GNT #033: 3 ways to create a website in under 3 hours

Read time: 3 minutes
 

"I need a website now!"

Sound familiar?

For many entrepreneurs and service-based businesses, a website is less about detailed functionality and more about credibility.

The longer you wait, the more potential business slips through your fingers.

"But, building a website is time-consuming and intimidating. Ugh!"

Or is it?

Today, we’ll explore 3 ways you can have a website up and running in under 3 hours.

(If your business is complex, it deserves more than a few hours. But -- if you need that initial web presence fast, here’s how you can do it.)

1. Use a website builder

Example: Wix, Squarespace, Weebly

Website builders are the modern solution for people without coding knowledge. They're incredibly popular for small businesses and solopreneurs because they're super easy to use and have great looking templates you can swipe and customize quickly based on your business type.

Most have tools that help with SEO (pushes your website higher in search results) and can make it look great on mobile too.

Time Investment: Low – Pick a template and modify to fit your brand.
Cost: Medium – Monthly fees, but generally affordable.
Complexity: Low – Designed for those without tech expertise.

Challenge - Template Limitations: While website builders offer a large amount of templates, they do have their limitations.

Adapting a template to meet your specific vision can sometimes become frustrating. If you decide halfway through the customizing process that a different template might work better, switching can be tricky, and often you have to start all over.

Tip: Start by sketching out a rough idea of what you want your website to look like and its essential features. Then, pick the template that closely matches your vision to reduce back-and-forth changes.

2. Use Wordpress - the flexible giant

WordPress is an open-source platform (anyone can freely use). It powers a large portion of the web and is a favorite among bloggers, small businesses, and even large enterprises.

The strength of WordPress lies in its flexibility. You're not limited to templates - you can modify every bit of your site.

And with the thousands of plugins available, the functionality you can have on your site is virtually endless. (plugin = a downloadable tool that adds extra features. Like an app for your phone)

Time Investment: Medium – A steeper learning curve than website builders, but there are plenty of tutorials out there.
Cost: Medium – While WordPress itself is free, you'll need to pay for hosting, a domain, and potentially premium themes or plugins.
Complexity: High – Requires a bit more tech-savviness, especially if diving into plugins and customization.

Challenge - Learning Curve: WordPress offers extensive functionality and customization options, but mastering its interface and the numerous plugins can be overwhelming for beginners. It can take time to understand how to set everything up and optimize it for your needs.

Tip: Start with basic tutorials and gradually delve into more advanced features. Consider using beginner-friendly themes and plugins initially to ease the process.

3. Use a "one page" website

Example: Carrd, Linktree, Beacons.ai

A one-page website is perfect for people who need an online presence quickly.

They're streamlined, focused, and very user-friendly. Think of them as digital business cards, providing visitors with essential information without any fluff.

They are best for portfolios, event promotions, or as an "about me" page.

Time Investment: Low – Just fill in your information and perhaps customize a few design elements.
Cost: Low – Many have free tiers with options to upgrade for additional features.
Complexity: Low – Designed for utmost simplicity. No tech knowledge needed.

Challenge - Scalability: These are great for starters, but as your content or services expand, you might find them a bit restrictive.

Tip: If you foresee rapid growth or diversification, plan an eventual transition to more scalable platforms, using the one-page solution as a temporary presence.

Takeaway

Remember, the best website for you balances functionality, aesthetics, and speed.

While speed to market is important - and setting up a website in 3 hours might give you a solid start. Your work is not done.

It's essential to revisit, refine, and enhance as your business grows. Your website is a living entity that should evolve with your offerings and audience needs.

Till next time, happy website building!

See you next week.

(p.s. Want some custom advice? Book a 1:1 worksession with me -- link below ↓).

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(p.s.s. Have you been seeing a lot of 3's lately too?! This means it's time to aim high!