One of the very first projects everyone embarks on while learning how to code is to build a website. It is hilarious how quickly this has become a tradition for every programmer and one is considered a newbie if they have not built one.
As you know, websites are one of the best ways to reach out to people, especially customers, and also a great way to make money and passive income. Building a website looks difficult, but today I will share one of the fastest and easiest ways of creating a website without writing a single line of code. Yes, it is possible, and you will see that in a minute. First, let’s get to know what makes up a website.
What is a website made up of?
A website is made up of four main ingredients – or pillars. Namely: A domain name, a server for hosting it, design, and content. Without these four things, a website cannot be formed. Before getting into the details of building the site, let us pause for a second, and understand some key terminologies.
- Domain Name: Domain names are characters used to identify internet resources such as computers and other services. In other words, a domain name is a name through which internet users locate your website. Briefly stated, It is the name of your website.
- Server: A server is a sophisticated computer connected to the internet with software that performs complex tasks and allows it to store or host your website. It is called a server because it serves up the right content (images, videos, and documents of the site) when requested.
In summary, a server hosts your site and a domain name helps people find your site.
Getting Started
Now that we understand all the useful terminologies, let’s get started learning how to build a website.
Step 1: Register a domain name
A good domain name is one that is short, relevant to your cause, and easily remembered. A domain name is not complete without an extension. They are called Top Level Domain and common ones are .com, .org, and .biz. All domain names are unique and no two websites have the same domain name. That’s because duplicates will only cause confusion, and internet users won’t be able to differentiate between the two sites.
Registering for a domain name costs about $12-$20 per year and can be obtained from domain registrars like Godaddy. Today, I’ll show you how to create a website using Bluehost.
- Go to the Bluehost site, click on “Get started now” and select the basic plan.
- Type in your choice of domain name and extension. If it is available, you will see the “create your account” page and if the name is taken by another person, you would be asked to try another name (remember, all domain names are unique). Once you have gotten the right name, your account will be created.
Step 2: Setup website hosting
Don’t forget, your website needs to be hosted on a server. The basic plan has all the features for most new websites, so you need to uncheck all other paid options for now if you don’t want them (you don’t need them since you are just starting ). Proceed to make payment with your card or Paypal if you have one. Bluehost offers a 30-day full refund policy if you decide you don’t like the plan.
Step 3: Choose a Design (Theme)
After successfully hosting your site, you will need to set a theme for your website. It is advised to use a theme that makes your site look professional and that matches what your website is all about.
When prompted to choose a theme, select any one of your choice and click on “use this theme”. It will take a few minutes to apply the theme. In the meantime, a message will be sent to your email to verify your account, activate your domain name, and get all necessary details for accessing the control panel.
When you go back to your site it will show a holding page, as your website can take a few hours to go live on the internet.
Step 4: Adding Content
On your Bluehost control panel, click “Login to the WordPress” to get started. WordPress makes writing content easy. Click on “Posts” then “Add New” and you will be able to build your content.
And there you go – now you know how to build a website in under an hour, all without the knowledge of any programming language. Now you can boast about your achievement to anyone.
Adedayo Ajao