9. How to Make a Website on Your Own: A Practical Guide to Launching a Website that Actually Works with Izzy Waite
- May 16, 2023
- 15 min read
Updated: Feb 27
If you’ve been thinking about how to make a website on your own — either because you want to save money, learn a new skill, or kickstart your own website building business — you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through the exact mindset, steps, and design decisions that turn a shaky “I’ll build it someday” idea into a real, polished website that attracts clients, builds trust, and actually converts visitors into customers.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Meet Izzy Waite
Joining me on the podcast today is Izzy Waite, owner of Izzy Waite Design and the mastermind behind my website's design.
Izzy started her business with the goal of using her passions and skills to have a positive impact on the world. By blending her graphic design & business degrees with her natural skill for seeing what makes people special - she's been able to create strategic, stand-out brands that capture her client’s soul, goals, and values. She specialize in first getting to know her clients on a deeper level so she can get their values and energy to shine through in their branding and website.
When not working you can find her reading a good book with either red wine, coffee, or a margarita! Now that we've all meet, let's dive in!
Table of Contents
Why your website isn't just a URL (and why branding must come first)
Before you type a single word into a website builder, pause and answer this: what do you want your website to do for you? If your answer is “look pretty,” stop. Beauty helps, but websites are business tools. If you’re wondering how to make a website on your own that actually supports sales, bookings, and credibility, you’ve got to start with brand strategy, on this, Izzy & I both agree!
Branding isn’t just a logo. It’s the feelings, values, and voice that follow every interaction someone has with your business. When you build a website without a brand foundation, you end up mimicking whatever trend is loudest — and you’ll likely change it again in a year. That inconsistency makes it harder for ideal clients to recognize and trust you.
So, if you want to learn how to make a website on your own, begin with brand clarity. Your brand will tell you:
Who your ideal client is
What you want people to feel when they land on your pages
Which colors, fonts, and imagery support that feeling
What consistent messaging (tone of voice) you'll use across copy
Think of brand work as the foundation. Once it’s in place, every design choice on your DIY site becomes a purposeful decision instead of a random aesthetic experiment.
Brand identity: the essentials you need before you build
If you’re serious about learning how to build a website on your own, gather these brand essentials first. They’ll save hours of revisions and keep your site cohesive.
Core message / positioning: A short hero statement that captures who you help and the result you deliver.
Primary colors + accents: 2–4 colors that work together and are accessible.
Typography: One heading font and one body font — keep it simple.
Imagery style: Real photos vs. stylized images, b-roll clips, or flat graphics.
Voice and tone: Friendly, professional, playful — choose one that matches your audience.
Brand one-pager or guidelines: A simple doc you and any future team can reference.
Putting these together doesn’t have to be exhausting. Even a compact 6–8 page brand guide will make your life easier as you learn how to make a website on your own. You can use a combination oof ChatGPT and Canva templates to create a good brand guide.
Deciding your website’s purpose: the single question to answer first
Once you have your brand guide, Izzy says you're ready to start with this question: why do you need a website right now? Your answer shapes everything.
Common goals include:
Collecting email addresses
Converting visitors into discovery calls
Showing credibility and social proof
Selling a product or course
Sharing resources (blog, podcast, free downloads)
Once you choose one primary goal (and a couple of secondary goals), you can prioritize sections, buttons, and copy that serve that objective. That’s a huge part of how to make a website on your own strategically — you design with purpose, not with overwhelm. Izzy shares more about this in our full conversation on the Go Get Great podcast which you can listen to here:
Which platform should you use? Comparing the common options
There’s no single “best” platform for everyone, but the right choice depends on your priorities: control, growth, ease, or cost. When you’re figuring out how to make a website on your own, ask yourself whether you want immediate ease or long-term flexibility.
Here are the typical options and what they’re good for:
Showit: (This is Izzy's recommendation) Highly flexible visual design, great for creatives and service providers who want custom layouts and easy blog integration via WordPress.
Squarespace: Beginner-friendly, attractive templates, fine for portfolios and brochures. Tends to be limiting if you need advanced functionality later.
Wix: Easy to start, lots of apps, but can become expensive and messy as you add features. Great for quick MVPs but less ideal for scaling. My website is built on Wix.
WordPress (self-hosted): The most flexible and scalable, but steeper learning curve and maintenance required. Best if you plan to scale a make a website business or add advanced ecommerce.
Shopify: Best for product-based businesses selling goods online.
If your long-term aim is to scale a make a website business or sell higher-value services, choose a platform that won’t box you in later. That’s why many designers recommend Showit or self-hosted WordPress for creative service providers.
Before you build: research, inspiration, and the competitor deep dive
One of the simplest parts of learning how to make a website on your own is doing research — and most people skip it. Spend time like you’re window-shopping for decisions you’ll make. Go to competitor sites and note what you love and what feels off.
Take screenshots and file them under sections: “hero ideas,” “about page vibes,” “testimonials layout.” Repeat this for ten websites. You don’t want to copy; you want language to describe what works visually and emotionally.
Key things to notice during your research:
How clear is the headline? Can you tell what they do in 3 seconds?
Is the navigation simple or overwhelming?
Is there movement or video that makes the page feel alive?
How do they structure their services or pricing?
What kind of social proof do they show — logos, testimonials, case studies?
The homepage is everything: build it like a first date
If you take one thing from this blog on how to make a website on your own, Izzy wants it to be this: build your homepage first, and make it excellent. Think of the homepage like a coffee date with someone new. You don’t tell your life story, but you give them enough good, curated details so they want to see you again.
Design your homepage to be an experience that answers three quick questions for a visitor:
Who are you and what do you do?
Will you solve my problem?
What should I do next?
Here’s a simple homepage structure that works for most service-based businesses learning how to make a website on your own:
Hero section: Headline + subheadline that speaks to the visitor’s result + a clear CTA (book a call, see services, join list). Include a photo or short video — movement grabs attention.
What I do / services preview: Brief blocks for your main offers with links to full service pages or a booking form.
Why this matters: A short list of benefits or outcomes clients can expect.
Social proof: Testimonials, logos, or quick stats.
About snapshot: A short introduction with a link to your full about page — personal connection matters.
Lead magnet / email capture: Offer a free resource that aligns with your main goal.
Final CTA: One more chance to book, buy, or contact — keep it friction-free.
Make sure the very top of the homepage — the hero area — does a lot of heavy lifting. You have a fraction of a second to hook someone. If they don’t understand what you do in that time, they’ll leave, and all your hard work won’t pay off.
Izzy's Design and UX tips for DIYers
When you’re figuring out how to make a website on your own, small UX (UX = user experience) decisions matter as much as big design ideas. Here are practical tips that keep your site feeling professional and trustworthy.
Simplify the menu: Keep navigation to 4–6 key items. If your menu is a labyrinth, people get decision fatigue and leave.
Mobile-first thinking: Most visitors will be on a phone. Test mobile layouts constantly while you build.
Use whitespace: A clean layout feels premium. Don’t cram every section above the fold.
Button hierarchy: One primary CTA color and a secondary neutral CTA. Make actions obvious.
Loading speed: Compress images, avoid auto-playing heavy videos, and choose lightweight fonts.
Accessible contrast: Ensure text contrast meets basic accessibility for readability.
Menu and navigation: the biggest mistake Izzy sees (and how to fix it)
A menu with 12 items is a classic rookie error. When people ask how to make a website on your own, I always tell them to keep the menu lean. Aim for 4–6 top-level items: Home, About, Services, Work/Testimonials, Resources (optional), Contact.
If you have a lot of pages, link to them from within those main pages rather than cluttering the main menu. Your visitors will thank you, and your analytics will show better engagement because they actually click through instead of bouncing from choice overload.
Video, motion, and b-roll: how to add life to your DIY site
Movement converts. Short clips, subtle animations, or behind-the-scenes b-roll build personality and make visitors feel like they know you. If you’re learning how to make a website on your own, try adding just one short looped clip in the hero area — a 3–6 second clip of you doing what you do (pouring coffee, sketching, talking to camera). It humanizes the brand and increases time on page. Mine as confetti 🎉
Tips for DIY video use:
Keep it short and well-lit.
Optimize for mobile; don’t force large files.
Use captions if the clip contains speech.
Ensure the movement supports the brand vibe — calm, energetic, playful, etc.
If you're just starting your business you can take b-roll video clips at home but know you can add photos for now and come back and change them to videos at any time. Don't let a limited media library stop you from launching your website and business. For more tips on taking good photos at home using your cellphone, check out this blog post.
Launch fast: the one-page MVP strategy
If you’re stuck thinking your website must be perfect before launch, this section is for you. Izzy notes that one of the smartest steps when learning how to make a website on your own is to create an impactful one-page site first.
A one-page MVP home page can:
Give you a professional place to send people right away
Start gathering email subscribers
Act as a single high-converting sales page for a key offer
Save you months of work while you test messaging and offers
Design the one-page MVP with the hero, service preview, social proof, and contact form. That alone will move your business forward much faster than waiting months to build a 12-page site.
How to present pricing and services without scaring people off
Izzy and I both get this question a lot for both social media and website work. Pricing is a tricky topic when you’re building a make a website business or offering services. Should you list prices or make visitors book a call? The honest answer: it depends. But here are practical options to make your life easier and reduce wasted discovery calls.
List fixed prices for non-custom offers: If an offer is always the same, put the price. Transparency builds trust.
Use ranges for custom work: If your projects vary, list a typical range (example: $2,500–$6,000). Position ranges toward the bottom of the page so visitors first fall in love with the offer.
Password-protected pricing: Ask visitors to fill a short form, then send the pricing access. This filters serious inquiries.
Be strategic with placement: Put the investment after benefits and social proof — people judge price based on perceived value.
If you're a product based business, your website has to have prices. Service providers have the option to choose to include pricing or skip it. Izzy and I both list pricing on our site to build transparency and to help qualify leads before they book a sales call.
Copywriting: make every sentence do heavy lifting
As a DIY website builder, your words matter more than your fancy layout. Headlines must be clear. Subheaders should guide the scan. Use short paragraphs and bold important outcomes. When teaching people how to make a website on your own, I always emphasize the “so what” test: every sentence should answer why the visitor should care.
Quick copy rules:
Use benefit-led headlines: “Transform your Instagram into a client magnet” vs. “Social media services.”
Keep paragraphs under 40 words.
Use bullet points for features vs. benefits.
Include clear CTAs: “Book a 15-minute discovery call” beats “Contact.”
It's important to know that not all website designers are copywriters and they may not write the words for your website. I recommend asking before booking if it will be included or not, or if they have recommendations for good copywriters. Izzy and I discuss what comes first, copy or design. Izzy says design but from personal experience, I really think the copy needs to come first but ultimately, it's up to you.
SEO essentials for DIYers (so your site gets found)
Learning how to make a website on your own includes basic SEO. Don’t get paralyzed by technicalities — focus on simple wins.
Use a clear page title and meta description: Describe the page’s main purpose in plain language.
Structure content with headings: H1, H2, H3 — this helps users and search engines.
Optimize images: Use descriptive filenames and alt text.
Link internally: Connect your homepage to service pages and blog posts.
Create one quality blog post per month: Consistency beats volume for new sites.
I think it's also important to note here that not all website designers include website SEO in their builds, so this is another good question to ask before hiring someone. Oftentimes building a website is a 2-3 person project: the copywriter + the SEO strategist + the website designer. When you're building your own website, you're all 3 people. Knowing this before you start if you are planning to hire support will help you research which people to hire and budget accordingly.
Common pitfalls and quick fixes for How to Make a Website Of Your Own
Here are some recurring problems Izzy and I see DIY builders face, and simple solutions that actually work to overcome these problems.
Problem #1: Overloaded Homepage
Remember your home page is a first date, not your entire life story. If it's unclear what you do or it's so long people don't want to read it all you're losing potential customers or clients. This also includes your website's navigation.
Fix: Do some research on how other businesses (preferably copywriters or website designers) have build their website's, then strip your homepage back to the essentials and add additional pages for deep info if needed.
Problem #2: No Clear CTA
If you're experiencing low conversion rates to sales, sales call or email list conversions this may be your problem. You might not have a clear CTA or you may have so many you're confusing your visitors.
Fix: Decide your single best CTA and repeat it in two places on the page. Put one near the top and one again at the bottom, this will boost conversions.
Problem #3: Slow Load Times
If a website takes more than 3-5 seconds to load people usually leave and try to find a faster site.
Fix: Compress images, lazy-load videos, and remove unused plugins on your homepage to speed up your website's loading time. Note: you may need to do this for both your desktop version and the mobile version of your site.
Problem #4: Confusing Pricing
Like unclear CTA's, this can be a strong contributor to lost sales and clients.
Fix: Use ranges or package names with clear outcomes and costs so visitors can see if your products or services align with their budget.
Additional troubleshooting guide for DIY Website builders
Images not loading: Re-upload compressed JPGs and check CDN settings.
Mobile layout broken: Check alignment and padding on mobile preview and reduce large elements.
Contact form not sending: Test email settings and SMTP plugin or service.
Site speed slow: Remove unused widgets and plug-ins; enable caching.
Analytics missing: Confirm tracking ID is in theme settings or header code
How to make a website on your own — a practical step-by-step checklist
Use this checklist as your DIY roadmap. Tackle one item at a time and don’t wait for perfection to launch your site. You can always go back and improve it again later (I'm on version 3 of my site!)
Izzy & I's Building Your Own Website Checklist:
Write your brand one-liner (who you help + result).
Create a basic color palette and choose fonts.
Pick a platform: Showit, Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, or Shopify.
Research competitor sites and save inspiration screenshots.
Design your hero section first: headline, subheadline, primary CTA, and a friendly photo/video.
Build a one-page MVP with service previews, testimonial, and contact form.
Optimize images and test load speed on mobile.
Install analytics (Google Analytics) and a simple SEO plugin if available.
Write an about page that shows personality and experience.
Launch and tell five people you trust to give honest feedback.
Iterate based on feedback and analytics.
Website launch-day to-dos
Test every link and form.
Proofread copy (read aloud).
Test on mobile and desktop browsers.
Set up analytics and goal tracking for your primary CTA.
Announce launch to your email list and social channels with a clear call-to-action.
A Mindset Shift For Your Website: treat your website like an employee
One of the best ways to think about your website — especially if you’re learning how to make a website on your own while juggling family, a day job, or small kids — is treat it like an employee. It should represent you, answer questions, and work while you sleep.
Give your website clearly defined tasks and measure them. Is it meant to bring discovery calls? Grow your list? Sell a product? Track those outcomes so you can decide which updates matter most, and don’t let perfectionism keep you from doing the work that actually moves the needle.
Scaling later: when to hire help With Your Website Build or Rebrand
DIY is empowering, but there are smart moments to hire a pro:
When you need custom functionality (membership area, booking integrations)
When your time is better spent serving clients than building pages
When conversions are low and you need a copy or UX audit
When branding and visual identity need professional polish
Consider a staged approach: get your one-page MVP live, validate messaging, then hire a designer to scale the site into a full experience when revenue allows. That’s a cost-effective path to building a make a website business that grows sustainably. SEO can come after both of these pieces but when possible, doing all three together will lead to the best results.
How to Make A Website On Your Own FAQs
How long will it take to learn how to make a website on your own?
It depends on your pace and complexity. A one-page MVP website can be done in a weekend if you have brand clarity and basic assets. A full site with multiple pages, blog, and integrations might take several weeks of focused work. The key is to start with a realistic scope and iterate.
Do I need professional photos to build a good site?
Professional photos help, but they’re not mandatory. Use well-lit, natural photos (even from a smartphone) that match your brand style. Short b-roll clips or candid shots also boost connection. As you grow, you can invest in a photoshoot to elevate the brand.
Should I include prices on my website?
You can — and many businesses benefit from listing prices for clearly packaged offers. If your services are highly customized, use ranges or invite visitors to request a quote. Placing prices after benefits and testimonials reduces sticker shock and increases conversions.
How do I balance building a website with family and life?
Treat your website like an employee: give it clear tasks and realistic deadlines. Work in short focused blocks, prioritize the homepage and critical pages first, and give yourself grace. Launching a simple MVP can reduce pressure and get your site doing the heavy lifting while you live your life.
What is the single best piece of advice for someone trying to make a website on their own?
Start small and launch. A lean, well-written one-page site with a clear CTA will perform far better than an unpublished perfect site. Get something live, learn from real users, and improve with purpose.
Final thoughts: your website is not a finish line — it's a teammate
If you were wondering how to make a website on your own, remember this: the goal is progress, not perfection. A well-branded one-page site that captures emails and books discovery calls will do more for your business than a complex site that never launches. Treat your website like an employee — give it a job, measure the results, and improve it over time.
Website building can be time consuming and intimidating, so while DIY-ing your website is an affordable option, it's not right for everyone. If you're looking for an incredible website designer, I highly recommend working with Izzy Waite and grabbing her free website building resources which are linked below!
Episode References
Connect with Izzy
Learn more on her website
Hang out with her on IG
Come say hi!
00:00 Intro
2:00 Izzy introduction
4:20 Importance of branding
10:50 Brand strategy
13:35 Website strategy
18:50 DIY website help
21:45 Izzy's free website audit
23:20 Making a fire homepage
30:00 Sales page
35:27 Biggest failure
37:00 Becoming an Entrepreneur
40:30 Blending life and business
44:12 Wrap up
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