how to create a website free of cost
Build, launch and promote a professional-looking website at zero dollar upfront — practical tools, SEO tips and a promotion checklist for 2025.
This guide walks you through every step — planning, picking a free platform, designing, SEO basics, marketing and when it's time to upgrade. No jargon. Actionable steps you can follow today.
Step 1 — Plan your website (10–20 minutes)
Before you open a website builder, get clear on purpose, audience and content. Answer three simple questions:
- Goal: Do you need enquiries (leads), bookings, sales, or just an online presence?
- Audience: Who is your typical customer? What problem do you solve?
- Content: What pages do you need? Typical starter set: Home, About, Services, Contact, (optional) Blog/Portfolio.
Step 2 — Choose a free platform
There are several genuinely free ways to publish a website. Pick the one that matches your skill level and long-term goals.
Google Sites
Fast, super-easy. Great for simple brochure sites. Includes Google integration but limited design flexibility.
- No hosting needed
- Free subdomain sites.google.com
- Best if: you need a quick, no-fuss site
WordPress.com (Free plan)
Flexible for blogs and business pages. Free plan includes WordPress subdomain and basic customization.
- Good blogging tools
- Upgrade later if needed
Wix / Weebly (Free plan)
Drag-and-drop builders with free plans (site uses platform branding and subdomain).
- Fast visual design
- Ads/branding on free plans
GitHub Pages / Netlify
Technical option for free static sites. Use a static site generator (Jekyll, Hugo) or simple HTML/CSS.
- No ads, you control domain
- Best if: you have basic dev skills
Blogger / Carrd
Simple and free — Carrd is ideal for one-page sites, Blogger for blogs with Google integration.
- Lowest effort: Google Sites or Carrd.
- Best for content & blog: WordPress.com or Blogger.
- No ads, own domain: GitHub Pages / Netlify (requires technical setup).
Quick start: Go live in 30–60 minutes
- Pick a platform: For fastest results choose Google Sites or Carrd.
- Use a template: Select a simple business/portfolio template — edit text and images.
- Essential pages: Home, Services, Contact — include phone number and clear call-to-action.
- Publish: Click Publish and copy your public URL (example: sites.google.com/view/yourbusiness).
- Test: Open on your phone — check readability, contact link and map.
Step 3 — Free domain options (and pitfalls)
Completely free domain names are limited. Most free platforms give you a free subdomain (yourname.platform.com). There are a few alternatives:
Platform subdomain
Free and instant (example: yourbusiness.wixsite.com). Good for testing; not ideal for long-term branding or SEO.
Freenom domains
Freenom offers .tk/.ml/.ga free domains. Use with caution — reliability and control can be problematic for businesses.
Use a paid domain later
Best practice: start with free subdomain, buy a .com/.com.au/.net domain when you can (cost ~ $10–20/yr) and point it to your site.
Step 4 — Design & write content that converts
A good site focuses on clarity and action. Use this page structure as your starter template:
Home
Clear headline, one-sentence value proposition, hero shot (photo of you/your team), primary CTA (Call, Message).
Services
Short service descriptions with prices or starting ranges. Use bullet points for benefits not just features.
About
Trust elements: short story, credentials, photos, testimonials.
Contact
Phone, email, operation hours, Google map embed if you have a physical location.
- Use short sentences. Replace long paragraphs with bullets.
- Lead with benefits: "We fix leaks fast — emergency service available today."
- Include one clear CTA per page (Call now, Book online, Message).
- Use real photos where possible — trust converts better than stock images.
Step 5 — SEO basics (make your site findable)
SEO isn't magic — it's making your site clear to search engines and helpful to people. Do these essentials:
Page titles & meta descriptions
Each page needs a unique title (50–60 chars) and a short meta description (120–155 chars) that includes your main keyword and location if local.
Headings (H1, H2)
Use one H1 per page (usually the page title) and H2/H3 for sections. Headings help both readers and search engines.
Alt text for images
Write descriptive alt text for images (use keywords naturally). This helps accessibility and image search.
Mobile & speed
Google ranks mobile-first. Compress images, keep pages simple and use platform caching tools where available.
- Create or claim your Google Business Profile (free).
- Include your business name, address, phone number (NAP) consistently on the site footer.
- Add a short FAQ with local keywords (e.g., "plumber in [Suburb]").
Step 6 — Free marketing tactics to get traffic
After launch, focus on low-cost, high-impact promotion:
Google Business Profile
Post updates, add photos and ask customers for reviews. This drives local visibility and calls.
Social sharing
Share your new site on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. Use local neighbourhood groups and community pages.
Local directories
Add your business to free directories (TrueLocal, Yellow Pages, local council directories).
Referral & partnerships
Partner with complementary local businesses and exchange links or promotions.
Write one short blog or news post per month (case study, before/after, seasonal offer). Each post is an opportunity to rank for new keywords and share on socials.
Step 7 — Analytics & tracking (free)
Measure what matters. Install free tools to see traffic and conversions.
Google Analytics 4
Track visitors, where they come from, and which pages convert. Free and powerful.
Google Search Console
See which searches show your site, fix indexing issues and submit a sitemap.
Utm links & tracking
Use UTM parameters on social posts and ads to measure which channels produce leads.
Step 8 — Maintain & grow
A website isn’t finished on launch. Keep it current and useful.
- Weekly: Check contact forms and phone links.
- Monthly: Publish one post, update any prices or specials.
- Quarterly: Review analytics — which pages drive calls or form fills? Double down on those topics.
- Annually: Consider buying a domain and upgrading away from free subdomain for credibility and SEO.
If your site generates consistent leads, or you need a branded domain, faster performance, professional SEO or unlimited updates, consider paid options. Congero offers a managed website service that gets businesses live quickly with professional design, local SEO and unlimited updates for a flat monthly fee — useful when your time is worth more than design costs.
Free tools & resources (start here)
- Canva (free plan)
- Pexels / Unsplash (free photos)
- TinyPNG (image compression)
- Google Sites
- WordPress.com (free)
- Carrd
- GitHub Pages / Netlify
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free)
- Google Business Profile
- Mailchimp free plan
- Buffer / Later (social scheduling limited free tiers)
Use this checklist to verify your site: title tags, meta descriptions, H1s, mobile check, contact test, analytics installed, sitemap submitted, Google Business Profile set up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really have a professional site for free?
Will a free website rank well on Google?
How long until I see traffic?
When should I stop using a free plan?
Ready to launch?
If you want to keep costs at zero, follow the steps above and use the free tools list. If you'd rather move faster and hand off updates, Congero builds professional, mobile-optimised websites quickly and maintains them for a flat monthly fee.
Want expert help later? Congero offers fast builds, local SEO and unlimited updates so busy business owners can focus on customers, not websites.
