How to Make a Website from Scratch (Beginner's Guide)

Introduction

If you’ve never created a website and don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. Nowadays you don’t need to know how to code to have a professional website: with the right tools, you can have your page working in a couple of days.

In this guide you’ll see the whole process, step by step, from scratch. Designed for people without technical knowledge.

What you need for a website

Before starting, you need three things:

1. A domain: your website’s address, for example mybusiness.com.
2. Hosting: the space where your website lives.
3. A CMS or builder: the program you create the website with. The most used is WordPress.

At miHosting you can contract domain and hosting together. All plans include one-click WordPress installer and free SSL.

Step 1: Choose and register your domain

The domain comes first. Think of a name that’s:

• Easy to remember and to write.
• Short, without hyphens or strange numbers.
• Related to your brand or business.

The most used extensions are .com (international) and country-specific ones. If your audience is from a specific country, a local extension gives trust.

[Imagen sugerida: screenshot of the domain search]

Before registering a domain, check it’s available. You can do it from miHosting’s domain search.

Step 2: Contract hosting

Hosting is where your website’s files live. To start, a professional hosting plan is sufficient. Make sure it includes:

• WordPress installer in one click (Softaculous).
• Free SSL certificate.
• Email with your domain.
• Technical support in your language.

At miHosting, all professional plans include all this. If you’re not sure which you need, the basic plan is usually enough to start.

Step 3: Install WordPress

WordPress is the world’s most used CMS (it powers more than 40% of websites). It’s free and very easy to use.

One-click installation (Softaculous)

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Find Softaculous Apps Installer.
3. Click WordPress.
4. Fill in the details: domain, site name, administrator username and password.
5. Click Install.

In less than two minutes you have WordPress working on your domain.

[Imagen sugerida: screenshot of WordPress installation in Softaculous]

Step 4: Choose a theme (design)

The theme is your website’s visual design. WordPress includes free themes, but for a serious project a quality theme is worth it.

To choose it:

1. Log in to your WordPress panel (yourdomain.com/wp-admin).
2. Go to Appearance → Themes → Add New.
3. Explore available themes or upload one you’ve bought.

Look for “responsive” themes (that adapt to mobile) and compatible with the plugins you need.

Step 5: Create the main pages

Every website needs at least these pages:

• Home: the first one visitors see.
• About us: who you are and what you do.
• Services or products: what you offer.
• Contact: how they can reach you.
• Legal notice and privacy: mandatory by law.

To create a page:

1. Go to Pages → Add New.
2. Write the title and content.
3. Publish.

[Imagen sugerida: screenshot of the WordPress page editor]

Step 6: Configure the menu

The menu is what allows navigating your website:

1. Go to Appearance → Menus.
2. Create a new menu.
3. Add the pages you’ve created.
4. Assign the menu to the “Main menu” position.
5. Save.

Step 7: Enable SSL

Your website must load with https:// and the security padlock. At miHosting, SSL is activated automatically.

If it doesn’t appear:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Go to SSL/TLS.
3. Activate Let’s Encrypt for your domain.

In WordPress, you can force HTTPS with a plugin like Really Simple SSL.

Step 8: Add content

A website without content is useless. Write:

• Clear texts explaining what you offer.
• Quality images (optimized for web).
• Real contact information.
• Calls to action (what you want the visitor to do).

Content is what most influences whether a visitor stays or leaves. Take time to write well.

Step 9: Configure email

With your domain you can have professional emails like info@yourdomain.com:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Go to Email Accounts.
3. Create your account.
4. Configure it in your email client (Outlook, Gmail, etc.).

You have guides in our knowledge base for configuring email in Outlook, Gmail, iPhone and Android.

Step 10: Review and publish

Before considering your website ready:

• Check it looks good on mobile.
• Review all links work.
• Verify the contact form sends emails.
• Ask someone to review it with fresh eyes.

Useful tips

• Start with the basics. Don’t try to make the perfect website on day one. Publish something functional and improve over time.
• Use optimized images. Large photos make the website slow.
• Write for your customer, not for yourself. Think what the visitor needs to know.
• Always have a backup. Before any change, make a backup.
• Ask for help if you need it. If something doesn’t work, technical support is here to help.

Common problems

My website looks different on mobile

The theme must be “responsive”. If it isn’t, change theme. Most modern themes already are.

I don’t receive contact form emails

It may be an email configuration problem. Try configuring SMTP in WordPress with a plugin like WP Mail SMTP.

The website is slow

Optimize images, enable a cache plugin and check your hosting plan has sufficient resources.

I made a change and the website broke

Restore from the backup. If you use Softaculous, you can restore the last copy in one click.

I don’t know which theme to choose

Look for well-rated themes, recently updated and compatible with your WordPress version. Official WordPress repositories are a good starting point.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know programming to make a website?

No. With WordPress and a good theme you can create a professional website without touching code.

How much does it cost to make a website?

The software (WordPress) is free. The costs are: domain, hosting, theme (if paid) and your hours of work. If you hire a professional, add that cost.

How long does it take to be ready?

A simple website can be ready in 1-2 days. A more complete website with an online store can take one or two weeks.

Can I make the website myself or do I need a designer?

If your website is simple (presentation, services, contact), you can make it yourself. If you need something more complex or customized, a professional designer is the best option.

Will my website appear on Google automatically?

No. Google has to discover your website. To speed it up, submit it to Google Search Console. SEO takes time, it’s not immediate.

Your first website, ready to start

Creating a website from scratch can seem intimidating, but with current tools it’s a process within anyone’s reach. Follow the steps in order and don’t stress: domain, hosting, WordPress, theme, pages and content.

If you prefer us to handle it, at miHosting we design your website from €99 (business website) or from €350 (online store), with domain, hosting and email included. Open a ticket from your client panel and we’ll advise you.