
With One.com, anyone can build their dream website
Websites are crucial for any small business or start-up today. Current and future customers expect them, and they expect them to be beautiful, fast and intuitive. In this guide, you’ll learn how to build a website from scratch – a website you’ll be proud of.
Ready to get started on building your brand-new stunning website straight away? Simply select a website plan to suit your requirements and you’ll get your idea online in no time.
Domains and websites
No matter who builds your website and how, it will only work when connected to an active domain. Always make sure you own and control the domain name for your site.
Which domain you use is also important since it becomes part of your brand. We recommend that you choose the right domain before building the website. Businesses often register multiple domain names to protect their brand name from copycats and fraudsters.
How does a website work?
If you’re reading this, you already know what websites are – pages in your browser consisting of text, media files (images, videos, sounds) and scripts working together in harmony. To power this experience, the author of the website used a web editor or another content management system (CMS) to create and publish these pages to a web server that comes with their web hosting subscription. Every time someone types in the associated domain name or clicks a link pointing to it, DNS servers route the request to the right server and download the files to the user’s device. The elements come together and form a beautiful web page like the one you’re looking at right now.
While it might seem too technical, a lot of the complexity is nowadays removed by website builder solutions where the DNS, storage and web editor elements are working together seamlessly.

How much does a website cost?
Now that you know you need a domain, a hosting package and an editor to create a site, the question of pricing may come up. The simple answer is that building a website needn’t cost more than a coffee a month- plus the time you spend designing and updating the site. Most users find website builders very affordable.
If you’re looking for advanced functionality, then WordPress may be the right tool for you. Millions of sites use WordPress today, it’s the most popular CMS system in the world.
What about email?
Having domain-based email is integral to having your own website. At One.com, all hosting subscriptions include free email hosting with unlimited aliases, so you can set up email the way you want. The solution also includes a webmail app, spam filter, virus protection, and much more. Learn more about Email features.
The cost of running a WordPress site is similar to that of a site builder tool but requires a bit more technical expertise. That’s why One.com has created custom tools and plugins for WordPress users to get started quickly and easily.
The alternative for going DIY is, of course, to hire a professional. Employing a web developer or an agency for your website will cost exponentially more than a website builder plan. It is usually worthwhile when a complex website is required. Unless your expectations are sky-high, starting off with a simple website would be faster and more cost-effective. You can always hire a professional help later to get your site to the next level.
How to build a website?
Getting your website right could be the decisive move for your venture, and these days it can be really easy to get started. If you choose your website solution wisely, you’ll be delighting customers with it in no time.
When choosing the tool to create your site, consider these questions:
- What is your future website’s main job? Is it to serve as an online business card, to sell online, to showcase your portfolio? The purpose for your website will define how complex, versatile and design-driven it needs to be, its size and key features.
- What would your website say about you? Think about its design, style and tone of voice reflecting your personality or your business reputation.
- How would you create and maintain content for your website? Do you have great pictures and a story to tell, so that your site is interesting and engaging for visitors? Look for solutions that offer free stock images and beautiful themes to get your started.
- What else do you need to set up besides the website itself? For example, One.com is one of the few providers that includes a free website builder with any hosting subscription and also bundles in SSL and email hosting.
- Will you be able to create and maintain the website yourself? Unless you’re confident in your technical skills, you are better off choosing a DIY platform that comes with all the tools you need. That way, you know everything works, and it’s easy for you to control.