How To Make a Website From Scratch in 7 Days

How To Make a Website From Scratch in 7 Days

Building your own website might seem like climbing Everest. Still, I promise it's more like a brisk walk up Arthur's Seat – challenging but doable in a week.

I've guided hundreds of complete beginners through this process. Some arrived knowing nothing beyond how to send an email. Yet, they've walked away with professional-looking sites that actually work. You can, too.

Day 1: Planning Your Website Journey

You need a proper plan before writing a single line of code or choosing colours. Much like you wouldn't build a house without blueprints, launching into website development without planning is a recipe for disaster.

Define Your Website's Purpose

What's your site meant to do? Is it:

• A portfolio to showcase your work?
• An online shop to sell products?
• A blog to share your thoughts?
• A business site to generate leads?

Your answer shapes every decision moving forward. For instance, an e-commerce site needs product pages, shopping cart functionality, and payment processing. In contrast, a simple portfolio might need a few well-designed galleries.

Know Your Audience

Who are you building this website for? Understanding your target audience influences your design choices, content tone, and functionality requirements.

For example, a website for pensioners might benefit from larger font sizes and straightforward navigation. At the same time, a site targeting tech-savvy millennials could incorporate more interactive elements and complex features.

Map Your Site Structure

Sketch your website's blueprint. What pages do you need? How will users navigate between them? A clear site map helps you visualise the user journey and identify potential issues before they arise.

Most websites include these standard pages:

• Home page
• About page
• Services/Products page
• Contact page

Beyond these basics, consider what other pages your specific website requires. A restaurant might need a menu page and booking system, while a photographer needs a portfolio gallery.

Content Planning

Content drives websites. Make a list of all the content you'll need for each page:

• Text (copy)
• Images
• Videos
• Downloadable files
• Interactive elements

Don't worry about everything being perfect – you can refine content later. Just make sure you've got a clear idea of what belongs where.

Day 2: Securing Your Domain and Hosting

Today's all about getting the technical foundations sorted. But don't stress – these steps are far more straightforward than they sound.

Choosing the Perfect Domain Name

Your domain name is your website's online address – it's what people type to find you. A good domain name is:

• Memorable
• Relevant to your brand or purpose
• Relatively short
• Easy to spell and pronounce
• Preferably a .com or your country-specific extension (.co.uk, .ca, etc.)

Use a domain registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy to check if your preferred name is available. If your first choice is taken, get creative with alternatives rather than settling for obscure extensions like .xyz.

Top tip: Avoid hyphens and numbers in domain names as they're harder to communicate verbally and more prone to typos.

Selecting a Web Host

Your web host is like the plot of land where your website “lives.” Different hosting options provide different benefits:

Shared Hosting

• Most affordable (typically £3-10/month)
• Suitable for beginners and small websites
• Performance can suffer during high-traffic
• Examples: Bluehost, SiteGround, Hostinger

VPS (Virtual Private Server)

• Mid-range option (£20-50/month)
• Better performance and reliability
• Requires more technical knowledge
• Examples: DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr

Dedicated Hosting

• Premium option (£100+/month)
• Maximum performance and control
• Requires significant technical expertise
• Examples: Rackspace, OVH, Amazon EC2

For most beginners creating their first website, shared hosting provides the best balance of affordability and ease of use. Many hosts also offer one-click WordPress installation, which we'll discuss tomorrow.

Setting Up Your Hosting Account

Once you've chosen a host, you'll need to:

1. Create an account
2. Select a hosting plan (start with the basic plan – you can upgrade later)
3. Enter your domain information
4. Complete the payment process

After payment, you'll receive emails with login details for your hosting control panel (often cPanel), where you'll manage various aspects of your website.

Connecting Domain to Host

If you purchased your domain and hosting from different companies, you must connect them by updating your domain's nameservers. This sounds complex, but involves:

1. Getting the nameserver addresses from your hosting company (usually provided in welcome emails)
2. Logging into your domain registrar account
3. Finding the nameserver or DNS settings
4. Replacing the existing nameservers with those offered by your host
5. Saving changes

DNS changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally, though they often complete much faster. During this waiting period, you can begin setting up your website.

Day 3: Choosing Your Website Building Approach

There are multiple ways to build a website. Today, you'll decide which path suits your skills, time constraints, and project requirements.

Option 1: Website Builders (No-Code Solution)

Website builders offer drag-and-drop interfaces that make creating a website as simple as assembling digital building blocks. These are perfect if you:

• Have zero coding experience
• Need to launch quickly
• Have a limited budget
• Prefer visual editing

Popular website builders include:

• Wix
• Squarespace
• Shopify (for e-commerce)
• Webflow (more advanced)

Pros:

• Extremely user-friendly
• Pre-designed templates
• All-in-one solutions (hosting included)
• Regular updates and security are handled for you

Cons:

• Less flexibility and customisation
• Potential limitations for complex features
• Ongoing subscription costs
• Possible challenges if you want to move platforms later

Option 2: Content Management Systems

Content Management Systems (CMS) offer more flexibility while being relatively user-friendly. WordPress, in particular, powers over 40% of all websites worldwide due to its balance of power and accessibility.

Popular CMS platforms:

• WordPress.org (self-hosted, not to be confused with WordPress.com)
• Joomla
• Drupal

Pros:

• Highly customisable with themes and plugins
• Robust content management capabilities
• Large community and support resources
• One-time purchase themes with no recurring fees (except hosting)

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve than website builders
• Requires more maintenance and security awareness
• May need some basic technical understanding

Option 3: Custom Coding

Building a website from scratch with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript gives you complete control but requires coding knowledge.

Pros:

• Unlimited customisation possibilities
• No unnecessary code bloat
• Potentially faster loading times
• Complete ownership of all aspects

Cons:

• Requires significant technical knowledge
• More time-consuming
• You handle all maintenance and security

For complete beginners aiming to finish in seven days, I'd recommend either a website builder or WordPress, depending on your longer-term needs. If you're keen to learn coding but want to launch within a week, consider starting with a template and customising it gradually.

Most small business owners and creative professionals fare well with WordPress as it balances ease of use with growth potential. Let's focus on that approach for the remainder of this guide, though many principles apply regardless of your chosen platform.

Day 4: Setting Up WordPress and Basic Configuration

WordPress is our vehicle for this journey – it's like the Swiss Army knife of website platforms. Let's get it up and running.

Installing WordPress

Most quality hosting providers offer “one-click WordPress installation.” Here's how it typically works:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or custom dashboard)
2. Find the “WordPress” or “Website” section (often labelled with the WordPress logo)
3. Click “Install WordPress” or a similar option
4. Select your domain
5. Fill in basic information (site name, admin username, password)
6. Click install

Alternatively, you can install WordPress manually using the famous “5-minute installation” process for more control.

Essential First Steps After Installation

Once WordPress is installed, log in to your admin dashboard (usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin) and take these critical initial steps:

1. Update your profile
   • Navigate to Users → Your Profile
   • Change your display name
   • Add biographical info if desired
   • Use a strong password
2. Configure general settings
   • Go to Settings → General
   • Verify site title and tagline
   • Check timezone settings
   • Update email address if needed
3. Set up permalinks
   • Go to Settings → Permalinks
   • Select “Post name” (better for SEO)
   • Save changes
4. Install essential plugins
   • Navigate to Plugins → Add New
   • Search for and install:
     • Rankmath (for search engine optimisation)
     • Wordfence Security (protection against hackers)
     • UpdraftPlus (automated backups)
     • WP Rocket (improves site speed)
5. Set up automated backups
   • Configure UpdraftPlus to store backups somewhere safe (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
   • Schedule weekly backups at a minimum

Choosing and Installing a Theme

Your theme determines your website's appearance and basic functionality. WordPress offers thousands of free and premium themes.

To install a theme:

1. Go to Appearance → Themes
2. Click “Add New”
3. Browse featured themes or search by feature
4. Preview themes that catch your eye
5. Install and activate your chosen theme

For beginners, I recommend starting with multipurpose themes like:

• Astra
• OceanWP
• GeneratePress
• Divi (premium)
• Avada (premium)

These themes are flexible enough to create nearly any website while remaining user-friendly.

After installing your theme, explore its customisation options under Appearance → Customise. Here, you can typically adjust the following:

• Colours
• Fonts
• Header layout
• Footer elements
• Homepage layout
• Widget areas

Don't get bogged down with perfecting every detail yet – we'll refine the design later.

Day 5: Building Your Core Pages

Today is about creating the essential content that forms the backbone of your website. Let's focus on quality over quantity.

Creating Your Homepage

Your homepage is your digital front door – it needs to make a strong first impression. Most WordPress themes include homepage customisation options through either:

• The WordPress Customizer (Appearance → Customise)
• A page builder plugin like Elementor or Beaver Builder
• Theme-specific options panels

Key elements for an effective homepage:

1. Clear value proposition – Explain what you offer and why visitors should care within the first screen view
2. Call-to-action (CTA) – What should visitors do next? Make it obvious.
3. Social proof – Testimonials, reviews, client logos, or statistics
4. Brief overview of services/products – With links to learn more
5. Recent content – Blog posts or news if relevant

Many themes include homepage templates you can customise rather than starting from scratch. Use these as a foundation to save time.

Essential Pages Every Website Needs

About Page: The About page is among the most visited pages on most websites. Include:

• Your story (keep it relevant to visitors' interests)
• Team information, if applicable
• Your values and approach
• What differentiates you from competitors
• Another clear call-to-action

Services/Products Pages: Create individual pages for your primary services or product categories. Structure these pages with the following:

• Clear descriptions of what you offer
• Benefits to the customer (not just features)
• Pricing information, where appropriate
• Process explanation if relevant
• FAQS specific to that service/product
• Strong call-to-action

Contact Page: Make it easy for people to reach you:

• Contact form (use plugins like Contact Form 7 or WPForms)
• Email address (consider using a form instead if concerned about spam)
• Phone number, if applicable
• Physical address, if relevant
• Business hours
• Social media links
• Embedded Google Maps if you have a physical location

Legal Pages: Depending on your location and website type, you may legally need the following:

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Cookie Notice
• GDPR compliance information

WordPress has plugins that can generate these pages based on your information. However, consider having them reviewed by a legal professional for complete accuracy.

Setting Up Your Navigation Menu

A well-structured navigation menu helps visitors find what they need quickly:

1. Go to Appearance → Menus
2. Create a new menu or edit the existing one
3. Add your core pages
4. Arrange them in a logical order
5. Consider adding “child” pages as dropdowns under the main categories
6. Assign the menu to your primary navigation area

Limit your main navigation to 5-7 items maximum for better usability. Consider using secondary menus, footer menus, or sidebar navigation if you have more pages.

Day 6: Design Refinement and Content Polishing

With your website structure in place, today's about making everything look professional and compelling.

Fine-tuning Your Visual Design

Your website's visual design significantly impacts how visitors perceive your brand. Focus on these elements:

Consistent Colour Scheme

• Choose 2-3 primary colours plus 1-2 accent colours
• Use colour psychology to evoke the right emotions (blue for trust, green for growth, etc.)
• Apply your colour scheme consistently throughout the site
• Use contrast for readability and emphasis

Typography

• Select no more than 2-3 fonts (often one for headings, one for body text)
• Ensure text is readable (minimum 16px for body text)
• Maintain consistent text hierarchy (H1, H2, H3, etc.)
• Check font rendering across devices

Image Optimisation

• Use high-quality, relevant images
• Compress images before uploading (using tools like Tinypng)
• Add descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO
• Consider consistent styling (filters, crops, etc.) for visual cohesion

Spacing and Layout

• Use whitespace strategically to improve readability.
• Ensure consistent margins and padding
• Maintain alignment throughout the site
• Check that the content flows logically

Mobile Responsiveness

With over half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, your site must work flawlessly on small screens:

1. Preview your site on various device sizes (use your theme's mobile preview or Chrome DevTools)
2. Check for:
   • Text readability without zooming
   • Properly sized tap targets (buttons, links)
   • No horizontal scrolling
   • Images that resize appropriately
   • Menus that work on small screens
3. Make adjustments as needed using the following:
   • Your theme's responsive settings
   • CSS media queries (if you know how to code)
   • Mobile-specific settings in your page builder

Remember that mobile users often have different priorities than desktop users – make important information accessible without excessive scrolling.

Content Enhancement

Great design with poor content is like a beautiful car without an engine. Take time to polish your website copy:

Headlines and Subheadings

• Use clear, benefit-driven headlines
• Front-load important information
• Break up text with descriptive subheadings
• Include your target keywords naturally

Body Content

• Write in short paragraphs (2-3 sentences)
• Use active voice and conversational tone
• Include bullet points for scannable content
• Address the reader directly (“you” rather than “customers”)

Calls-to-Action

• Use command verbs that drive action
• Create urgency when appropriate
• Make buttons stand out visually
• Be specific about what happens next

Reading your content aloud helps identify awkward phrasing and long sentences. If you stumble while reading, your visitors will stumble while reading silently.

Need help with your brand's visual identity? The experts at Inkbot Design can create a cohesive visual language that elevates your website above the competition.

Day 7: Pre-Launch Testing and Going Live

The final day is about testing everything thoroughly and preparing for launch. Rushing this step often leads to embarrassing errors that could have been easily caught.

Cross-Browser Testing

Different browsers may display your website differently. Test your site on:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Edge

Pay attention to:

• Layout consistency
• Font rendering
• Interactive elements (forms, menus, etc.)
• Loading times

Use browser developer tools to check for console errors that might indicate problems.

Functionality Testing

Methodically test all interactive elements:

• Click every link to ensure it leads to the correct destination
• Submit all forms to verify that they work, and notifications are received
• Test search functionality if your site has it
• Verify that the media (videos, audio) plays correctly
• Check that all integrations (social media, maps, etc.) function properly

Don't forget to test user flows from start to finish. For example, complete a test purchase if you have an e-commerce site.

Speed Optimisation

Website speed affects both user experience and search rankings:

1. Test your site speed using the following:
   • Google PageSpeed Insights
   • GTmetrix
   • Pingdom
2. Implement recommended improvements:
   • Optimise image sizes
   • Enable browser caching
   • Minify CSS and JavaScript
   • Reduce server response time
   • Consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

Most WordPress caching plugins (like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache) can help implement many optimisations with minimal technical knowledge.

SEO Final Touches

Before launch, ensure your site is search engine friendly:

1. Install and configure an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math
2. Set up proper meta titles and descriptions for all important pages
3. Check for adequate heading structure (H1, H2, H3)
4. Verify internal linking between related content
5. Create and submit an XML sitemap
6. Set up Google Search Console and submit your sitemap

Security Measures

Protect your new website:

• Install a security plugin if you haven't already
• Use strong passwords for all accounts
• Implement SSL (your host likely provides free Let's Encrypt certificates)
• Set up regular backups
• Keep all software updated

Launch Checklist

Before making your site public, verify the following:

• All placeholder content has been replaced
• Contact information is accurate
• Legal pages are in place
• Favicon is uploaded
• 404 error page is customised
• Analytics is properly configured
• The backup system is working

When everything checks out, you're ready to launch! If your site was already accessible during development, you might need to:

1. Remove any “coming soon” or maintenance mode plugins
2. Notify relevant audiences about your new website
3. Submit your site to search engines (though they'll find it naturally through links)

After Launch: Ongoing Maintenance and Growth

Having a website is a journey, not a destination. To ensure your site remains effective:

Regular Maintenance

• Update WordPress core, themes, and plugins promptly
• Monitor security logs for suspicious activity
• Check and fix broken links periodically
• Review and update content for accuracy
• Test contact forms and other functionality monthly

Analytics and Improvement

• Review Google Analytics data to understand visitor behaviour
• Use heatmap tools like Hotjar to see how people interact with your pages
• Gather feedback from users
• A/B test important pages to improve conversion rates
• Gradually improve page speed and performance

Content Growth

• Add new content regularly if relevant (blog posts, portfolio items, etc.)
• Update existing content to keep information current
• Create content that addresses questions from your customers
• Expand into relevant content areas based on analytics insights

Promotion and Marketing

Your website won't attract visitors on its own. Consider:

• Social media promotion
• Email marketing
• Search engine marketing
• Content partnerships with related sites
• Guest posting on industry blogs

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Web Development Journey Begins

Building a website from scratch in 7 days is an achievement worth celebrating. You've created something that works for you around the clock, connecting your business or passion with people worldwide.

Remember that websites are never truly “finished.” The most successful sites evolve continuously based on user feedback, changing goals, and emerging technologies. Set a calendar reminder to review your site quarterly and make incremental improvements.

If you get stuck along your website journey, remember there's a vast community of fellow website builders happy to help. From WordPress forums to YouTube tutorials, you're never more than a search away from solving almost any website challenge.

Now stop reading and start building – your perfect website awaits! Whether you code it yourself or web-build it with blocks, the key is to begin.