Practical Guide — 2025
make your own website for free
A clear, step-by-step plan to launch a free website, improve SEO, and grow your small business without paid tools.
This guide shows exactly what to do (and what to skip). Follow the steps below — you can have a functional, SEO-ready site today using only free tools.
0$ Upfront
Start without paying
~60 mins
Quick site build (basic)
Free Tools
Hosting, analytics, SEO tools
Local Growth
Focus on customers nearby
Quick start: have a free site in ~60 minutes
Follow these practical steps. Each step is short and uses free tools — no coding required.
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Choose a free platform (10 mins)
Recommended: Google Sites, WordPress.com (free plan), Carrd, GitHub Pages (if comfortable with Git), or Netlify (drag-and-drop builders).
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Pick a simple structure (10 mins)
Create pages: Home, Services (or Products), About, Contact, and one landing/blog page for a key service.
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Write short, focused content (15 mins)
Home page: 3–5 short sections — Hero (who you are), Services (what you do), Trust (testimonials), CTA (phone/email).
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Set up SEO basics (10 mins)
Add a clear page title, concise meta description, H1 on each page, and descriptive image alt text. See the SEO section below for examples.
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Connect analytics & publish (15 mins)
Create a free Google Analytics 4 account and register the site in Google Search Console. Publish and test on mobile.
Pro tip: If you want a professional domain, buy a cheap domain ($5–15/year) from Namecheap or Porkbun and connect it later. You can launch on a free subdomain now.
Best free platforms — quick comparison
| Platform | Good for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sites | Simple brochure sites, very easy | Limited design, free Google subdomain |
| WordPress.com (Free) | Blogging & basic business sites | WordPress.com ads, limited plugins |
| Carrd | Single-page promo sites, fast | Free version uses Carrd subdomain |
| GitHub Pages / Jekyll | Developers; fully free hosting | Technical setup required |
| Netlify Drop | Static sites, drag-and-drop builders | May need basic build process |
| Google My Business Website | Quick local listing site | Very basic, tied to GMB |
Pick the platform that balances speed and control. If you plan to scale or use plugins, WordPress.com is a safer future-proof choice.
Platform selection checklist
- Can I edit text/images without code?
- Mobile-friendly templates available?
- Ability to add meta title/description?
- Can I connect Google Analytics/Search Console?
- Option to add a contact form or phone link?
If you answer "yes" to most, the platform is suitable for a lean small-business presence.
Site structure that converts — what pages to create
A lean, high-converting site uses a few well-optimised pages. Here's a proven layout for small businesses.
Essential pages
- Home: Clear headline, 1-line summary, 3 main services, strong CTA (call or booking).
- Services: Individual sections or subpages for each service with pricing ranges and benefits.
- About: Short story, credentials, team photo, trust signals (licenses, insurances).
- Contact: Phone, email, contact form, and business hours. Add a map for local businesses.
- Landing / Blog: One focused page or article targeting a high-value keyword you want to rank for.
Page template (use for Services)
- Title tag: Service + Location — e.g. "Emergency Plumber Sydney | Fast Same-Day Service"
- H1: Simple: "Emergency Plumbing in Sydney"
- Intro (50–80 words): Problem + solution + call to action
- Bullets: Key features, price range, response time
- FAQ snippet: 2–4 short FAQs aimed at search intent
- CTA: Click-to-call + contact form at the end
Pro tip: One focused landing page per main service is better than stuffing all services on one page. It helps SEO and conversions.
On-page SEO: simple steps that work
You don't need advanced SEO. Do these basics well and you'll outrank many competitors.
Meta tags & headings
- Title tag: 50–60 characters, include main keyword and location if local.
- Meta description: 140–160 characters, write a clear benefit + CTA (e.g., Call now).
- H1: One per page, near the top; include the target keyword naturally.
- H2 / H3: Use for sections — helps Google understand structure.
URL & images
- URLs: Short and descriptive — /emergency-plumber-sydney/ not /p=123
- Image alt text: Describe the image and include the keyword when relevant.
- File names: use dashes and clear names: plumber-sink-repair.jpg
- Mobile-first: Make sure headings and CTAs are visible without scrolling too much.
Technical SEO (quick wins)
- Install free Google Analytics 4 and verify in Search Console.
- Create and submit a sitemap (most platforms provide one) to Search Console.
- Enable SSL (HTTPS) — free via most platforms.
- Use structured data (FAQ, LocalBusiness) snippets to improve results — see FAQ below for sample markup.
Local SEO — get found by customers nearby
For most small businesses, local search drives the best leads. Do these steps:
Google Business Profile (free)
- Create or claim your profile and use the exact business name and address.
- Add services, photos, and business hours. Use a local phone number (not a call-tracking number if possible).
- Ask customers for reviews and reply politely to them.
Citations & directories
- List your business consistently on key directories: Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, Word of Mouth, and local chamber sites.
- Ensure Name, Address, Phone (NAP) are identical across listings.
- Use a single landing page for each location/service to collect local ranking signals.
Pro tip: Encourage customers to mention the service and suburb in their reviews — it boosts local relevance.
Content plan & keywords — write for customers, not robots
Good content answers real questions. Use these simple steps to find topics and write pages that attract visitors who convert.
Find 5 starter keywords
- 1. Primary service + suburb (e.g., "electrician melbourne")
- 2. Service + "near me" (e.g., "carpet cleaning near me")
- 3. Problem-focused query (e.g., "leaking tap repair")
- 4. Service + price intent (e.g., "oven cleaning cost")
- 5. Informational topic for blog/FAQ (e.g., "how to stop a leaking tap")
Simple content rules
- Write clearly — short paragraphs, bullets, plain language.
- Use one primary keyword per page and 2–3 supporting terms naturally.
- Include answers: Add an FAQ block with 3–5 short Q&As aimed at search queries.
- Keep it fresh: Add a monthly post or update to show activity to Google.
Content example (Home page headline + meta)
Title tag: Handyman Services Melbourne — Same Day Repairs
Meta description: Local handyman in Melbourne offering same-day repairs, installations, and reliable service. Call now for a fast quote.
H1: Reliable Handyman Services in Melbourne
Page speed & images — make your site fast
Fast pages improve rankings and conversions. Here are practical, free ways to speed up a site.
Image tips
- Resize images to the display size before uploading (max 1200px wide for hero images).
- Save as WebP if your platform supports it — smaller file sizes.
- Add descriptive alt text and captions; they help SEO and accessibility.
- Use free tools like Squoosh (squoosh.app) or TinyPNG to compress images.
Other speed fixes
- Keep page content lean — remove unused widgets and heavy scripts.
- Enable lazy-loading for below-the-fold images (many platforms do this automatically).
- Use a simple template — fancy animations slow mobile devices.
- Test with Google PageSpeed Insights and focus on the top 3 recommendations.
Pro tip: Mobile speed matters most. Test on a real phone using PageSpeed Insights and fix the issues with highest impact first (usually images and render-blocking JS).
Free analytics & Search Console — measure what matters
Install these free tools immediately so you can see which pages bring traffic and leads.
Google Analytics 4
- Create a GA4 property and add the tracking code to your site.
- Look at traffic by page, source (Google, social, direct) and device.
- Set up a simple event: Track clicks on your phone number or contact button as conversions.
Google Search Console
- Verify your site, submit your sitemap, and monitor search queries that bring clicks.
- Fix indexing issues that Search Console flags (mobile usability, structured data errors).
- Use the Performance report to find pages with impressions but low clicks — improve their meta descriptions.
These free tools are enough for a small business to know what's working and where to improve. Check them weekly for the first 3 months, then monthly.
Free launch checklist — final pass before publish
- Titles and meta descriptions set for every page
- H1 present and unique per page
- Contact details visible and clickable on mobile
- SSL active and site serves over HTTPS
- Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console
- Google Analytics tracking installed
- Test forms and click-to-call links
- Mobile check: tap targets, readable text, fast load
Do these checks on your phone too — what looks fine on desktop can break the user experience on mobile.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rank on Google with a free website?
Yes. Google ranks sites based on relevance, content quality, mobile usability, and speed — not whether you paid for hosting. Follow the SEO basics in this guide and focus on local signals and content that answers customer questions.
Is a free subdomain okay?
A free subdomain is fine to start, but buying a simple domain (yourbusiness.com.au or .com) looks more professional and helps trust. Domains are inexpensive — consider buying one when you can.
Do I need to know code?
No. Platforms like Google Sites, Carrd, and WordPress.com let you create pages visually. GitHub Pages is an option if you're comfortable with Git, but it's not required.
What structured data should I use?
Start with LocalBusiness schema for your contact info and FAQ schema for frequently asked questions. These can help Google show richer results.
Ready to build your free site?
Start with a platform grab (Google Sites or WordPress.com) and follow the Quick Start steps above. If you want help with SEO or content later, you can always reach out — but you can get a working, optimized site live today without spending money.
Link tip: when you're ready to scale beyond free tools, consider a low-cost domain and a simple subscription that includes ongoing updates and local SEO.
Want hands-off help later? Visit Congero for managed websites that include unlimited updates and local SEO — but only when you need it.
Or jump straight to a demo: see our demo
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