- Amanda Weiner
- 3 days ago
- 13 min read
So, you want to create a website? Good news: making a website has never been easier.
These days, there are a number of website builders that make designing a site as simple as following a recipe. A mature website builder like Wix can also make running your business online significantly easier.
Wix gives you a range of high-quality features—a drag-and-drop website editor, templates, AI, marketing tools and native business solutions—so you can start creating right away. Keep reading to learn how to make a Wix website by bringing all of your favorite elements together.
Learn more about how to use Wix as a website builder and to manage your business.
How to make a website with Wix
01. Define your goals
Creating a website starts with considering the goal of your website. Do you want to monetize your website, or simply share your favorite recipes? Whatever your aim is, be clear about your definition of success. This will help you determine the best platform, design and timeline for your project.
“Just as us humans, every website has its own needs. Try to define what those are and what goals you’d like to achieve in order to create a successful website that is truly original.” - Adi Huri, product and creative director at Wow!, Wix
If you're still unsure about the kind of website that suits you, take some time to explore the different types of websites available or explore these website ideas for inspiration. Your website could serve as:
An online store where you sell custom merchandise, handmade items, branded products or even dropshipped items. (See our guides specifically on how to start an online store or how to make an eCommerce website.)
A blog where you share your own insights, interview experts or engage a community of people who share a common interest. (Learn how to start a blog.)
An online portfolio, which exists as a type of static website that shows off your experience to potential employers or clients. (Learn how to make an online portfolio.)
Note: One website can serve multiple purposes. You can create an online store that also has a blog. Or, you can create a blog that sells merchandise.
Related reading:
02. Pick your starting point
When you start building a website on Wix, you have two main ways to get started:
Use the AI website builder. Create a fully functional site by answering a few quick questions. The AI will automatically generate the layout, content structure and design elements, giving you a ready-to-use starting point.
Start with a designer-made template. Choose from more than 2,000 website templates, which are tailored to different business types and industries. You can select a template that closely matches the style and layout you already envision, then customize it using the editor.
Choosing a starting point depends on your workflow and priorities. The AI website builder is faster for immediate results, while templates provide a stronger visual starting point. Either way, you can customize and refine your site further from Wix's drag-and-drop editor.
See these Wix websites for inspiration or see the Wix Editor up close with this online course.
Special note
If you're an agency owner creating a website for clients, or manage an enterprise with complex design needs, Wix also offers Wix Studio. Wix Studio offers a collaborative platform and unparalleled customization options. Enjoy precise control over your design and easily create highly responsive, intricate animations. Discover more about Wix Studio.
For more advanced website development needs, the Wix Editor offers access to Velo by Wix. Velo supports markup languages like HTML, CSS and Javascript for custom-coding elements of your site. For example, you can connect custom databases and build dynamic content, or use JavaScript to add more interactive behaviors. As another option, you can use Velo APIs to install a Wix website app to an existing site. (Learn more about Wix Wix Headless.)
03. Review and organize your pages
Once you have a first draft of your website, either from the AI website builder or a template, it’s a good idea to step back and review the pages that are included.
Make sure that all the essential web pages are covered, and check that each one clearly serves your visitors’ needs. Start with the basics—homepage, about page, and contact page—and then consider whether any additional pages would improve your site’s structure and usability.
Here are some common page types to check for:
Category pages: Category pages are helpful for organizing content, especially on an eCommerce site or blog. A category page can act as a navigational element, guiding visitors to the content that they’re looking for in a friendly, familiar way.
Product pages: Product pages should highlight key features and benefits of your product, giving enough space for images, videos and dynamic sections (such as “recommended products”). You may even want to include a reviews section, or an area showcasing user-submitted photos.
Services page: Here you can list the services you offer. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, you can talk about the types of projects you take on or the types of packages you offer.
Support page: A support page can include information on how to get in touch with your team, or how to handle situations like a return or issues with shipping.
Checkout page: Whether you run an eCommerce or service-based business, a checkout page can simplify (and speed up) the sales process. Make sure to offer multiple ways of paying and keep your form clear and to the point.
FAQ: Address common questions and concerns upfront to build trust and set the right expectations. Regularly update this page as new questions arise.
Testimonials/review page: A review page can consist of video testimonials, star ratings and/or written reviews.
Privacy policy page: A privacy policy page can demonstrate that you take your customers’ privacy seriously. It may also be a legal requirement if you do business in certain countries or states.
Read also: How to build a homepage
04. Customize the design as desired
At this point, you’ve probably got all the bones of your website in order. Now, it’s time to refine any details you wish.
Considering how 75% of website’s credibility is influenced by its design, you’ll want to be very intentional about each component of your site. Here’s how to fine-tune the main components.
Colors
Colors are one of the first things visitors notice and can influence how they feel about your site. Use a main brand color with a few complementary shades to keep your design consistent, and reserve bright or contrasting hues for buttons and calls to action.
Your color choices set the tone—bright colors like yellow feel energetic, while muted tones like brown convey warmth and reliability. For example, Simply Ollie uses earth tones to create a cozy, nostalgic vibe that matches its products and brand values.
You can adjust your site’s colors directly in the Wix Editor, or use the Theme Assistant if you need guidance.
Subscribe to the Wix blog for a weekly dose of fresh web design tips and trends.
Menus
Your site’s menu is the main way visitors navigate your pages, so check that it’s organized and clearly reflects your site goals. Make sure each page is easy to find and labeled in a way that makes sense for your audience. For example, a travel blog could group content by destination or type of trip (e.g., city- vs. nature-oriented trips), while a service site might highlight key offerings.
“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.” - Adi Huri, product and creative director at Wow!, Wix
Buttons
Small but mighty, buttons guide your visitors to the next step, whether that’s completing a purchase, subscribing to your blog or signing up for your service. They can also help you track engagement. Simply put, if people are clicking your buttons, they’re interested in what you have to offer (or curious enough to stick around).
But for buttons to work, they need to be clear and noticeable. Visitors should know exactly where a button leads, and never feel confused after clicking it. Take a moment to review your buttons and make sure they’re clearly labeled and placed where people naturally look.
Remember, both text and graphics can help here. Most people instantly recognize icons like social media symbols or a “download” arrow. In the Wix Editor, you can even add hover effects to make your buttons pop more.
Visual elements and effects
While all of web design is visual, certain elements truly enhance the user experience of your site. Things like images, shapes and scrolling effects can catch users’ eyes. At the same time, you want to avoid overwhelming your visitors.
Prioritize simplicity by using a clean, straightforward layout and giving each element enough space to breathe. Balance visuals and content so that images, videos and effects highlight key information rather than distract from it. Always use high-quality media; select high-resolution images and videos that are relevant, plus add value to the page.
When you’re building a site on Wix, you can take advantage of stock content or the AI image creator to jazz up your site. You can experiment with different shapes, layouts, backgrounds, animations and scrolling effects. Or, use one of Wix’s branding tools—like the Wix logo maker—to develop your brand identity if you’re just starting a business.
Read up on more image optimization techniques and about what web design is.
Mobile web design
A whopping 96% of the global digital population now uses a mobile device to connect to the internet. It goes without saying that you’ll want to give some TLC to your site’s mobile experience and consider the case for making a responsive vs. adaptive website.
Because phone screens are smaller than desktops, layouts should be adjusted accordingly. Prioritize what appears first (above the fold), and move or remove less essential elements for a smoother mobile experience.
Make navigation simple by placing key links at the top. Many mobile sites use a hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) to organize and condense links.
Website performance and speed are just as important. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or the Wix Site Speed Dashboard to check your scores and Core Web Vitals. Faster sites deliver a better user experience.
If you’re using Wix, your site is already optimized with globally distributed servers, auto-caching and WebP image optimization. You can also preview and edit your mobile site in the Editor, or turn your website into an app with the AI-powered Branded App tool.
Learn more: How to choose a website template on Wix
05. Create your content
Your site may already come with placeholder text and images, but this is your chance to make it truly yours. The words and visuals you choose will shape how visitors experience your brand—and whether they take the actions you want.
Review each section and decide what you want to keep, revise or remove. Consider whether your message is best conveyed through text, visuals or a mix of both. For example, if you want visitors to take a specific action, make that clear in your copy. If you’re introducing a new product or service, a video or image may be more effective.
As you update your content, keep SEO best practices in mind:
Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your copy
Write unique meta descriptions and title tags for each page (you can use Wix’s AI meta tag creator for help)
Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content clearly
Include links to other relevant pages on your website to guide users and boost engagement
Create content that aligns with search intent and answers visitors’ questions
Website builders like Wix combine their content management software with their editors, helping you manage content effectively and experiment with static vs. dynamic website content. You can additionally tap into built-in AI tools for generating unique text or images for your site.
“There are over 2 billion websites out there and we all visit many of them daily. With visual and textual content you have the opportunity to make a statement and have your site stand out. This is the place to add your brand personality. If you are more traditional, no need to go wild. Often, unique copy or a cool visual is all you need for your site to be memorable.” - Adi Huri, product and creative director at Wow!, Wix
06. Choose a domain name
Your domain name is your site's title, which makes it easily identifiable and accessible. A custom domain name also adds a professional touch. For this reason, domain names often match their brand names, like Wix and wix.com.
To choose a domain name, start by understanding what a domain is. Then, pick an appropriate domain extension (.com, .net, etc.) and consider relevant subdomains. Once you've decided, purchase your domain name through an official registrar like Wix.
Note: If you publish your site under a free account, Wix provides a default domain name. However, you can always purchase a custom domain and choose what will become your top-level domain. Or, if you upgrade to any of Wix’s paid plans, you get a private domain free for the first year. (Learn more about how to build your website for free.)
Need help finding the perfect domain name? Try using a website name generator for inspiration or check out our list of website name ideas.
Examples of available domain extensions:
07. Get familiar with web hosting
At this point, you might be wondering how to make sure that your website actually goes live and can be found online. This is where web hosting comes into play. Web hosting is like a storage house for your website, ensuring it’s accessible on the internet. There are different types, like VPS, shared hosting, managed hosting and cloud hosting.
Read more: What is web hosting?
With Wix, you automatically get free web hosting when you publish your site, so you don’t need an external host or your own web server. The platform utilizes multiple content delivery networks around to maintain a 99.99% uptime.
Security is covered, too. Wix provides 24/7 monitoring, auto backups, enterprise-grade website security, TLS and public key certification for every site. You can further secure your site with measures like multi-factor authentication.
Is my Wix website secure? Yes and we explain how.
08. Promote your website
The work doesn’t end after you’ve published your site. Once your site is live, you’ll want to proactively draw visitors to your pages using strategies like the ones below.
Social media marketing
Using social media to promote your new website involves a strategic blend of content creation, audience engagement and targeted advertising.
The most important tip here: avoid spreading yourself too thin and focus on the platform(s) where your target audience is most active. Utilize Wix’s social media schedule tools, in addition to the AI caption creator and social ads features to keep everything in one place.
Invite two-way conversation. Make sure you’re not simply talking at your followers and bombarding them with content they don’t care about. Pay attention to what they post. Respond to their comments.
Consider collaborating with influencers and industry leaders who can endorse your website and attract their followers to your platform.
SEO and GEO
SEO remains a key factor in your website’s success, but it’s more than just keywords. It’s about optimizing your content, structure and user experience to be discoverable by search engines and relevant to your audience.
Fortunately, Wix’s SEO features provide a solid infrastructure to meet search engine requirements. You’ve got AI-powered text writers, assistants and checklists to provide suggestions on how to improve your content for ranking. For advanced users, Wix offers tools like a robots.txt editor, dynamic XML sitemaps and customizable canonical tags to further optimize your site.
In addition, Wix offers tools for GEO (short for "generative engine optimization") and LLM optimization. For instance, the AI Site Overview report helps you understand how people are finding your website through AI platforms like ChatGPT. This, in turn, can inform how you can improve the content and type of information your offer on your site.
“GEO is SEO for the AI era, providing users an all‑new level of search visibility...Just as we’ve supported our users in optimizing for traditional search engines, we’re now equipping them to navigate and succeed in an AI-driven landscape. With the AI Visibility Overview, businesses can finally see how they’re being represented—and take steps to increase visibility, influence perception and drive real outcomes." - Doreen Weissfelner, head of analytics at Wix
Google My Business
A Google My Business (GMB) profile is especially handy if you have a physical storefront. For many business owners, GMB is important for local discoverability—it serves as a listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
You can set up a GMB profile directly inside Wix. Once it’s set up, your GMB profile will provide a snapshot of your business location, hours, contact info, reviews and website. Make sure to fill out your profile as fully as possible. Add helpful visuals. Explore GMB’s extended capabilities. And carefully choose your category (a generic category like “restaurant” will be swarming with competition, whereas a category like “Italian restaurant” will be less competitive).
Web analytics
Web analytics tools are like your eyes and ears online. They show you how people interact with your site, helping you identify issues and improve your website management in the long run.
Analytics like visitor counts, click paths, purchase rates and most engaged regions can guide how you tailor your content or offers. Most importantly, web analytics can help you dissect user behavior. For instance, if many users leave before reaching the checkout button, you may need to rethink your button placement or webpage design.
In a similar vein, data like this may point to the best ways to promote or monetize your site.
Use Wix Analytics to your advantage. Wix Analytics will provide you with essential data (e.g., the total number of site visitors, time spent on pages, number of sales and much more). You can additionally use the AI Site Overview tool (as mentioned earlier) to track the behaviors of people who find you through AI platforms and/or integrate Google Analytics for comprehensive insights.
How to make a website FAQ
How much does it cost to make a website?
A website can be built for free, with a website builder like Wix. Or you can opt for a premium plan where prices range from tens to hundreds of dollars, depending on the website builder you choose. If you hire a developer or technical designer to make a website it could cost in the thousands.
How long does it take to build a website?
The time it takes to build a website can vary significantly depending on various factors, including the complexity and functionality of the website, the design requirements, the size of the project team, and the availability of resources. A simple website could take a day, a more complex one several months.
Do I need a technical designer to create a website?
Not if you use a website builder, like Wix. The editor is easy to use and customize.
Do I need a web developer to build a website?
It will depend on the functionality on your site, but to build a website from scratch or even a professional website for your business, if you use a website builder, a developer isn't necessary.
How do I create a business website?
Choose a website builder that can help you create a business website that will scale with your business, and allow for added functionality - like an online store.
How do I build a website from scratch?
Start by choosing the right website builder for your needs, then plan out your webpages, design and content. Every website starts with a great idea or brand so lead with this.
How do I make a professional website?
First decide what type of professional website you want, including if you want your professional site to be a portfolio site or not. Then choose your website builder, plan out your pages and functionality, work on the design and then promote your website with SEO and other marketing strategies.