Skip to product menu
close
  • Sales
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content
  • HOME
  • Guides
  • Make a website from scratch: a step-by-step guide for beginners

Make a website from scratch: a step-by-step guide for beginners

  • Last Updated : August 13, 2024
  • 4.5K Views
  • 5 Min Read
Making of a website

Building your first website can seem like a daunting task, but we’re going to walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, and show you there’s nothing to fear.

Step 1: Know why you’re building your website

Start off by thinking big picture. Much like building a brand, your website needs a roadmap (or a skeleton). What’s the purpose of your website? Branding? Selling your products online? Advertising your services? Knowing why your site exists will help steer it in the right direction from the beginning.

Now jot down the content sections that support this clearly defined goal. These might include your brand’s story, values, proposition, or practices. What does this tell you about why people would visit your website? Is there something specific you want them to do? Something you want them to know?

Step 2: Make a visual vault

When it comes to planning the look and feel of your site, doing visual research helps. Spend some time browsing for inspiration on sites like Behance. Explore royalty-free photography sites like Unsplash or Pexels to find images or videos you can use in the middle of your page where content is generally overlooked.

Collect and upload all your brand’s visual elements (photos, illustrations, logos, articles, videos, and special themes or fonts) in one place, organized under different folders. From there, you can start pulling together elements that will work best for your brand.

Step 3: Prepare the content

Now it’s time to gather all your written content, often referred to as copy. Preparing and sorting all the copy for your pages is similar to prepping ingredients before you start cooking—things will go smoother if you have everything at your fingertips. This includes all the copy that will go in your site, top to bottom: headlines, taglines, body copy, and calls to action (CTAs). You can always update the copy while building your site, but it’s recommended that you start with a solid base of content.

Also, remember two crucial things: 1) Less is more—leave your visitors wanting rather than overwhelming them with too much information, and 2) The faster the better—you don’t want visitors leaving your site frustrated because of longer loading times.

Step 4: Define a sitemap

A sitemap is a framework that establishes your site’s structure. It should include all the pages you plan on creating and how they’ll connect. Pages that are well-linked to one another result in better SEO.

A well-thought-out website will have the following pages:

  • An attractive homepage
  • About me
  • Products and/or services
  • Contact

You might also consider the following pages:

  • A blog
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • A clients or portfolio page

Step 5: Design your layout

Now that you know the structure of your website, you can quickly put together the essential web page elements. It’s especially easy if you’re using a drag-and-drop website builder like Zoho Sites. Choose one of its multi-functional templates and customize it to create a website that is unique and true to your needs.

Here’s an example of what a site layout for a PR agency might include: Home, About, Services, Blog, Clients, News, Contact.

If you want to adhere to best practices and set your visitors up for a terrific user experience, don’t skip the basics:

  • Header with a relevant hero image (the first, most important image a visitor will see)
  • Footer with social media buttons, trust badges, terms of use, and a sitemap
  • Social proofs like testimonials, press mentions, case studies, and statistics
  • Optimized signup, subscription, and contact us forms
  • CTA buttons

Step 6: Add effects

Website effects can be tricky. While you don’t want a dull site, keep in mind that a little goes a long way. Spicing up your site with a hint of animation or parallax scrolling—which Zoho Sites lets you do without having to know a single line of code—can give your visitor a dynamic user experience.

Using a variety of font and button colors can also contribute to how visitors respond to your messages (conversion rate, bounce rate, etc.). Again, don’t go crazy with these options—have a plan in place and execute it consistently throughout the site. These small but essential additions can help link elements and add to the overall effectiveness of your site.

Step 7: Flaunt your social image

Social media plays a vital role in getting people talking about your brand. With most website builders, you can add social sharing buttons to your site easily. Placing them in the header or footer of your homepage lets visitors instantly share content across their social media accounts, an exposure that’s sure to expand your fan base.

Step 8: Optimize your site for search engines

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can seem like a complicated topic to understand and execute, but it’s actually a simple concept. SEO is basically being strategic with your copy and content so your site ranks higher in search results.

Basic steps to optimize your site for SEO include creating titles and descriptions for all your pages (with keywords and phrases people use when searching); adding alt text to all your images; and—most importantly—picking a smart, clear domain name that makes sense from a marketing standpoint.

Optimization also means keeping mobile devices in mind as you build your site. Being able to navigate a site on a phone or tablet without much scrolling results in a pleasant user experience.

Step 9: Preview and publish

Once all the elements are in place, double-check everything. Proofread the copy and go over all the buttons and links to ensure they’re working as you intended.

It’s good to get a second opinion as well. Let someone use the site for a bit, and then ask about their experience. Was the site easy to use? Was the brand’s message clear and consistent? If their feedback is positive, you like what you see, then go ahead and publish your site.


Zoho Sites Articles is a forum for businesses that covers a broad spectrum of topics ranging from website creation to marketing. Managed by the in-house team, the forum is regularly updated with information to set up, run, and promote your website.

If you wish to be a part of this dynamic community and share your thoughts or publish an article on the platform, please write us at marketing@zohosites.com.

For support-related queries, please write to support@zohosites.com.


 

Related Topics

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

By submitting this form, you agree to the processing of personal data according to our Privacy Policy.

You may also like