Building Websites

Learn to Make Your Own Website

The do-it-yourself approach is one of the most rewarding ways to build a website. It allows you to understand every part of your online presence — how it works, how to fix it, and most importantly, how to shape it to reflect your own vision.

In the past, building a website was something only trained developers or designers could do. But those days are behind us. Every day, new tools and smarter systems make the process easier for beginners and small business owners. What once took hours of coding can now be done in minutes — often by answering a few questions or clicking through a setup wizard.

And much of this rapid accessibility is thanks to AI assistants. Artificial Intelligence has transformed the web-building process. Many hosting companies, automated mailing platforms, and web service providers now include AI in their packages — giving users step-by-step guidance, design ideas, and even ready-made content.

How This Website Began

This very website began its journey back in 2020 — completely hand-built.

Every page was coded, written, and edited manually. The only outside assistance I used was Grammarly to check spelling and grammar. All copywriting, structure, and layout were done by hand.

Fast-forward to today, and the process looks very different. I now use AI to assist with many parts of the creative and technical work. On average, around 15–30% of the copy on this site is AI-assisted — not written by AI, but shaped with it. The AI helps fill gaps, rephrase ideas, and streamline longer sections while keeping the original tone and intent intact.

This hybrid method — human creativity enhanced by machine precision — is quickly becoming the new standard for independent creators.

AI-Assisted Website Creation

AI can now play a meaningful role in nearly every step of building a website. Below are some of the key areas where it makes a difference:

1. Website Builders

AI-powered website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly simplify the design process. You can start with templates, drag-and-drop layouts, and automated suggestions that adapt to your business type or creative purpose.

2. Content Generation

AI can assist in writing — from short descriptions and headlines to blog posts and metadata. Using natural language processing, these tools help you generate readable, search-friendly copy in minutes.

3. Design Assistance

Design tools powered by AI can recommend color palettes, image styles, and typography combinations suited to your industry or audience. This means your site can look professional even without hiring a designer.

4. Code Generation

If you’re comfortable with coding, AI can help there too. Tools now exist that generate snippets or even entire pages using modern frameworks like React, Angular, or Bootstrap — reducing setup time dramatically.

5. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

AI analysis tools can scan your website and provide actionable SEO suggestions — from keyword placement to link structure — helping improve your visibility on Google and other search engines.

6. User Experience (UX) Optimisation

AI can monitor how visitors interact with your site and highlight where improvements can be made — such as better navigation, faster load times, or clearer calls to action.

7. Content Optimisation

AI-powered analytics can evaluate how your content performs over time. These insights allow you to refine your writing, adjust headlines, or reorganize sections to keep visitors engaged and coming back.

Recommended AI Website Tools

If you want to explore these features for yourself, here are some practical starting points:

Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) – Automatically builds a personalized website based on your answers to simple setup questions.

Squarespace AI Tools – Offers design recommendations, image adjustments, and smart layout balancing.

Weebly Website Builder – User-friendly interface with responsive design suggestions powered by AI.

Google Web Designer – A free, professional-grade tool for creating motion graphics, banners, and animations.

Firedrop – Uses a conversational AI assistant named Sacha to help build your site interactively.

Becoming Your Own Webmaster

Building your own website is no longer just a technical challenge — it’s a learning journey. By combining do-it-yourself discipline with AI assistance, anyone can create a clean, functional, and professional-looking website.

In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be adding step-by-step guides, tutorials, and resources on how to:

• Plan your website structure

• Choose hosting and domain names

• Write and format engaging content

• Use AI tools effectively without losing your creative control

• Optimise pages for performance and visibility

My goal is to help you gain the confidence and skills to become your own Webmaster — someone who understands not only how a website looks, but how it works.

Because when you build it yourself
You don’t just own the site — you own the knowledge behind it.