How to Get a Website Up and Running for $100
As a web designer, I obviously want to help small business owners build fantastic websites and user interfaces in order to make the best impression as well as make their customers' lives easier. However, getting a professional website designed and coded can cost thousands of dollars and many small business owners simply do not have that kind of money.
In this article, I will show you a way to get a basic but clean, professional website set up for just $100. It's important to understand that nothing can replace a professional web designer, but sometimes you just don't have the resources to go all out on your website. If you are in that situation, then this article is for you.
Register a Domain Name ($11)
The first step to get to any website is the domain name. That is what users will type into search engines to get to your website. It's an important part of the puzzle, yet one of the easiest.
You simply need to decide on what you want your website domain name to be. If your business name is unique, you will have no problems getting a domain name. If your business name is very common, chances are the domain name will be taken and you will need to get creative.
Below are some of the registrars where you can register your domain name for a low price. Note the price shown is for the .com domain extension and other extensions will usually be different.
- Namecheap ($10.69/year)
- Google Domains ($12/year)
- HostGator ($12.95/year)
My personal favorite domain registrar is NameCheap. I've used them for over a decade and they've never once failed me. The registration is quick and easy, the DNS propagation is almost always instant, and they offer many other services such as web hosting.
Google Domains is a new domain registrar service from Google, and while I have not tried them yet, their interface is very simple and easy to use. If it's like any other services by Google, it will become one of the favorite registrars very fast.
HostGator is a web hosting company that also registers domain names. They have good customer support and if you are buying web hosting at the same time, you should probably go with them.
As far as which domain extension you should get, that is entirely up to you. Most people simply prefer the .com extension because people are used to using it and it comes naturally for people now.
Obtain Web Hosting ($39)
There are tens of thousands of web hosting companies out there. Just one Google search will reveal many. My suggestion is to just stick to one of the two I mentioned above, HostGator or NameCheap. When you register the domain name, you can opt in for the web hosting plan as well. HostGator's cheapest plan is about $67 per year, while NameCheap is about $39/year.
Install WordPress (Free)
The next step is to install WordPress CMS software. Installing it on HostGator's and NameCheap's web hosting is simple since they provide a 1-click installation mechanism. To get to this feature, you will need to log in to your cPanel area, and then find the WordPress installation button, which will likely appear underneath a heading labeled "Softaculous."
Buy a WordPress Theme ($50)
Now we need to make sure that your website not only works well but also looks great, so the next step is to purchase a professionally designed WordPress theme. The best place to get one is at ThemeForest as they have hundreds of themes you can choose from.
No matter what type of design or style you like, you can find the theme that fits your needs. All recent themes are also responsive so your website will look good on mobile devices as well.
Install the WordPress Theme (Free)
Once you have your theme selected and purchased, you can upload it.
To upload a WordPress theme, follow the instructions below:
- Log in to your WordPress administration area.
- In the left navigation, go to Appearance, then Themes.
- Click the "Add New" button at the top.
- Then click on the "Upload Theme" button at the top.
- Select your theme on your computer, and proceed installing it.
- Once the theme is installed, you can Activate it and you should be good to go!
Conclusion
To recap, you will
- Register a Domain Name ($11)
- Obtain Web Hosting ($39)
- Install WordPress (Free)
- Buy a WordPress Theme ($50)
- Install the WordPress Theme (Free)
After that is set, you will also need to add content to your website as well as any contact forms, images, and so on.
Note the domain and web hosting prices I quoted here are annual fees, while the theme is a one-time fee. You can also opt to go for a monthly hosting plan, but you will end up paying a little more for that.
