{"id":27171,"date":"2021-06-02T08:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T13:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=27171"},"modified":"2021-05-19T13:39:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T18:39:42","slug":"how-long-to-build-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/how-long-to-build-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most common questions we get here at HostGator is, 'How long does it take to build a website?'\u009d It\u2019s a great question, but it also doesn\u2019t have a super straightforward answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most basic answer to that question is, it depends. For a majority of websites, it takes 12 to 16 weeks. But, it depends on how much experience you have building websites, what you want your website to do, how much planning you do in advance, and what training tools you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to build a super basic website with no bells and whistles, you can build it in a few hours (seriously). If you want a fully-functional, highly-customized website, it can take weeks to months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will focus on the average website owner at HostGator and how it\u2019s possible to launch a nice website in a week<\/a> (seriously!). Here is an overview of the steps you need to follow to get your website up and running in 7 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more detailed, daily instruction on building your website, make sure to sign up for HostGator\u2019s free 7-day email course<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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    1. Get in the zone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Do you remember back to elementary school when you read the Shel Silverstein poem, Melinda Mae? If not, here\u2019s a quick review. Melinda Mae wants to eat a huge whale and everyone says it\u2019s impossible. So, she sits at the table and takes tiny bites, and finishes the whole whale in 89 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"How
    Illustration of Melinda Mae<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Thankfully, it won\u2019t take you 89 years to eat this particular whale (aka build your entire website), but the sentiment of Melinda Mae could not apply more to creating a site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s true. You have quite a task at hand. But, if you get in the zone, stay motivated, and take the project one tiny bite at a time, you\u2019ll move through the process swiftly and have a beautiful website up in no time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Moving on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Create a plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Creating a website without a plan in mind is kind of like baking a cake without a recipe. You\u2019ll end up skipping steps, leaving out important ingredients, and you\u2019ll end up with a huge mess on your hands and a gross final product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before you get started with your website, you need a recipe. Make sure you have an answer to all of the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • What do you want to name your website?<\/li>
    • Will your website have a tagline?<\/li>
    • What header image do you want to use?<\/li>
    • Do you want to put your logo on your website?<\/li>
    • What color scheme do you want to use?<\/li>
    • What font do you like?<\/li>
    • Do you have a gallery of images to supplement your website copy?<\/li>
    • What do you want the basic layout of your website to be?<\/li>
    • How many pages do you want on your website?<\/li>
    • Which pages do you want on your website?<\/li>
    • Where do you want the navigation menu to appear?<\/li>
    • How will website users get in touch with you (e.g. phone, chat, contact form)?<\/li>
    • Will your website include a blog?<\/li>
    • Do you know the basics of SEO<\/a>?<\/li>
    • What do you want each page of your website to say?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Take the time to write down the answers to each of these questions. You\u2019ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. Conduct market research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Before you even start researching domain names<\/a> or sign up for web hosting, it\u2019s essential to conduct market research. This includes learning as much as you can about your target audience and your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When you know who your audience is and what your competitors are doing, it\u2019s easier to create a website that engages your audience and differentiates you from other websites like yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Website market research can be an involved process, and it\u2019s wise to consult additional resources for how to conduct effective audience and competitor research. But, here are some basics to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • What are the demographics of your audience?<\/li>
      • What does your audience like and dislike?<\/li>
      • What type of content does your audience like (e.g. text, video, podcasts)?<\/li>
      • What do your social media insights say about your audience (if applicable)?<\/li>
      • What customer insights do you have from your CRM (if applicable)?<\/li>
      • What do your current reviews say about your company?<\/li>
      • Who are your competitors?<\/li>
      • What are your competitors doing that is working and not working?<\/li>
      • How are you different from your competitors?<\/li>
      • What problems do you solve that your competitors don\u2019t?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        3. Outline your website structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Since websites are visual, it\u2019s important to outline your website structure<\/a>. You can even quickly sketch out what pages you want to include in your site and what you want your pages to look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The good news is you don\u2019t have to be an artist. This exercise is to help you get your ideas on paper. Also, whether you use the HostGator Website Builder or opt for a WordPress theme, you won\u2019t have to do any of the artwork or design yourself. All you need to do is plan out a basic idea of what you want, and then let HostGator or WordPress do the hard work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        If you opt to use the HostGator Website Builder, remember it uses AI to build your basic website structure for you, and then you can easily customize your pages with a few clicks of a button. <\/p>\n\n\n\n