Building a website is easier and more affordable than ever. Whether for business, portfolio, or personal use, you can create a professional site even as a complete beginner.
Choosing Your Website Type
Portfolio websites showcase your work or services. Business websites help customers find and contact you. Blogs share your knowledge and build audience. E-commerce sites sell products online. Choose based on your primary goal.
Website Builders vs Coding
WordPress powers 40% of websites and requires minimal coding. Wix and Squarespace offer drag-and-drop simplicity. These cost KES 500-2,000 monthly for hosting and features. Coding from scratch gives complete control but takes longer. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the core technologies. Start with builders if you need results quickly.
Free Website Options
GitHub Pages hosts static websites completely free. Netlify offers free hosting for simple sites. WordPress.com has a free tier with limitations. Wix allows one free site with their branding. Google Sites is simple and free. These work well for personal projects and learning.
Getting a Domain Name
.ke domains cost around KES 1,000-3,000 annually through KENIC accredited registrars. .com domains cost about KES 1,200-1,500 yearly. Namecheap and GoDaddy serve Kenyan customers. Some web hosts include free domain first year. Choose names that are short, memorable, and relevant.
Affordable Hosting in Kenya
Truehost Kenya offers packages from KES 299 monthly. Safaricom Alpha Web Hosting starts at KES 300 monthly. Fast Host Kenya has shared hosting from KES 500. Hostpinnacle provides reliable local hosting. International options like Bluehost or Hostinger often run promotions.
Building Your First Site
Choose a template that matches your vision. Customize colors, fonts, and layouts. Add your content—text, images, videos. Create essential pages: Home, About, Services, Contact. Ensure mobile responsiveness—most visitors use phones. Test everything before launching.
Essential Pages to Include
Home page introduces what you offer. About page builds trust and credibility. Services or Products page clearly explains offerings. Contact page with multiple ways to reach you. Privacy Policy if collecting any user information.
Adding Key Features
Contact forms let visitors reach you easily. Social media links connect your platforms. Google Maps shows your physical location if relevant. WhatsApp integration for easy customer communication. Email newsletter signup to build your audience.
SEO Basics for Kenya
Use relevant keywords naturally in your content. Include location keywords like “Nairobi” or “Kenya.” Optimize images by compressing file sizes. Add meta descriptions for each page. Submit your site to Google Search Console.
Costs Summary
Free option: KES 0 (using free hosting and subdomain). Basic setup: KES 1,500-3,000 (domain + cheap hosting annually). Professional setup: KES 5,000-15,000 (premium hosting, theme, tools). Custom development: KES 20,000+ if hiring a developer.
Maintaining Your Website
Update content regularly to keep visitors engaged. Back up your site monthly. Monitor uptime and fix broken links. Respond quickly to contact form submissions. Keep all software and plugins updated for security.
Your first website doesn’t need to be perfect—launch it and improve over time based on visitor feedback and your growing skills.