Like many things in Miami, knowing how to create a website for your business for free can feel like a catch-22.
You want to start an online business so you can make money. However, most of the advice you’ll find online tells you you’ll need to spend a couple hundred dollars to get your own website up and running.
So what’s a solopreneur to do? Is it possible to make a website for your business for free?
The answer really depends on your definition of a website.
If you want a custom domain like I have (indiaamoswrites.com), you can’t make your website for free. However, if you want to start an online business and need to establish a digital presence, you can get the ball rolling without spending a dime.
In this article, you will learn about different ways you can grow your online reputation and build your business for free. A quick disclaimer though: Most marketing experts online and in Brickell will tell you you’ll eventually want to buy your own domain and start a website so you have more control over your business.
That’s definitely true.
However, if you don’t have a couple hundred to invest in your business — which is currently generating ZERO income — right away, don’t worry about it. The strategies I’m giving you are transient, just like a third of the people living in Dade.
When you have the funds and time to invest in building a website, you’ll be able to migrate over everything you learn in the following sections to your own URL.
But for now, let’s shoot for the stars and get going!
How to Create a “Website” for my Business for Free
If you close your eyes and imagine yourself navigating around your favorite business’ website, what pages do you see? When you boil it down to the bare minimum, most successful sites have:
- A blog
- An email list
- Landing page
- Online storefront
That’s it. On a traditional website, these pages would all be housed under the same domain, which makes it easier for your audience to navigate between them.
However, since you’re not purchasing a website right now, you’ll have to be intentional about where you build these profiles and how you connect them.
If your business sells a product (like custom T-shirts, essential oils or candles), you’ll need to build the four components above. However, if you’re delivering a service (think freelance writing, cleaning, photography, etc.), you’re creating the first three only.
Here are the tools you’ll need to create each one and get started making your “website” for free.
#1. Start a Blog for Free
Why Your Business Needs a Blog
A lot of people think blogs are a waste of time these days, but they aren’t. If you want to drive more clients to your business, you can either do it with paid ads or organic traffic.
By “organic traffic,” I mean potential buyers naturally stumbling across your content online. This happens when information about your business appears on the first page of Google.
A lot of companies publish search engine optimization (SEO) blog articles to promote their brands in Google. You can also do it by uploading optimized videos to YouTube, but I’m not getting into that in this article. (If you want to learn more about making videos, though, Pat Flynn produces some excellent content about the subject).
How to Start a Blog for my Business for Free
If you want to start blogging for your business for free, Medium is the way to go. This intuitive platform makes it almost too easy to start turning out content that builds your online reputation and drives business to your brand.
Since Medium is a reputable website, it comes with a level of authority that Google favors. Plus, the platform already has a host of users on it, which makes it easier for readers to discover your articles. Plus, you can submit your article to different Medium publications so even more people can read your work.
That’s not the only benefit for new bloggers, though. For $5/month, you can become part of the Medium Partner Program, which enables you to get paid for your writing when someone interacts with your article for more than 30 seconds. If you have a few dollars to invest in your business, this could be a good place to put your money.
In any case, getting started with Medium is easy. All you need is a working email address, and you can go ahead and start using the platform.
Before you begin writing blog posts, create your profile. A basic profile includes:
- A profile picture of you, the writer.
- A short bio that appears under any article you write.
- An about page to highlight who you are and why you’re writing.
Once you’ve created all your free “website” pages, you’ll need your bio URL. Keep it handy so you can connect it to the others at the end.
#2. Create an Email List for Free
Why You Need an Email List
Next up on your journey to creating a website for your business for free is establishing an email list. This is critical if you ever want to start earning money from your audience.
Plus, your email list is a super powerful marketing tool. Here, you can read why experts like Melyssa Griffin believe it’s one of the most important assets you can have in your business.
You’re going to need it once you eventually switch over to making a traditional website, and you’ll definitely need it now when you grow. Here’s why.
When you create blog content, you’re building awareness for your brand and the products or services you offer. Once readers express interest in whatever it is you’re selling (and you are selling something, otherwise you don’t really have a business), you need a way to market to them.
Your email list is the best way to do that.
When you have your own email list, you can communicate with people who found you on Medium, TikTok or Instagram. Plus, you maintain control of the list.
You can access it whether you decide to close your social media accounts, your profile gets banned or you decide to switch platforms a few years down the line.
How to Create an Email List for Free
If you’re just getting started with growing your email list, using Mailchimp is your best bet. Its free plan can support up to 500 subscribers, and it’ll allow you to do basic tasks like:
- Store new email addresses you receive.
- Deliver up to 1,000 emails to subscribers each month.
- Send an automated welcome email when someone subscribes.
When you’re just getting started, these are the only features you really need. Like with Medium, you’ll need your business or personal email address to create an account.
Once you’ve got your email list set up, it’s time to start populating it with subscribers. Your email list will only be full once you’re feeding it through an effective landing page.
#3. Create a Landing Page for Free
Why You Need a Landing Page
A landing page is a vital pitstop on your buyer’s journey. Your Medium articles and social media posts are what you’re using to attract clients to your brand.
Once they read your articles and engage with your posts, you need to find a way to get them to join your email list. Otherwise, they’ll bounce off the page never to see you again.
Before they go, you want to establish a connection again so you can contact them in the future.
That’s where landing pages come in.
Your landing page is where you persuade readers to give you their email address in exchange for something. In the industry, it’s called a lead magnet. However, you’ve probably seen it advertised as free:
- Ebooks.
- Webinars.
- Printables.
- Worksheets.
These little hooks are what you’ll be advertising on your landing page, along with a fillable box where your audience can enter their email address. You can easily upload them as attached PDFs in your welcome email so new subscribers get them as soon as they share their email.
From there, you can create another landing page where you sell your services directly. Without having an effective landing page, there’s almost no chance of your business “website” generating any income for you.
How to Create a Landing for Free
Since you’ve already got a Mailchimp account, you might as well stick with it and create a free landing page with the same login. This will make it easier to connect your landing page to your email list — they’re already connected.
In fact, this is the same landing page/email list managing duo I use when I tell people about my DIY SEO guide! If you want to see how I use the two, check it out.
And if you want to learn a little more about how Mailchimp works first? No worries. This video by Metics Media walks you through how to create a free landing page using Mailchimp’s builder.
Once you publish your landing page, make sure you save the URL. You’ll need to go back and add it to relevant blog posts you published on Medium. That way, you can start driving traffic to the page. Plus, you’ll need it at the end when we link it to your other pages.
#4. Create an Online Storefront for Free
Why You Need an Online Storefront
Now that you have the first part of your sales funnel established, it’s time to showcase what you’re selling. This is vital if you plan on selling physical products or digital downloads.
Your storefront is where you’ll present your offerings to the world. You’ll need product images and SEO descriptions to make your items searchable.
Without a storefront where people can go to buy your products, you won’t be able to sell and make money online.
How to Create an Online Storefront for Free
As a service-based business owner, I don’t have much experience creating my own online storefront. However, I’ve heard great things about Big Cartel as an awesome site where you can build an online store for free.
However, there are also some established websites where you can sell your products for free. The only caveat with these sites is your product must be in line with what they currently sell on those platforms. For example:
- Etsy is great for selling handmade or other artsy products.
- Teachers Pay Teachers is where you can sell educational materials.
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is one of the best places to sell ebooks.
If you want the most autonomy over your online store front, Big Cartel or a similar site is probably the best choice for you.
How to Connect Your Pages
Congratulations! You’ve made all your pages for your free “website” and are ready to link them together. There are two ways we’re going to do this.
The first is through a sales funnel. Your sales funnel is the path a person takes when they go from learning about your business for the first time from your blog or social media to actually buying from you.
Using what you’ve created, your buyer’s journey will look like this:
blog post links to → landing page captures email address → email list markets to audience → emails link and promote storefront
That’s your buyer’s journey in the simplest terms. However, if you want to maximize your marketing efforts, you should be putting your pages in front of as many eyes as possible.
Linktree is another free tool you can use to digitally connect your pages. It serves as one URL you can link to in your social media or Medium bio. On that one page, you can post links to pages like:
- Specific blog posts or your Medium profile.
- As many landing pages as you have in your sales funnel.
- Your online storefront so visitors can access it as soon as possible.
And that’s it!
If you followed these steps straight through, you now have created your own free “website” Now, you can ignite the fire under your business and start making money online.
…that is, if people can find you.
You’ve already invested hours into getting your webpages up and running, but how do you know if Google can find you?
Before you start churning out content, everything from your blog posts to your storefront descriptions need to be optimized for searchability.
Now sure how to make your pages pop on Google? Click here to download your free DIY SEO guide, where I walk you through everything you need to know about getting your website seen on Google.
