Free Website Guide — 2025

creating a free website for your business

A practical, step-by-step guide to launch a free website that ranks, converts, and brings customers through your door.

You don't need to pay thousands to get online. Follow these proven steps and free tools to build a credible website, optimise it for local search, and start generating enquiries this month.

Quick Start: Launch Today Free SEO Checklist

Start-up cost (platform)

60s

1-2 hrs

First content + launch (basic)

Local

Focus: local SEO wins customers

In This Guide

Why choose a free website now Best free platforms (pros & cons) Quick start: launch in 60–120 minutes Essential SEO checklist Local SEO & Google Business Profile Conversion & marketing tips Free tools to use today Common pitfalls to avoid

Why Build a Free Website First?

A free website is a smart first step if you need to validate demand, capture enquiries, or replace an outdated page quickly. It reduces risk, costs nothing to start, and lets you test messaging and offers before investing in a paid solution.

When a free site makes sense

New business validating services locally
Short-term promotions or event pages
Testing offers, headlines and photos before spending

Best Free Platforms (Pros & Cons)

Pick one that fits your goals — fastest launch, easiest updates, or best local SEO compatibility.

Google Sites

Fast to set up, free hosting on a sites.google.com subdomain, simple editor.

Zero cost, reliable hosting
Easy mobile layout
Limited SEO controls and customisation

Canva Websites

Visual-first, great for portfolios and simple landing pages.

Beautiful templates, drag & drop
Quick publishing
Limited SEO control and slower pages if heavy images

WordPress.com (Free)

Flexible CMS with free plan on a wordpress.com subdomain.

Easy to upgrade later
Good for blogging & content
Platform ads and limited plugins on free tier

GitHub Pages / Netlify

Free hosting for static sites — best if you or a developer know HTML or a static site generator.

Custom domain friendly, very fast
Full control of SEO and performance
Technical setup required

Quick pick recommendation

If you want the fastest path to a credible site: use Google Sites or Canva. If you want upgrade flexibility and content/SEO capability, start with WordPress.com or a simple static site on Netlify with a custom domain later.

Quick Start: Launch a Basic Site in 60–120 Minutes

Follow these steps to get a simple, effective website live quickly.

1

Choose your platform

Pick Google Sites, Canva, WordPress.com, or a GitHub Pages starter depending on your technical comfort.
2

Write the key pages

Home, Services (or Products), About, Contact. Keep copy clear: who you serve, what you do, and how to contact you.
3

Add contact & trust signals

Phone number with click-to-call, email, business hours, address (if relevant), and 2–3 testimonials or photos of completed work.
4

Basic SEO on each page

Page title, meta description, H1, one focused keyword per page, short URL, and optimized image alt text. See full checklist below.
5

Publish and claim your listing

Publish the site, then set up or claim your Google Business Profile and submit the site URL. This helps you show up locally fast.
6

Track & test

Install Google Analytics / GA4 and Google Search Console (or the platform's analytics). Test contact forms and mobile UX.

Want it done for you?

If you prefer to have a professional build a fast, SEO-optimised site and handle ongoing local SEO and updates, try Congero's 60-second demo — built-for-mobile websites, unlimited updates, hosting and local SEO all included.

Essential SEO Checklist (Free & Practical)

Do these things today — they have the highest impact for free websites.

Keyword basics

Pick 1 primary keyword per page (e.g., "Melbourne plumber emergency").
Use the keyword in the page title, H1, meta description, first 100 words, and URL.
Keep language natural — avoid keyword stuffing.

Title & meta

Title tag: 50–60 characters with main keyword near the front.
Meta description: 120–155 characters, clear benefit & CTA.
Unique tags for each page.

Images

Compress images (TinyPNG), use WebP if possible.
Descriptive file names and alt text including keyword when relevant.

Mobile & speed

Test mobile UX and ensure buttons are large and clickable.
Run Google's PageSpeed Insights and fix top 1–2 issues (usually images or render-blocking scripts).

URLs & linking

Use short, descriptive URLs (example.com/plumbing-emergency).
Internal link from the homepage to service pages and blog posts.

Technical basics

Ensure site is on HTTPS (SSL).
Add sitemap.xml and submit in Google Search Console.
Set a robots.txt that doesn't accidentally block search engines.

One-page SEO tip (if you only have one page)

Create sections on the page that act as mini landing pages: Services, About, Testimonials, Contact. Use structured headings (H2/H3) and anchor links so Google understands the page structure and you can target multiple intent signals.

Local SEO & Google Business Profile (High Impact)

Local search drives calls and visits. These steps are essential for service and location-based businesses.

Claim & optimise Google Business Profile

Complete every field: services, hours, service area, photos.
Use the exact business name, address, phone format (NAP) across your site and directories.
Ask satisfied customers for reviews — respond professionally to every review.

Local landing pages

If you serve multiple towns, create simple pages for each area (e.g., "Plumber in Richmond") with unique content and local keywords.

Citations & directories

List your business on free directories (Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, Hotfrog, local council sites) to reinforce NAP consistency and local signals.

Convert Visitors into Customers

A site that ranks is only useful if it converts. Small changes can dramatically improve enquiries.

Strong CTA

Keep one prominent call-to-action above the fold: "Call now", "Get a free quote", or a WhatsApp link. Make it sticky on mobile if possible.

Trust & proof

Show 3–5 real photos of your work, short testimonials with first names, and any licenses or accreditations.

Simple contact

One-click phone number, short contact form (or link to SMS/WhatsApp), and visible opening hours reduce friction for customers.

Offers & urgency

A small limited-time offer (e.g., 10% off first job) helps increase immediate enquiries from visitors who are ready to buy.

Free Tools to Build, Optimise & Track

Build & Design

Google Sites — quick & free
Canva — visual page builder
WordPress.com — content & upgrade path
GitHub Pages / Netlify — fast, free hosting for static sites

SEO & Research

Google Keyword Planner (free with account)
Google Search Console — monitor indexing
AnswerThePublic (limited free queries) — content ideas

Speed & Images

TinyPNG / Squoosh — compress images
Google PageSpeed Insights — performance guidance

Analytics & Tracking

Google Analytics (GA4) — visitor tracking
Google Tag Manager — manage scripts

Pro tip: Start free, then buy a custom domain (from $10–20/year) as soon as you can — having a branded domain boosts trust and local rankings.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Relying on a platform subdomain too long

Subdomains look less trustworthy. Buy a custom domain early and point it to your free site where possible.

Ignoring mobile users

Most local customers search on phones. Make the phone number large, buttons obvious, and pages fast.

Not tracking conversions

If you can't see calls, form submissions, or clicks, you can't optimise. Add GA4 and test events.

6-Step Launch Checklist (Copy & Use)

Choose platform & sign up (Google Sites or WordPress.com recommended).
Buy a simple domain (optional but recommended) and connect where possible.
Create Home, Services, About, and Contact pages — clear headlines and phone number.
Apply the SEO checklist: titles, meta descriptions, H1s, alt text, short URLs.
Set up Google Business Profile and submit your website URL.
Install Google Analytics & Search Console, then test contact methods.

Checklist file: Copy the 6 steps above into your phone notes and tick them off as you go — you can be live today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really rank locally with a free site?

Yes. Google cares about relevance and experience. With a claimed Google Business Profile, targeted local keywords, good NAP consistency and reviews, a free site can rank well for local searches.

Should I use a custom domain?

Yes, if you can. A custom domain (yourbusiness.com.au) improves trust and click-through rates. Domains are inexpensive and worth it once you get some traction.

What if I run out of time to update content?

If updates become a burden, consider a subscription service that includes unlimited updates and local SEO. Congero offers quick builds and text-in updates for busy business owners — learn more via our demo.

Do free sites have performance issues?

Sometimes — especially if templates include many heavy images or scripts. Optimise images, limit embedded widgets, and prefer lightweight templates to keep load times fast.

Ready to stop DIY guesswork?

Build a free site today — or get a professional, SEO-ready website fast. Congero delivers mobile-optimised sites, local SEO and unlimited updates for a low monthly fee. Start with a free demo and see your site in under a minute.

Try Congero Demo — No Card Required Learn About Our Services

All plans include hosting, SSL, domain help, and local SEO — cancel anytime.