create website for free
A clear, no-jargon step-by-step guide to launch a free website, set up SEO, and start getting visitors fast.
This guide shows exactly which free platforms to use, how to publish in under an hour, and simple SEO & marketing steps to grow your online presence without spending money.
Why Start With a Free Website?
A free website is the fastest, lowest-risk way to get online. It lets you test ideas, collect leads, and prove demand before investing. For many small businesses and side-projects, a free option is more than enough to begin generating enquiries.
When free makes sense
- You need a fast online presence with minimal spend
- You want to validate demand before paying for a custom site
- You’re comfortable with limited branding or small ads (on some platforms)
Limitations to know
Free sites often come with platform branding, limited storage, or restricted features (like e-commerce). Treat a free site as a stepping stone: plan to upgrade when your site starts earning money.
Best Free Platforms (and when to use them)
Short pros & cons so you can pick the fastest path to launch.
WordPress.com (Free)
Good for blogs and content-heavy sites. Easy to start, limited customisation on the free plan.
- Pros: Free hosting, blogging tools, upgrades available
- Cons: WordPress.com ads & limited plugins on free tier
GitHub Pages + Static Site (Free)
Best for hobby projects or developers. Use Jekyll, Hugo or plain HTML. Fully free and fast.
- Pros: No ads, custom domain support, blazing fast
- Cons: Slightly technical; not ideal for non-technical users
Netlify / Vercel (Free)
Great for modern static sites and JAMstack. Add continuous deploys from a Git repo.
- Pros: Free SSL, custom domains, fast CDN
- Cons: Requires Git workflow knowledge
Wix / Weebly / Carrd (Free tiers)
Fast, visual builders for non-technical users. Free plans include branding or ads.
- Pros: Drag-and-drop, launch very fast
- Cons: Ads, limited SEO on some free plans
Google Sites (Free)
Simple, no-frills sites. Excellent for contact pages, event pages, or quick business info.
- Pros: Extremely simple, integrates with Google tools
- Cons: Very limited design flexibility
Pay attention to domain & branding
Free plans often use platform subdomains (yourname.platform.com). You can test with these, but plan to add a custom domain when you grow.
Quick Start: Launch a Free Website in 60 Minutes
Follow these steps — pick one platform from the previous section and you can be live this afternoon.
Decide the main purpose (collect leads, sell a single product, showcase services). Keep it focused.
If you want speed: Carrd, Google Sites, or Wix. If you want content & long-term growth: WordPress.com or GitHub Pages + Netlify.
Homepage, Services/Product (or About), Contact. Launch with fewer pages—better to have clear content than lots of thin pages.
Use one strong hero image, short headline, 1–2 CTAs (call / email / form). Free image sources: Unsplash, Pexels.
Hit publish. If possible, connect to Google Search Console and add an analytics ID (see tools section) so you can measure traffic from day one.
Post on your social profiles, add the link to your email signature, and ask friends/customers to visit and give feedback. Small promotion drives your first visitors.
60-minute timeline (example)
- 10 min: Choose platform & template
- 20 min: Edit copy & images on homepage
- 10 min: Create services & contact page
- 10 min: Add analytics & publish
- 10 min: Quick QA on mobile and share
SEO Essentials for Free Sites (Do these first)
You don't need paid tools to get SEO right. These are the high-impact basics that matter most.
1. Keyword focus — one page, one topic
Choose a simple phrase your customers use. Example: "plumber near me" or "small business bookkeeping Melbourne". Use that phrase in the page title, H1, first paragraph, and meta description — naturally.
2. Page title & meta description
Keep titles under ~60 characters and descriptions under ~155. Include your main keyword and your location if you’re local.
3. Use headings (H1, H2)
Break content into sections with clear headings. H1 for the page title, H2s for main sections — helps users and search engines.
4. Optimize images & alt text
Compress images (free tools like Squoosh). Add descriptive alt text including the keyword when relevant — but keep it natural.
5. Internal links & navigation
Link your homepage to services and contact pages. Make it easy for visitors (and crawlers) to find important pages.
6. Speed & mobile
Most free platforms are mobile-first. Test with PageSpeed Insights and aim for under 3s on mobile. Remove large hero videos or heavy scripts on free plans.
7. Submit sitemap & verify
Set up Google Search Console and submit your sitemap (many platforms auto-generate one). This speeds up indexing.
8. Local SEO basics
Claim Google Business Profile, add your address/phone consistently, and include a contact page with schema (name, address, phone).
Quick checklist
- Unique title & meta for each page
- H1 on every page and clear H2s
- Compressed images with alt text
- Google Search Console & Analytics connected
Content & Marketing: Grow Traffic Without Spending Money
Practical, repeatable tactics that work for free websites.
Start a short blog (2 posts/month)
Write helpful posts answering customer questions. Topics can be FAQ-style: "How much does X cost?", "When to use service Y?". Consistent, useful content ranks and attracts links over time.
Share on social with purpose
Share each new page/post with a short caption and image. Focus on platforms where your customers are (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn).
Start a simple email list
Use a free email tool (Mailchimp free tier or MailerLite). Offer a single useful resource (price list, checklist) in exchange for an email to start a list you own.
Collect reviews & testimonials
Ask happy customers for a short review and add it to your site. Reviews improve conversions and local search performance.
Earn simple backlinks
List your business on free local directories and industry pages. Offer to write short guest posts or provide a local resource — small, relevant backlinks help SEO.
Measure & iterate
Use Google Analytics and Search Console to see what pages get traffic. Double down on topics that work and improve underperforming pages.
Simple 90-day growth plan
- Week 1: Launch site + 1 blog post + share on socials
- Weeks 2–4: Publish 2 more posts, claim directories, request reviews
- Months 2–3: Improve top-performing pages, outreach for 5 local backlinks
Free Tools & Resources You Should Use
Analytics & Search
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics / GA4
- Google PageSpeed Insights
Images & Design
- Unsplash / Pexels (free photos)
- Canva free (simple hero graphics)
- Squoosh (image compression)
SEO & Keywords
- Google Keyword Planner (free with account)
- AnswerThePublic (limited free queries)
- Ubersuggest free tier
Communication & Lists
- Mailchimp / MailerLite free plans
- Calendly free scheduling
Common Mistakes When Building a Free Website
1. Too many pages, not enough content
Start small with useful content. A handful of well-optimised pages beats dozens of thin pages.
2. Ignoring mobile experience
Always test on an actual phone. If text is tiny or buttons are hard to tap, fix it before promoting the site.
3. Not collecting emails or leads
Add a simple contact form or email signup on day one so you can capture interested visitors.
4. Expecting instant SEO results
SEO takes time. Focus on consistent content and local citations — results usually show in weeks to months.
Free Website Launch Checklist
- Goal: Defined one primary conversion (call, form, booking)
- Platform: Template chosen and published
- Pages: Homepage, Services, Contact (3 pages)
- SEO: Title & meta, H1, alt text, sitemap submitted
- Analytics: Google Analytics & Search Console connected
- Mobile: Tested on phone and tablet
- Promotion: Shared on social & added to local directories
- Follow-up: Email list or contact capture enabled
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really rank on Google with a free site?
Should I add a custom domain now?
What’s the best free platform for non-technical users?
When should I upgrade to a paid plan?
Ready to go further?
Start with a free site to validate your business. When you’re ready to scale, Congero can turn your free site into a professional, SEO-optimised website and handle updates — fast and affordably.
Prefer DIY? Follow the checklist above and you’ll have a solid, free website that attracts visitors.
