Make Professional Websites within just a few hours. Literally in just a few hours!

Sami Ibn Shafi
6 min readSep 14, 2020

Hey. If you are a web developer or designer, You know it takes more than 1–2 weeks or even more than a month to make usual websites and web apps. They actually take a pretty big time to be completed. I can really relate to that!

So, Here’s your Lifesaver article by Sami Ibn Shafi! I guarantee you that you will be able to make small to medium websites and web apps even within a few hours using these tools & Methods! Based on your efficiency and efforts, necessary resource limitations it might take up to 3 days.

Sorry, For the Crappy Image. But, You are the PRO. You get it, right?

Important Note: Don’t get too excited if you think of making next-level web apps and complex websites within hours. Complex projects will take longer even if you use these tools & methods!

Again, Nothing can beat a custom-coded website right now. (except code templates, as they give you code and you can edit it likewise) That’s why I gave the note above. But, You can make quick websites that are enough to build up a good starter/medium business.

Content Management Softwares:

(No kidding, You probably should try them!)

Content Management Softwares which are basically called CMS are the most obvious ways of making quick websites with a good back-end. There are great CMS and Website builder software out there you can try.

Each builder & CMS have their specialties and bad sides. I will explain them in detail.

1. WordPress (The Big Boy. Obviously, the Topper.)

If you think creating websites with WordPress is cheating or you avoid using it for any other reason, you are ignoring a good opportunity.

Seriously, If you hate WordPress and think it’s the enemy of web developers… I have to say that you make no sense.

I am talking about wordpress.org’s WordPress not .com’s WordPress.

Strengths:

  1. It is dynamic.
  2. Best For Blog, Wiki, Community, eCommerce & Social Websites.
  3. Content is easy to edit in most cases.
  4. Very Very Big community and many add-ons.
  5. If you know PHP, You are the BOSS.

Weakness:

It is not the best choice for simple eCommerce. However, It’s not that bad too.

(The reason is, it takes time to create eCommerce websites with WordPress. If it’s a simple eCommerce, there is a better solution)

But, It is not good for course websites, membership websites, and very functional web applications that need a custom, rich back-end. Also, You have to spend big time in learning things if you want to use it smoothly.

Because PHP is not the best option for that. And if we have to work hard to edit our code, why we used the CMS in the first place? So, not good for LMS, Membership websites, complex web apps. Do the code yourself here.

2. Wix, Weebly & Squarespace (More Control than WordPress)

If you want a blog, go with WordPress. If you want eCommerce, See the next option. But, If the website is a portfolio website or a very creative website. (example- Digital Agency) Weebly / Wix / Squarespace is a good pick.

Strengths:

  1. Easiest and Beginner-friendly.
  2. Not very expensive. (it’s important for many people)
  3. Have a creative template zone.

Weaknesses:

Again, It can’t make that much complex website. And it’s mainly good for creating websites with not much back-end technology. I already told you that complex web apps need the custom coding of a skilled wizard.

Another thing is, even though they provide pre-made templates, It’s very easy to customize the layout completely. So, If you are not good at design principles You can fall in the hands of messy design with a crappy layout.

3. Shopify (Very Fast and Easy)

Ecommerce website projects are almost a daily routine for web developers. You can create eCommerce websites with WordPress. But, nothing can be a competition with Shopify’s fast process if it’s a usual eCommerce website.

Strengths:

  1. It can create websites very fast.
  2. It focuses solely on eCommerce. That’s why it has related themes and addons only. They are very helpful.
  3. Dropshipping is best with Shopify.
  4. It is an easier process than Woocommerce.

Weaknesses:

  1. WordPress has better theme designs.
  2. It may not be a weakness, but some people think it’s expensive because of the monthly plan. However, it’s service is worth it and they provide a 14-day free trial.

4. OctoberCMS (One of the Best. Good if you know code.)

One of the most powerful secrets of success is, Don’t tell everything you know! I kept this as Exercise for you. OctoberCMS is a very powerful tool if you know PHP. You have to write code but a lot less. You should research it by your own.

Hiring Other Skilled People:

(They will help you very much. But beware of some issues)

You can double your work speed just by hiring another skilled and honest person who you think can do the work. If the person is determined, You can get a pretty good result and a critical assist… XD (Gamer Language).

The risk is Disputes. If the freelancer is not serious / not skilled enough / gets some technical issues suddenly, Then you have to cancel the deal, and sometimes, the dispute gets very annoying. Or, The person can even do harm in your project willingly if you don’t pay him a suitable price.

1. Through their Website (Professional Freelancers)

Good side:

The work will be good in most cases. It will be a professional freelancer. But, if his website is crappy, you should avoid it.

bad side:

It is not guaranteed that he will be very honest with your project. These are important and it’s a risk for you. However, the situation hardly appears when you will have to open disputes.

2. Fiverr.com (Cheap)

Fiverr is a platform where you can hire freelancers just by searching the service name. There are lots of freelancers. Some of them are unprofessional and time-wasters. But the others are skilled. Usually, the freelancers are from developing countries. That’s why they charge a lot less. I also used to work at Fiverr when I was at the beginning. I gave good services to clients and they were all happy. That’s why I am saying that there are good freelancers too.

3. Upwork.com (Good choice)

It’s a better choice than Fiverr. Because It provides great security for clients. The money is safe if you deal with a freelancer from here. Again, You can find freelancers in a less budget here.

4. Replying Emails

Some freelancers send emails to businesses. You can hire them too. I also got projects from sending emails and making deals through emails.

Purchasing Website Templates:

(I use them many times too)

Templates can boost your work to a huge extent. Basically, They are pre-made resources that you will purchase and use. The template code can be copied directly to your code and edited. As you can get the code, you can edit it as you want and make a fully custom-coded website. Templates can be of Landing Pages, Sections, Full-website, Dashboards, and many other things.

These are popular for getting a website, page, dashboard Templates. (The Last one has free resources)

1. ThemeForest (Huge Resources)

2. TemplateMonster (Similar to Themeforest)

3. FreebiesBug (Free)

Webflow / Bubble:

(The new Kings of quick Web Design & Development)

This one is no JOKE! You can make webpages within 30 minutes with WebFlow. Very Very helpful for making websites, even some complex web apps. It has a CMS feature that can make the editing content part very easy. It really reminds me of adobe photoshop’s interface. You can make websites, upload it to hosting, export the code, add functionality to the website, make web apps with WebFlow. Unlike CMS, you can export your webflow-generated code and edit it later. Mostly, not a single line of code is needed. But, If you have good knowledge of CSS, HTML you can get a grip of the interface easily and quickly!!

Bubble.io is also similar to WebFlow. It is a no-coding platform for making websites, as they say. It is pretty much like using the Elementor Page builder on WordPress.

Also, If you have any questions

/ if you want a professional website done

/ or help in your online business

/ or a buddy who will do some teaching,

You can contact me at getsamionweb@gmail.com

Please don’t think I am spamming or trying to highly promote myself, But if you think it’s a good idea, Feel free to contact me.

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Sami Ibn Shafi
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Loves to discover things, Web designer, Developer & Entrepreneur