optimize for mobile Launch a content marketing plan Test and maintain your professional website 01. Strategize your brand Start with outlining a clear and consistent brand strategy that will impact each touchstone of your site, from the overall website purpose to the guiding visual philosophy and tone of voice. All of these should become clear as you pursue the following: Identify your target market : Who are they? Which demographic groups do they belong to? What do they like to do? How do your target audience see themselves? How will your business or website influence their lives? Research your competitors : Do some market research to get a feel on what the competition is doing, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how you can carve a niche for yourself in the field. Define your brand identity : If you had to describe your brand in three words, what would they be? What is the vision that motivates your brand? Think of your brand’s personality and extract from it tangible traits like brand colors, vocabulary and style. Prepare consistent branding material : Now it’s time to get practical and prepare the materials that will soon be featured on your site and across your other branding assets. Make sure to create your own logo , as well as images, slogans, videos, textual content and more. These elements should all correspond to your brand identity and serve your branding strategy. Learn more: Website name ideas 02. Master the web design From choosing the right website color scheme to crafting the right layout for your site, you have to take into account many aspects of professional website design . If you already know how to build a website from scratc h and have some previous experience, you can build your site starting from a blank website template , deciding whether you want to create a static website or a dynamic one. If you're worried about how long it takes to build a website , and want to save some time, you can also create a professional website with Wix's HTML website creator in the following three steps: Choose a template or start with AI : Using a website builder with What You See is What You Get (WYSIWYG) software, like Wix, you don't need any code to create your site—it's already built into the interface. The platform provides customers with customizable website templates as a solid foundation for designing their sites from scratch. There is a vast selection of professional website templates for a range of themes, styles and purposes. Whether you’re creating a personal website , using an online store builder or any other type of site, find the template that best suits your vision. Ideally, the one you pick will already be structured according to your needs and in line with your business goals (Learn more about starting a business ). Alternatively, you can let Wix's AI website maker design your site for you, and then customize it later on. This means you don't need to be well-versed in HTML , CSS or other web development lingo. Simply chat with AI and let Wix's artificial design intelligence work its magic. Learn more about how to create a website with AI . If you are an expert, check out Wix Studio for features such as responsive AI and a web creation platform built for agencies. Customize your template : It’s time to turn it into your very own site by customizing and editing. Add in all your content, including text, videos, links and images. Wix recommends using JPEG, PNG and GIF files for images to ensure they appear their best on your site. Next, refine the design using the editor's site and theme design to easily align your site design with your brand. Customization can be as basic or as elaborate as you want it to be. For inspiration, take a look at this selection of striking Wix websites , created from three different templates. Notice how the original simple website templates have been adapted to result in unique, individually-designed sites. Read also: I built a Wix website for my mom—here's how it went "Once you pick the right layout or the right template for you, I think it's really important to first make sure you customize all the content." - Dafna Rabin, Wix Template Design team lead Tweak the look : There is much more to creating a website than just choosing the best fonts, colors and images. You can incorporate a variety of media features to enhance your overall aesthetic. Try adding background videos or animation to your website design for added movement, or parallax scrolling to craft a sense of depth. But, be careful not to fall into the trap of overdesigning , too. Waste no time and create your site from start to finish with Wix's website builder . 03. Prioritize website usability Your website needs to catch the eye of any potential customer but to ensure that visitors will keep browsing, you must also provide a positive user experience. A beautiful website that does not function properly will not get you far. As you create a professional website, pay attention to these important points: Navigation flow : For optimal website navigation, make sure the site structure is clear and intuitive. Visitors should be able to easily navigate between pages and subpages using the main menu or internal links. "When it comes to making a website it's worth considering building a plan for all your website pages from the start of the process. This means creating a clear website plan that includes your planned and potential future pages. This allows you to then build a url structure for your site that is clean and consistent. This in turn can also mean you avoid having to make fixes to your url structure later, with redirects and manually having to update our change your internal linking." - Nitsan Eiges, Technical SEO team lead at Wix Content hierarchy : Hierarchy is one of the seven principles of design, which is why you should pay extra attention to it. Your aim is to guide visitors through your site in the order that best suits your interest. When thinking through how to plan a website , make sure that the most crucial layout elements are the most prominent. Reflect this hierarchy in your design, emphasizing the most important elements through size, color and placement on the page. For example, if you want people to subscribe to your service, make sure your ‘Subscribe’ button stands out on the page. This landing page explaining how to create a blog with a blog creator, clearly demonstrates content hierarchy done right, with large headers and eye-catching buttons. Calls-to-action : CTAs are the short messages that invite site visitors to take direct action. They can encourage visitors to “Register Free,” “Get Yours Today” or “Subscribe.” In short, they tell the visitors explicitly what you want them to do and make it easy for them to trust what will happen after clicking a button. Readability : Readability is a basic principle in typography. Make sure to use clear fonts and comfortable font sizes, that your text colors contrast well with the background colors, and that you have enough empty space (whitespace) around your written content. Check out our guide for more details on how to make website accessible . Footer : The bottom part of your site is known as the website footer (the top is the header). Footers are not immediately visible to site visitors, but they can be used in a number of ways to enhance usability. Consider adding your contact information to the footer, including buttons linking to social media channels and your privacy policy . You could also display a simplified site map that links to all your pages, as well as a brief explanation of who you are, or a site disclaimer text. Learn more: What makes a good website , website vs. CMS 04. Optimize for search engines Getting your site to rank prominently on search results is one of the most valuable ways to increase your traffic. This is why it’s so important to prioritize search engine optimization ( SEO ) in the early stages of creating your professional website. A key part of online marketing, SEO is a science in its own right. Its key elements are: Keyword research : Put yourself in the shoes of your potential site visitor or client. Which questions or phrases might they search for on Google that could lead them to your website? The keywords within their search queries will guide your SEO strategy. Using keyword research tools, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on which keywords you should be targeting. This can also be helpful for choosing a domain name that's relevant and searchable. Text : Every piece of text on your website, from your menu to your FAQ page, blog, footer or bio section, should be written with SEO in mind. While there are many SEO tips to boost your website, the general idea is to find subtle and elegant ways to integrate your keywords into your site’s textual content without compromising on quality. Search engine crawlers are smart, and they could down-rank you if they think you sound too much like an ad. Meta tags : Search engines like Google read your metadata. It’s up to you to control what it is that they see and how they present your site in search results. It is well worth it to take the time to add custom meta tags to your site with the goal of optimizing your content and helping search engines understand what your pages contain. Alt text : Images also play a prominent role in your SEO efforts. Every image that you upload to your website should have alt text (short for alternative text) added to it. Alt text is a very short line that explains to search engines what the image depicts. In turn, this allows your images to be ‘found’ in search results, which is why it’s important to write SEO-friendly alt text for all your images. Link building : Broadly put, your ranking on search engine results is likely to improve if you have other websites linking to your site. You can start by submitting your professional website to directories, making sure that all your social media profiles link to your site, and encouraging site visitors to share your content as well. Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term process that does not end once your website launches. You will need to continue to refine it as you go along in order to achieve sustainable results. "Don't be afraid to start small with your SEO content strategy. Focus on basic on-page optimizations and best practices, such as keywords in headings, first. Once you're sure your audience can be found on organic search, you can start planning a more advanced content strategy, involving clustering and advanced SEO techniques." - Rebecca Tomasis, Blog SEO team lead at Wix 05. Professionalize your website In addition to acting as the online face of your business or service, you should ask yourself how your website can further enhance your professional success. Depending on your industry or field, your site could be offering a number of features that will make it more appealing to your target market: Scheduling software : This is an ideal solution for managing appointments online and helps you take bookings and get payments more efficiently, as well as showcase your services in their best light. Online store : It’s never been easier to create and manage an eCommerce website, which includes professional features such as advanced marketing tools, secure online payments and multiple sales channels. You can start building your website from scratch or pick one of these online store templates . Fitness website : As you build a fitness business, you need an all-in-one solution with gym management software, online booking and payments, and convenient staff and scheduling options. Music portfolio website : Sell your music directly on your website with Wix, and keep 100% of the profits. You will also be able to expand your audience while maintaining total creative freedom. Essential apps : The Wix App Market holds a large selection of apps that will help you fulfill your website’s potential to the max. Consider, for instance, a tool to track your visitor analytics , a countdown timer to help increase your sales, and sophisticated text animation to impress your visitors. Read more: Check out Josh Harmon's professional website . 06. Optimize for mobile Making sure your website functions just as well on mobile as it does on desktop is crucial in this day and age. In fact, mobile usage stats indicate that mobile devices account for over 50% of web page views worldwide . Not only that, but since Google implemented mobile-first indexing, websites are ranked on search results predominantly by their mobile versions. Clearly, it’s worth investing your time in optimizing your mobile website . When you create a professional website with Wix, the mobile editor automatically converts your desktop design into a mobile-friendly site. You can then adjust the layout and design to suit mobile devices, paying particular attention to readability, text sizing and navigation. You can even make your website an app for users to download to their smartphones. For users who are looking for full control over breakpoints, Wix Studio is an advanced creation platform built exclusively for designers and agencies. It combines cutting-edge, responsive design with intuitive drag-and-drop on a flexible new canvas. This gives you absolute design control, so you can design your site at any viewport size. You can also create a responsive website. 07. Launch a content marketing plan Once your professional website goes live, you will see that the main challenge shifts to attracting and maintaining visitors. You can prepare for this task by developing a content marketing strategy, or the nuts and bolts of creating, publishing and promoting content that builds brand loyalty and trust. Here are a few ways to launch a content marketing plan: Make newsletters : Marketing emails, like a newsletter, can generate traffic using relevant and enticing content that makes a reader want to click. You can make your own successful email marketing campaign with Wix using fully customizable layouts, marketing automation tools, easy-to-read stats tracking, and more. Start a blog : There are many reasons why blogging is well worth your time and effort. Besides the fact that you can use it to monetize a website , having a blog can positively impact your site’s traffic. By covering a wide array of topics, you can draw in more readers and in turn more users to your product or service. Blog articles can also be repurposed and shared on social media. Add other compelling content: Expand your site’s appeal with engaging formats like infographics, white papers or case studies. Infographics can share complex ideas visually, while white papers and case studies establish credibility in your industry. Combining these diverse content types builds a richer experience for your audience while helping your business stand out. Content-wise, having your own blog will let you communicate your message and ideas in a more personal tone, as well as demonstrate your level of professionalism in your field. "I can definitely say that blogging is not only relevant nowadays, it's crucial. It's the perfect opportunity for us to build trust and authority with our users. Some people consider blogging only as a nice piece of content, but I think that it goes beyond this. It's a relationship that you're building with your readers where you can share with them—useful tips (they can apply to themselves) quotes from experts your experience on a given topic (which will show them your level of expertise on specific topics)."- Clemence Arthur, International SEO manager at Wix Social media is another great way to reach a wider audience. When you update your website, you can share the news on your social media channels. However, don't just promote your website. Engage with your audience in a genuine way, too. 08. Test and maintain your professional website As your professional website grows traffic and attracts more site visitors, you’ll need it running like a well-oiled machine. While website maintenance can feel like a big chore, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are some easy steps you can take to stay on top of your site with little investment. These include updating your content, like on your contact form, responding to customer reviews, checking online inventory and removing broken links or updating your privacy policy . Maintaining helps keep your audience engaged and your site looking professional. Test your site frequently to ensure all links, forms and features function seamlessly across different browsers and devices. Identifying technical issues early allows you to fix them before they impact user experience, helping your site maintain a polished and reliable image. Equally important is to keep your platform and plugins updated. Outdated software can pose serious security risks and slow down performance. Scheduling regular updates ensures your site is protected, operating at peak efficiency and meeting the latest web standards. Use website analytics to gain valuable insights into how visitors interact with your site. This data reveals opportunities to improve user experience, optimize engagement and boost conversions, helping your site reach its full potential. It's also important to check your software and add-ons for updates at least monthly. Outdated software can be a security risk, even if you have strong website security measures in place. Tip: Need a catchy title for your website's domain or subdomain ? Use a website name generator for inspiration and ideas. When it comes to creating a professional website you'll want to make sure you use a website builder, whether do it yourself or headless, that comes with advanced website infrastructure. This means with web hosting provided automatically, the chance to choose and connect a domain name and security that delivers 24/7 monitoring. . Related reading : Learn how Roni Sagi , runner up from America's Got Talent made her site. How to create a professional website FAQ Can I build my own professional website? Yes. All you need to do is choose a website builder, like Wix, find the right professional website templates and get creating. With Wix, your web hosting and web security are taken care of, so you can focus on the design and content of your site. Learn more about the advantages of Wix in this comparison guide: Wix vs Squarespace . Can I create a professional website for free? Absolutely. With Wix you can build a site for free or choose a premium package for more functionality. Learn more about is Wix really free ? How much does it cost to build a professional website? The cost of creating a website varies, depending on if you choose to work with a web developer and designer, or if you choose to use a CMS and build it yourself. You can create a professional website for free, or choose from a premium package that will include your domain name and other features. How can I create a professional website as a beginner? As a beginner you'll want to make sure you choose the right website builder to get you started with making your professional site. Opt for a platform that allows you to quickly and easily create a site, and which will allow your site to grow and scale with your professional career or business. As a beginner creating a site its always a good idea to work first with templates for your site pages. What is a personal professional website? A personal professional website is an online site where individuals showcase their skills, achievements and work experience. It serves as a dynamic digital resume, allowing users to display portfolios, highlight expertise and provide contact information. This centralized online hub enables personal branding, making it easier for employers, clients or collaborators to learn about one's professional background and accomplishments. It often includes a bio, portfolio section, resume and contact details for networking and career opportunities. How to spot a professional website? A professional website is characterized by a clean, modern design with intuitive navigation. High-quality visuals and well-organized content enhance user experience. The site loads quickly, and the URL is secure (https://). Contact information and a clear call-to-action are easily accessible. Professional websites prioritize functionality, showcase a cohesive brand identity and credibility with error-free content and attention to detail. Why should I create a professional website? Creating a professional website gives you a strong online presence, which builds your credibility and visibility. A website provides a centralized hub for potential employers or clients to learn about you, fostering networking opportunities. It also allows you to control your personal brand, express your unique identity and allow for easy communication. A professional website is a crucial tool for career advancement and personal branding in an age where everything and everyone is online. How to make a professional website in just 10 minutes? You can create a professional website quickly with Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop website builder . Choose a template from the extensive library that fits your business needs, then customize it with your text, images and branding. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to arrange elements and get your site online in minutes. Wix empowers you to build a fast, professional and polished online presence—no technical skills required. How can I make my website look professional? To make your website look professional, focus on a clean and consistent design with a cohesive color scheme and typography. Use high-quality images and organize your content so it's simple to navigate. Additionally, make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, as these factors make a big difference in building trust and leaving a strong impression.

Turn your ideas into a website →   |   Claim your domain →  Want to build a website from scratch? The fastest and most beginner-friendly way is to use a website builder , which gives you all the tools you need to design, customize and publish a site without coding. This guide breaks the process down step by step so you can move from idea to launch with confidence. You’ll also find a website launch checklist to make sure everything’s ready before you hit publish. Learn more: What is a Wix website? Looking to create a website fast? If you're looking to create a stunning website, fast—there are several ways you can go about it. A website builder, like Wix is a great place to start, you can choose from over 2,000 pre-designed, customizable website templates to easily build a website. Choose templates by website type, functionality or your business industry. You can discover more in this piece: Should I use a template to make a website ? Not fast enough? Then you might want to consider creating a website with AI. An AI website builder can make a site for you in minutes. All you have to do is tell it what you want. Learn more:  How to make a website fast TL;DR: How to create a website To create a website, start by defining your website’s purpose and choosing a platform. Wix is a beginner-friendly website builder that makes setup fast and easy. Next, register your domain, secure hosting and design your site using a template customized to your brand. Add content and functionality, test everything across devices and finally, launch and promote your website to attract visitors and keep it up to date. Step What to do 1. Define your website’s purpose Decide if it’s a blog, business site, online store or portfolio to guide your design and content. 2. Choose a website builder or platform Use Wix for an easy beginner-friendly setup. 3. Register your domain name Pick a unique memorable web address that reflects your brand. 4. Get a hosting plan Choose a reliable plan that ensures your site is fast and accessible. 5. Plan and design your site Map out your pages, select a template and customize it to match your brand. 6. Add content and functionality Add text, images, videos and features like forms, online stores or booking tools. 7. Test and publish Check your site on desktop, mobile and tablet, fix any issues then go live. 8. Promote and maintain Share your site through SEO, social media and email and keep content updated. How to make a website from scratch Define your website's purpose Choose your website builder Pick and register a domain name Choose a web hosting plan Pick your template Customize your template to your brand Build your site structure and architecture Add useful pages Create engaging content Test and launch Maintain and promote your website 01. Define your website's purpose Every great site starts with a clear website goal  and understanding your audience. Know what you're here to do—selling products, sharing knowledge or building a community. A clear website purpose keeps you on track as you build. Next, get to know your audience. Who are they and what do they need? Create personas based on their demographics, interests and challenges. Use surveys or chats to gather helpful insights. The better you understand them, the more your site will grab attention and keep visitors coming back. Want your website to stand out? Focus on what makes you different. Start by exploring other sites in your market. How do they look? How do they work? Take notes on what they’re doing well and where they fall short. Spot trends, find gaps and think about how you can offer something better. Expert tip from Ian Lawson, head of user experience at Slickplan : “Before jumping into design, take the time to understand who your audience is and how they look for information. The most successful websites are built around clear user goals. They use that insight to guide everything from site structure to navigation to content hierarchy, ensuring that visitors find what they need in as few clicks as possible.” Learn more about website mapping . Depending on your goals, there are different types of websites that you may want to consider creating and various elements worth adding to your site: Business and commerce websites : These websites are built to get things done. Selling products through an online store  on an eCommerce  platform, booking services or giving customers a clear idea of what a company offers—business websites focus on clarity and conversion. From local shops to national brands, they share pricing info, service details, testimonials and contact forms. A solid privacy policy  is a must and adding a chat feature makes staying in touch with customers quick and easy. Creative and portfolio websites : If you're a photographer, designer, writer or musician, your website should reflect your style. A strong portfolio website might include a photo gallery  to highlight your best work, a blog to share your process and social media links to grow your audience. For freelancers or creative agencies, these sites act as living resumes—personal, expressive and designed to attract the right clients. Content and media websites : These sites focus on sharing stories, insights or entertainment. A niche blog  is a classic example, often packed with how-tos, lists or essays. Content-heavy websites might also include videos, podcasts or a news section. If you’re publishing regularly and want people to keep coming back, make sure to have clean navigation, a search tool and maybe even a members area for exclusive stuff like newsletters. Educational websites : School homepages, online courses and resource hubs make learning easier for everyone. These sites include lessons, PDFs , video lectures or even certification programs. A clear layout and simple navigation keep things user-friendly, while member log-ins can track progress. Many also include blogs or FAQ sections to answer questions and explore topics in more detail. Personal and lifestyle websites : From fitness journeys to recipes or travel stories, personal websites come in all styles. A couple planning their wedding might create an event website  or a wedding website  to share info and collect RSVPs. Some people prefer a one page website —simple and streamlined—perfect for a resume, bio or link-in-bio page. You can add a photo gallery, a blog or just a few social media links to keep it personal and relatable. Learn more: How hard is it to make a website ? Institutional and public service websites : Built for trust and accessibility, these sites are for schools, governments, charities and community groups. A nonprofit website  might include donation forms, mission statements and volunteer sign-ups. A church website  could share service times, livestreams and upcoming events. Utility and niche websites : Some websites have one job—and nail it. From comparing insurance plans to calculating a mortgage, utility websites focus on function. These can be custom tools, SaaS platforms, directories, or crowdfunding sites. With the right strategy, you can also monetize your website  by offering premium features, ads or partnerships. Some sites serve more than one purpose, so it’s important to focus on your main goal. For example, Cleverchefs uses its site to tell its brand story. While it attracts new bookings, the main focus is helping prospects understand what makes Cleverchefs unique. Their site reflects their company’s ethos, making it a powerful tool to connect with clients who share their values Expert tip from business owner Nick Collins, founder of Cleverchefs : "When I ask my clients why they chose us over our competitors, they usually say it's because of our website. I think they can really feel our passion through the way we connect with them and stand out as a creative catering company." 02. Choose your website builder A website builder is a popular and affordable solution that enables you to set up, design, personalize, publish and manage a website without having to use code. The best platforms help you get a site set up and launched quicker and without fuss—while also offering 24/7 support and built-in features that make scaling easier. Learn more about what a website builder is . Expert tip from Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead (outbound) at Wix.com: "What often gets forgotten when talking about choosing a website builder is the capabilities of the infrastructure that’s promised to you—the reliability of the hosting, the level of security that’s in order to protect your visitor’s data, and of course your site's speed. Even if infrastructure is not the first thought that comes to mind when it comes to making a website, if it’s not robust enough, it can cause large headaches for website owners when trying to scale a website later on." When you choose the right website builder, you won’t have to deal with the mountains of minutia that other DIY site owners may face (e.g., installing security features by hand, fixing bugs on your own, etc.). Low-code-no-code software takes care of web development for you, so you don't need to know how to code to customize your site's design. Modern-day website builders will also include AI-powered capabilities, allowing you to work faster and smarter than ever. Learn more: Website builder vs. CMS Wix vs. GoDaddy Best vibe coding tools That said, while there are several solid players in this website-building industry, you’ll want to make sure that you do your due diligence before investing in the right one. Making the wrong choice could leave you with serious regrets down the road. Learn more about why you should use a website builder . Sign up for Wix today. Here are some key factors to consider so that you end up with a website builder you love: Customizability: A good website builder should offer the customization you need to start and design your website according to your unique brand and vision. For example, do you envision creating a static website or a dynamic one? Look for builders that offer a range of layout options, as well as the flexibility to tweak the design and functionality to your liking. Wix, for instance, offers hundreds of designer-made templates in addition to AI-powered site creation that can be easily modified for your brand. Furthermore, its WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor lets you preview your changes in real time as you go. Back-office tools/business capabilities: Beyond just website design, when it comes to starting a website, a website builder should provide the back-office tools that you need. This might include features like eCommerce functionality if you need to create your own eCommerce website , inventory management, appointment scheduling and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Create your list of must-haves and the tasks that need automating as you evaluate your options. AI capabilities: AI is all the rage these days—and for good reason. When you’ve got a full-time job or business to run, AI tools can simplify the process of creating and maintaining your website. For example, Wix’s website builder can help you produce a fully functional website in minutes using AI. You can also choose from a variety of other AI features that support every part of your business, whether you need an extra hand with customer support, or a creative partner for brainstorming new marketing ideas. Third-party integrations: Chances are, you already have a favorite platform for emails, advertising or other functions—or perhaps you’re a retailer who wants to expand to new sales channels like Amazon. Seek website builders that integrate with your favorite tools and channels, or that offer sufficient alternatives. Explore your options in marketplaces like Wix’s App Market . (Note that you can also use Wix Headless to access Wix tools from any application.) Security: Website security is paramount to protect your site and user data. A reliable website builder should offer security features like SSL certificates, regular backups and security monitoring to safeguard against cyber threats and data breaches. Speed: Website loading speed significantly impacts user experience and SEO rankings. As page load time goes from one second to five seconds, the probability of a visitor bouncing increases by 90% . Choose a website builder known for fast-loading websites. Look for built-in capabilities like content delivery networks (CDNs) , which speed up content delivery; streamlined code; and tools like an image compressor to optimize visuals for faster load times. Reliability: A reliable website builder should provide consistent uptime and minimal downtime. Read reviews and check the builder's uptime statistics to give yourself peace of mind knowing that your website and online presence will be accessible to visitors around the clock. Support: Most of us don’t realize how important support is until it’s dire. As you evaluate your options, you’ll want to check that customer care is accessible in your time zone and that you can resolve issues before they snowball. Look for website builders that offer various support channels, including a knowledge base and self-help resources. For example, Wix has a 24/7 support team as well as a robust library of how-to articles, YouTube videos and communities to help you find whatever answers you’re looking for. Expert tip from Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead (outbound) at Wix.com: AI"As a creator or entrepreneur, you're often wearing multiple hats. You're designing the website, you're optimizing for SEO. This means you need a website builder that makes it easy and very learnable for you to do all of those things, on the same platform and still deliver as if working with experts in those fields." Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should be easy and exciting. With Wix, you can customize and launch a professional website in minutes, no coding needed. We’re all about simplifying the process so you can focus on what matters most–bringing your ideas to life. So why wait? Let’s get started on creating the website you’ve always wanted. 03. Pick and register a domain name Now comes one of the most exciting parts of making a website—picking a  domain name . How domain names work Your website’s address  (or website URL ) is the path people use to find you on the web. When someone types it into their browser, a web server  gets to work. It locates your site’s IP address —like finding coordinates on a map—and loads your site for the visitor. This all happens thanks to the Domain Name System , or DNS, a global network that turns easy-to-remember names into the numbers computers understand. Why your domain name deserves extra thought With over 368 million domain names  already registered and more added every day, standing out takes some creativity. A great name tells your story, reflects your values and resonates with your audience. That’s why finding a unique, memorable name matters more than ever. Choosing a domain name  doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Pick something unique and easy to remember. Most top-level domains  and subdomains  combine your business or website name with an extension like .com or .org , making it easier for people to find you. Need fresh ideas? Use a website name generator  to get the creative juices flowing and discover names that are catchy, unique and available. Claim your domain: here’s how it works All domain names must be registered with a domain name registrar or registry, where the owners of any domain name can be searched and found. This process ensures your domain is unique and officially recognized online. By registering a domain, you’re essentially leasing it for a specific period (usually a year or more). That’s why you can’t just “create” a domain on your own—it needs to be registered to exist on the web. You might wonder why domains come with a cost. This fee helps maintain the DNS infrastructure and covers the services provided by registrars. You'll also need to consider what domain extension you want to use: .de domain .xyz domain .co domain .ch domain .be domain .store domain .info domain .tv domain .company domain .digital domain .ca domain .fr domain Website builders often throw in a free custom domain name when you sign up for a paid website building plan . Instead of a generic web address, you get your very own unique URL (like yourbusiness.com). It looks more polished, builds trust with visitors, and helps boost your site on search engines so more people can find you. Learn more:   Website name ideas Ready to get a website domain name ? Get started with Wix today. 04. Choose a web hosting plan Web hosting stores your site's files and images on a server managed by the hosting provider. When a user enters your URL in a browser, a request is sent to the server and your site is then served. Many hosting providers are out there, but the simplest, most secure option is choosing a website builder with built-in hosting. For example, Wix offers free web hosting  with every site. This means no digging through hosting plans or making extra decisions—you can focus entirely on building your site. From shared hosting to cloud hosting, there are several different  hosted services  to choose from. Wix sites all include reliable and secure hosting, meaning high   uptime  for all user sites. This is an important consideration when picking a hosting provider both as a small business owner or enterprise site. 05. Pick your template The visual layout of your website is its most important element. In fact, half of consumers say that a business’s website design significantly influences how they perceive the company . You’ll want to take your time exploring your options before settling on the visual imagery and design. To get started, take a look at professional website templates to see which one fits your vision best. Learn more: What is a template Looking for portfolio templates , model portfolio examples  or templates for an online store ? Explore dozens of customizable options that fit your style. From simple website templates  to more advanced designs, there's something for every idea and every vision. Find design inspiration As you plan out your site, note what your competitor sites look like and check out other visual platforms, like Pinterest and Instagram. All of these examples will provide insight into what fonts, colors and web design styles and trends your audience gravitates towards. However, avoid copying what’s already been done. Rather, gain an understanding of the visual language you want to pursue and check that it resonates with your intended audience. Expert tip from Anna Suntsov, blog and social team lead at Wix.com: "The most important thing before building a website is good research. Know what you want to do and collect strong inspirations that will contribute to your design." Alternatively, build your website with AI If the process of choosing and customizing a template feels daunting, or you simply don’t have the time, an AI website builder can simplify your work even further. When it comes to building a website with Wix, you can choose to answer a few simple questions about your goals, and Wix will create a custom-made, fully functional site for you in minutes. You can fine-tune any details as you please, while Wix hooks up you up with all the content, pages and widgets you need to get started. Try our AI website builder  for free. 06. Customize your template to your brand Your website is often the first thing people notice about your brand, and 75% of users judge credibility based on design . From layout to load speed every detail matters. A generic site blends in but a branded design shows confidence, professionalism and value. Your template is a flexible tool you can shape to fit your brand. Adjust it to create the tone that feels just right. When your design reflects your brand's personality visitors will instantly feel at home. Build your site with meaning, not just style Before choosing colors or fonts take a moment to focus on what your brand truly represents. What feelings or ideas do you want people to associate with it? Is it professionalism, joy, rebellion or fun? Write these down and start linking them to visual styles. For example, "calm" might mean soft muted colors and lots of white space. "Confident" could mean bold fonts and strong contrasts. Create a quick visual map with your website type in the center. Surround it with moods, keywords and themes. This helps shape a design direction that feels purposeful and meaningful. Once you have a solid foundation everything starts to click—your logo placement, photo style, copy tone and call-to-action buttons all work together seamlessly.. Craft a website color theme The use of color is not only for making your site look nice. Your color palette should align with your brand identity. Color psychology is important to take into consideration, as colors have the power to affect and evoke specific emotions and behaviors. For example, blue has become a common color used in branding corporations and businesses, particularly in the tech field—most likely because blue is associated with stability and reliability. However, blue can also reflect sadness, hence the term “feeling blue.” Orange, for example, is generally paired with feelings of freshness and vitality. Keep in mind that the feeling correlated with a color also depends on the shade and what other colors it’s paired with. These are both important points to consider when choosing your website color scheme . To get started, consider your website goals. Think about the vibe you want to create and the emotions you want to convey, especially if you’re starting a business . The more aligned your web design is with your overall branding, the more people are going to connect with your company and your website. And the stronger the personal connection, the more time they’ll spend on your business website. This will have enormous effects on conversion rates and overall interest and engagement with your brand. Keep in mind that choosing your color theme doesn’t mean you’re stuck with that palette forever, so try out different options and see what speaks to you. With Wix, for example, you can adjust your site’s colors at any point by clicking on the Site Design icon on the left side of your editing screen. From there, you can choose your base colors, accent colors, text colors and more. Pick the right web fonts Just like colors, typography can also play a key role in evoking feelings. When choosing the best fonts for your website, there are a number of things to consider. First, like all other elements on your site, your font choice should match your branding. Browse different typefaces to find one that reflects your unique personality, whether you’re youthful and contemporary or have a more traditional approach. The three primary types of fonts include: Serif: Fonts with a small line attached to the ends of each letter. Sans serif: More standard, block-like typography without small lines at the ends of each character. Script: Has a more elegant feel, with each letter connecting fluidly from one to the next. You can also check out our article on the best fonts for websites for more details on how to choose the best one for your site. Whatever you go for, make sure that your font is readable on both desktop and mobile devices. Remember to keep in mind Google safe fonts. Pro tip: When it comes to fonts, remember to stay consistent throughout your website. On Wix, you can easily accomplish this by going to the Site Design icon on your side panel and managing text through the Text Theme tab. That way, your content will appear uniformly across the site. Add other branding elements When it comes to creating a professional site that wows, the magic is often in the details. As you look to strengthen the branding on your site, don’t overlook these elements: Logo: Place your logo prominently in your header and as needed across your site. Wix's logo maker simplifies the logo design process, allowing you to create a logo that represents your brand and perfectly matches the aesthetic of your site. Favicon: A favicon is a small icon that appears in the browser tab to the left of your URL when someone visits your site.​​ Adding a favicon to your Wix website is a simple process that adds another layer of professionalism to your user experience. Just go to your site editor, click on “Settings” in the top left of your screen and scroll down to “Favicon.” Here, you can upload, adjust and save your favicon image. Then, just publish your site and behold—your brand new favicon. More tips: Learn the ins and outs of building a website using the Wix Editor with this online course. 07. Build your site structure and architecture A pretty site means nothing if it’s clunky and difficult to navigate. Before releasing your site to the world, check that your site makes it easy for visitors to find the exact pages that they’re looking for. There are several main components to bear in mind when you're planning and optimizing your site architecture, as listed below. Create your sitemap Your sitemap is the blueprint of your site’s architecture. It includes all the pages and content you plan to create, so web crawlers like Google can better find and understand your pages. Break your site into logical sections and categories that align with your goals and audience's needs. Whether you’re running an eCommerce store, a portfolio or a blog, a clear sitemap ensures every page has a distinct purpose within your overall structure. A sitemap typically needs updating whenever you add pages or move pages around, but systems like Wix automatically create and update your sitemap for you. Optimize your navigation menu Your navigation menu guides your human visitors to the right pages on your site. It’s usually displayed as a horizontal or vertical bar on your site with links to several different pages. As a general rule of thumb, your site should be organized in a way that enables a visitor to move from one page to another in three clicks or less. But your main menu does not—and should not have to—include all of your site pages. Link to the most important or popular pages from here, and provide an easy way for visitors to get back to where they started. (One of the best ways of achieving this is by adding a clickable logo at the top of your page that leads visitors back to the homepage.) To create an effective menu: Prioritize key pages like your homepage, product or service pages, and contact information. Stick to three clicks or less to reach any page. Users shouldn’t have to dig to find the content they want. Use logical categories and subcategories to group pages together cohesively. For instance, a photographer might place wedding and portrait galleries within a larger “Portfolio” menu item. Check how your favorite sites design their navigation menus for inspiration. You may, for instance, want to include a mega menu that’s more visual in nature and allows users to hover over a main menu category to see subcategories of links. Alternatively, if you’re creating a simple website with fewer pages, you can have a simple anchor menu at the top of your page that links to specific pages or specific sections on a page. A mega menu with visuals and subcategories could suit larger ones. You’ll also want to spend time optimizing a mobile version of your menu to make sure everything translates clearly to phones and tablets. To set up a menu in the Wix editor, just head to your side panel on the left side of the editor and click on “+” at the top of the panel to add an element. Then, select "Menu & Anchor" from the drop-down and choose your desired style. Expert tip from Adi Huri, product manager at WOW for Wix.com: "Keep in mind that the menu is the map of your website. By adding the right pages to your menu, in the right order, it can be the heart of your website’s success." Prioritize key content Make sure the most important content on your site is easy to find–it’s crucial for delivering a great user experience and meeting your goals. Highlight the information your audience is looking for, like your services, contact details or pricing, and place it front and center on your homepage or navigation menu. Don’t forget to include clear call-to-actions (CTAs) on essential pages to guide visitors towards actions like making a purchase, signing up or reaching out. Regularly check your site’s analytics to see how users are interacting with your content and make adjustments as needed to keep things running smoothly. Don’t ignore your footer While your navigation menu is the primary navigation tool visitors will use to traverse your site, you can use your footer strategically to provide additional links and information. Your footer offers prime real estate to reinforce important content or show other areas of your site that your main menu doesn’t cover (think: contact information and direct links to your social media profiles). In the Wix editor, you can easily drag and drop widgets and other elements directly into the footer. You can also easily adjust its size by dragging the border up or down. Design with scalability in mind As your business grows, so will your website. You'll need to accommodate new pages, features or increased traffic without compromising performance. That’s why it’s smart to plan a site structure that’s ready to grow with you. Choose a flexible layout that makes it easy to add new sections without messing up your current setup. If you’re adding more content, think about expanding your categories and updating your navigation so everything stays clean and organized. It’s also a good idea to check in on your site structure regularly. Adjust as needed to match your evolving content or business goals. By designing with scalability in mind, you can save yourself a lot of hassle down the line. Plus, it ensures your site grows with your business while delivering a smooth user experience. Here are a few reasons why site structure matters: Better user experience: A well-organized site makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for, fast. This can lower bounce rates and leave a great impression on your users. Stronger SEO performance: Search engines love a clear site hierarchy. It helps them crawl and index your pages better, which can increase your visibility in search results. Higher engagement: When visitors can navigate your site effortlessly, they’re more likely to stick around, interact with your content and take the actions that matter most to your business ( like purchases, sign-ups or inquiries). 08. Add useful pages Once you’ve mapped out what pages you want on your site, it’s time to create them. Here’s a quick step-by-step of how to build useful and engaging pages and how to do it in the Wix editor. Open the Page Manager: Click the "Pages & Menu" icon in the left side panel to access the Page Manager. Add page: Click the blue "+ Add Page" button to create a new page and click on whatever template suits your needs. Name your page: Once the page is added to your site, the page name will be highlighted in the left side panel for you to edit. Customize: Customize and build the newly created page by adding your content, adjusting the layout and refining the design. Manage pages: Drag and drop pages in the side panel to rearrange them or click on the ellipsis icon to the right of each page title to duplicate, delete, rename, hide and more. Subpages: Create dropdown menus by adding subpages to your main pages, enhancing site navigation. Save and publish: Save your work regularly and, when ready, hit the "Publish" button to make your changes live on your website. When designing web pages for your professional website , consider adding these pages: An inviting homepage . This is the face of your website, which means that you have to make it beautiful, yet informational. You should strive to present all the crucial elements right from the get-go. This way, clients will instantly understand who you are and what you do. A shop or gallery. This is the center of your site where visitors can browse through your products or services. Create product listings, manage inventory and process transactions all from one centralized dashboard. Dedicate time to write product descriptions that will grab potential customers’ attention. The same goes for your product photography to ensure that your items are displayed in their very best light. A personable About page. Use this page as your online business card . It’s the spot where you can present who you are, what you stand for, your strengths, values and any other crucial information you think your visitors should know about your team and your business. An easy-to-find contact section. Don’t leave your site visitors astray by making them search for your contact information. Dedicate a page to list contact numbers, email, social links and any other way users can get in touch with you. In addition, it’s a good practice to add your essential contact details on your website footer. An engaging blog. By starting a blog , you’ll be able to continuously add regular and fresh content to your website. You’ll have the chance to establish yourself as an expert in your field while giving your SEO efforts a well-deserved boost. Give our blog maker a go , when you're ready to start. Expert tip from Allison Lee, editor-in-chief at Wix.com: "Blogs don’t get enough credit for their long-term advantages. In the long run, a blog can serve as a huge traffic driver and a way to connect with future customers (case in point: our Wix Blog is the first touchpoint for millions of people who may have never stumbled onto our site otherwise). That said, a blog is a long-term commitment—it requires a well thought-out strategy and consistent maintenance." An interactive membership area. Creating a membership area on your website serves the dual purpose of monetization and user engagement. Various membership models, like drip-feed, all-in and fixed-term, can be employed to monetize your content. You can also offer premium content, online services or downloadable materials as incentives for users to subscribe. Easy-to-access online courses. The growing popularity of virtual classes presents an opportunity to generate income by launching a paid online course. This approach allows you to monetize your existing website traffic. Design courses that align with your expertise and cater to your audience's needs. Ensure the content is relevant and unique. An informative FAQ page. Save yourself and your clients some time (and frustration) by including an FAQ page to provide answers to questions that may naturally come up as visitors browse your site. An online booking system . Allow customers to schedule and pay for appointments or classes directly from your site. This way, you can spend less time playing phone tag and more time growing your empire. A testimonials page. This provides you with the perfect place in which previous, satisfied customers can sing your praises. Nothing is more impressive to a potential client or buyer than positive, unbiased reviews. A custom 404 page. When visitors land on a broken or unavailable link, a well-designed 404 page can make all the difference. Add a friendly message, clear navigation options or a search bar to guide users back to valuable content. Stay in the know— subscribe to the Wix blog  for a weekly dose of web design tips, trends and updates. 09. Create engaging website content As people interact with your website, you'll want to make sure you're grabbing their attention and keeping it. The best way to do this is by optimizing and diversifying how you relay information. And it matters— websites with video content can increase user dwell time by up to 88% . That’s why using more than just text is key to keeping visitors hooked. Start by thinking about all the types of content your site can feature: text, photos, videos and animations. Once you know your options, plan how to organize them so visitors can easily find and interact with what matters most. While you might be tempted to stuff your site with as many cool effects as possible, don't fall into the trap of overdesigning . Structure your pages For your visitors to feel comfortable and at home while browsing, it’s important to keep your site as organized as possible. Think about hierarchy here: you’ll want your most eye-catching and important content to be placed above the fold (in other words, the area that’s visible on your website without visitors having to scroll). Expert top tip from Amanda Weiner, CRO expert at Wix.com: "Site hierarchy and the information you provide your visitors with is more than just how your site looks. This will also directly impact how many visitors ultimately buy your products. You’ll want to be clear about your offerings through your content, your visuals and your buttons right from the get go to ensure visitors recognize your value right away." Furthermore, take note that some of your readers are only skimming your content. To make their lives easier and to make your content stand out, consider how you can optimize your design so your audience can get the most out of your content. To do so, consider which written information can be made more digestible and visual with the use of media features (videos, images and animations, infographics for example). Make certain headers and other important bits of information stand out more than others by opting for a larger font or a bright color that contrasts with the background. Looking to create content for your website? Consider using AI tools to speed up the process for you. Read all about Wix's next steps on AI text generation for websites and AI website creation. Or, get started by understanding more about how to build a website with AI . Consider SEO Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the practice of optimizing your site so your pages can rank higher on search engine result pages. When launching a new website from scratch, it’s vital to set your site up for success so it can be found by Google. The more exposure you get, the more likely it is for prospective clients to find your site and book your services, buy your products or read your blog. Enhancing your website's visibility on search engines like Google is essential for driving organic traffic to your pages. Fortunately, every Wix site starts out with a solid infrastructure that already exceeds the needs of search engines, giving you a strong SEO foundation in organic search. From there, Wix SEO tools make it easy for you to optimize your reach even further. Capabilities include: SEO Assistant: Every Wix site comes with an SEO Assistant. Just put in your focus keywords for the page you’re working on, and your SEO Assistant will tell you if there’s anything you can do to further optimize it. Keyword research: Wix provides keyword research tools to help you discover relevant keywords for your content. AI Visibility Overview : See how your website shows up on AI-powered search platforms, like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude. On-page SEO: Easily optimize your meta titles, descriptions and headers to improve your on-page SEO. Image SEO: Optimize your images with alt tags and compress them to improve page loading times. AI meta tag creation: Use AI to generate optimized title tags and meta descriptions for each of your pages. Sitemap generation: Wix generates XML sitemaps to help search engines crawl and index your site effectively. Mobile optimization: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly for better search rankings. You might also want to consider creating a responsive website. Local SEO: If you have a local business, use Wix's local SEO tools to improve your visibility in local searches. SEO analytics: Monitor your website's SEO performance with built-in analytics and reports. Rich results: Implement rich snippets and schema markup to make your search results stand out. Backlink tracking: Keep an eye on your backlink profile to improve your site's authority. You’ll also have the ability to utilize additional SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush . Make it mobile-friendly As you build your site, keep in mind that a significant amount of consumers will be visiting your site from their smartphones. According to current trends, by 2025, a significant majority of internet traffic, nearly 70% , is expected to come from phones and tablets, with most of that share attributed to smartphones alone. It’s because of this that Google established mobile-first indexing , a system in which the search engine predominantly determines website ranking based on mobile websites, not desktop. As mobile web surfing becomes even more entrenched in our culture, it’s essential to invest time in mobile features as well as design to provide a smooth, intuitive user experience for those smaller screens. Whatever website creation platform you choose, make sure it has a mobile editor and the ability to adjust elements for mobile without it affecting the desktop version. You’ll also want a website builder that prioritizes performance and site speed. For example, Wix deploys performance-friendly website infrastructure, such as cache and lazy loading , to ensure faster sites. Once you're done with your site and happy with it, you may want to consider making your website an app as well . Learn more: How to make a website mobile-friendly What makes a great website What it includes Why it matters Clear purpose Helps visitors quickly understand what your site offers Easy navigation Makes it simple for people to find what they need Fast load time Keeps visitors engaged by avoiding delays Consistent branding Builds trust and makes your site look professional High-quality content Provides value & improves your chances in search results Strong visual design Captures attention and reflects your unique style SEO optimization Helps your site show up when people search Clear calls to action Guides visitors to take the next step, like contacting you Secure and accessible Builds credibility and ensures everyone can use your site 10. Test and launch your website Building a website from scratch can be an exciting journey, but rushing through the process is a common pitfall. In an eagerness to go live, many often overlook critical elements, potentially harming their website's performance and user experience. To avoid this situation, make sure to dot your Is and cross your Ts before publishing. Here are some key tips to help you out: Preview your site Take advantage of features like Wix’s “Site Preview” mode, which allows you to view and navigate your site as a user. This enables you to experience the user journey of navigating your site and flag issues a user might x`encounter. Also, you can proofread your site's content and check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Clear, flawless text boosts professionalism and credibility, leaving a great impression. Test functionality Ensure functionality across your site by testing all pages, links and embedded media on both desktop and mobile views to ensure your site is mobile-friendly. Also, check all internal and external links to ensure they lead to the correct pages. Avoid broken links to provide a positive user experience. Cross-browser check Test your site across multiple browsers. This means making sure you test your website on various browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Safari. This guarantees your site looks right and works perfectly for everyone, no matter their browser choice. Get feedback Ask a friend or colleague to take a look at your website and give you notes on their initial impressions, the user experience, clarity of content and effectiveness of your design. This step is imperative as someone less familiar with your content will be a much better barometer for how a new visitor wouldwh navigate your website than you can be. Allow one to two weeks for final tweaks to make sure everything works as it should. 11. Maintain and promote your website Much like a work of art, a website is never truly "finished." It’s an evolving tool that needs regular attention to stay effective. One of the advantages of using a website builder is that you can make changes in real time. Update your website regularly by adding new content and keeping existing pages current to improve navigation, SEO and overall performance. Track performance Every published Wix website has   Wix Analytics  included in the Dashboard, which gives you actionable information and metrics about your website traffic . Learn which content is working best and how your visitors behave, then use these insights to fuel your marketing efforts.  Listen to your audience A great website grows with user needs. Start by listening to your visitors. Use surveys, on-site forms or direct conversations to learn what they value most and pinpoint areas to improve. Combine this feedback with analytics to spot trends, like high exit rates or navigation challenges. Turn these insights into action. Simplify navigation if users can’t find what they need or create content that addresses popular searches and emerging trends. Stay one step ahead by keeping an eye on competitors and industry changes. Regular updates to your design, content and features keep your website fresh, user-friendly and competitive. Protect your site It's also important to keep your website secure from hackers and malware. You can do this by installing security software and by keeping your website's software up to date. It's also crucial to use a platform that thoroughly incorporates  website security  such as Wix, which provides a safe foundation for your website and gathers real-time insights to detect any threats. Backing up your website regularly is a smart way to protect it from unexpected data loss. Whether it’s caused by technical issues, cyberattacks or accidental changes, having backups ensures you can quickly restore your site and keep everything running smoothly . Wix has a feature called Site History , which automatically creates site revisions every time you save or publish. This means that you can go back to a previous version of your site any time you want. You can also duplicate your site  at any time to create a manual backup in your Wix account. Be aware that the duplicated site is not automatically updated when you update your original site. Drive traffic to your website You also need to let people know about your site. You can promote your website through social media, email marketing, guest blogging or outreach marketing. Effective promotion ensures that your website reaches the right people and delivers the desired outcomes—whether you’re aiming to increase traffic, engagement or sales. Expert tip from Lilach Goldis, social media marketing manager at Wix.com: "Identify the social media platforms your audience is active on the most and get an in-depth understanding of what it takes to rank in them. For example, converting your Instagram carousel posts into a Reel can capture attention more effectively and boost your content's impact, ultimately leading people to visit your site." Here are some ways Wix can help you get your site out there: SEO: In case we haven’t said it enough, SEO is imperative. For those less familiar with SEO, SEO is basically the practice of optimizing your site to help it rank better on Google and other search engines, which, in turn, bring you more web traffic. This is a crucial step in ensuring your site's success once it’s published. Although SEO is very technical and nuanced, using the right website builder can streamline the entire process. You can get an automatically optimized site with a solid infrastructure that exceeds search engine standards, alongside a suite of SEO tools. For example, Wix’s SEO Assistant gives you a personalized SEO setup plan for your site. It can make suggestions on how to tweak your content and provide explanations as to how these changes may help your rankings. For the more advanced user, Wix offers other SEO tools including a robots.txt editor, dynamic XML sitemaps and customizable canonical tags (among others). Keep in mind, however, that it takes time (and regular investment) to see the results of SEO, and your site may not rank well immediately. Email marketing: Whether you're an eCommerce business, a blogger or an entrepreneur, it’s essential to build and maintain strong customer relationships. Email marketing tools enable you to create and send professional email campaigns to your subscribers and drive traffic to your site. Send newsletters, promote new products, create trigger emails and share exciting updates with your audience. Blogs: Blogging is a powerful content marketing strategy. With SEO-rich blogging capabilities, you can create and publish engaging blog posts that not only captivate your audience but also rank well in search engine results. When selecting your website builder, look for built-in SEO features to ensure your blogs are optimized for maximum visibility. Advertising: Unlike SEO which takes time to yield results, ads can help drive immediate attention to your site. It’s worth experimenting with Google Ads, Facebook Ads and others—but avoid spreading yourself too thin. Use the tools at your disposal in your website builder, and test different targeting and campaign types. For example, you could use Instagram ads to retarget website visitors, in addition to Google search ads to engage new visitors who are searching for sites like yours. How to make a website with AI If you're looking to get online asap, you can try designing a website with AI . This is often the fastest solution, but you'll want to pick a platform that aligns with your goals and doesn't rely on a few cookie-cutter templates for every site it creates. While every website builder works a little differently, here's a peek at how it works on Wix: Create a new site: After you've created an account on Wix, follow the steps for creating a new website. You'll be given the option to create a website with or without AI. Click "Start Chat" to activate the AI option. Answer questions about your business. The AI builder will ask you several questions about your business and your goals. The builder will use your answers to generate a "site profile," which ensures that it understands how your website is meant to be used, and the look and feel you're trying to achieve. Design your site. After creating your site profile, you'll immediately be dropped into your Wix Dashboard, where you can explore the different back-office apps and tools that were connected to your site. When you're ready, click "Design Site," then "Generate a Design with AI." Pick your favorite option. The AI builder will whip up a design (complete with custom images and text) for you to review. Regenerate or tweak the design as you wish. Once you land on a design that's close to what you're looking for, click "Continue with this design." Finalize details in the Editor. At this point, you can either connect your domain right away or continue to the Wix Editor, where you can make even more adjustments to the layout, content or any other part of the design. Consider tweaking the colors and fonts to match your branding, or add scroll effects and other elements to liven up your site. Don't forget to view the mobile version of your site and make tweaks as needed. The Wix Editor is infused with AI, so you can extra help wherever you need it. Publish your site. When all looks good, go ahead and connect your domain—then make your site live for the world to see. Learn more about Wix's ever-evolving AI capabilities in this letter from our CEO, Avishai Abrahami . Website creation checklist Pick your builder : Choose a platform that fits your needs and skills. Secure a domain and hosting : Claim a memorable name and make sure your site loads reliably. Plan your pages : Decide on must-haves like Home, About, Services and Contact. Customize your template : Adjust colors, fonts and layouts so the design feels like your brand. Add real content : Write clear copy and use high-quality images that show your business. Make it mobile-friendly : Check pages on phones and tablets to ensure everything looks right. Secure and speed-check : Turn on SSL and optimize images to keep your site safe and fast. Think accessibility : Use readable text, alt descriptions for images and easy-to-tap buttons. Connect analytics and backups : Track performance and make sure your site is saved automatically. Test and launch : Click links, fill forms and ask someone else to explore before going live. How much does it cost to build a website from scratch? Website costs depend on design, functionality, content, hosting and marketing. Knowing what affects these costs helps you set a realistic budget and avoid surprises. Design Custom designs take more time and skill, which increases costs. Pre-made templates are cheaper, but they may limit how your site looks and feels. Hiring a designer or agency can give your site a unique layout, professional graphics and a polished style that aligns with your brand. Think about your priorities: speed and cost versus a fully tailored, standout design. Functionality Features like eCommerce, booking systems, interactive forms or databases can raise costs. Not all features are expensive, and many website builders include basic tools. Make a list of what your visitors really need to interact with, and prioritize functionality that improves user experience and conversions. Website builder The platform you choose affects your budget. DIY builders like Wix offer affordability and easy editing, while custom-built sites or platforms like Wix Studio are more expensive but give you full control, scalability and advanced options. Compare what each platform includes so you don’t overpay for features you won’t use. Content creation Copy, images and video can add to your costs, especially if you hire professionals. High-quality content establishes credibility, engages visitors and increases conversions. You can reduce costs by writing your own copy or taking your own photos, but professional content often delivers stronger results for your brand. Hosting and domain Hosting costs depend on speed, uptime and security. Domain prices vary based on popularity or extension. With Wix, hosting is included and domains come with paid plans. It’s important to check what’s included so you can avoid extra fees and plan a long-term budget. Marketing Building your site is just the start. Driving traffic through SEO, paid ads, email campaigns or social media takes time and money. Marketing costs can quickly surpass the website itself, so factor in a monthly budget to maintain visibility and grow your audience. Extra tips Start small and scale : Focus on essential pages first and add features later. Compare platforms : Look at what each builder offers and the hidden costs for features, plugins or upgrades. DIY where possible : Writing copy, editing images or creating videos yourself saves money without sacrificing quality. Plan for updates : Sites need occasional refreshes for content, design and functionality. Budget for maintenance to keep your site effective. How much does it cost to create a website with Wix? With Wix, you can create a website for free (learn more about, is Wix free ?) or opt for a paid plan that can cost from $17 a month, depending on the type and exact features. This plan will include a custom domain , 24/7 customer support and hosting services. Learn more: What is a custom domain? Plans Monthly price (USD) Ideal for Features Free $0 Individuals just starting out Wix branding, limited storage, subdomain Light $17 Personal websites or small projects needing a custom domain Free domain for 1 year, 2GB storage, multi-cloud hosting, light marketing suite, 2 site collaborators Core $29 Small businesses or freelancers needing basic features Free domain for 1 year, 50GB storage, multi-cloud hosting, basic marketing suite, accept payments, basic eCommerce, 5 site collaborators Business $36 Best for eCommerce sites Free domain for 1 year, 100GB storage, multi-cloud hosting, standard marketing suite, accept payments, standard eCommerce, 10 site collaborators Business Elite $159 Large-scale eCommerce sites or high-traffic businesses Free domain for 1 year, unlimited storage, multi-cloud hosting, advanced marketing suite, accept payments, advanced eCommerce, advanced developer platform, 100 site collaborators Enterprise Custom pricing Large enterprises or businesses needing custom solutions Custom solution tailored to your business needs (All pricing in the table is based on annual billing) What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating a website from scratch? While creating a website by yourself can be very manageable, even if you don't have design or coding experience and especially if you use a website builder - it's worth taking into account some common pitfalls associated with building a website. These include: Neglecting your user experience (UX) design Focusing on design and how it looks, over functionality Ignoring accessibility guidelines and design Not optimizing for SEO from the start Failing to preview and test every part of your site before going live How to learn to create a website When it comes to learning web development and creating a website from scratch, you have a few main options to explore. Bootcamps Bootcamps offer intensive, short-term programs focused on teaching practical skills relevant to web development. They typically cover HTML, CSS, JavaScript and frameworks like React or Angular. Computer science or software engineering degrees Pursuing a degree in CS or software engineering from a university provides a comprehensive understanding of computer science principles, including web development. These programs cover a wide range of topics beyond web development, such as algorithms, data structures and software engineering principles. Independent learning options There are also ways for you to learn on your own. Some of these include online courses and tutorials, books, coding bootcamp prep programs and opportunities to contribute to open-source projects. Streamline the process of creating your website with Wix's website builder . Firsthand insights from a successful travel entrepreneur Erica, founder of Paper, Planes and Passports , chose Wix to build a website for promoting trips, taking payments and connecting with clients. “Having a website has been non-negotiable for us,” she says. " I've seen the progression of what you can do with Wix over the years—and it's crazy." She built a site with an About section, social media integration, client testimonials, a FAQ page and an image gallery. Erica also uses Wix tools like emails, automations, analytics and subscriptions to manage bookings, open new revenue streams and share insider tips. Her story shows how a website can drive growth, engage your audience and support long-term success. Why trust Wix’s experts? This article was written by Wix’s in-house experts, who have years of experience helping people build professional websites from scratch. Every tip, template suggestion and example comes from real Wix projects, designed to help you create a website that looks great, works smoothly, and meets your goals. At Wix, we’ve helped millions of creators, business owners and entrepreneurs build websites that reflect their unique ideas. Our team stays at the forefront of web design and website builder trends, ensuring that the guidance we provide is practical, actionable and backed by industry insights. You can trust this blog as a reliable resource to return to throughout your website-building journey. How to create a website from scratch FAQ Can anyone create a website from scratch? If you choose a website builder that essentially provides the infrastructure of your site, yes. You don't have to know coding to make a website, you just have to use the right website platform. With Wix, your entire site infrastructure is taken care of, including advanced levels of security, including public key certification via TLS, so you can focus on what matters: your design and content. Why is it important for my business to have a website? A website is an essential part of any business's marketing strategy. It provides a way for potential customers to learn more about your business, your products or services, and how to contact you. You can also use a website to manage and run your business, from attracting clients to using your site to manage bookings or to sell products and services and accept payments. How can I keep my website up to date? There are a few things you can do to keep your website up to date: Update your content regularly. This includes adding new blog posts, articles and other content to your website. Fix any errors or bugs. If you find any errors or bugs on your website, fix them as soon as possible. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their mobile devices to access the internet, so it is important to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Promote your website. Let people know about your website by promoting it on social media, in your email newsletter and in other ways. How can I create a website for free? With a website builder, such as Wix, you can choose to create a website for free. This will include access to templates, hosting and advanced security features. You can also upgrade to a premium plan to register a domain name and benefit from 24/7 customer support. How long does it take to make a website? In general, anywhere from one to six months depending on the type of website you make and how you choose to create it. If you do it yourself, with a website builder you can set your own time frame and work reasonably fast. If you choose to work with a web designer and/or developer, it often takes longer. Learn more about how long it takes to build a website and how long does it take to make a Wix website . Do I need technical or coding knowledge to build a website? If you use a website builder, like Wix, so no. You can choose from several customizable templates for every type of website, and use its intuitive drag-and-drop features and editor to make a website from scratch. What are the most effective ways to monetize a website? Popular ways to monetize a website include affiliate marketing, display ads with Google Adsense, sponsored content or subscription content. The strategy you choose to make money from your website will depend very much on your target audience. It's also best practice to test different strategies and diversify how you monetize your site. How to make a website for your business? When it comes to making a business website, choosing the right website builder is crucial. Whether you want to make your own website with a drag-and-drop builder from templates, or have your site built by a web developer and designer, choose a website builder, like Wix. Enterprise-grade hosting and security make it a good choice for any type or size of business website. How to start a website? Starting a website begins with choosing what type of website you want to setup and why. Then you'll need to decide on the best website builder for your needs. Choose the right one and setting up a website, including its hosting, domain name and security, is taken care of for you. What are some top tips for building a website? Start with a clear purpose for your website Choose a customizable template Opt for a clean website design with clear navigation Use good images and optimized content in general Make sure your site is mobile friendly Include essential pages, such as a homepage, Contact Us Optimize for SEO and test it before publishing What are some good website builders for beginners? Wix is a popular choice for beginners due to their user-friendly drag-and-drop interfaces, extensive templates and built-in features like e-commerce and SEO tools How to make sure that my website is secure from the start? Choose a reputable hosting provider, or website builder with robust security measures. Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Check your site comes with an SSL certificate to encrypt data. Regularly update software and plugins to patch vulnerabilities. How do I get people to visit my website? Here are some popular ways drive traffic to your website: Search Engine Optimization (SEO: Optimize your website content with relevant keywords to rank higher in search results. With Wix yiu can use the in-built SEO assistant to help you do this. Social media marketing : Share your website's content on social media platforms to reach a wider audience. You might need to repurpose it in order to fit out social media users consumer content. Create a blog: Create valuable and engaging content that people will want to share and link to. Paid advertising : Invest in targeted ads on platforms like Google or social media. What is DIY website design? DIY website design lets you create a professional website without hiring developers. Using easy to use drag-and-drop builders like Wix, you can select website templates, customize layouts add content, and launch a site from scratch. It's affordable and requires no coding knowledge, perfect for beginners with limited budgets.

Being that one in four adults in the U.S. have a disability, it’s essential that you create a website that accommodates users with a variety of different needs. “We need to make things accessible so that we’re not excluding anyone from using our products or services,” Reginé Gilbert , who (quite literally) wrote the book on inclusive digital design , said in an interview with Wix. “You’re opening your business to more business when you make it more accessible.” In the blog below, we’ll cover strategies for creating a more accessible online experience so that no matter what your line of business is, you know how to make a website that’s inclusive to all. What is web accessibility? Web accessibility is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web by people with physical disabilities, situational disabilities and socioeconomic restrictions on bandwidth and speed. Web accessibility is important because it ensures that everyone has equal access to the information and services that are available online. People with disabilities may use a variety of assistive technologies to access the web, such as screen readers, text magnifiers and voice recognition software. Web accessibility also benefits people with situational disabilities, such as people who are using a mobile device in a noisy environment or people who have a temporary injury, and people who have limited bandwidth or are using a slow internet connection. 16 ways to make your website accessible Building a website from scratch is a massive undertaking, so making it accessible might seem daunting. Don’t worry—with these handy tips and the Accessibility Wizard by your side, you'll breeze through the process. Just keep in mind that while the Wizard and this article offer great insights, they don't cover everything about web accessibility. So, if you want to tackle any major issues head-on, it's worth considering hiring an accessibility expert to give your site a thorough check. By combining these resources and seeking professional guidance, you'll create a website that's inclusive, user-friendly and ready to welcome everyone. Skip the accessibility plugin Choose fonts that are easy to read Consider how design complexity could impact user experience Choose a high-contrast color scheme Add alternative text to every image Provide transcripts or closed captions for files with audio Make your website keyboard accessible Opt for on-page content rather than PDFs Keep the text short and sweet Organize your site for easy navigation Offer multiple means of communication Add an accessibility statement to your site Use templates Optimize forms for disabled users Ask visitors how you can improve Use a content management system that supports accessibility 01. Skip the accessibility plugin Accessibility plugins may seem like a quick fix, but about 13% of the websites sued in 2021 had third-party accessibility overlays . Moreover, these plugins tend to create more problems than they solve. In addition to causing performance issues and security risks, they can even introduce new accessibility issues. “The way to make a site accessible is to build it the right way,” said Wix Head of Accessibility Nir Horesh, whose team assesses every Wix feature and element to ensure that they accommodate users with disabilities. Rather than treating accessibility as an afterthought, it’s important to make sure that your site is built with accessibility in mind from the get-go. 02. Choose fonts that are easy to read Because font options are limitless, it's tempting to feature elaborate typography on your website. Unfortunately, the more decorative the typeface, the less legible it is to your customers. People with dyslexia, learning disabilities, aphasia and poor vision will have an easier time reading a clear font . Featuring more than two fonts on a page will, moreover, make your page look chaotic and slow down reading speed. Although you can upload external fonts to the Wix Editor, standard fonts are the easiest to read. Tahoma, Verdana and Museo are very reliable options. Individuals with visual impairments may also struggle to read italics, all caps and other styling methods. Instead of over-relying on these font styles, use a larger size or a second font to format headings. Related: The problem with overdesigning: how to make sure your website isn’t trying too hard 03. Consider how design complexity could impact user experience “When the internet started, it was only text and links. It was 100% accessible,” said Horesh. “The more complexity we added, the more accessibility issues we created.” For example, while flashy graphics, features and effects are fun, they introduce new accessibility issues. That doesn’t mean you have to revert to the basic website features ; it just requires you to design thoughtfully from the start. Ask yourself whether a feature could hinder a customer’s ability to navigate your site. If you think it might, consider either removing it or adjusting it to accommodate different needs. For example, moving elements could potentially cause motion sickness, trigger epileptic seizures or distract people with ADHD. If you’re determined to include dynamic content, it’s imperative to provide options for user control. This can be accomplished by adding a pause button or setting the content to automatically stop after a few seconds. Granting users the ability to pause, stop or adjust the timing of dynamic content allows them to engage with your website at their own pace and ensures a more inclusive experience for all. 04. Choose a high-contrast color scheme Creating an attractive color scheme is branding 101, but how you infuse it into a website can affect its usability. Customers with limited vision and color blindness often struggle to read text that is too similar in color to that of the background. A high-contrast dynamic is key. Because low-contrast text is the most common accessibility issue , it’s an important one to pay attention to. The WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for text, with a few exceptions. Because larger and thicker fonts are easier to read, the ratio threshold for 18-point text and 14-point bold text is lower at 3:1. Decorative text and logotypes are exempt. Wix’s Accessibility Wizard checks for color issues, but it’s best to plan ahead, e.g., you can use the WebAIM contrast checker to assess your color scheme. Unfortunately, too sharp of a contrast can create issues for people with dyslexia; pure black text against a pure white background can create a swirling and blurring effect. To keep things simple, opt for an off-white background with dark gray text, and apply your brand colors elsewhere. 05. Add alternative text to every image Because screen readers can’t interpret visuals, customers who are blind or have limited vision need text-based descriptions so that they don’t lose any context. When you add alternative text (often referred to as alt text ) to an image’s settings, the Wix Editor incorporates it into the coding of the webpage so that the screen reader can describe the image to the viewer. As a bonus, Google’s algorithm takes that text into account when determining a site’s ranking on relevant search result pages. Writing alt text isn’t a straightforward process. In order to be helpful to the user, the alt text must be accurate, concise and relevant to the context of the image placement. It shouldn’t be longer than 125 characters or include the phrase “image of,” but it should have proper punctuation and include any relevant text that appears in the image. Images that only offer aesthetic value don’t need alt text, so mark the image as decorative in the Wizard. 06. Provide transcripts or closed captions for files with audio To ensure that customers with hearing impairments won’t miss out on any relevant information, provide transcripts for audio files and closed captions for videos . Note that many of today’s consumers actually prefer to watch things with closed captions, and some even turn off the sound when viewing audio or videos on the go. In fact, studies find closed captions increase views, watch time and comprehension. As with alt text, transcripts and closed captions can also support your SEO efforts. 07. Make your website keyboard-accessible Because my arthritis makes scrolling difficult, I prefer to use keyboard controls to navigate the web. Some people with disabilities can only use keyboard navigation , so all elements of a website must be keyboard-accessible. To this end, you’ll want to incorporate visual indicators that highlight a keyboard user’s position on a webpage. Note: Wix equips all of its websites with these features, which you can toggle on and off using the Accessibility Wizard. Learn more about making your Wix website accessible . 08. Opt for on-page content rather than PDFs While it may be tempting to upload a beautifully designed PDF onto your website, it's important to consider the accessibility and SEO implications of doing so. Browsing a PDF on a device can be awkward for the average user and presents challenges for individuals with vision impairments who rely on screen readers. To ensure inclusivity and improve user experience, create accessible digital content instead of relying solely on PDFs. Alternatively, you can provide a link to a PDF version of your content for those who prefer to read or print out the information, ensuring you cater to different preferences. 09. Keep the text short and sweet Describing your company’s unique offerings with fancy language shuts out people with learning disabilities. Plus, people often skim online information, so using simple language can prevent misunderstandings. Use easy words, simple sentences and short paragraphs so that people with a middle school reading level (in compliance with WCAG guidelines) can understand the information. Copyediting software, such as Hemingway Editor or ProWritingAid , can help determine the reading level of your writing and suggest changes to make it simpler. 10. Organize your site for easy navigation Giving each page a clear structure enables people who use keyboard navigation or screen readers to scan your content. Doing so makes reading more comfortable for people with dyslexia, ADD or memory disabilities, too. To create a well-structured website, your content needs distinct sections, descriptive headings and effective coding. The Wix Editor will do all the coding for you, as long as you’re using the appropriate text themes. When you write a heading, format the text with the theme that corresponds with its relevance on the page. For example, we set the title of this section, “Organize your site for easy navigation,” as Heading 3 because it is a subsection of “How to make a website accessible,” which we set as Heading 2. Headings should be succinct enough that they’re scannable, but descriptive enough so that customers can rely on them to find information. You’ll want to treat them as a resource rather than a branding opportunity. So instead of naming a product category section "Cool Digs," opt for a more descriptive label like "Home Decor.” To ensure the effectiveness of your headings, create an outline of your site and map out the customer journey. If you can’t easily find your way down the different paths, you need to return to the drawing board. 11. Offer multiple means of communication Whereas people with a vision impairment are usually more comfortable speaking over the phone, those with a hearing impairment may have an easier time communicating through email, chat, forms or social media messaging. With this in mind, offer multiple ways for customers to reach out to your business. Use tools like the Wix Inbox to provide efficient customer service and manage all of your communications under one roof. 12. Add an accessibility statement to your site To express your commitment to customers with disabilities, write an accessibility statement on your website. Explain that you intend to address any issues they experience while browsing your website or visiting your physical location. Transparency is key; acknowledge any issues you’re aware of but haven’t yet been able to resolve. You can use this accessibility statement generator to help with the wording. 13. Use templates One of the easiest ways to make your professional website accessible is by starting with a template, even one of Wix’s free website themes , that follows WCAG best practices. Wix’s designers collaborate with the accessibility team to ensure that its simple website templates are optimized from the start. 14. Optimize forms for disabled users Forms play a crucial role in gathering user information, facilitating interactions and enabling transactions on your site. When optimizing your website for accessibility, it’s important to check that any forms are designed in a way that accommodates disabled users. By implementing a few key strategies, you can create forms that are inclusive and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities: Concise labeling: Provide clear and descriptive labels for each form field. Labels should be associated with their respective input fields using proper markup to enable screen readers and assistive technologies to read them aloud accurately. Instructions: Include clear and concise instructions to guide users through the form-filling process. Ensure that error messages are presented in a visible and understandable manner, clearly indicating the specific fields that require correction. Use color contrast and icons to enhance visibility. Keyboard accessibility: Check that form fields and interactive elements can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone. This is vital for users who rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse or other pointing devices. Allow users to navigate through form fields using the "Tab" key and provide visual focus indicators to highlight the active element. Field validation: Implement validation checks to ensure that users provide valid and properly formatted input. Offer suggestions or autocomplete options whenever possible to assist users and reduce the risk of errors. Clearly communicate any format requirements or constraints to users upfront. Responsive design: Optimize your forms for different devices and screen sizes. Ensure that form elements are appropriately sized and positioned to avoid overlapping or cut-off content, especially on smaller screens or when using zoom functionalities. Note: Wix Forms meet all of these accessibility best practices, so you don’t need to worry about learning how to implement them yourself. 15. Ask visitors how you can improve According to Reginé Gilbert, the best thing a business owner can do for customers with disabilities is to ask them what they need. Consider using the Wix form builder to add a feedback form underneath to make getting in touch as easy as possible. “The beauty of the web is that you can change things,” Gilbert said. “We’re going to make mistakes and we’re going to learn and we’re going to do better.” 16. Use a content management system that supports accessibility Not all CMSs are created equal when it comes to accessibility. In addition to standard features like keyboard navigation and screen-reader compatibility, Wix’s Accessibility Wizard helps you identify and fix things that may cause accessibility issues. Other CMSs that offer good accessibility features include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and Plone. By using a CMS that supports accessibility, you can not only expand your potential audience but also improve your website's search engine ranking. Important note about compliance: At Wix, we are committed to ensuring everyone, regardless of ability, can use our products and services. We are continually working on improving them, in line with accessibility standards. Wix.com cannot guarantee or ensure that the use of our services is compliant with all accessibility laws and worldwide regulations. You are responsible for reviewing and complying with local legislation applicable to you or to your site visitors. Why is it website accessibility important? Setting up an accessible site isn’t just the right thing for your business and your customers; if you fail to do so, you risk getting sued. Case in point: In Robles v. Domino’s, it was ruled that Domino’s website violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiff, a visually impaired man named Guillermo Robles, sued the company because he couldn’t order a pizza with his screen reader. Since the case began in 2016, web accessibility lawsuits have increased by 40%. To better serve all of your customers and avoid such legal trouble, your website must adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Fortunately, Wix designs every feature according to these guidelines, ensuring compliance from the start. Wix’s Accessibility Wizard flags accessibility issues on your site, plus provides guidelines for preventing other issues. What are the four principles of web accessibility? The four principles of web accessibility are defined by the WCAG , which provides a set of guidelines and standards for creating accessible web content. The four principles include: Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in a way that can be perceived by all users. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content (such as images), ensuring content can be presented in different ways (such as through audio or braille) and making sure the content is easy to see and hear. Operable: The user interface and navigation of a website should be operable by all users, including those with disabilities. This involves making all functionality available through keyboard access, providing ample time for users to interact with content and avoiding content that may cause seizures or other adverse reactions. Understandable: Web content and its operation should be clear and understandable to all users. This includes using plain language and avoiding jargon or complex terminology, providing clear instructions and error messages and organizing content in a logical and consistent manner. Robust: Websites should be developed using robust technologies that can be interpreted reliably by a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies. This principle encourages the use of web standards and guidelines to ensure compatibility across different platforms and technologies. How to check your web accessibility There are a number of ways to check your site's web accessibility. Here are a few tips: Use an automated accessibility checker. There are a number of automated accessibility checkers available online. These tools can scan your website for common accessibility issues and provide you with a report. Some popular automated accessibility checkers include: WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool A11Y checker SiteImprove Accessibility Checker Wix’s Accessibility Wizard also helps you identify and fix things that may cause accessibility issues. Use a screen reader. A screen reader is a software program that reads aloud the text on a computer screen. This can be helpful for identifying accessibility issues that are not detected by automated checkers. To use a screen reader, you can install a free program such as NVDA or JAWS. Have your site tested by a person with a disability. The best way to ensure that your site is accessible is to have it tested by a person with a disability. This will help you to identify any accessibility issues that may not be detected by automated checkers or screen readers. Here are some additional tips for checking your site's web accessibility: Check your site's code. Make sure that your site's code is valid and that it follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Use semantic HTML. Semantic HTML is a way of using HTML to convey the meaning of your content. This can help screen readers to understand the structure of your page and to read the content aloud in a meaningful way. Provide alternative text for images. Alternative text is a text description of an image. This is important for people who are using screen readers, as it allows them to understand what the image is about. Use a high-contrast color scheme. A high-contrast color scheme can make your site easier to read for people with low vision. Make sure your site is keyboard navigable. People with mobility impairments may not be able to use a mouse. Make sure that your site can be navigated using only the keyboard. How to make your website accessible checklist Here are some of the main factors to consider when creating and designing an accessible website. This is by no means an exhaustive list but a place to start: Image alt text, should be descriptive Color contrast Easy navigation Headings in order Video captions Descriptive URLs Content structure Accessible PDFs Font choice Markup of tables Labelled forms Regular accessibility audits

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Having a strong website is invaluable for establishing your brand and driving growth in the digital age. But simply launching any site isn’t enough. To truly make your mark and outshine competitors, understanding how to plan a website is a must. With the right approach, your website can capture attention, reflect the essence of your brand and drive real results. Follow this website planning guide to develop an online presence  and learn how to make a website .   Streamline the process of planning your website with  Wix's website builder . TL;DR: How to plan a website A successful website starts with a solid plan. This guide walks you through everything from defining business goals and understanding your audience to creating a content strategy and picking the right design elements. You’ll learn how to build a solid foundation for your site, map out key pages and functionality, and create content that speaks to your audience and supports long-term success. Following these steps can help ensure your website is well-organized, purposeful and ready to grow with your business. Step What you’ll do Why it matters 01. Define clear goals for your website Outline what you want your website to achieve Keeps your design and content focused and intentional 02. Understand your audience Identify who you're speaking to and what they need Helps guide tone, layout and functionality 03. Pick a domain name and hosting provider Choose a domain that reflects your brand and secure reliable hosting Supports discoverability, trust and performance 04. Plan and build your website Choose the right structure, pages and features for your site type Ensures smooth navigation and a tailored user experience 05. Choose elements for your website design Select fonts, colors, images and layouts that express your brand Builds recognition and communicates professionalism 06. Create compelling website content Write engaging, helpful and SEO-friendly copy Drives traffic and encourages visitors to take action What is website planning and why is it important? Website planning is the first step in the process of website creation. Think of it as a blueprint for your online presence—an outline of what you want to achieve with your website, who you aim to reach and how you intend to do it. This process sets the strategic foundation for your online presence, leading to a successful, user-friendly website that meets your business objectives and provides a satisfying experience to visitors. Learn more about website mapping . Defines objectives Defining clear objectives ensures that every aspect of the website is strategically aligned with the goals of the business. This includes determining the purpose of the website, the target audience and the desired outcomes. Clearly defined objectives also make it easier to measure the success of the website. Helps in user experience A thoughtfully planned website enables visitors to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. It also ensures that the website is responsive and optimized for different devices, which is critical today with the increase in mobile usage. Streamlines communication Website planning involves collaboration between different teams and stakeholders, including designers, developers, marketers and content creators. It facilitates effective communication between these teams, ensuring alignment and collective contribution towards shared objectives. Saves time and money Proper website planning eliminates the need for costly redesigns or rebranding efforts. By investing time up front, you ensure that the website is designed correctly from the start, setting you up for long-term savings and success. How to plan a website Define clear goals for your website Understand your audience Pick a domain name and hosting provider Plan and build your website Choose elements for your website design Create compelling website content 01. Define clear goals for your website When setting website goals, view them as stepping stones to achieving broader business aims. First, identify your website’s purpose. For example, are you trying to gain traffic and build an audience or are you looking to sell products? Identify 2-3 key business objectives, then brainstorm actionable website goals enabling users to participate. Whether you want to boost impressions, gather data or motivate purchases, let these specific business goals steer your tactical website goal-setting. For example, if increased lead generation is crucial for future revenue, focus conversion goals on capturing contact details. A website goal might be to utilize popups and value offering incentives to generate 50 newsletter signups daily. 02. Establish your unique selling proposition It's essential to identify and highlight the unique aspects of your brand or business that differentiate you from competitors. Define your business's unique selling proposition (USP)  early in the process, as this will guide the overall direction and objectives of your website. You should then ensure these elements are prominently featured in key areas of your website. When crafting your USP, focus on these guiding questions: How do you stand out from competitors in terms of services or products? What value do you have to offer to potential customers? 02. Understand your audience Whether you’re seeking to engage a broad consumer base or a specialized niche target market, getting specific on your audience drives more impactful website planning. Rather than taking a generic one-size-fits all approach, research key demographics to generate a buyer persona like: Age Gender Location Education Profession Purchase intention Other important audience aspects to consider: Professional details: Industry, company size, job details Psychographics:  Interests, hobbies, values, motivations Influences and biases:  Online activities, blogs, newsletters, social networks Challenges:  Pain points, barriers  The more thorough picture you have of your target audience, the easier it is to make informed choices when designing user experiences on your website. From visual aesthetics to content messaging to product offerings, you can customize components to resonate with the preferences and motivations of prospective visitors. 03. Pick a domain name and hosting provider A carefully chosen domain name, well-designed site architecture and reliable hosting service are foundational elements when planning a website. These factors influence the success of your website by affecting both user experience and search engine performance. First, it’s important to understand what is a domain , and in turn you’ll be able to  choose a domain name  that both suits your business and is also available. When picking a domain and hosting provider, these simple tips will help you invest in a solid technical foundation:  Select a domain name that is short, easy to remember and directly related to your brand. Avoid overly complex or confusing names. A domain like " johnsmithphotography.com " clearly communicates what the site is about. Prioritize web security and uptime when evaluating hosting providers. A reliable host helps ensure consistent site accessibility for both visitors and search engines. When you build your site with Wix, you automatically get free web hosting  when you publish your website, so you don't need to find an external host. Factor in scalability needs for the future. As your site and traffic grow over time, make sure your hosting plan allows upgrading server capacity, storage space and bandwidth. With advanced security monitoring, TLS (transport layer security), automatic backup and a 99.9% uptime, Wix website infrastructure simplifies the scaling-up process and also guarantees peace of mind regarding your website's performance and security. "What often gets forgotten when talking about choosing a website builder is the capabilities of the infrastructure that’s promised to you - the reliability of the hosting, the level of security that’s in order to protect your visitor’s data, and of course your site's speed. Even if infrastructure is not the first thought that comes to mind when it comes to how to plan a website, if it’s not robust enough, it can cause large headaches for website owners when trying to scale a website later on." Esin D.Habif, Product Marketing Lead Outbound at Wix.com Try this domain name generator  as part of your website planning.  04. Plan and build your website type Before you can fully start planning your website, first decide what kind of website you require. There are many types of websites to choose from based on your needs.  Here are a few most common types of websites to consider: eCommerce websites and online stores Business websites Blog websites (try using a blog maker ) Online portfolios Event websites Nonprofit website Online forum Online resume websites Landing pages (use a landing page builder ) Next, outline a sitemap or hierarchy framework of key webpages  to optimize user experience, this is also sometimes referred to as a website wireframe . This helps connect all elements intuitively as you build out pages. Consider how many pages and what content is needed to achieve your goals. The next step after this is to consider your page layout. Some common elements are: Homepage : Introduce visitors to your brand with clear calls-to-action. About page: Include your background and qualifications to build trust and credibility. Product/services pages:  Describe what you sell or offer with photos, costs and contact options. Blog or resources page:  Share knowledge that attracts visitors and positions you as an industry expert. Contact page:  Make it easy for visitors to get in touch and ask questions. FAQ page: Address common inquiries about your business, products or services. Then, identify must-have features and functionality to support user experience and business needs: Navigation menu:  Foster website navigation between the different pages or sections of a site. Contact/inquiry forms: Remove barriers to contacting you for sales, questions, etc. with form builders. Search bar:  Help users find what they want seamlessly—and fast. Calls-To-Action (CTAs):  Strategically place CTAs to prompt visitors to take a specific action, like buy products or subscribe to content. Check out our guide on CTAs for more tips. Privacy policy: this may vary depending on where your business or you are located (so check all local and country regulations before proceeding) but should generally include information about the data collected from users and what it will be used for. Payment systems : if you're building an eCommerce website , you'll need a website payment solution in order to accept and process payments. Pick a website builder With your website elements and goals clarified, the next step is choosing a website builder  to bring your vision to life. Here are several options for building your site. Use an easy drag-and-drop interface, or Content Management System CMS , for uncomplicated no-code website creation, like Wix’s Editor. This includes using a platform with hundreds of pre-designed free website templates for any type of site. Start from scratch and build with custom code on an open source platform like Velo . Consider a responsive website or web design, with a platform like Wix Studio . Hire a web designer  to help outline your website planning and site creation. Consider creating a website with AI - Wix ADI is one way to do this with an AI website builder . Learn more about some of the best AI website builders . When it comes to how to plan a website, you'll also need to fact in the cost of making your site . This can be done for free with a website builder like Wix, which also has a number of premium plans available depending on your website planning goals. Learn more:  Is Wix free? 05. Choose elements for your website design Cohesive visual design makes an impression on visitors. Research current styles and layouts that successfully engage your audience on existing websites for inspiration. To help unify aesthetics, create a brand style guide outlining important design assets to use: Logo:  Craft a recognizable logo that encapsulates your brand essence. This visual signature builds consistency on your website and across platforms, both on and offline, including your favicon, social media channels and printed assets. You can use a logo maker tool to create something lasting and unique. Colors:  Website colors are emotional and eye-catching, they can immediately set the tone of your site within seconds.  Pick a palette that aligns uniquely with your branding. You can explore different complementary colors  to convey your brand identity.  Consider all the places that colors can make an impact as you plan your website, including buttons, menus, backgrounds and elements. Fonts:  Curate a font combination of sleek headings and clean body text that enhances readability and accessibility. Typography directly impacts tone. Photos : On-brand photographs visually connect users to your brand’s human centric stories and values. Be sure to use high-quality images and consider inclusivity when selecting images. When you plan your site with Wix, you’ll have access to a Media Manager with hundreds of free Wix image and video files that you can add directly to your site. You can also use an image resizer  tool to ensure photos fit the page accordingly. Illustrations:  Custom iconography and illustrations are a creative option to differentiate your unique look and feel. Other visual elements:  You can explore a wide variety of background options, interesting scrolling effects and layouts, all directly within the Wix Editor. To avoid overdesigning , make sure all elements have a purpose. Explore the Wix database of totally customizable website templates  to see which one fits your vision best.  Also read: How America's Got Talent runner up, Roni Sagi planned her website for her dog dancing business. 06. Create compelling website content Well-planned websites don’t just look nice—they provide value to audiences through engaging content. This is where you can really showcase your creativity and expertise with a strong content marketing strategy.  Keep in mind that your web content should be dynamic and evolve with your brand. Develop a content calendar to plan how and when you'll present new content or update existing pages. This ensures your website stays fresh and relevant, aligning with seasonal trends, product launches or audience needs. Regularly scheduled updates also help maintain user engagement and improve SEO performance over time. For example, if your product offering changes, be sure to update descriptions and images. Don't forget to include relevant keywords in your content strategy to improve your website's SEO and visibility. Here are some tips: Conduct keyword research to identify terms and phrases your audience is searching. Incorporate these organically into content. Optimize page titles and meta descriptions with keywords, aiming for under 60 characters. Use keyword-focused headers and subheaders (H1, H2 tags) to improve on-page SEO. Create SEO-friendly URLs using keywords separated by dashes instead of spaces or underscores. Add image alt text and video transcripts with keywords for visual assets. Integrating SEO considerations from the outset ensures that the website is optimized for search engines, improving visibility and ranking. Include this step in your website planning process with Wix SEO  tools such as the SEO Wizard. This tool analyzes your website content and structure, delivering tailored recommendations to boost visibility.  You might want to consider how to incorporate AI content creation into your workflow, when it comes to creating website content as part of your wider content marketing efforts. Once you know which content to include on your site, you'll need to make a plan of your pages. Organize your content by grouping it into themes and prioritizing its importance. This will help you create a logical structure for your website, ensuring that users can easily find the most relevant information. For example, group similar topics under one section or page, and highlight key content that aligns with your primary goals. Think about how they should be organized on your website, including their hierarchy — this can be based on best UX practices and how you want users to navigate your site. You'll also need to map out how all the different pages on your website will link to each other, for both navigation and SEO purposes. This will determine how easily people move through your site, so make sure to plan it carefully and smartly. You might want to create a sitemap to help you plan and improve on this — you can jot it down on paper first before submitting it. Related reading: See how Josh Harmon planned and built his creative website. Getting started with creating core website content For a complete website, make sure you have clear, engaging content for your homepage, about page, product/services page, contact page and FAQ. If you plan to have a blog, make sure you prepare starter blog posts to get you started. Here’s how to create purposeful content for each: Homepage  When you're designing your homepage, you should start with one clear goal for visitors. Set your goal:  Decide what action you want visitors to take first, like shopping your products or learning about your story. Write a standout headline:  Highlight what makes your brand unique. Test a few ideas to find one that works. Add a clear CTA:  Use buttons like “Shop Now” or “Learn More” to direct visitors. Choose an eye-catching image:  A high-quality photo showcasing your products is a great way to grab attention. About page Tell your story and what makes your business unique. Share your mission and connect with visitors by explaining how your passion for your business began. Share your journey:  Explain what inspired you to start your business. State your mission:  Show what makes your products special and why you’re passionate about them. Use authentic visuals:  Include photos or videos of your process, workspace or ingredients. Keep it conversational:  Write as if you’re telling a friend about your business. Product/services page Highlight your products and their benefits in a clear, straightforward way. Use high-quality images to showcase their features. List your products:  Showcase your products and their key features. Write compelling descriptions:  Focus on the benefits of your products. Use professional photos:  Include well-lit images that show off textures, colors and packaging. Organize by category:  Group products into sections. Blog Use your blog to educate and engage your visitors. Share stories about your brand and offer valuable tips. Brainstorm topics:  Write about your launch or what visitors can come to expect from your site. Plan ahead:  Create an editorial calendar for consistent updates. Write authentically:  Use a friendly, approachable tone to share actionable tips. Add visuals:  Photos or graphics make posts more engaging. Contact page Make it easy for visitors to get in touch. Include a contact form, email address, and links to your social media. Add a contact form:  Include fields for name, email and message. List direct contact info:  Share your email and phone number for easy access. Link social media:  Include icons for platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Include extra options if needed:  Add fields for wholesale inquiries or custom orders. FAQ Answer common questions clearly and in a friendly tone. Cover topics like product details, shipping and policies. Compile questions:  List the ones customers ask you most often. Write clear answers:  Keep your explanations concise but thorough. Organize by category:  Use topics like “Shipping” or “Ingredients” for clarity. Update regularly:  Add new questions as they come up. Bringing your website planning to life Once your website planning is complete, testing helps identify and resolve any issues before launch. Some examples of tests to run include: Conduct thorough user experience testing to optimize navigation, task flows and content clarity based on feedback. Perform technical tests including site speed, mobile optimization, browser compatibility and more to catch bugs. Implement ongoing maintenance like link and image checks, content updates, backups, theme and plugin updates and security reviews to maintain performance and provide continuous value. Make sure your website is connected to an analytics tool (like Wix Analytics ) so that you can track the traffic and user engagement on your website. Consider how to to include your website within your marketing strategies and how are you going to market your website. Conducting constant website maintenance Being proactive by using different tests such as  A/B testing  to compare different versions of your web pages and conducting regular  website maintenance  to ensure all functionalities are up to date is crucial for your site's efficiency. This not only enhances visitor experiences by offering a seamless browsing journey but also helps in identifying potential issues at an early stage. How to plan a website FAQ How do I plan a website project budget? Budget can have a significant impact on website planning. Limited resources may require prioritizing certain features or functionalities over others. It's important to determine what aspects of the website are essential and allocate funds accordingly. Creativity and resourcefulness play a vital role in optimizing the website within the given budget, such as leveraging cost-effective tools and technologies. What technical requirements are important to consider when planning a website? When planning a website, it's important to consider key technical requirements that affect speed, user experience, online visibility, and overall website management. These include web hosting, domain name, content management system (CMS), website accessibility , mobile design, SEO, security and integrations. Who should have input in the website planning stage? To strike a balance between involving the right people and achieving efficient results, you should take into account the size and complexity of the project. For large projects you may need expertise from multiple stakeholders such as designers, developers, marketers and project managers. However, for smaller projects or personal websites, the necessary input may be less extensive. How much does it cost to build a website? When it comes to how much a website costs , a simple one can cost as little as $16 per month if you’re creating it yourself, but more complex sites or sites involving the help of an expert (designers, copywriters, photographers, etc.) can cost more than $10,000 in total.

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Whether you're launching a new business website  or redesigning an existing one, understanding what makes a good website is crucial. This guide offers practical advice to help you build a high-traffic website. Learn how to create a website that excels by enhancing key website features such as navigation, trust signals, mobile-friendly design and site speed, ensuring it not only looks great but also performs exceptionally well. Creating a website  that represents your brand and captivates your audience is a challenge many business owners face. While pre-made website templates  can make website creation  easy but its also important to customize them to make sure your site stands out. Ready to make your website? Use the Wix AI website generator  to get started today. What is a good website? A website is your brand or business online and its often the first impression for potential customers. It should blend branding, design and content to tell your story and drive visitors to take action. A good website should excel in both its form and function — with a clear purpose, visually appealing design and intuitive navigation. A good website performs well for a diverse audience (think page speed and loading, as well as accessibility) and includes advanced site security. In essence, what makes a good website good websites is its attractiveness, functionality and invaluable contribution to your business's success. If you are just getting started, learn more about what is a website .  13 elements that define a good website Clear intent and purpose Simple site navigation Engaging web design Cohesive branding Quality visuals Clear CTAs Relevant content Strategic Search Engine Optimization Good performance and infrastructure Easy accessibility Mobile friendly Security measures Credibility indicators Free website templates 01. Clear intent and purpose A good website instantly communicates its purpose. Know your audience and address their needs, interests and challenges directly. By understanding your target users, you can tailor your content and design to resonate with them effectively. For example, if you're looking to create a site to sell products, make selling your top priority. With every decision, ask yourself: Is this helping users buy my products? Defining a clear purpose takes time and will influence how long it takes to build your website. To get started, consider these factors to clarify your new website: Identify the primary goal for each page:  Before you start designing or writing content, decide what you want the page to achieve. Is it to inform, to sell or to entertain? Keep this goal in mind throughout the creation process. Understand your audience:  Know who you're talking to and what they're looking for. Use language that resonates with them and provide the information or solutions they need. Keep it focused:  Don't overload your pages with too much information or too many calls to action. Stick to one main message per page to avoid confusing your visitors. Use headings and subheadings:  Organize web content  with clear headings that guide users through your page. This helps them quickly find what they're looking for. Test and get feedback:  After launching a new website , gather feedback from users about their experience. Use this information to refine the intent of each page and make improvements. Learn more about how long does it take to build a website . 02. Simple site navigation A good navigation system can help boost engagement, conversion rates and user satisfaction. When visitors easily find what they need, they stay longer. Ensure any page on your site is within three clicks of another. A clearly displayed, well-structured menu and logical page hierarchy make navigation straightforward and enjoyable. When it comes to making a good website it's worth considering building a plan for all your website pages from the start of the process. This means creating a clear website plan that includes your planned and potential future pages. This allows you to then build a url structure for your site that is clean and consistent. This in turn can also mean you avoid having to make fixes to your url structure later. Nitsan Eiges, Team Lead Technical SEO at Wix.com Below are some key elements to consider when making sure that your website is easy to navigate: Keep the menu structure straightforward:  Limit the number of items in your main navigation menu. Too many options can overwhelm visitors and make it hard to choose where to go next. Use descriptive labels:  Make it clear what users will find when they click on a menu item. Avoid vague or clever labels that might confuse visitors. Include a search function:  For larger websites, a search bar is essential. It allows users to quickly find specific content without having to navigate through multiple pages. Make sure navigation is consistent:  Use the same menu layout across all pages. Consistency helps users learn how to navigate your site more quickly. Prioritize content:  Arrange menu items based on their importance or relevance. Commonly sought-after pages like 'Contact' or 'Products' should be easy to find. 03. Engaging web design When it comes to what web design is , it isn't just about aesthetics; it’s about creating an engaging experience for your visitors. A visually appealing site captures attention, keeps users engaged and encourages exploration. Aim for a unique, effective and user-focused design that stands out and delivers. Craft a website design  that's both beautiful and functional with these best practices: Use a clean layout : A cluttered webpage  or overdesigned site can be overwhelming. Stick to a clean layout with plenty of white space to make your content stand out and easy to read. Choose the right color scheme : Colors can influence how users feel about your website. Select a website color palette  that reflects your brand and is pleasing to the eye. Select readable fonts : Your text should be easy to read across all devices. Use typography  that is large enough and have high contrast against the background. Incorporate multimedia : Use images, videos and infographics to make your website dynamic and engaging. Ensure they’re relevant and add value. Visuals help users digest information more easily. A demo video can explain your product better than a long article. An infographic telling your brand story is much more engaging than plain text. Optimize for interaction : Design elements like buttons and links should be easy to find and use. Make sure they're sized appropriately for both desktop and mobile users. 04. Cohesive branding Cohesive branding on your website is key to building trust and recognition with your audience. Ensure every element on your site mirrors your brand's values and aesthetics. Create a strong brand presence that resonates with visitors and sets you apart from competitors. At its core, branding hinges on trust—think of it as a relationship between two individuals: the customer and the brand, which represents the business. Within this relationship, authenticity plays a critical role. It builds trust and creates emotional bonds. It fosters consistency, engagement and reduces reputation risks. Yaya Aaronsohn, Head of Brand Maker at Wix.com Use these tips to help you create a professional website  with cohesive branding: Define your brand identity:  Know your brand's colors, fonts and style. Make sure these elements are consistently used throughout the website. Use your logo strategically:  Place your logo design  in a prominent position on your site, like the header or footer and ensure it links back to the homepage . Create a brand style guide:  A style guide can serve as a reference for maintaining consistency across all pages and elements of your website. Align content with your brand voice:  The tone and language of your content should match your brand personality, whether it's professional, friendly or quirky. Be consistent with imagery:  Use images that complement each other and align with your brand message. Consistency in visuals reinforces brand identity. 05. Quality visuals Quality visuals are key to an effective website. They convey information quickly, evoke emotions and enhance your site's look. Create a visually appealing website that helps improve user experience . Here's how to ensure your website's visuals are up to par: Use high-resolution images : Blurry or pixelated images can make your site look unprofessional. Always opt for high-quality, crisp visuals. PNG  files often provide better quality. Be selective : Choose images that are relevant to your content and resonate with your brand message. Each visual should serve a purpose. Optimize for speed : Large image files can slow down your site. Compress them to reduce load times without sacrificing quality. Consider originality : Stock photos can be useful, but custom graphics or photos can set you apart and give your site a unique feel. Ensure accessibility : Use alt text for images so screen readers can describe them to visually impaired users, making your site more inclusive. 06. Clear CTAs Clear calls to action (CTAs) guide your visitors towards the actions you want them to take. Whether it's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or contacting your business, create clear and compelling CTAs to boost conversions and achieve your website's goals. Creating effective CTAs is simple and impactful with these tips: Use action-oriented language : Start your CTAs with verbs like 'Buy', 'Subscribe' or 'Learn' to encourage immediate action. Make them stand out : CTAs should be visually distinct from other elements on the page. Use colors that contrast with your design to draw attention. Keep it concise : Your CTA text should be brief and to the point, clearly stating what will happen when it's clicked. Place them strategically : Position CTAs where they're most likely to catch the user's attention, such as above the fold or at the end of relevant content. Test different versions : Experiment with different CTA designs and placements to see what works best for your audience. 07. Relevant content Relevant content is the backbone of a good website. It's what draws visitors in and keeps them coming back for more. By prioritizing relevance in your website's content, you'll attract the right audience and encourage them to engage with your brand. To ensure your website's content is on point, here are some actionable tips: Know your audience : Understand who you're writing for and what they care about. Tailor your content to meet their needs and interests and use appropriate language for their knowledge level. Stay on topic : Keep your content focused on subjects that relate to your brand and industry. This helps establish your authority and keeps users engaged. Update regularly : Fresh content can help improve your SEO rankings and shows visitors that you're active and up-to-date. Be helpful : Provide value through informative, educational or entertaining content. Solve problems, answer questions or share insights. Optimize for SEO : Use relevant keywords naturally within your content to improve visibility on search engines without compromising readability. Quality over quantity : It's better to have a few high-quality, relevant pages than many low-quality ones. Prioritize quality and relevance in all your content. 08. Strategic Search Engine Optimization Building a visually appealing and user-friendly website is just the start. Your site needs to attract web traffic . Strategic SEO makes your website discoverable by search engines and your target audience. Focus on SEO practices to boost your site's ranking in search results, increasing traffic and driving business growth. Leveraging SEO and integrating it into the website creation process is vital. Various studies have shown that organic search is the single greatest provider of traffic to websites - with that being even more pronounced within the B2B context. To that, traffic from organic search, when done correctly is essentially built to last (with proper maintenance over time, of course) and forms a crucial part of a site’s long-term growth. Mordy Oberstein, Head of SEO Branding at Wix.com Implement these SEO features  to help improve your site's visibility and ranking: Conduct keyword research : Identify the terms and phrases your audience uses to search for your products or services. Incorporate these keywords into your content naturally. Optimize meta tags : Craft descriptive and keyword-rich meta titles and descriptions for each page to improve click-through rates from search engine results pages. Create quality content : Search engines favor websites that provide valuable and relevant content. Focus on creating high-quality original articles, start a blog  and include product descriptions. Optimize images : Add relevant keywords in image alt tags and file names and ensure they are web-size-optimized so they don’t slow your website down. Use an image resizer  to reduce the size of your images. Improve site structure : Ensure your website has a logical hierarchy and clean URL structure. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages. Build backlinks : Obtain links from reputable websites to boost your site's authority. Guest blogging, partnerships and creating shareable content are effective tactics. Local SEO : If you have a physical location, ensure your website is optimized for local searches by including location-specific keywords and setting up a Google Business Profile. Add structured data : Also often know as schema or markup this helps search engines better understand your content and the intent behind it. 09. Good performance and infrastructure Behind-the-scenes work is just as important as what users see. Prioritize performance to enhance user experience, engagement and search engine rankings. A well-performing website offers a smooth and enjoyable experience, encouraging visitors to stay longer and engage more with your content. What often gets forgotten when talking about choosing a website builder is the capabilities of the infrastructure that’s promised to you - the reliability of the hosting, the level of security that’s in order to protect your visitor’s data, and of course your site's speed. Even if infrastructure is not the first thought that comes to mind when it comes to making a website, if it’s not robust enough, it can cause large headaches for website owners when trying to scale a website later on Esin D. Habif, Product Marketing Lead Outbound at Wix.com Here's how to ensure your website performs at its best: Optimize loading times:  Compress images to webp for optimal  website performance  and use caching to speed up page load times. Wix does this automatically, ensuring fast-loading pages that keep users happy and reduce bounce rates. Good page speed is an essential part of any great website. Ensure high uptime:  Choose a reliable hosting provider to minimize the risk of your site going down. High uptime  rates are crucial for maintaining accessibility. Mobile optimization:  With more users on mobile devices, ensure your site is responsive and loads quickly on all screen sizes. Regularly update software:  Keep your content management system, plugins and scripts up to date to prevent performance lags or security vulnerabilities. Wix, for example, does this automatically for all sites built on the Wix platform. Monitor performance:  Use tools like Wix Analytics  or Google PageSpeed Insights to track your website's performance and make necessary adjustments. Web hosting plan: Choose a hosting website  that can handle your website's traffic and technical demands. Consider upgrading as your site grows. 10. Easy accessibility Understanding web accessibility  is key to fostering inclusivity, meeting legal standards, enhancing user experience and future-proofing your site. Ensuring website accessibility  isn't just about inclusivity—it’s about reaching a broader audience and improving overall user satisfaction. Build a site that’s welcoming and usable for everyone, regardless of their abilities or limitations. We should “design websites with accessibility” at the start of a business. With Wix, users can create a website with accessibility settings built right into the Editor, ensuring your content and design comply with the global standards. Wix’s Accessibility Wizard then scans the website for accessibility issues and suggests fixes. Nir Horesh, Head of at SEO & Accessibility at Wix.com Use these tips to make your website is accessible to everyone: Use alt text for images : Describe images with alt text so screen readers can interpret them for visually impaired users. Create a proper heading structure : Make sure your website headings follow a logical order and are tagged correctly. This helps users with assistive technology, like screen readers, understand the page structure and purpose easily. Ensure keyboard navigation : Some users rely on keyboards, rather than a mouse, to navigate websites. Make sure all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard. Choose legible fonts : Select fonts that are easy to read and have adjustable sizes to accommodate users with visual impairments. Provide transcripts for audio and video : Transcripts help users who are deaf or hard of hearing understand multimedia content. Test for color contrast : Ensure there is sufficient contrast between text and background colors to aid users with color vision deficiencies. Perform accessibility testing : Use accessibility checkers to identify and fix any issues. Consider having your website evaluated by users with disabilities for feedback. 11. Mobile friendly Most people access the web on smartphones and tablets, so having a mobile-friendly website is essential. A poorly performing mobile site frustrates users and negatively impacts your brand. Mobile users want quick, easy access to information and services. A mobile-optimized site meets these expectations, providing a seamless experience on any device. Focus on mobile-friendly elements to enhance the browsing experience, leading to increased engagement and conversion rates. Follow these steps to cater your sit to mobile users: Touch-friendly navigation:  Design buttons and links large enough to be easily tapped with a finger. Fast loading times:  Optimize images and minimize code to accelerate loading times on mobile devices. Avoid Flash:  Use HTML5 instead of Flash, as it's not supported by most mobile browsers. Test on multiple devices:  Regularly check your site on various devices to ensure compatibility and a consistent user experience design . 12. Security measures Preventing a security breach is more affordable than dealing with the aftermath. Strengthen your website's defenses against potential threats to ensure a safer environment for you and your users. Prioritize protecting users’ personal information with multi-factor authentication, SSL certificates and secure hosting. Enhance the your website security  with these tools: Use HTTPS :  Secure your website with an SSL certificate. This encrypts data transferred between the user's browser and your website, protecting sensitive information. Keep software updated:  Regularly update your content management system, plugins and any scripts you're using to patch security vulnerabilities. Implement strong passwords:  Use complex passwords for your website's backend and encourage users to do the same for their accounts. Regular backups:  Regularly backup your website so you can quickly restore it in case of a cyberattack or data loss. Conduct security audits:  Identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This proactive approach keeps your system safe and secure. 13. Credibility indicators and testimonials Credibility indicators on your website can greatly influence how users perceive your business's trustworthiness. When potential customers see that others have had positive experiences with your brand, it boosts their confidence in making a choice. Include these indicators to reassure visitors of your legitimacy and expertise, helping to convert them into customers. Here's how to establish and showcase credibility on your site: Display contact information : Make it easy for visitors to find your contact details. This transparency builds trust. Showcase customer testimonials : Share positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers to demonstrate the value of your products or services. Highlight certifications and awards : If you have industry certifications, accreditations or awards, display them prominently. Publish case studies : Detailed case studies can show potential customers the tangible results you've achieved for others. Maintain an active blog : Regularly updated content shows expertise in your field and helps establish authority. Common website challenges and how to fix them Visitors leave too quickly Slow loading pages or a cluttered design drive users away before they even see what you offer. Large uncompressed images, unnecessary animations or complex menus can overwhelm visitors in seconds. Streamline your layout with plenty of white space, optimize images for fast loading and use a simple consistent menu structure. For example, an online store could feature featured products above the fold with a clear menu linking to categories. Even subtle tweaks make a difference. Use descriptive headings so users know exactly what each section offers and make buttons easy to find and tap especially on mobile. Adding a “back to top” button or sticky navigation helps users stay oriented and explore without frustration. These small changes keep people engaged longer and reduce bounce rates. Low conversions Visitors may browse your site but never take action if CTAs are unclear or forms are too complicated. Replace vague buttons like “Click Here” with action-oriented text such as “Get Your Free Quote” or “Book Your Session.” Place CTAs where users are already engaged like after reading a product description or at the end of a helpful article. Test different designs to see what drives results. For instance, A/B testing a bright orange “Subscribe Now” button versus a standard blue one could reveal which color converts better. Simplify forms by only asking for essential information—fewer fields often lead to more sign-ups or inquiries. Poor SEO performance Even the most beautiful website won’t attract visitors if search engines can’t find it. Failing to include relevant keywords, meta descriptions or alt text keeps your pages buried. Conduct keyword research and naturally weave target terms into headings, image tags and body text. A local bakery, for example, could optimize pages with keywords like “fresh bread delivery [city name]” to appear in nearby searches. Site structure matters too. Clean URLs, internal linking and an organized hierarchy make it easier for search engines to crawl your site. Use a sitemap and structured data markup so search engines understand your content. Security and trust concerns Users hesitate to share information on a site that feels unsafe. Without SSL certificates, secure passwords or clear contact details, visitors may bounce. Enable HTTPS, regularly update plugins and software and add multi-factor authentication for backend access. For example, an eCommerce site showing a padlock icon at checkout signals safety and builds confidence. Trust can also be visual. Include testimonials, case studies and recognizable certifications prominently. A small graphic showing “As Featured In” logos or a verified review badge reassures visitors instantly. Regularly backing up your site ensures you can recover quickly from issues without affecting user experience. Outdated or irrelevant content Stale content makes a site feel abandoned. Visitors expect up-to-date information, whether it’s blog posts, product descriptions or pricing. Regularly refresh content, highlight seasonal offerings and keep visuals current. A café could update its menu page each season with photos of new drinks or dishes. Content relevance also means solving current user problems. FAQs, how-to guides or tutorials help visitors engage while boosting SEO. For instance, a fitness brand could add short workout videos to complement articles about healthy habits, keeping users on the site longer and returning for new resources. Accessibility issues Some users can’t interact with a site because it isn’t designed inclusively. Missing alt text, poor contrast or small clickable areas create barriers. Add descriptive alt text for images, ensure sufficient color contrast and use larger touch-friendly buttons. A travel blog could label images of destinations clearly for screen readers, allowing all users to enjoy the content. Headings and keyboard navigation make pages easier to scan. Proper heading structure helps screen readers guide users logically and ensuring every button and form field is accessible via keyboard improves usability. Testing your site with accessibility tools or real users can reveal issues you may have missed and make your website welcoming to everyone. What makes a good website FAQ How often should I update my website? There’s no strict rule for how often to update a website—it depends on your business type and industry. However, refreshing your content every few months is a good practice to keep it relevant. Regularly check for broken links or outdated information that might need quicker updates. The goal is to provide users with accurate, up-to-date information and show that your site is actively maintained. How important is user feedback on a website? User feedback is invaluable for enhancing a website's user experience and effectiveness. It helps businesses understand user interactions and identify areas for improvement. By actively seeking and considering feedback, you can continuously evolve your website to meet your audience's needs and preferences. Positive customer testimonials also boost credibility, serving as social proof for potential customers. What is the ideal website load time? The ideal website load time is 2-3 seconds or less. The longer a website takes to load, the more likely users are to leave. Slow loading times can also hurt search engine rankings and user experience. To boost your website load time, optimize images, minimize code and use a reliable hosting provider. Regular testing and monitoring can help spot and fix any issues. A faster website keeps users engaged and increases your chances of converting them into customers. What pitfalls do businesses need to avoid when designing their sites? When designing a website, avoid common pitfalls to ensure an effective, user-friendly experience. Keep the design clean to prevent overwhelming visitors. Ensure clear navigation so users can easily find what they need. Maintain consistent branding to strengthen your identity. Optimize for mobile responsiveness to cater to mobile users. Improve loading times to reduce bounce rates and enhance user experience. By avoiding these issues, you create a website that effectively represents your brand and meets your audience's needs. Regular evaluation and updates keep your site effective over time. What are the top needs and wants of website visitors? Website visitors have varying needs and wants based on their goals, but common expectations include easy navigation, relevant information, visual appeal, mobile responsiveness and fast loading times. They want to quickly find what they need without navigating through multiple pages. Visitors expect up-to-date and useful information to solve their problems. Engaging designs and high-quality visuals make sites memorable. With the rise in mobile use, users expect mobile-optimized sites. Fast loading times are crucial; slow sites can lead to high bounce rates and a poor user experience. Who builds websites? There are various options for building a website, including hiring a professional website designer or using DIY website builders. Professional web designers have expertise in creating custom websites tailored to your business needs, but they can be more expensive. DIY website builders, like Wix, offer customizable templates, user-friendly interfaces and tutorials on how to use Wix , making it easier for individuals with limited technical knowledge to create their own site at a lower cost. Additionally, some businesses may choose to build their own websites utilizing coding skills or by outsourcing to freelance developers. How much will I need to spend on a website? How much does a website cost  is based on the type, complexity and features you need. Hiring a professional web designer or agency for a custom site can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. DIY website builders have monthly fees from $10-$40. Freelance developers' rates differ based on their experience and skill. Research your options and consider your budget to find the best approach for your business's website. How does good website content contribute to its effectiveness? Good content is clear, relevant and engaging, addressing the audience’s needs while reflecting the brand’s voice. It improves SEO, builds trust and keeps visitors on the site for longer. Regular content updates, compelling calls-to-action and multimedia elements like videos or images enhance website content effectiveness. How important is navigation in defining a good website? Clear and intuitive navigation is vital for a good website, as it helps users quickly find the information they need. Logical menu structures, search functionality and consistent design elements reduce frustration, improve engagement and guide visitors toward key actions, such as making purchases or contacting support.

As a nonbinary trans person, I navigate an internet that isn’t designed for me. When the websites I use everyday weren’t made for me, I feel less engaged. It creates an uncomfortable experience, like an itch, making the web feel impersonal and hostile. Determining the right target audience is an integral part of making a website. Can designers intentionally choose to make nonbinary people part of that specificity? If we design with the aim of tearing down barriers, we can create an internet that’s useful, relevant, and safe to as many people as possible, including nonbinary or gender nonconforming individuals. Learn more: How to make a Wix website Why gender and pronouns matter I should probably back up and define some terms for people who aren’t familiar with nonbinary people. Gender is distinct from biological sex. A gender like “man” or “woman” is a role we play in society. Some people feel profoundly uncomfortable with the role they were assigned at birth, and are happier playing another. As a nonbinary person, I’m not strictly comfortable as either a man or a woman. There are many ways to be nonbinary or gender nonconforming, and pronouns are a good example of that. There are nonbinary people who use “they/them” pronouns, but others use “she/her” or “he/him” or neopronouns (for example, “xie/xer”). There are “he/him” lesbians who were assigned female at birth and are still women. Gender is highly personal and central to who people are. An internet that’s designed for people with a broad range of gender identities and expressions would honor that. If gender is treated as a deeply personal aspect of every individual’s humanity — one you can recognize and speak to with design — you can use that to make your designs more specific, exciting, and engaging for everyone. Designing a gender-affirming web Since there are lot of ways to be nonbinary, we need to avoid the pitfall of going from imagining there are only two genders to only three. At the same time, we shouldn’t approach design as if there’s only one gender — the human gender — and flatten all diversity entirely. Broadening your voice as a brand or service provider so much, would mean that you end up speaking to nobody. If, instead, gender is treated as a deeply personal aspect of every individual’s humanity, and one you can recognize and speak to with design, you can use that to make your designs more specific, exciting, and engaging for everyone. Here are some ways we can do that: Creatable World by Mattel aspires to make playing dolls more inclusive. Rethinking our use of UX language Create gender-neutral navigation: When collecting information on gender and honorifics is sometimes necessary, it would be wonderful to have options outside the binary. The typical layout for an online clothing store, for example, has “men’s” and “women’s” sections. Some websites avoid this trap. Rather than organizing by gender, organize by type of clothing (like pants, shits, skirts) and cut. They can also have their clothing modeled by trans and gender nonconforming models. For other brands, simply including a wider variety of gender expressions in their use of photography and visuals — doesn’t have to be every photo, even! — makes the experience of using their website more friendly. Allow users to identify as they wish: Companies that gather medical information often need a user’s legal name and sex. However, changing names is a very common trans experience (including among nonbinary and gender nonconforming people). That’s a long process. The best websites I’ve used permit people to list their gender identity as well as their sex assigned at birth and also lets everyone choose a nickname. The websites who do this avoid “dead naming” trans people, which is respectful of both their identity and health. Many trans and gender nonconforming people experience gender dysphoria, and addressing them by the wrong name can be a trigger for that. Q, the First Genderless Voice Assistant. Treating user safety and consent with care There are, unfortunately, hate groups whose members try to harm trans folks, including nonbinary people. I hope that websites will look out for the safety of trans people. Be conscious of the data you collect: That means not collecting data on gender at all unless it’s vital, transparency about why collecting data is necessary and how it will be shared, and good moderation of discussion forums. Allow personal info to stay discrete: Websites that commission or feature different creatives should not require those individuals to be easy to contact. We want a friendly web, but not so friendly we forget that the web can be dangerous for minorities. Swedish underwear company KÖN offers one fit for any gender. An internet for everyone A design experience that is consciously inclusive conveys an expectation of inclusivity that people will learn from and follow. When we take the time to design with gender nonconforming and nonbinary people, it’s more than a cosmetic change. We’re using design to think about and respect human beings and care about their safety. That mindset carries into our other work. It benefits other minorities. It benefits cis users, who need safety and respect in their own ways. When we build an internet for everyone, it really does benefit everyone.