Wix is one of the biggest platforms in the world for hosting business websites. You don’t need to have any skills in building a website for you to be up and running in a matter of a couple of hours. Wix is one of the fastest ways of getting your brand’s website online.
This quick tutorial is going to walk you through the relatively simple process of building a website on Wix.
Step One – Getting Started with Wix
Wix always asks you to register an account with them before you get started. All you need to provide is an email address and a password and you’re good to go with starting your first website.
The first order of business is to choose the type of website you want to start. Click on the ‘I Need a Site For’ option and you can look through the various categories from there. The blog, online store, and business website options are the most popular for startups.
However, Wix also provides templates geared towards photographers, restaurants, hotels, and more.
This is an important decision because the site type will influence the templates and features at your disposal. Try to pick the website type that most closely fits with your business.
Step Two – Choose Your Template
Now that you have your website type you can start to choose a template. This is arguably the most important choice you’ll make when building a website. The popular templates will be right in front of you, but you can also search for anything specific.
For example, Wix allows you to search for templates used by consultants, marketers, and bloggers. There are also blank themes if you want to create a fully customized website.
Step Three – Make Your Website Your Own
Now it’s time to create and brand your website. To start with, you’ll find yourself on the template preview screen. Start by updating your business’s name and adding any text elements onto the preview. Click on the text and you’ll be able to change the text via the text editor. You can also adjust the font and the size.
On the same screen, there will also be the visual elements on the site, including images and a space for video. Again, swap out any photos and upload your own directly from your computer. You may also want to alter the background of the site, which you can do by clicking on the relevant option on the sidebar.
When changing your background, you can choose a single block color, use a separate image from your computer, or even have a video for the background of your website.
Step Four – Adding Other Elements
On the template preview screen, you’re only working with the basics. You should spend some time bringing other elements onto the page. Go to the sidebar and look for the ‘add’ button. You’ll see a list of elements that can be inserted onto the homepage of your new website.
Some of the options include but are not limited to: textboxes, images, buttons, menu bars, and videos. Every option will have a series of styles you can choose from. Make sure you keep the style consistent each time so your business website looks professional.
All elements can be moved around and altered in size at your leisure.
Step Five – Flesh Out Your Website
The Wix website builder doesn’t automatically apply the style of your homepage to every page of your site. You’ll want certain elements to be consistent, but every page is different. Go through every main page of your website and style them in the same way as described above. To do this, click on the relevant page and press the ‘Edit’ button.
You should also take the time to add a blog. It’s an essential part of engaging with your customers. The blog comes in the form of a page element, which you can add from your sidebar. The sidebar can also be used to load any posts and to, in the future, edit existing content.
Step 6 – Add Your Products
If you’re selling products as part of your business, you will want to feature these products on your site. Feel free to skip this step if you offer services instead.
Go to the ‘Store Manager’ on the sidebar and follow the instructions. Additional elements, such as product photos and prices, can be added from this section. It will also allow you to edit payment options, shipping options, and any other store settings.
Step 7 – Publish Your Site
Once you’re happy with your site you can publish your site. Click the button in the top right to preview your website and then look for the ‘Publish’ button in the top-right corner. Before you publish you’ll see the option of adding a domain. This can be either a Wix free domain or a branded domain.
Conclusion – Ready to Go
Now that you have followed these steps you have a working website that represents your business.
Have you started working on your website yet?