Practical Guide — 2025
website generator
Choose the right website generator and configure it for SEO, speed, and local visibility — step-by-step.
Website generators can launch professional, mobile-ready sites fast — but only when chosen and configured correctly. This guide gives clear, actionable steps to pick the best tool, avoid common traps, and optimise for search engines and conversion.
60s
Launch with AI tools
49/mo
All-inclusive subscription
100%
Mobile responsive
Local SEO
Built-in optimisation
What is a website generator?
A website generator (also called a site builder or static site generator depending on the approach) is a tool that creates a complete website from templates, content blocks, or source files. Generators range from code-first tools (Hugo, Jekyll) to no-code SaaS builders (Wix, Squarespace) and AI-driven services that produce a live site from a few prompts or a WhatsApp message.
Why use one?
- Speed: launch in minutes or hours, not weeks.
- Lower cost: subscription or open-source options beat custom builds.
- Predictability: templates and workflows reduce surprises.
Types of website generators — pros & cons
No-code SaaS builders
Examples: Wix, Squarespace, Webflow (SaaS mode)
- Easy visual editing
- Hosting bundled
- Can be slower & limited on advanced SEO controls
Static site generators (SSGs)
Examples: Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy
- Very fast pages & SEO-friendly
- Great for content-heavy sites
- Require developer skills & hosting setup
AI-driven generators
Examples: AI site builders, Congero-style SMS/WhatsApp builders
- Fastest path to a live, optimised site
- Often include local SEO & ongoing updates
- Less flexible for unique custom features
How to choose the right website generator (7-step checklist)
Use this checklist to match your objectives, budget, and technical capability with the correct generator type.
- Define your primary goal. Lead generation, online bookings, portfolio, ecommerce, or local visibility? Your goal narrows options fast.
- Match skill level to complexity. No-code SaaS if you want visual editing; SSG + developer for performance and complex workflows; AI services if you want speed and ongoing support.
- Check SEO controls: Can you edit title tags, meta descriptions, canonical tags, robots rules, and structured data? If not, move on.
- Performance & hosting: Does the generator host pages on CDN, support next-gen images (WebP/AVIF), gzip/brotli, and fast TTFB?
- Migration & ownership: Can you export your content and keep your domain? Prefer platforms that let you own your content and domain.
- Update workflow: How easy are ongoing edits? If you change prices/services often, prefer unlimited update services or simple edit flows (text-in updates, CMS).
- Costs & contracts: Total cost = monthly + add-ons + migration. Prefer transparent, all-inclusive pricing and avoid long lock-in contracts.
Quick decision rule: If you value your time and want results fast, choose an AI-driven or professional subscription with built-in SEO and updates. If you need complete control and have developer support, choose an SSG.
Initial setup & migration: step-by-step
Before you build
- Claim or transfer your domain (keep ownership).
- Collect business details: NAP (name, address, phone), opening hours, services, and logo.
- Prepare 3–5 hero images and short service descriptions (100–150 words each).
- List keywords you want to rank for (local + service terms).
During build
- Set canonical URLs and consistent URL slugs (use hyphens, keep them short).
- Configure 301 redirects if migrating pages.
- Install SSL and ensure all pages load on https://
- Enable sitemap.xml and robots.txt generation.
Pro tip: Always test staging site with a robots noindex rule until the new site is ready to avoid content duplication during migration.
SEO checklist for website generators
Complete these items to ensure the generator delivers discoverable, high-converting pages.
- Page titles: Unique, 50–60 characters, include primary keyword near the start.
- Meta descriptions: 120–160 characters summarising offer + call to action.
- H1 and headings: One H1 per page containing the main keyword; use H2/H3 for structure.
- URL structure: short, keyword-rich slugs (example: /plumber-melbourne-drain-repair).
- Schema markup: Add LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ and breadcrumb schema where relevant.
- Canonical tags: Prevent duplicate content and prefer the main URL.
- Sitemaps: Auto-generated sitemap.xml and submitted to Google Search Console.
- Robots.txt: Ensure essential assets aren't blocked; temporary staging pages can be noindex.
- Structured data example (Service):
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "serviceType": "Plumbing repairs", "provider": { "@type": "LocalBusiness", "name": "Your Business Name", "telephone": "+61-412-345-678", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Melbourne", "addressCountry": "AU" } } }
- Internal linking: Link services to city pages and related blog posts to spread authority.
- Page speed: Target Lighthouse 90+ on mobile where possible.
Content strategy & conversion tips
Write for customers first
Search engines reward helpful content that answers user intent.
- Start pages with the answer (what you do, who you serve, where).
- Use service pages focused on single intent: e.g., "blocked drain repair" not generic "plumbing".
- Include clear calls-to-action (phone, booking, contact) above the fold.
Trust & proof
- Show 3–5 strong testimonials with names and suburb.
- Display licences, associations and insurance badges.
- Use real photos of staff/vehicles — helps conversions and local SEO.
Speed, images and performance tuning
- Use next-gen formats: Serve WebP or AVIF via your generator or CDN.
- Responsive images: Provide srcset or let the generator create sizes automatically.
- Lazy load below-the-fold images: Saves initial load on mobile.
- Compress and cache: Enable gzip/brotli and set long cache headers for static assets.
- Critical CSS & defer: Inline critical above-the-fold CSS if generator supports it.
- Use a CDN: If the generator doesn’t include global CDN, add one for faster TTFB worldwide.
Goal: 2–3s load on mobile for a typical local business page.
Local SEO: make sure locals find you
Essentials
- Consistent NAP on every page and structured data.
- Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile (GBP).
- Embed a Google Map for location pages.
Local pages & keywords
- Create service + suburb pages for top 5 service areas (unique content).
- Use schema LocalBusiness + areaServed list.
- Solicit reviews and respond — reviews influence local rankings.
Tracking & continuous improvement
Install analytics and measurement from day one so you can iterate based on real data.
- Google Analytics 4: Track users, events, and conversions (phone clicks, form submits).
- Google Search Console: Monitor indexed pages, search queries, and fix crawl issues.
- Heatmaps & recordings: Optional tools (Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity) for UX issues.
- Monthly report: Track top pages, keywords, bounce rate, and conversions. Prioritise pages with high impressions but low CTR.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Choosing solely on price: Hidden costs and time often make the cheapest option the most expensive.
- Not planning for updates: If updates are hard or costly, your site will stagnate.
- Ignoring mobile users: Always test on real devices before launch.
- Skipping analytics: You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
30-minute actionable checklist (do this now)
- Confirm domain points to your new site and SSL is active.
- Set unique title & meta description for home and top 5 service pages.
- Ensure one H1 per page and proper H2 structure.
- Compress hero image to WebP, add alt text with keyword + location.
- Install Google Analytics 4 and verify real-time traffic.
- Submit sitemap.xml to Search Console.
- Check mobile load time with Lighthouse and fix any 3+ second bottlenecks.
Want this done for you? Services like Congero build, optimise and keep your site updated for a flat monthly fee — ready in under 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Are website generators good for SEO?
Yes — when you choose one that exposes SEO controls (titles, meta, canonical, schema) and you follow the checklist above. SSGs often give the best speed; modern SaaS and AI builders can match SEO if configured properly.
Will I own my content and domain?
You should always own your domain and content. Confirm export options and domain portability before committing to any platform.
How often should I update content?
Aim to refresh key pages (home, services) quarterly and publish one blog or local-post per month to keep signals fresh for search engines.
Ready to launch a fast, SEO-optimised site?
Use the checklist above or choose a specialist service that builds, optimises and maintains your site so you can focus on customers.
Congero helps trades & service businesses get a professional site in under 24 hours with built-in local SEO, unlimited updates, hosting and domain for a flat monthly fee.
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