Building a website from scratch may sound intimidating, but with no-code website builders, it’s more beginner-friendly than ever. You can launch a portfolio, start a blog, or create a business website within hours by yourself without any experience.
You won’t need to hire any web designer or developer for this.
In this guide, I will show you how to build a website from scratch and then design, launch, and grow your website.
Are you ready?
Let’s begin the journey.
11 Steps to Create a Website from Scratch
Here is the step-by-step process you can follow to create a website from scratch. You can build any type of website following this process.
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Define the Purpose of Your Website
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Plan Your Website Structure
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Choose and Register a Domain Name
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Select a Website Builder
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Create the Website
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Customize the Website Design
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Add Essential Pages and Sections to Your Website
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Fill Your Website with Content
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Optimize for SEO
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Test and Launch Your Website
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Maintain and Promote Your Website
Let’s discuss each step in detail now.
1. Define the Purpose of Your Website
Before choosing a website builder or picking a domain name, you need to decide on why you're building a website.
Is it a personal blog, an online store, a digital resume, or a service-based business site?
Your answer will determine everything else: website structure, features, content, and even the website design.
Think about your primary goal. Do you want to generate leads, build authority, sell products, or simply showcase your work? Once your goal is clear, identify your target audience. Who they are, what they’re looking for, and how your website can serve them better than others.
Different types of websites will require different amounts of time to build. A simple website (e.g., a portfolio website) will be ready much faster than a complex website (e.g., a business website).
2. Plan Your Website Structure and Layout
Once you know the “why,” it’s time to map out the “what.” This means planning your website structure, like the pages you’ll need and how they’ll be organized.
You can start with a simple sitemap: Homepage, About, Services or Products, Blog (optional), and Contact.
Decide on a navigation flow that makes sense. What should your visitors see first? How will they move from page to page? You can use wireframes or a sketching tool like Figma, Whimsical, or even pen and paper to visualize your layout.
Keep your top navigation simple (3–5 items max). Prioritize clarity over creativity. Users should never feel lost on your website.
Don’t worry too much about this step. You can skip this one if you use a pre-designed template or an AI website builder to build your website.
3. Choose and Register a Domain Name
Your domain name is your website’s address. It’s how people will find you online. Ideally, it should be short, memorable, and related to your brand, name, or niche. Stick to simple spellings and avoid hyphens or numbers if possible.
You can use the best domain registrar, like Namecheap or GoDaddy, to check availability and register your domain. The most common and trusted domain extension is .com, but you can also go for alternatives like .co, .me, or .dev if the name you want isn’t available.
Related Read: .Com Vs .Org
If you’re building a personal website or portfolio, try using your full name (e.g., johndoe.com). If it’s for a business, go with your brand name or a phrase that clearly reflects what you offer.
4. Select a Website Builder
Now that you’ve secured your domain, it’s time to choose how you’ll actually build your website. For beginners, a no-code website builder is the best route. You don’t need to learn coding or hire a developer.
You can create your website visually, by dragging and dropping content blocks, customizing sections, and clicking "Publish."
There are many website builders out there, like Dorik, Wix, Carrd, Squarespace, WordPress, etc. However, if you want to build a website from scratch easily and professionally, I strongly recommend Dorik AI website builder.
Why choose Dorik AI?
Dorik is the most beginner-friendly AI website builder out there. It offers an intuitive interface and a close-to-zero learning curve. It also offers:
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AI-Powered Website Creation: You can instantly generate a complete website by just describing what you need through a prompt.
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Modern Templates: You’ll get access to a library of 100+ professionally designed, elegant templates that are fully customizable.
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Drag-and-Drop Editor: You can edit sections, change colors, and move the website elements around with a drag-and-drop editor. No tech skills required.
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Unlimited Hosting: Dorik offers unlimited hosting for your websites, so you’ll run out of space no matter how much content you upload.
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Built-in SEO Tools: It comes equipped with native SEO tools to help you rank your website faster. It allows you to set meta tags, alt texts, and custom URLs directly inside the builder.
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Free SSL and CDN: Dorik offers a free SSL certificate with every website to ensure website security. You’ll also enjoy a built-in global CDN (content delivery network) that’ll deliver your content faster to a global audience.
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Dedicated CMS: It comes with a dedicated CMS (content management system) to efficiently create and manage your content.
Dorik is clean, beginner-friendly, and much easier to master than WordPress. And if you're short on time or creativity, its AI website builder does the heavy lifting. Just type your vision and let the platform do the rest.
5. Create the Website
Now that you know how awesome Dorik is as a website builder, it’s time to bring your vision to life. Let’s create some websites with Dorik to see if it is really worth the hype.
Dorik offers three flexible ways to build a website from scratch, and the best part? You don’t need any coding skills to get started.
You can create a complete, responsive website using:
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An AI Website Builder
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Pre-designed Templates
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A Blank Canvas (Manual Setup)
Let’s break down each option so you can choose the one that suits you best.
Option 1: Create a Website from Scratch with AI
This is by far the quickest and most beginner-friendly option. It’s perfect if you want to launch a dynamic, professional website in minutes.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Sign up or log in to Dorik.
2. Head to the “Sites” tab on your dashboard.
3. You can select Static or CMS here. I recommend you to go with CMS as it is used to create a dynamic website.
Related Read: Static Vs Dynamic Website
4. Click on “Create New Site with AI.”
5. Name your site and describe what you want as a detailed prompt. You can also set your website’s language from here.
Let’s say you want to create a website for your agency. Here’s how you can write a prompt for the AI website builder:
Example prompt:
Create a clean and professional website for a digital marketing agency. The site should include sections for Hero, About Us, Services, Case Studies, Client Testimonials, Contact Form, and Footer. Use a modern layout with bold headings, icons for services, and a consistent color palette. Focus on clarity and conversion-focused design.
6. Click “Generate Your Website.”
Dorik AI will analyze your prompt and build a fully functional website. It’ll be complete with layout, content, and style in under a minute.
You can regenerate the website if you’re not happy with the first result or fine-tune the design and text afterward. You can customize the site using Dorik’s built-in AI tools to generate images, write content, or even tweak color schemes.
Be specific in your prompt. Mention the sections you want and the tone or style (modern, minimal, bold, etc.) for better results.
Watch this tutorial to see how fast and easy it really is:
Option 2: Create a Website from Scratch with a Template
If you prefer a more structured starting point, Dorik’s template library is packed with stylish designs built for different use cases, like portfolios, agencies, blogs, landing pages, and more.
Here’s how to use one:
1. Sign up or log in to Dorik to go to your Dorik dashboard and select CMS to create a dynamic website.
2. Click “Create New Site” and browse the templates.
3. Use filters or search to find a template that suits your needs.
4. Preview your favorite template. Once you finalize it, click “Use Template.”
For this walkthrough, we explored the “ZZ - Fashion Designer Portfolio” template. It is a complete business portfolio website design. You can use this template if you need a professional portfolio website to run your business.
Inside the editor, you’ll be able to:
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Replace default text and images with your own
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Adjust fonts, colors, layout, and spacing
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Add or remove sections with a single click
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Add or remove pages
Templates are ideal for beginners who want a beautiful design without much effort.
Pick a template that closely matches your goal. This way, you’ll spend less time tweaking and more time publishing.
Option 3: Create a Website from Scratch Manually
This option gives you total design freedom. Choose this route if you have a specific layout in mind or want to create something totally unique.
To start:
1. Go to the Dorik dashboard and click “Create New Site.”
2. Click on “Create From Scratch.”
3. You’ll enter the builder and see a blank canvas. You can use Dorik’s drag-and-drop editor to build your layout section by section.
4. Click on “Add New Section” and start adding the necessary website section with your preferred layout.
You can use Dorik’s pre-built components like About sections, skill blocks, testimonials, and CTA buttons, and tweak them however you like.
Even though you’re building manually, Dorik makes it super intuitive. The pre-built components library makes it a breeze to start creating all the necessary sections.
Don’t forget to preview your design on mobile while building. Dorik is mobile-friendly by default, but it’s always smart to double-check.
It doesn’t matter if you go with AI, a template, or a manual setup. Dorik lets you build a clean, fast, and SEO-friendly website from scratch. Pick the method that best fits your experience and project goals.
6. Customize the Website Design
Once you’ve built the base of your website, it’s time to make it yours. Customizing your website design not only reflects your brand personality but also makes your content easier to consume. A clean, consistent design builds trust and keeps visitors engaged.
With Dorik, you can easily update the following elements:
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Update logo: Click on the default logo. A sidebar will appear where you can change the logo. You’ll get options to upload a new logo or create one with AI.
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Typography: Pick clear, legible fonts and use a proper text hierarchy (Headings > Subheadings > Body text). You can access all these with the Global Settings button.
Related Read: What is Typography
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Spacing and Layout: Adjust margins and padding to prevent clutter and create visual balance. When you hover over any element inside the builder, you will see the margin between elements highlighted with green background. You can also click on any element, go to the Styles tab and find the Margin and Padding properties there.
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Replace Images: You can replace the default images by clicking on the image and then clicking “replace image”. After that, you can either upload a new image from your computer or generate one with AI.
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Edit text: You can easily rewrite your website copy by clicking on the text you want to change. You’ll see a sidebar window opening with all the necessary settings you can play with.
You can also edit or add new sections using Dorik’s drag-and-drop builder. Want to remove an element? Just click and delete.
Want to add a new block? Hover over any section, click on the “Add New Section” button and select a pre-built block from the Section Library.
Stick to a consistent look. Too many fonts, clashing colors, or overused animations can make your site feel chaotic and unprofessional.
7. Add Essential Pages and Sections to Your Website
Even a one-page website can have structured sections that act like individual pages. But if you’re building a multi-page site, here are the most essential pages and sections to include:
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Homepage: This is your first impression. Include a clear value proposition, intro, and CTA while creating a homepage.
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About Page: Share your story, mission, or expertise here. Build an about us page to establish personal connection.
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Services / Products: Clearly explain what you offer, how it works, and why someone should care on this section.
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Contact Page: Add a simple form, email address, phone number, and/or links to your socials.
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Blog (optional): Blogs help with SEO and can show thought leadership if you’re sharing tips or case studies.
Other helpful sections might include Testimonials, FAQs, or a Portfolio, depending on your niche.
You can easily add new pages to your website with Dorik. Just click on the pages icon from the sidebar settings and you’ll find the current list of pages. From there, you can create new pages by clicking the “+” icon or duplicate any pages from the three dot icon.
8. Fill Your Website with Content
Design alone won’t win over your audience. Your words and visuals will do the heavy lifting. Aim to write clear, honest, and helpful content that speaks directly to your visitor.
Start with:
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Headline + Subheading: Quickly explain what you do and who you can help.
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Body Text: Break it into short paragraphs with bullet points or icons where possible.
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Images: Use high-quality visuals that align with your message. Stock photo sites like Unsplash or Pexels are great if you don’t have original images.
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Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Buttons like “Get in Touch” or “Start Now” guide users toward taking action.
If you’re using Dorik, you can write or tweak your content directly inside the builder, or even use the built-in AI writing assistant to help you brainstorm copy.
Don’t overload the sections. Let the text breathe. Use headers to divide content and always include CTAs where relevant.
9. Optimize for SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ensures your website can be found through Google or other search engines. Without it, even the best-looking website might go unseen.
Here’s what you can do to make your website SEO-friendly:
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Use Keywords Naturally: Research terms your audience is searching for and include them in your headings, titles, and body text.
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Set Meta Titles & Descriptions: Dorik lets you edit these for each page. Make sure they’re clear and relevant.
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Use Alt Text on Images: Helps with accessibility and gives search engines more context.
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Create Clean URLs: Avoid messy link structures and use the page names clearly (e.g., use “/about” instead of “/page-1”).
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Add Internal Links: Connect related sections or pages to guide visitors and boost rankings.
Dorik AI has native SEO tools that make all this super easy. You don’t need external plugins or coding to do the SEO basics.
Pro Tip: Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console once you go live. It’ll help Google index your website faster.
10. Test and Launch Your Website
Before you publish your site, it’s important to test everything thoroughly to make sure it looks and works perfectly.
Here’s a pre-launch checklist:
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Test your website on different devices (mobile, tablet, desktop)
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Click every link and button to make sure they work
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Submit test forms to confirm email delivery
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Check for spelling errors or broken images
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Preview all pages to ensure consistent styling
Dorik automatically gives you a responsive site, but it's always a good idea to manually check how it looks across devices.
Once you’re satisfied, hit Publish and your site will be live! You’ll get a free Dorik subdomain, or you can connect your custom domain with just a few clicks.
After launch, ask a few friends or colleagues to explore your site and give feedback. Fresh eyes can catch small issues you might miss.
Related Read: Website Launch Checklist
11. Maintain and Promote Your Website
Launching your website is just the beginning. To stay relevant and attract more visitors, you’ll need to maintain and promote it consistently.
Start with regular updates:
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Add new content, blog posts, or portfolio work
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Update outdated info (like pricing, dates, or services)
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Monitor page speed and fix broken links
Website maintenance helps your site stay secure, perform better, and rank higher in search engines.
Next comes promotion. Here are some easy ways to promote your website:
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Share it on social media and forums where your audience hangs out
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Add it to your email signature
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Optimize for SEO and start blogging
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Join relevant communities and drop your link (without spamming)
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Set up Google Analytics or Dorik’s built-in analytics to track traffic
Create a simple marketing plan. Even a few posts per week or a monthly email can make a difference.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website from Scratch?
Building a website doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, you can start for free with platforms like Dorik and upgrade only when you’re ready for custom domains or advanced features.
Here’s a basic cost breakdown if you build a website from scratch with Dorik:
| Item | Estimated Cost |
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| Domain Name | $10 – $20/year |
| Website Builder (Dorik) | Starting at $18/month (personal website) |
| Web Hosting (included with Dorik) | $0 |
| Custom Email (optional) | $1 – $5/month |
| Premium Templates (optional) | Free with every Dorik plan |
So realistically, you can build and run a fully functional website for under $250/year.
Now, let’s compare it to hiring a developer to create a website from scratch.
Here’s a basic cost breakdown if you build a website from scratch without Dorik AI:
| Item | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Domain Name | $10 – $20/year |
| Web Hosting | $50 – $200/year |
| Web Designer/Developer (Freelancer or Agency) | $500 – $5,000+ (one-time or project-based) |
| Website Design (UI/UX) | $300 – $2,000 |
| Content Writing (Optional) | $100 – $1,000 |
| Maintenance & Updates | $50 – $200/month |
| Total | $700 – $8,000+ |
You can easily spot the huge cost difference between the two approaches. Now, it’s up to you to decide how you want to build your website.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Website
Beginner websites often suffer from the same avoidable issues. Here’s what to watch out for:
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Cluttered design: Too many colors, fonts, or animations can overwhelm visitors. Keep it clean and consistent.
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No clear call-to-action: Visitors won’t take action unless you ask. Include buttons like “Contact Us,” “Start Free Trial,” or “Book Now.”
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Hard-to-read text: Light gray on white? Tiny font size? Big no. Prioritize readability.
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Mobile unfriendliness: Over half of your visitors will be on mobile. Always test responsiveness.
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No SEO setup: Don’t skip basic SEO tags, keywords, and alt text; they’re essential for visibility.
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Slow load time: Heavy images and unoptimized assets can make your site sluggish.
Keep it simple, user-focused, and regularly updated. A polished small site always beats a messy big one.
FAQs
Can anyone build a website from scratch?
Yes! Thanks to no-code tools like Dorik AI, you don’t need any technical background to create a beautiful and functional website.
How long does it take to build a website?
It usually takes from a few hours to days, or even weeks, to build a website. This timeline can be cut short with no-code website builders, like Dorik AI, that can create a website within minutes. After that, it may take a few hours to customize it to fit your needs.
Do I need coding skills to make a website?
No, you don’t need coding skills to make a website anymore. Platforms like Dorik eliminate the need for coding. You can build any type of website using a visual drag-and-drop interface.
Can I build a website for free?
Yes. Dorik and other platforms offer free plans. You can upgrade later for more customization and to connect a custom domain.
What are some good website builders for beginners?
Dorik (especially with AI), Wix, Carrd, and Squarespace are all beginner-friendly. Dorik stands out for its flexibility and modern design control.
How do I make sure my website is secure?
Choose a builder that offers free SSL (like Dorik). Keep your content updated and avoid shady third-party plugins.
How can I monetize my website?
You can sell products, add affiliate links, offer services, or run ads. Choose your monetization method based on your audience and niche.
How do I attract visitors to my new website?
Promote it on social media, optimize for search engines, blog regularly, and share it with your network. Use tools like Google Analytics to track and improve traffic over time.
Final Words
Building a website from scratch used to be hard, but now, with tools like Dorik, it’s accessible to everyone. Whether you’re creating a portfolio, personal blog, or business site, the steps are simple: define your purpose, choose the right tools, plan your structure, and go live.
Start small. Keep improving. And don’t be afraid to tweak things as you go. Your first website might not be perfect, and that’s totally okay. The key is to start.
Ready to build your own website from scratch? Try Dorik’s AI website builder and get online in minutes. No coding, no stress.
