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Website is key to any small business’s success, but making it yourself can be overwhelming. That’s where Weebly comes in: It offers free website templates with a drag-and-drop interface and easy step-by-step help for building your online presence. This guide will show you how to build your own site from scratch as well as tips on how to improve the functions of what you’ve already created so that it becomes more user-friendly and profitable.
Weebly is a popular and user-friendly website builder that distinguishes itself for its inexpensive prices and high-quality online storefronts. In only five steps, you can create a Weebly website. Create a Weebly account first, then choose a theme, update it, add pages, then upgrade to a plan to publish your Weebly website.
Continue reading to learn more about these stages and to discover what other things Weebly has to offer:
1. Sign up for a Weebly account.
The main page of Weebly
To get started, go to Weebly and create an account. Following that, you’ll be asked a few onboarding questions to help identity which template is right for you. The first inquiry, for example, will ask whether your website is only a website or if you’ll also require an eCommerce shop.
Pro tip: Take your time and consider both choices carefully. If you choose the ordinary website option, you’ll be sent to the conventional Weebly Editor, however, if you choose the eCommerce option, you’ll be taken to the Square Online Editor. Note that the Square Online Editor does not yet accept third-party applications, and once you choose your website type, you will be locked inside that editor until you register a new account.
2. Pick a Theme
On your Overview page, there’s a checklist.
If you choose the eCommerce option, you’ll be routed to a checklist after you’ve completed the onboarding. This checklist makes it very simple for novices to set up a website on Weebly, since it lists all of the procedures that must be completed. The first step is to create your website, so click “Design Now” and go to the Editor, where you’ll see a theme that Weebly has chosen for you.
Weebly will recommend a few features for your website based on the answers you supplied throughout the onboarding process before you begin updating it properly. You may choose which features to add to your website from the drop-down menu on the left, or you can always add them later. After you’ve chosen the features you want, go to the top right corner of the page and click “Next.”
Choose a theme.
There are no onboarding questions in the Classic Editor. You do, however, get to choose from Weebly’s theme library. While the layouts on Weebly are all contemporary and elegant, you won’t find as many possibilities as you would with other site builders. Choose from 40 alternatives in seven diverse, but fundamental areas such as Business and Portfolio.
3. Make Your Theme Unique
The drag-and-drop interface of the Classic Editor
Weebly has two editors, both of which are simple to use. You may edit your website using the Classic Editor, which has a drag-and-drop interface. Although the Square Editor lacks the drag-and-drop functionality of the Classic Editor, it still offers a wide range of customization choices without providing you as much leeway as Wix does.
Change the color scheme
Go to the Square Editor’s Site Design page if you wish to modify the color scheme you initially chose to go with your theme. This Site Design option may be found at the very bottom of the Editor menu on the left. Your colors are pre-selected with the theme in the Classic Editor. Change your theme entirely by choosing “Change Theme” from the Theme menu at the top of your screen. This will take you back to the page where you may choose a theme.
Include a Header and a Footer
Your header and footer are located at the top and bottom of your page, respectively. The logo and name of your website, as well as the navigation bar and crucial functions like the cart, are all found in the header (for an eCommerce site). Business addresses, contact information, social networking accounts, and a search bar are often seen in footers.
You may also incorporate payment choices in the footer of an eCommerce site. Carefully modify these two parts, and keep in mind that changing the header and footer on any page affects the whole website.
Upload your logo
Weebly will prompt you to submit a logo from your PC during the Square Editor onboarding process. You may skip this step if you don’t have a logo yet and upload one later. But don’t overlook this—having a logo is critical for a small business’s branding. Take the time to make your own for free using Canva or pay a professional on Fiverr.
To submit your logo to the editors, go to the top of your website and click on your company’s name, which should be in your header. By pressing “Logo” in the Classic Editor, you may upload your logo. To use the Square Editor, go to the left-hand menu and pick “Logo” from the drop-down menu, then “Image” from the Type drop-down menu.
4. Edit, Delete and Add Pages
Then, personalize the pages that make up your website. To turn your theme into your own website, you’ll need to edit not just the pages that came with it, but you may also wish to add and remove pages. If you’re not sure which pages to add, look at existing websites in your field for inspiration.
Create a new page
Using the Square Editor, create a new page.
To add a new page to your Square Editor website, go to the top left and choose the drop-down menu to access the pages you already have. Add a page by clicking “+ Add” at the top of your screen and selecting a template from Weebly’s library. These pages may always be edited by editing sections.
Weebly already categorizes your pages for you: typical pages, such as your homepage or contact page, are at the top of the list. Weebly has your eCommerce store under Category pages, where you may create various groupings for your items if you’re operating one.
Using the Classic Editor, create a new page.
The Pages option at the very top of your screen in the Classic Editor is where you may add any pages you might require. Simply hit the “+” symbol on top of the button after clicking it. You’ll be presented with Weebly’s predefined page templates, just like in the Square Editor. You may always use one of these or create one from scratch by adding a Standard Page.
Remove a Page
To eliminate unwanted pages, scroll to the bottom of the page and choose the trash icon from the left-hand vertical menu. Weebly has the advantage of immediately removing pages from your site navigation when you delete them.
Drag and drop the pages in the order you want them to appear by selecting “Edit” at the bottom of the Page menu. Keep in mind that you may create subpages by dragging one page below and to the right of another. By clicking the trash symbol beside the navigation links, you may erase pages from your navigation without eliminating them from the website.
The Classic Editor on Weebly
The Classic Editor operates in a similar manner when it comes to fixing the structure of your website. To reorder your pages, rename them, or remove any that are no longer needed, go back to your Pages menu.
Edit Pages
Make changes to the material on your website
To begin modifying your pages, go to the page you want to change. Simply click on the blocks on the Editor’s main page and enter anything you wish. By choosing “Customize” at the bottom of the section’s menu, you may also modify the background image, color, and alignment of your content blocks. When you’ve finished editing your section, go to the top left of your screen and click “Done.” Continue modifying the following section until you’ve finished altering the whole page.
On the Classic Editor, you may edit your blocks in the same manner. You may arrange content blocks by dragging and dropping them about the page, and you can remove items by hitting the “x” in the upper right corner of each block.
Search Engine Optimization
Each page on Weebly has very basic search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities. Click on a page and then on the gear symbol to the right of the page’s name to open the menu. You may alter your page name and URL on the General tab of your Page Settings (the latter is not available on the free plan). The second option, the SEO tab, allows you to provide an SEO title and description to each page, as well as turn on and off-page visibility.
You can access this SEO function in the Classic Editor by clicking on the page name and scrolling down to SEO Settings in the center of the menu bar. In contrast to the Square Editor, you may add meta keywords, footer code, and header code here.
Weebly features a rich third-party app store where you can integrate both free and paid applications to assist with SEO and other tasks. Unfortunately, third-party applications are not supported by the Weebly eCommerce Editor (on Square) at this time. Visit Weebly’s App Store or the Classic Editor’s App button at the top of the page to see what applications are available for the standard editor.
5. Check Your Plan, Publish It, and Upgrade It
Thank you for visiting your new webpage.
The modifications you make above will be stored on the website automatically. When everything is in place, go to the top of your screen and click the preview button. This appears as a PC icon with a drop-down selection to see your website on mobile in both the Classic Editor and the Square Editor.
Finally, in the upper right corner of your screen, click “Publish” to make your website online. After that, Weebly will ask you to personalize your domain. You may either look for an unregistered domain on Weebly or move an existing name from another provider. Keep in mind that you’ll need to switch to a premium plan for both of these alternatives. Otherwise, choose the third option to utilize a Weebly subdomain and keep your free plan.
Keep in mind that if you choose the free plan, your website will be www.yourbrandname.weebly.com. You’ll need to subscribe to a premium plan to receive a custom domain (www.yourbrandname.com) and eliminate all Weebly advertising from your website.
Weebly’s plans and pricing are as follows:
Only the yearly plan is offered (not on the month-to-month pricing)
A single file may only be up to 10MB in size.
Support by phone and chat is only accessible in the United States.
Consider using a Weebly alternative.
Weebly is one of the most comprehensive free plans on the market (particularly with its eCommerce function), but its lack of design skills, minimal SEO tools, absence of an app store (on the Square Editor), and pricey plans may be a deal-breaker for others.
Here are some of the best Weebly alternatives:
- Wix: For people who want a site builder that’s as simple to use as Weebly, but with a lot more creative flexibility thanks to a full drag-and-drop editor.
- Squarespace: For individuals who want additional SEO tools, such as built-in analytics and SEO help, Squarespace is the best option.
- Shopify: is the best option for serious internet retailers, particularly drop shippers. Shopify also has a large app store where you can obtain all of the functionality you want from third-party applications.
- GoDaddy: is the best option for services that need appointment reservations, as well as small enterprises on a budget.
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is a website host required with Weebly?
No. Weebly is a website builder that also serves as a content management system (CMS) and a hosting service. If you’re a newbie who wants to construct a website on your own, all-in-one website builders are the way to go.
Is Weebly completely free?
The cost of Weebly is entirely dependent on the functionality you desire on your website. While Weebly’s free plan has a lot of useful features, such as an eCommerce store, any company should upgrade to one of its paying plans.
Is Weebly’s eCommerce service up to par?
For a free service, Weebly provides a fantastic eCommerce option. It’s particularly beneficial for casual sellers or those who already have a physical store and want to grow online.
Conclusion
Weebly is one of the most capable all-in-one website builders available. Its free plan has an excellent eCommerce function (something we don’t typically see on a free plan), and its website builder is simple to use—though it may lack certain design features that other site builders provide. It’s a great option for any new online merchant wishing to set up a shop with marketing tools.
