Practical guide for 2025

create your own website for free

Build a professional website at zero cost, plus essential SEO and marketing tactics to get found and grow.

This step-by-step guide walks you through choosing a free platform, setting up pages that convert, on-page SEO, local search, analytics, and low-cost marketing tactics that work in 2025.

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Cost to start

30mins

Quick setup

100%

Mobile friendly

Essential

SEO-ready basics

What you'll learn

Choose the best free platform Pages that convert On-page SEO essentials Local SEO & GMB Content & keywords Analytics & tracking Low-cost marketing Launch checklist

Quick start: Build a free site in 30 minutes

Follow these exact steps to have a simple, usable website live quickly.

1. Pick a free platform

Google Sites — fastest, no ads, simple pages (great for basic info).
WordPress.com (Free) — blog + pages, scalable if you upgrade later.
Wix / Weebly (Free) — easy editors, but often show platform branding.
Carrd — one-page sites for portfolios or lead capture.
Tip: choose the one that matches your future needs — migrating later is possible but takes work.

2. Claim a free subdomain

All free plans include a platform subdomain (yourname.platform.com). It's fine to start with — you can upgrade to a custom domain later.

Pro tip: Use a simple, keyword-friendly subdomain: joesplumbing.carrd.co or joesplumbing.wordpress.com.

3. Create 3 essential pages

Home — clear headline, one-sentence value, primary CTA (call, email, booking).
Services / Offerings — short descriptions, pricing ranges, trust signals.
Contact — phone, email, location, and hours. Embed a map if possible.

These pages cover 90% of what small businesses need to get started and to be visible in search.

4. Add a clear CTA

Every page must have one clear action: call now, message, book, or request a quote. Put it at the top of the Home page and in your header.

Must do: Add a clickable phone number on mobile with tel:+61XXXXXXXXX.

Choosing the best free platform (pros & cons)

Below is a short comparison to match your skill, time, and upgrade plans.

Google Sites

Super simple, no branding, fast to publish. Best for simple business info pages.

No ads, quick
Very limited design
Free SSL

WordPress.com (Free)

Good balance of content and growth — great if you plan to blog and scale later.

Powerful content tools
Platform ads on free plan
Easy upgrade path

Wix / Carrd / Weebly

Drag-and-drop builders make design easy. Watch for branding on free plans and slow loading if you overuse widgets.

Fast visual design
Platform branding on free plans
Good for one-page sites

Upgrade path & when to switch

Start free to validate demand. Upgrade to a paid plan or move to a managed subscription when:

You need a custom domain and remove branding
You want faster performance, SEO control, or ecommerce
You value unlimited updates without doing the work

If you'd rather skip upgrades and get a pro site fast, Congero can build and host a professional site for a predictable monthly fee. Try the demo.

Pages that convert: structure & examples

Your goal: make it fast for a visitor to understand who you are, what you do, and how to contact you.

Home page

Hero: 1-line value proposition + supporting sentence + primary CTA (call or book).
Trust: short proof — testimonials, logos, star ratings.
Services snapshot: 3–5 core services with quick links.
Local signal: suburb or city name in a sentence for local SEO.

Services / Product pages

Create one page per main service where possible — each page is an SEO opportunity.

Title: include the service + location when possible (e.g., "Emergency Plumber Melbourne").
Benefits: what customers get, not just features.
Pricing: ranges to qualify leads.
CTA: request quote / call now

Contact & About

Contact details should be obvious and crawlable by search engines.

Use structured address format and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across web listings.
Embed Google Maps if available.
About page: short story + credentials + a clear CTA.

On-page SEO essentials (do these first)

These on-page tasks move the needle for search — prioritise them on every page.

1. Page title & meta description

Write descriptive titles under 60 characters and meta descriptions under 160 characters that include your main keyword and location if local.

Example title: Emergency Plumber Melbourne — Fast, 24/7

2. Headings & structure

Use H1 once (page title), H2 for sections, H3 for sub-sections. Keep content scannable.

3. URL & slug

Keep the URL short and keyword rich: /plumber-melbourne.

4. Images & alt text

Compress images, use descriptive filenames, and add alt text describing the image and primary keyword where relevant.

5. Internal links

Link from your Home to service pages and from service pages to contact — help users and search engines navigate.

6. Schema & rich snippets

Add basic schema for LocalBusiness or Organization to help search engines show rich results.

If your platform doesn't allow custom schema on free plans, list your business consistently across directories as a fallback.

Quick SEO checklist

Unique title + meta on every page
H1 on-page only once
Fast image compression
Readable URL slugs
Mobile-friendly layout
Google Search Console verification

Local SEO: get found nearby

For service businesses, local search is the highest-value channel. Do these steps:

Set up Google Business Profile

Claim your listing and verify the address.
Add correct NAP, hours, and primary category.
Upload photos and encourage reviews.

Citations & directories

List your business on local directories (Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, local chambers of commerce). Consistent NAP is critical.

Reviews & reputation

Ask customers for Google reviews. Respond to reviews politely — they improve click-through rates and trust.

Local content

Add a blog post or page about your service areas (suburbs/cities). Mention landmarks and suburbs naturally — this helps local queries.

Content strategy & keyword basics

You don't need a blog to win — but consistent, helpful content will improve organic traffic.

Find simple keywords

Use free tools (Google Autocomplete, AnswerThePublic) to find queries your customers ask.

Start with service + suburb (e.g., "electrician Brisbane")
Target long-tail queries for blog posts (e.g., "how much does a home wiring inspection cost")

Write helpful pages

Provide real answers. Short how-to guides or FAQ pages attract traffic and can convert visitors into leads.

Repurpose & share

Turn a blog post into social posts, short videos, or a downloadable checklist to capture emails.

Link building (simple)

Ask local partners for a website link, sponsor a local event page, or submit to local directories — quality beats quantity.

Analytics & tracking (measure what matters)

Install analytics from day one — even on free sites you can add Google Analytics or use platform stats.

Key metrics to track

Sessions and users
Bounce rate & time on page
Top landing pages
CTAs: phone clicks, contact form submissions

If your platform restricts analytics on free plans, track phone / message clicks with UTM links in digital ads or use Google Search Console for basic performance data.

Low-cost marketing tactics that actually work

Use a mix of local, organic and paid tactics — start small and double down on what delivers leads.

1. Google Business Posts & Offers

Use GMB posts to highlight offers, seasonal services, or same-day availability.

2. Facebook & Instagram local ads

Small daily budgets ($5–10/day) targeted to local suburbs drive calls and messages.

3. Partnerships & referrals

Partner with complementary local businesses and offer referral discounts to get initial customers.

4. Email follow-ups

Capture emails from visitors and send a short 3-email welcome sequence — value, proof, CTA.

5. Quick video content

Short how-to or before/after videos shared on reels and social help build trust — no fancy gear required.

6. Monitor & optimise

Pick one channel, measure the cost per lead, and stop what doesn't work. Repeat what does.

Free & low-cost tools

Google Search Console

Google Analytics

Canva (graphics)

Buffer or Later (social scheduling)

Launch checklist: what to do before you go live

Proofread — no spelling or contact mistakes.
Mobile test — try on multiple phones.
Speed test — moderate images if slow.
Analytics installed or platform tracking enabled.
Google Business Profile verified or created.
Backup or export a copy of your content if platform allows.

Want the work done for you — faster and with built-in SEO, domain, hosting and unlimited updates? Congero builds professional, mobile-first websites instantly and handles ongoing updates for a simple monthly fee.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I rank on Google with a free website?

Yes. Google ranks sites based on relevance, content quality, speed and user experience — not how much you paid. Follow on-page SEO basics, add local signals, and build a few local links.

When should I upgrade to a paid plan?

Upgrade when you need a custom domain, remove branding, add ecommerce, or want faster performance. If you prefer not to manage updates, consider a managed subscription service.

How do I get my first customers from the site?

Start with local ads ($5–10/day), share to community groups, ask existing customers for referrals and reviews, and list on local directories. Track which channel sends the most leads and double down.

Do I need a blog?

Not mandatory. A few helpful pages or FAQs targeting common customer questions often perform better than a low-quality blog. Start with evergreen pages and add a blog when you can publish consistently.

Prefer to skip the setup? Get a professional site instantly

If you want a fully-managed, SEO-ready website without the hassle, Congero builds professional, mobile-first sites in under 60 seconds via WhatsApp and manages hosting, domain, analytics and unlimited updates for a simple monthly fee.

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