Want to build a stunning website that truly reflects your brand without looking like just another Wix template? This guide shows you exactly how to build a template-busting website from the ground up – no design experience needed.
Our guide is the first of its kind. You start by choosing one of three sample sites tailored to small business owners and freelancers, all created by a certified Wix Designer:
- A Portfolio Site for showcasing creative or professional work.
- A Digital Agency Site for service providers or consultants.
- A Local Business Site for shops, restaurants, and other community-focused businesses.
Each sample comes with a complete step-by-step guide to recreate it with your own content and branding. You’ll learn how to build all the essential pages – homepage, contact, about, services, and portfolio – following the exact process used by our professional designer.
The guide is organized into 9 modules, with matching sections across all three sample sites. This means you can:
- Follow one sample design from start to finish.
- Switch between designs at any point.
- Mix and match elements from different samples to create your unique look.
Are you ready to build a website that looks like it costs thousands without the agency fees? Choose your sample site to get started!
Sample Sites:
00/ Start Here
You need very few things to get started with our guide. If you’re concerned about brand assets like a logo, images, and copy – we’ll cover all this in the first module and give you several quick solutions that can work just as well as unique assets for a starter site.
However, to complete the guide, you will need:
1. Time. This is not a “10-minute guide to Wix” like the many others out there. We want to help you build a website you’ll love and be proud of.
We’ve asked all staff at Website Planet to create a starter site using this guide, and the average completion time ranged from 15 to 25 hours. Depending on the level of customization and your own pace, you’ll likely need about as much time to build your site.
2. A bit of perseverance. You may be able to complete this guide in a single session, but it’s unlikely – which means you’ll need to come back to it over multiple sessions (likely 5–8) before you can hit “publish.”
The guide aims to eliminate as many obstacles as possible. Still, there may be times when you’ll have to make decisions that seem overwhelming. We’ll always provide “quick” options to help you and make sure you’re always building and making progress. We also recommend starting a list of things you’re not 100% happy with to revisit at the end. This approach will keep you moving instead of getting stuck in the details.
3. A Wix free plan. We’re assuming you’ve already signed up for a free plan, but if not, you can sign up here.
Please note that while Wix allows you to publish a site on its free plan, you cannot connect it to a custom domain unless you upgrade to a premium plan. However, we recommend that you start on the free plan, work on your site until you’re confident Wix is the right fit, and only commit to a paid plan if and when you’re ready to publish your site.
That’s it – you’re ready to get started!
01/ Quick Prep
Decide on the structure and purpose of your website. Gather the necessary brand assets, including a logo, images, and copy.
02/ Homepage
Design and build a beautiful, effective homepage that says: “This is my brand!” rather than “This is a Wix template.”
Previews:
03/ About Page
Create an about page that connects you with potential clients through shared values and experiences.
Previews:
04/ Contact Page
Make it effortless for visitors to get in touch. Build an effective contact page that’ll house your all-important contact form.
Previews:
05/ Services Page
Put all your services on a single page and create attractive previews to coax visitors further down your funnel.
Previews:
06/ Portfolio/Cases/Gallery Page
Create a stunning portfolio to showcase your visual work, or build a case studies page to exemplify your work history with fewer visual assets.
Previews:
07/ SEO Basics
Set up internal links, CTA links, and your SEO metadata. Connect a custom domain to publish your site, or publish using a free Wix domain.
08/ Testing and Refining
Make sure all the different elements of your site work as they should. Return to any items on your list that may need additional work and refine accordingly.
09/ Pre-Launch Checklist
Final checks before you hit the “Publish” button and some encouraging parting words from our team.
